Canarian Words & Local Slang
Canarian Spanish has its own flavour. Here is a glossary to understand the locals, order properly at a guachinche and not miss a single island tradition.
Spanish with an Atlantic accent
Canarian Spanish is closer to Caribbean and Latin American Spanish than to mainland Spain. Locals use "ustedes" instead of "vosotros", pronounce "c" and "z" like "s" (seseo) and soften the "s" at the end of words.
Its vocabulary is a unique blend: words from the Guanches (the islands’ indigenous Berber people) such as gofio, baifo or tabaiba; Portuguese words like fonil; and Latin American ones like guagua (bus) or papa (potato). This is your guide to decoding it.
Food & Drink
28gofio
Toasted, ground cereal flour (maize, wheat or barley), a cornerstone of Canarian cooking.
Herencia guanche; se amasa, se echa al caldo o se toma con leche.
papas arrugadas
Small potatoes boiled in their skins in heavily salted water until wrinkled, served with mojo sauce.
El plato más emblemático; en Canarias se dice 'papa', no 'patata'.
mojo
Cold Canarian sauce made with oil, vinegar, garlic, and salt, with spices: in its red version (spicy or mild) it includes hot pepper or paprika and cumin, and in the green one, coriander or parsley.
Acompaña las papas arrugadas, el pescado y el queso.
barraquito
A layered Canarian coffee with condensed milk, milk, Licor 43, espresso, foam, cinnamon and lemon peel.
Especialidad de Tenerife; pídelo 'sin alcohol' para omitir el licor.
plátano de Canarias
The small, sweet, fragrant banana grown in the islands, speckled brown and with its own protected label.
Más dulce que la banana de importación.
ropa vieja
A chickpea stew with shredded meat, potatoes and vegetables, traditionally made from leftover boiled dinner.
Mismo nombre que en Cuba, pero receta canaria propia.
sancocho
Desalted salt fish (usually wreckfish) boiled with potatoes and sweet potatoes, served with mojo and a ball of gofio.
Tradicional en Semana Santa, sobre todo el Viernes Santo.
quesillo
A custard dessert like flan, made with egg, condensed milk and caramel, denser than ordinary flan.
Se cuaja en una flanera con agujeros.
queso asado
Fresh Canarian cheese, often goat's, sliced and grilled until golden, served with mojo or palm syrup.
Aperitivo muy común en guachinches y restaurantes.
miel de palma
A dark syrup made from the sap of the Canary palm tree, unique to La Gomera.
No es miel de abeja; se vierte sobre frangollo, quesillo o queso.
ronmiel
A sweet, low-strength Canarian liqueur made by blending rum with honey.
El Ronmiel de Canarias cuenta con IGP.
frangollo
A dessert of maize meal cooked with milk, sugar, lemon and cinnamon, sometimes with raisins and almonds.
Se sirve con miel de palma por encima.
bienmesabe
A thick sweet made of ground almonds, egg yolk, sugar and lemon.
Típico de La Palma y Gran Canaria; se toma solo o sobre helado.
conejo en salmorejo
Rabbit marinated for at least several hours (traditionally 24 hours) and stewed in a marinade of garlic, wine, vinegar, spicy pepper, cumin, thyme, and oil, usually served with wrinkled potatoes.
El 'salmorejo' canario es un adobo, distinto al gazpacho frío andaluz.
escaldón
A thick mush made by scalding gofio with hot fish or meat broth.
También 'escaldón de gofio'; se come con cebolla cruda.
potaje de berros
A watercress stew with potatoes, beans, pumpkin and sometimes pork rib.
Plato de cuchara cotidiano; se acompaña con gofio.
almogrote
A spreadable paste from La Gomera made of cured cheese, oil, garlic and hot pepper.
Se unta en pan tostado.
vino de tea
A red wine from La Palma aged in Canary-pine barrels, with a distinctive resinous pine aroma.
Exclusivo de La Palma; con Denominación de Origen.
malvasía
A sweet wine made from the Malvasía grape, historically famous and exported from Lanzarote and Tenerife.
Es el 'Canary wine' mencionado por Shakespeare.
leche y leche
A coffee made with both condensed milk and regular milk, very sweet.
Literalmente 'milk and milk'; es la base del barraquito sin las demás capas.
cherne
A prized Canarian fish, a type of wreckfish, the base of sancocho when salted.
El cherne salado es el pescado clásico del sancocho.
vieja
A parrotfish from Canarian waters with prized white flesh, served boiled with potatoes and mojo.
'Vieja sancochada' es un clásico; abundante en El Hierro.
lapas
Limpets, rock-clinging shellfish eaten grilled with green mojo and garlic.
'Lapas con mojo' es un enyesque marinero típico.
carajacas
A tapa of liver cut into strips and stewed in a spicy garlic-and-pepper marinade.
Muy popular como enyesque en Las Palmas.
pella de gofio
A firm kneaded ball of gofio made with broth, water or oil, served alongside stews.
Se corta en rodajas; acompaña al sancocho.
baifo
A young goat (kid), prized in Canarian cuisine, stewed or fried.
Palabra de origen guanche; 'baifo en salsa' es plato festivo.
truchas de batata
Fried Christmas pastries filled with sweet potato (or pumpkin jam) and dusted with sugar.
Dulce típico de Navidad.
enyesque
A small snack or tapa eaten to go with a drink.
Equivalente canario del 'tapeo': 'vamos a echar un enyesque'.
Nature & Landscape
28drago
An umbrella-crowned endemic tree (Dracaena draco) famous for its red sap, the 'dragon's blood'.
El Drago Milenario de Icod de los Vinos (Tenerife) es un símbolo del archipiélago.
barranco
A deep, steep-sided ravine carved into the volcanic slopes, usually dry except after heavy rain.
Estructura el paisaje y los topónimos de todas las islas.
caldera
A large circular volcanic basin formed by the collapse or erosion of a volcano.
'Caldera' es término geológico universal de origen canario; La Caldera de Taburiente está en La Palma.
tajinaste
An endemic spike-flowering plant (genus Echium); the towering red Teide tajinaste is the most famous.
El tajinaste rojo (Echium wildpretii) florece en primavera en Las Cañadas del Teide.
charco
A natural seawater rock pool along the volcanic coast, used for swimming.
'Ir al charco' suele significar bañarse en estas piscinas naturales.
roque
An isolated rock pinnacle or crag, the hardened remnant of an old volcanic vent.
Roque Nublo (Gran Canaria), Roques de García (Teide) y Roques de Anaga.
laurisilva
A relict subtropical laurel cloud forest surviving in the humid northern highlands.
El bosque de Garajonay (La Gomera) es Patrimonio de la Humanidad.
malpaís
A rugged, barren expanse of jagged lava rock left by recent eruptions, almost without vegetation.
Malpaís de Güímar (Tenerife) o Malpaís de la Corona (Lanzarote).
panza de burro
The persistent low cloud blanket ('donkey's belly') that shrouds the northern midlands.
Típica del norte de Tenerife y Gran Canaria; aporta la humedad que sostiene la laurisilva.
pinar canario
Forest of the endemic Canary pine (Pinus canariensis), fire-resistant and a notable fog-water harvester.
Rebrota tras los incendios, algo raro entre los pinos.
cardón
An endemic candelabra-like succulent spurge (Euphorbia canariensis) of arid lowlands.
Símbolo vegetal de Gran Canaria; su látex es tóxico.
tabaiba
An endemic shrubby spurge (genus Euphorbia) with milky sap, typical of coastal and midland scrubland.
Hay tabaiba dulce (no irritante) y tabaiba amarga (látex tóxico).
lagarto tizón
An endemic dark-coloured lizard (genus Gallotia), males showing bluish flank spots.
Presente en Tenerife, La Gomera y El Hierro; cada isla tiene su Gallotia.
picón
Fine dark volcanic gravel spread over fields to trap moisture for crops.
Base del cultivo en seco de La Geria (Lanzarote).
jable
Fine pale sand of marine origin covering large areas, used for farming.
El Jable de Lanzarote y el de Corralejo (Fuerteventura) son los más conocidos.
tunera
The Canarian name for the prickly-pear cactus (Opuntia), whose fruit is the 'higo pico'.
Sobre ella se criaba la cochinilla, tinte clave de la economía isleña del siglo XIX.
degollada
A mountain pass or saddle, the low point of a ridge between two peaks.
Degollada de Peraza (La Gomera), Degollada de Becerra (Gran Canaria).
callao
A rounded beach pebble, and by extension a pebble (rather than sand) beach.
Frecuente en topónimos costeros como El Callao.
guirre
The Canarian name for the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), a small scavenging vulture.
Su población más importante, una subespecie endémica, sobrevive en Fuerteventura y Lanzarote.
pardela
A pelagic seabird (Cory's shearwater) that nests on coastal cliffs and gives eerie night-time calls.
Sus crías sufren deslumbramiento por las luces costeras en otoño.
monteverde
The evergreen humid woodland of the midlands, taking in both laurel forest and heath.
A menudo se usa como sinónimo amplio de laurisilva.
perenquén
The Canarian name for the wall gecko (genus Tarentola), a small nocturnal reptile.
Inofensivo y muy común; varias especies endémicas según la isla.
cernícalo
A small, very common falcon (Falco tinnunculus) with an endemic Canarian subspecies.
Se le ve 'cernido' (volando inmóvil) sobre barrancos y campos.
lapilli
Small light fragments of porous lava ejected during an eruption, between ash and volcanic bombs in size.
Es el término técnico del material que en Lanzarote se llama picón o rofe.
verode
An endemic shrub (Kleinia neriifolia) with fleshy grey stems that sheds its leaves in summer.
Su jugo se usaba para cuajar la leche y encalar; típico del piso basal árido.
fayal-brezal
A heath-and-bayberry woodland of the midlands, growing on poorer soils than the laurel forest.
Suele aparecer en los bordes del monteverde húmedo.
rofe
The Lanzarote/Fuerteventura name for the light volcanic gravel (lapilli) used as a crop mulch.
Equivale al picón de las islas occidentales.
bicácaro
An endemic climbing bellflower (Canarina canariensis) with orange blooms and an edible fruit.
Crece en el monteverde; su fruto carnoso se comía tradicionalmente.
Expressions & Exclamations
19chacho / chacha
Short for 'muchacho', used both to address someone casually ('hey, mate') and as a filler for surprise ('wow!').
Una de las marcas más reconocibles del habla canaria: '¡Chacho, qué calor!'.
¡ños! / ¡ño!
An exclamation of surprise or annoyance, a softened version of a swear word, like 'jeez!' or 'wow!'.
'¡Ños, qué susto me diste!'.
mi niño / mi niña
An affectionate way to address someone of any age, like 'dear' or 'love', even between adults.
Un mayor puede llamar 'mi niño' a otro adulto; es señal de cercanía.
agüita
An exclamation meaning 'watch out!', 'careful!' or 'oh my!' depending on context.
'¡Agüita con el escalón!' (cuidado) o '¡Agüita la cola que hay!' (madre mía).
fos / fu
An exclamation of disgust at a bad smell or something gross, like 'yuck!' or 'ew!'.
A veces se distingue 'fos' (olor) de 'fu' (sabor o tacto), pero suelen ser intercambiables.
chö / cho
An exclamation of surprise or admiration, very typical of Tenerife, like 'wow!' or 'whoa!'.
Suele alargarse para enfatizar: '¡Chöö, qué grande!'.
¿qué pasó?
An informal greeting meaning 'what's up?' or 'how are you?', not a question about an actual event.
Compartido con el español americano; muy usado entre jóvenes.
ser un fleje de
A whole lot of something; 'un fleje' means 'loads' or 'tons'.
'Había un fleje de gente en la playa'. Muy usado entre jóvenes.
estar esmayado
To be ravenously hungry, starving.
También 'esmayarse': 'Estoy esmayado, vamos a comer ya'.
tener jeito / coger el jeito
To have the knack or skill for something; to get the hang of it.
'Jeito', del portugués, es maña o destreza.
listo
A way to say 'okay', 'alright' or 'done', expressing agreement.
'Nos vemos a las cinco. — Listo'.
coger un jilorio
To get a sudden, intense pang of hunger and weakness from not having eaten.
'Me dio un jilorio que casi me desmayo'.
estar arrebatado
To be furious, worked up or beside oneself.
'Vino arrebatado porque le rayaron el coche'.
andar al cobre
To be broke, short of money.
'Este mes ando al cobre'.
quedarse esñangado
To be left limp, worn out or sprawled with no energy.
'Llegó esñangado del trabajo'.
estar entelerido
To be freezing cold, shivering.
'Salí del agua entelerido'.
estar jediondo
To be smelly and dirty, or to describe an unpleasant, stuck-up person.
Del castellano antiguo 'hediondo' con aspiración de la h; '¡Qué niño más jediondo!' (repelente).
¡fuerteee!
An exclamation of amazement at something incredible or hard to believe, like 'no way!'.
'¡Fuerteee lo que me cuentas!'.
ir a la cofa
To sit poorly, perched or in a precarious and uncomfortable manner in a high or unstable place, especially in a vehicle (allusion to the ship's crow's nest, the high platform on the mast).
De origen marinero: la cofa es la plataforma alta del mástil.
Words & Vocabulary
21guagua
Bus; the everyday word for the public bus in the Canaries.
'Coger la guagua'. También se usa en Cuba y el Caribe.
cotufas
Popcorn.
'Cotufas para el cine'. Posiblemente del inglés 'corn to fry'.
chola
A flip-flop or open sandal.
'Ponte las cholas'. Una de las palabras más cotidianas del verano canario.
aguaviva
A jellyfish.
Palabra básica de playa: '¡cuidado, hay aguavivas!'.
magua
A feeling of regret, pity or longing for something missed.
De origen guanche. '¡Qué magua!' = qué pena; 'quedarse con la magua' = con las ganas.
choni
A casual, jokey word for a foreign tourist, usually from northern Europe.
Derivado popularmente de nombres como 'Johnny'.
godo
A Spaniard from mainland Spain, as opposed to a Canarian; can be mildly derogatory depending on tone.
Históricamente aludía a los castellanos.
machango
A doll or figure; also a clownish person who shows off or acts silly.
'Hacer el machango' = hacer el payaso.
emburriar
To push or shove someone or something.
'No me emburries'. Voz de origen portugués/leonés muy arraigada.
escachar
To squash, crush or smash something flat.
'Escacharse de la risa' = partirse de risa.
chercha
Teasing, mockery or banter at someone's expense.
'Lo cogieron de chercha'. También el verbo 'cherchear'.
esmorecerse
To be helpless with laughter (or, of a child, to cry until breathless).
'Me esmorecí de la risa'. Voz de origen portugués.
bichillo
An affectionate term for a little kid or person ('little one').
'Ven aquí, bichillo'. De 'bicho' usado con cariño.
tenir
To stain or dye something, especially clothes that bleed colour.
'Esa camisa me tiñó la ropa blanca'.
ñinga
A tiny amount of something, a smidge.
'Échame solo una ñinga'.
fañoso
Someone who speaks with a nasal, stuffy voice, usually due to a cold.
'Estás fañoso, ¿estás resfriado?'.
jeito
Knack, skill or the right way of doing something; also charm or good looks.
'Tiene jeito para la cocina'. De origen portugués.
fonil
A funnel for pouring liquids.
De origen portugués ('funil').
ñoño
A toe.
'Me di un golpe en el ñoño'. No confundir con el 'ñoño' (remilgado) del español general.
totufo
A bump or lump on the head from a knock.
'Se dio con la puerta y le salió un totufo'.
beletén
Colostrum, the first milk produced after giving birth.
Se usaba para postres caseros con esa leche espesa de los primeros días.
Culture & Traditions
24guachinche
A rustic, family-run eatery (mostly in northern Tenerife) where the owner serves their own wine with simple country dishes.
Originalmente abrían solo cuando había vino del año (valle de La Orotava, Tacoronte).
lucha canaria
A traditional Canarian wrestling sport where two opponents in a sand ring try to make the other touch the ground with anything but the feet.
Se lucha en el 'terrero'; muy arraigado en todas las islas.
silbo gomero
A whistled language that reproduces Spanish, used to communicate across the deep ravines of La Gomera.
Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Humanidad (UNESCO, 2009).
timple
A small five-stringed Canarian instrument, like a tiny guitar, central to the islands' traditional music.
Símbolo musical de las islas; característica su 'joroba' trasera.
romería
A popular religious folk festival where people in traditional dress parade a saint, offering local food and wine from ox-drawn carts.
Famosas las de San Roque (Garachico), San Benito (La Laguna) y la del Cristo.
carnaval
The islands' biggest festival, with satirical bands, parades, queens and costumes; the one in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is world-famous.
Se celebra en febrero/marzo; declarado Fiesta de Interés Turístico Internacional.
baile de magos
An open-air folk dance party where people wear traditional Canarian costume and dance to local music.
Suele acompañar a las romerías; aquí 'mago' significa campesino, no ilusionista.
traje de mago
The traditional Canarian peasant costume, with distinct variations for each island.
'Mago' es el campesino canario.
parranda
An informal group of friends who go out playing and singing traditional music, and by extension the spontaneous party itself.
'Irse de parranda' es salir de fiesta con música en vivo.
folía
A slow, melancholic traditional Canarian song and dance, played on timple, guitar and lute.
Suele cantarse en plural ('folías'); de los géneros más representativos del folclore.
isa
A lively, fast traditional song and dance in which couples form chains and arches.
Contrapunto festivo de la folía; emparentada con la jota.
salto del pastor
Traditional technique of Canarian shepherds to descend and navigate ravines and steep terrains by jumping with the help of a long wooden stick or pole (spear, astia, lata, garrote, or asta depending on the island) topped with a metal tip or regatón, which is stuck into the ground while the jumper slides down the wood to slow the descent.
De origen prehispánico (guanche); también 'brincar la lanza'.
papagüevos
Large festive figures of giants or big-headed dwarfs, made of cardboard or light materials, inside which a person carries and dances with them, enlivening the carnival and the popular Canary Islands festivals.
Equivalente canario de los 'cabezudos'; muy típicos en Lanzarote y Gran Canaria.
chácaras
Large wooden castanets from La Gomera and El Hierro that accompany the drum in traditional dances.
Mayores que las castañuelas peninsulares.
juego del palo
A traditional Canarian stick-fighting martial art where two players spar with long staffs without striking.
De raíz guanche; con modalidades distintas según la isla.
tajaraste
A fast, repetitive traditional drum-and-castanet dance from Tenerife and La Gomera.
Tiene raíces aborígenes.
malagueña
A slow, heartfelt traditional Canarian song and dance of Andalusian origin but with its own island style.
Una de las piezas mayores del folclore, junto a folías e isas.
bancal
A stepped farming terrace cut into a hillside, held up by stone walls to cultivate steep land.
Característico del paisaje agrícola canario; también 'cadenas'.
perro majorero
A native dog breed from Fuerteventura, traditionally used to herd and guard livestock.
'Majorero' significa de Fuerteventura.
gánigo
A clay pot or vessel of ancient Guanche tradition, used for cooking and storing food.
Cerámica aborigen, hecha a mano sin torno.
endiablada
A traditional festival where people dressed as devils roam the village with cowbells and masks to drive away evil.
La más conocida es la de los Diabletes de Teguise (Lanzarote).
librea
A traditional popular pageant staging good against evil, dragon included, during patron-saint festivals.
Muy típica de Tegueste (Tenerife), ligada a las fiestas de San Marcos.
rancho de ánimas
A traditional group that goes from village to village singing verses to pray for the souls of the dead, mainly at Christmas.
Muy conservado en Gran Canaria (Teror) y Lanzarote.
sorriba
A traditional farming technique of digging out and leveling volcanic land to create soil for crops like bananas or vines.
Trabajo muy duro asociado al cultivo platanero del norte.
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