{"id":143281,"date":"2023-06-12T16:58:30","date_gmt":"2023-06-12T20:58:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/colombian-spanish\/"},"modified":"2025-06-09T11:51:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T15:51:16","slug":"colombian-spanish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/colombian-spanish\/","title":{"rendered":"Colombian Spanish (Plus Common Phrases)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finally putting those Spanish speaking abilities to the test<\/a> and planning a backpacking trip through Latin America<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Then I highly suggest making Colombia your first stop!<\/p>\n

Not only is Colombia of the cheapest countries to fly to from the States, but it also offers some of the world’s most beautiful scenery, delicious food, and a rich, diverse culture.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read on to learn some colombianismos, and speak Spanish<\/a> like a Colombian!<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Popular Colombian Phrases<\/h2>\n

The guide to Colombian Spanish can’t be complete without a few staple phrases that’ll fully thrust you into the Colombian language and culture.\u00a0The following phrases are some of the most common must-knows in the country. For a more extensive list of Colombian slang words and phrases, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1. A la orden<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 At your service<\/h3>\n

This is the phrase you’ll hear the most in Colombia, especially if you’re getting all touristy, taking cabs and going out shopping<\/a>. “At the order” is the literal translation, but it means something more akin to the English “at your service.”<\/p>\n

If you make any sort of business transaction, the vendor will say a la orden<\/i>\u00a0afterward or as you exit as a way of thanking you.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but vendors will repeat these words like a broken record in hopes of grabbing your\u00a0attention so you’ll shop at their stores and markets. Taxi drivers will also shout this at you from the middle of the street so you know they’re not occupied and you can hop in their cars.<\/p>\n

A la orden<\/strong>, Se\u00f1orita. <\/em>
\nAt the order, Miss.<\/p>\n

2. Pues<\/em> \u2014 Well<\/h3>\n

Pues <\/em>phrases are\u00a0very commonly said throughout Colombia.<\/p>\n

While other Spanish-speaking countries might frequently say bueno<\/i> or h\u00e1gale<\/i>, what separates Colombians is the special word pues<\/i>. Yes, that’s a word used everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world, but Colombians really throw it around like crazy. Sometimes they’ll even add pues<\/i> before and after a word, like this:<\/p>\n

\u00a1Pues<\/strong> h\u00e1gale pues! \u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/i>Well, do it already!<\/p>\n

Pues<\/strong>, bueno pues.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/i>Well, alright then.<\/p>\n

Pues<\/strong>… pues<\/strong> que…\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/i>Well… it’s that…<\/p>\n

\u00a1Vaya pues<\/strong>!\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/i>Go already then!<\/p>\n

Pues<\/strong> mira…\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/i>Well, look…<\/p>\n

Pues<\/strong> s\u00ed, pues<\/strong> no…\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/i>Maybe yes, maybe no… \/ More or less<\/p>\n

Hablamos pues<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/i>Well, let’s talk then<\/p>\n

Okay, I’ll stop, but I hope I’ve shown that pues <\/em>can be used quite literally for anything. It’s the equivalent of an English speaker’s habitually-inserted “like.”<\/p>\n

3. A lo bien<\/i>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 Seriously<\/h3>\n

This is a popular Colombian phrase that expresses certainty and concern.<\/p>\n

I know it looks like it translates to “at the good” or something equally odd, but this phrase actually means, “seriously”, “truthfully” or “really.” You can even slap on a question mark and say “\u00bfa<\/em>\u00a0lo bien?”\u00a0<\/em>to inquisitively ask “seriously?” or “really?”<\/p>\n

It’s the equivalent of the more general Spanish en serio,\u00a0<\/i>which isn’t heard much in Colombia. Here’s an example of how you might hear this phrase:<\/p>\n

Nunca he ido al playa, a lo bien<\/strong>, nunca ir\u00e9.
\n<\/i>I’ve never been to the beach, to be honest, I’ll never go.<\/p>\n

4. \u00a1Qu\u00e9 pena con usted! <\/i> \u2014 Sorry!<\/h3>\n

This is the favorite Colombian way of saying “sorry” or, in essence, “sorry I’m not sorry about it.”<\/p>\n

You know when you bump into people on the street, but you really don’t care because you’re in a rush to get somewhere? Or how about when you’re at a bar trying to order a drink<\/a> first?<\/p>\n

Even though Colombians are expressing slight sorrow and pity for your (minor or major) loss in life, they’re noting that they’re gaining something from your disadvantage. This means it’s probably not even a sincere accident\u2014sad, but true!<\/p>\n

Definitely don’t use this phrase to express real, extreme remorse. It doesn’t really work the same way. Rather, reserve it for those little “I’m sorry, pardon me for pushing, excuse me for interrupting, didn’t mean to be late,” instances.<\/p>\n

In case you’re wondering what the literal translation is, it’s “what pity\/shame\/embarrassment for (with) you.”<\/p>\n

\u00a1Qu\u00e9 pena con usted,\u00a0<\/i><\/strong>Se\u00f1orita!\u00a0<\/em>
\nSorry I’m not sorry, Miss.<\/p>\n

5. Su merced <\/i> \u2014 Your mercy<\/h3>\n

Okay, so let’s dip into a little history here.\u00a0The phrase\u00a0su merced\u00a0<\/i>is actually a derivative or contraction of vuestra merced<\/i><\/strong>, which is the archaic version of usted.<\/i>\u00a0It’s like our old English word “thou”\u2014vuestra\u00a0merced<\/i> goes back a long way (to the year 1100!).<\/p>\n

What does it actually mean?\u00a0“Your mercy.”<\/p>\n

Isn’t it cool to know that Colombians still use this phrase in some manner\u00a0today?\u00a0They commonly use it to convey the ultimate politeness, something that’s even more polite than usted.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

In some areas of Colombia, including Cundinamarca and Boyac\u00e1, su merced\u00a0<\/i>is the only way parents, uncles, aunts and grandparents are addressed.\u00a0<\/i>In these places, su merced <\/i>actually ends up being pronounced more like\u00a0su merc\u00e9<\/i>. The D is silent.<\/p>\n

In any given situation, it can replace the word usted<\/i>. It’s also used to address people whose authority is unknown. In other words, stick with su merc\u00e9<\/i>\u00a0and everyone will love and respect you! It may sound weird, but it’s totally common. Here are a few examples of how this can be used:<\/p>\n

Y su merced<\/strong>, \u00bfqu\u00e9 dice?
\n<\/i>And you\/thou, what do you say?<\/p>\n

Lo que mande, su merced<\/strong>.
\n<\/i>Whatever you say, boss.<\/p>\n

6. \u00a1Qu\u00e9 chimba!<\/em> \u2014\u00a0How cool!<\/h3>\n

Chimba\u00a0<\/em>is a true Colombian multi-purpose word. With\u00a0qu\u00e9, <\/em>it means\u00a0can mean everything from “cool” to “cheap” to “no way.” I suggest experimenting with this word in Colombia\u2014it’s likely you’ll never be wrong!<\/p>\n

\u00bfTe vas a casar? \u00a1Qu\u00e9 chimba!<\/strong> <\/i><\/em>
\nYou’re getting married? How cool!<\/p>\n

7. <\/em>\u00a1Qu\u00e9 nota! <\/em> \u2014 How amazing!<\/h3>\n

It’s always useful to have phrases to express how amazing something is, and Colombian Spanish surely delivers on this. This one, literally meaning “what note” gets thrown around a lot here. You can say both “Qu\u00e9 nota<\/em>” or “es una nota<\/em>”\u00a0to say that something or someone is amazing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ella es una nota<\/strong> bailando.
\n<\/i><\/em>She\u2019s awesome at dancing.<\/p>\n

8. \u00bfQu\u00e9 m\u00e1s?<\/em> \u2014 What’s up?<\/h3>\n

When you’re walking around town and maybe headed down to the beach or the market, you’re bound to run into a friend. If you haven’t seen them in a couple of days, you’ll surely want to ask them how they are. In Colombia, there’s a special question you can ask: literally “What more?”<\/p>\n

But it means more like “What’s up?” or “What’s going on?”<\/p>\n

Jorge, hace semanas que no te veo. \u00bfQu\u00e9 m\u00e1s?<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em>Jorge, I haven’t seen you in weeks. What’s up?<\/p>\n

9. \u00a1Oigan a este!<\/em> \u2014 Listen to this guy!<\/h3>\n

Oigan a este<\/em> is literally “Hey this one,” but in Colombia, it means “Listen to this guy!” This comedic phrase implies mockery and incredulity, inviting others to listen to the madness that the person is talking about. You could use this when someone is describing their recent fishing trip or when someone is bragging about all the money they made last year.<\/p>\n

Oigan a este.<\/strong> \u00a1Es tan rico como Elon Musk ahora!
\n<\/i><\/em>Listen to this guy. He’s as rich as Elon Musk now!<\/p>\n

10. Por si las moscas<\/em> \u2014 Just in case<\/h3>\n

This phrase literally means “for the flies,” but in Colombia, people use this phrase to convey a sense of caution like “what if'” or “just in case.”<\/p>\n

Voy a ahorrar mi dinero este verano p<\/strong>or si las moscas.<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em>I’m going to save my money this summer just in case.<\/p>\n

11. \u00a1Qu\u00e9 pereza!<\/em> \u2014\u00a0 What a bummer!<\/h3>\n

Pereza\u00a0<\/em>literally means \u201claziness.\u201d\u00a0Qu\u00e9 pereza<\/em> means something similar, like \u201cwhat a bummer\u201d or \u201cI don\u2019t feel like it.\u201d But in Colombia, it doesn’t mean you feel lazy. But it does mean that you don’t feel like doing something.<\/p>\n

\u00bfNo tienes ganas de ir a la fiesta esta noche? Qu\u00e9 pereza.<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em>You don’t feel like going to the party tonight? What a bummer.<\/p>\n

12. \u00bfQuihubo parce? <\/em> \u2014 What’s up?<\/h3>\n

The quintessential\u00a0paisa<\/em> (meaning from Medell\u00edn) phrase simply means \u201cWhat\u2019s up, dude?\u201d Common throughout the country, this phrase will surely make you feel like a local. Use it as much as possible.<\/p>\n

\u00bfQuihubo parce<\/strong>, quieres venir a ver f\u00fatbol?
\n<\/i><\/em><\/i>What’s up, dude, you want to come over and watch football?<\/p>\n

13. \u00bfS\u00ed pilla? <\/em> \u2014 See that?<\/h3>\n

Pillar<\/em> literally means \u201cto catch\u201d but there’s no catching going on here. In Colombia, it’s used to mean \u201cto see\u201d or \u201cto get.\u201d \u00bfS\u00ed pilla?<\/em>\u00a0is a question asking if the person sees or notices something.<\/p>\n

Ese tipo parece sospechoso, \u00bfs\u00ed pilla?<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em><\/i>That guy looks suspicious, you see?<\/p>\n

14. No seas bobo.<\/em> \u2014 Don’t be silly.<\/h3>\n

Bobo<\/em> means naive or foolish. Used a lot in Colombia, it’s a synonym for the Central American word tonto<\/em>. The phrase\u00a0no seas bobo<\/em> means \u201cdon\u2019t be silly” and it means something similar to the English phrase “don’t be stupid.”<\/p>\n

No seas bobo<\/strong>, necesitas ese trabajo.
\n<\/i><\/em><\/i>Don’t be stupid. You need that job.<\/p>\n

15. De una. <\/em> \u2014 Get it over with.<\/h3>\n

De una<\/em> is an abbreviated version of de una vez<\/em>, or \u201cat once.\u201d\u00a0 This phrase is used to mean “get it over with already.” People also use it when they want to do multiple things at once, sort of like “killing two birds with one stone” in English.<\/p>\n

De una<\/strong>, no hay mejor momento que ahora.
\n<\/i><\/em><\/i>Get it over with, there’s no better time than now.<\/p>\n

16. Todo bien <\/em> \u2014 All good<\/h3>\n

This phrase is used when someone asks you how you are and everything is fine. It literally means “Everything good.”<\/p>\n

\u00bfQu\u00e9 tal?\u00a0
\n<\/i><\/em>How are things?<\/p>\n

Todo bien.<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em>All’s good.<\/p>\n

17. Ni fu ni fa<\/em>\u00a0 \u2014 So so<\/h3>\n

Many Spanish speaking countries have their own version of this fun phrase, but in Colombia, you get this one that’s really fun to say.<\/p>\n

\u00bfQu\u00e9 tal?
\n<\/i><\/em>How are things?<\/p>\n

Ni fu ni fa.<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em>So so.<\/p>\n

18. Estar en la jugada <\/em> \u2014 To be in the loop<\/h3>\n

In English, we stay “in the loop,” but in Colombian Spanish, you “are in the game” to keep on top of things and be aware of what’s going on.<\/p>\n

S\u00e9 todos los chismes. Estoy en la jugada.<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em>I know all the gossip. I’m in the loop.<\/p>\n

19. Gas <\/em> \u2014 Yuck<\/h3>\n

Gas<\/em> has nothing to do with gasoline in Colombia. It’s an expression used to convey that you think something is gross.<\/p>\n

Gas<\/strong>, creo que ese ceviche sali\u00f3 mal.
\n<\/i><\/em><\/i>Yuck, I think that ceviche went bad.<\/p>\n

20. Echar cantaleta <\/em> \u2014 To nag<\/h3>\n

Cantaleta\u00a0<\/em>is used when someone is harping on something over and over again, annoying you, like nagging. You use it to scold the person for being such a bore and repeating the same thing over and over like a chorus. It literally means “to throw out song” and it can also refer to a rambling speech. This phrase is also used all over Latin America.<\/p>\n

Ya aburro con tu cantaleta.<\/strong>\u00a0
\n<\/i><\/em>I’m already bored with your speech.<\/p>\n

21. Juicioso <\/em> \u2014 Well behaved<\/h3>\n

In Colombia, you want your children to be juicioso, <\/em>which basically means \u201cwell behaved.” This phrase is used to compliment well behaved children and even adults who make good decisions or have good work ethics.<\/p>\n

Tus hijos son muy juiciosos<\/strong>.
\n<\/i><\/em>Your kids are so well behaved.<\/p>\n

22. \u00bfO qu\u00e9?<\/em> \u2014 Right?<\/h3>\n

\u00bfO qu\u00e9?<\/em> is asked all the time in Colombian Spanish to assure that the person you’re talking to is listening and is on the same page. Particularly common in and around Medell\u00edn, it’s often preceded by the phrases s\u00ed<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0todo bien<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Todo bien \u00bfo qu\u00e9?<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em><\/i>All’s well, right?<\/p>\n

23. \u00bfQu\u00e9 hubo? <\/em> \u2014 How’s it going?<\/h3>\n

In such a social and friendly country, people are always asking each other how they are and how it’s going, so this phrase is very useful. This is a phrase you will also hear in many countries around Latin America, so it’s convenient one to learn.<\/p>\n

Mi amigo, \u00bfqu\u00e9 hubo?<\/strong>
\n<\/i><\/em><\/i>My friend, how’s it going?<\/p>\n

24. Hacer un catorce \/ Hacer un dos. <\/em> \u2014 To do a favor.<\/h3>\n

These two phrases are both common in the seaside town of Barranquilla to refer to doing someone a favor. It can also be used to request a favor, or something like “do me a favor.” Strangely, the two phrases literally mean “do me a fourteen” and “do me a two.”<\/p>\n

Hazme un catorce<\/strong>, amigo: ay\u00fadame a mudarme este fin de semana.
\n<\/i><\/em><\/i>Do me a favor, friend, help me move this weekend.<\/p>\n

The Colombian Case of Usted,<\/em>\u00a0T\u00fa<\/em> and Vos<\/em><\/h2>\n

Colombian Spanish is easy, especially if you stick to one way of directly speaking to a person. As you may already know, Spanish has numerous ways of saying “you” and “you all” with varying degrees of formality<\/a>. But Colombian Spanish also contains something that’s a little confusing: the voseo,<\/em><\/a> which is a formal plural you form that’s used in much of Latin America, including some parts of Colombia.<\/p>\n

In our high school Spanish classes, we’re introduced to both sides of the spectrum, both formal (usted)<\/em> and informal (t\u00fa, vos)<\/em> ways of saying “you.”<\/p>\n

1. Usted <\/i><\/em><\/h3>\n

Colombian Spanish speakers tend to use\u00a0usted<\/b><\/em> almost always when directly speaking to a person. They use it to the point where\u00a0it’s probably the only word you’ll hear for “you.” Very rarely will you hear Colombians talking to each other with t\u00fa,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>although it’s not entirely unheard of.<\/p>\n

So, in the case of Colombian Spanish, you’ll want to subscribe to using\u00a0usted<\/em>\u00a0instead of t\u00fa<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0When you’re talking to your best friend, mother, father, grandmother, child, teacher, coworker or even a complete stranger you’re meeting for the first time, you’re going to be hearing and using\u00a0usted.<\/em><\/p>\n

There’s almost never a point in Colombian Spanish where you switch over to t\u00fa<\/em>\u00a0because you’re more intimate or comfortable with someone, as is the case elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world. Even though friends and family are usually referred to as t\u00fa\u00a0<\/em>in most Spanish-speaking countries, this isn’t true for Colombians.<\/p>\n

There are only some parts of the country (namely the coast) where\u00a0t\u00fa\u00a0<\/em>is preferred. Otherwise, usted<\/em>\u00a0is innate in Colombian Spanish. So much so that people from other Spanish-speaking countries at times get offended, or simply ask Colombians to stop speaking to them with\u00a0usted<\/em>\u00a0and to speak to them with\u00a0t\u00fa<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u00a1Deja de hablarme con usted, tr\u00e1tame de t\u00fa!\u00a0
\n<\/i><\/em>Stop speaking to me in usted<\/em>, refer to me as t\u00fa<\/em>!<\/p>\n

It’s kind of like a dead giveaway\u2014if you constantly hear usted,<\/em> then you may very well be dealing with someone from Colombia. (Of course, there are other Spanish-speaking countries that have embraced\u00a0usted\u00a0<\/em>just as wholeheartedly).<\/p>\n

If you’re going to speak in the third person\u00a0usted<\/em> form, make sure you always use the actual word usted<\/em>\u00a0within the sentence. This will help. It’s more clarifying. Trust me, it won’t sound weird, this is really how Colombians speak! Check out these examples:<\/p>\n

\u00bfQu\u00e9 pasa con usted<\/strong>? <\/i>
\n<\/em>What’s going on with you?<\/p>\n

Ya le dije a usted<\/strong>.
\n<\/i><\/em>I already told you.<\/p>\n

\u00bfY usted<\/strong> por qu\u00e9 no me llam\u00f3? <\/i>
\n<\/em>And why didn’t you call me?<\/p>\n

The word\u00a0usted<\/i> <\/b>is so overplayed in Colombian Spanish that it has lost its sense of formality.<\/p>\n

2. T\u00fa <\/i><\/em><\/h3>\n

It’s not that Colombians don’t ever use the t\u00fa\u00a0<\/em>form.<\/p>\n

They do use the second person singular, and they use it a whole lot. What they don’t like is the word t\u00fa<\/b><\/em>\u00a0itself. What I mean by this is that, even if you barely hear the word t\u00fa<\/em>, that doesn’t necessarily cut out te<\/b><\/em>, which is essentially part of the second person\u00a0form of address.<\/p>\n

Get it?\u00a0Colombians popularly use te<\/em>, without a problem. It’s just the word t\u00fa<\/i>\u00a0they have something against.\u00a0For example, here’s a totally acceptable thing to say:<\/p>\n

Te<\/strong> traje caf\u00e9.
\n<\/i><\/em>I brought you coffee.<\/p>\n

In the case of te<\/strong> traje caf\u00e9<\/em>\u2014<\/em>as opposed to\u00a0le<\/strong> traje caf\u00e9\u2014<\/em>the te<\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/em>helps you indicate to whom you’re referring. The thing about le\u00a0<\/b><\/em>is that it can get confusing because you could be talking to someone directly<\/strong> or you could be talking\u00a0indirectly<\/strong> about someone else\u00a0(el, ella)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Since Colombians are native Spanish speakers and clearly masters of their own language, they’re capable of mixing up their talk without sounding “off.”\u00a0If you want to only stick with\u00a0usted<\/em> form and say “le<\/strong> traje caf\u00e9<\/em>“<\/em> because it’s easier and less confusing, make sure you say “le<\/strong> traje caf\u00e9 a usted<\/strong><\/em>.“<\/em><\/p>\n

3. Vos <\/i><\/em><\/h3>\n

If you do hear any sort of informality, it’s a toss up whether you’ll hear the rare Colombian t\u00fa\u00a0<\/b><\/em>or the more common\u00a0vos<\/i><\/b>, which lies in a nebulous area between informal and formal speech.<\/p>\n

Many countries in Latin America attach different levels of formality to this form of address\u2014though usually it’s considered a tad less formal than usted, <\/em>yet\u00a0a tad more formal (or just more appropriate) than t\u00fa.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

In some parts of Colombia, vos <\/em><\/strong>is thought of as more appropriate to use than t\u00fa<\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/i>in most social situations.<\/p>\n

Oh yeah, this is the kind of stuff they don’t teach you in school. This is how you get to sound more like a native.<\/p>\n

If you’ve spent your Spanish journey only using t\u00fa<\/em>, you’ll probably need to drill these other forms of “you” into your mind by listening to native Spanish speakers use them.<\/p>\n

You’ll hear t\u00fa <\/em>and usted <\/em>basically everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world, but to practice vos <\/em>you’ll need to look out for resources specifically from countries like Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay. Look for a language learning program that can expose you to all these different varieties of Spanish.<\/p>\n

For example, FluentU<\/a> is an online language learning platform with bite-sized Spanish videos curated for language learners, all categorized by topic and difficulty level.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p> \r\n

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \"FluentU\r\n

\r\n

So, to really sound natural in Colombia, you’ll want to master\u00a0the wacky vos\u00a0<\/em>conjugation system<\/a>. This style of speaking is mainly heard in the cities of Cal\u00ed and Medell\u00edn\u2014but even then, not everyone uses it. Regardless, go prepared!<\/p>\n