• Find a Chapter
    • Albuquerque, NM
    • Chicago, IL
    • East Bay, CA
    • Houston, TX
    • Kansas City, KS
    • Kent, OH
    • Peninsula, CA
    • Portland, OR
    • San Diego, CA
    • San Francisco, CA
    • Seattle, WA
    • Tucson, AZ
    • Washington DC

    • National Chapter
  • Blog
  • APPLY
  • Volunteer Abroad Programs
    • Request Info
    • Apply Now
  • Donate
  • Our Impact
  • Join our Team
  • News and Blog
  • Staff & Board
  • Find a Local Chapter
    • Albuquerque, NM
    • Amigos de las Americas
    • Austin, TX
    • Boston, MA
    • Amigos | Test Chapter
    • Chicago, IL
    • Chicago North, IL
    • Denver, CO
    • Washington DC
    • East Bay, CA
    • Foundation for Amigos de las Américas
    • Houston, TX
    • Kansas City, KS
    • Marin, CA
    • Minneapolis / St. Paul, MN
    • New York City, NY
    • Kent, OH
    • Peninsula, CA
    • AMIGOS Philadelphia
    • Phoenix, AZ
    • Portland, OR
    • Sacramento-Davis, CA
    • San Diego, CA
    • San Francisco, CA
    • Seattle, WA
    • Silicon Valley, CA
    • Salt Lake City, UT
    • Toronto | Amigos
    • Tucson, AZ
    • Madison, WI
  • APPLY
Donate Apply
  • Our Programs
    • Talk to an Advisor
    • Summer Volunteer Programs
    • Gap Year Programs
    • Project Staff
    • Social Impact Accelerator
    • Custom Volunteer Programs
    • Youth Ambassadors
    • Para Jóvenes de América Latina
  • Learn More
    • Request Info
    • Info Sessions
    • Admissions
    • Fees & Funding
    • Health & Safety
    • College Credit
    • For Parents
    • For Educators
    • HISD Abroad
    • Testimonials
    • FAQ
    • Volunteering and Gap Year Guides
  • About Us
    • About us
    • Our Impact
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Staff & Board
    • Join our Team
    • Alumni
    • Chapter Network
    • AMIGOS Gear
    • Corporate Partners
    • Financials
    • Support
  • News & Blog
    • La Carta
    • Field Notes
    • News

VOICES OF AMIGOS

A Friend is a Friend is a Friend is an Amigo?

13575504_1186376521414024_480189720_o

If you know Spanish it’s not exactly subtle that the AMIGOS organization is exactly translated to “friends of the Americas” or “friends international.” Who wouldn’t want to be involved with an organization that celebrates friends? It is a great testament to the priority that participants have when they go into the field to build relationships rather than enterwith the sole purpose of completing a service project. Thus, when you work and participate with AMIGOS you will never forget how important it is to be a friend to one another. Luckily, the term is so universal that no matter which Spanish-speaking country you visit, you will be able to use the term amigos and make a friend without any problem. However, anyone who has ventured beyond their AP Spanish class to Spain or Latin America can testify to the fact that nearly every Spanish-speaking country speaks a unique dialect with their own crazy slang terms and accents. I learned the hard way, when I studied abroad in Chile, that you could not rely on knowing that beans translated to frijoles (Chile calls them porotos) or that a novio meant boyfriend (where in Chile that meant fiance and a boyfriend was actually called pololo). Nevertheless, I had so much fun picking up the slang because it made me feel that, after a while I could speak like a native!

So, I began to wonder, ¿como se dice “amigo” en otros países? Because knowing some of the slang will help you become true amigos even faster! My disclaimer is I did not consult with native speakers from every country but here is what I found with some basic googling. Enjoy! And go make a friend today!

 Guey – dude, but also a random interjection (Mexico)  Che – used both to say “hey!” or a term for your buddy (Argentina) Pata (Peru)  Causa – a close friend (Peru)  Fren – even sounds like friend! (Panama)  Compai – slang for compadre, or friend (Dominican Republic, though the similar
“compa” is used in many places like Nicaragua/Mexico/Argentina/Costa Rica)
 Mai – pronounced like “my” (Costa Rica)  Broder – yeah like brother haha… (Ecuador) Pana – used a lot around the Caribbean (Ecuador, Mexico, Dominican Republic,
Panama, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua…)
 Parce – mate or bro (Colombia)
 Weon – offensive word used for a variety of things (so don’t use with a stranger)
but with friends it’s like using “dude” (Chile)
 Yunta – a really close friend, tied to the hip. (Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay,
Nicaragua, Cuba, Argentina)

Well, there you go. Just a few ways to call someone a friend as you travel around Latin America – just in case you get tired of saying amigo or can’t think of anything other than
the organization now when you use the term!

-Erin Aucar, Regional Outreach Coordinator

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Katie Hulting
Katie Hulting
Katie spends her time getting everyone ready for the summer. If you are participating this year, chances are you’ve gotten nearly 100 emails from her.
Katie Hulting
Latest posts by Katie Hulting (see all)
  • Dedicated to Making AMIGOS Affordable - July 22, 2016
  • Field Report From Chimborazo - July 22, 2016
  • Hola desde Madriz, Nicaragua! - July 6, 2016

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Amigos de las Américas inspires leaders through authentic service and immersion experiences.

  • About Us
  • Impact
  • Staff & Board
  • Join our Team
  • Financials
  • Our Donors
  • Corporate Partners
  • Media
  • History
  • Alumni
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Support
  • Partners
  • Chapter Resources
  • AMIGOS Store
  • Events
  • Contact Us
  • Lifelong Leaders Luncheon
  • Our Programs
  • Summer Volunteer Programs
  • Gap Year Programs
  • Project Staff
  • Custom Volunteer Programs
  • Youth Ambassadors
  • Para Jóvenes de América Latina
  • Learn More
  • Request Info
  • AMIGOS Admissions
  • Info Sessions
  • Fees & Financial Assistance
  • College Credit
  • HISD Abroad
  • For Parents
  • For Educators
  • Health & Safety
  • Testimonials
  • Volunteering & Gap Year Guides
  • FAQ
  • Find a Local Chapter
  • Share your AMIGOS story
  • Share Your Ideas (Survey)
  • Blog
  • La Carta
  • Field Notes
  • News
Donate
Apply
  • Contact
  • (713) 782-5290
  • 1800 West Loop South, Suite 1325
  • Houston, TX 77027
  • –
  • Chat Provider: LiveChat

© 2023 Amigos de las Americas | Privacy Policy

Amigos is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

© 2023 Amigos de las Americas | Privacy Policy

Amigos is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

© 2023 Amigos de las Americas | Privacy Policy

Stay in touch

Sign up below and we’ll send you more info about AMIGOS programs.

Powered by Formstack