Colombian Phrases You Need to Know

Seasoned travelers know how important it is to learn basic travel expressions and phrases specific to the country they are visiting. It will not only make it easier to get around, but it will also make the travel experience more fun and meaningful.

If you plan to visit Colombia, it’s best to know the following Spanish phrases:

¿Que mas?

In other places, you might hear “¿Cómo estás? or ¿Cómo andas?” But in Colombia, you will hear ¿Que mas? They all have the same meaning which is “how are you?” or “what’s up?” If a local says this to you, you can respond with muy bien, which means “very good.”

Chevere

This is a phrase that you will hear everywhere in Colombia. Locals will say this out of the blue and you might wonder what it means. When they say something like una persona chévere, they’re pertaining to someone who is cool or amazing. So, if you hear chevere, it often means that something is good/great/awesome.

Con Mucho Gusto

This phrase expresses admiration, respect, and love. In direct English translation, it means “my pleasure,” which is a way to tell someone that you are welcome. This expression is so overused as it can be used for everything whether you’re meeting people for the first time or after buying something from a shop.

¡De una!

This is an enthusiastic way to say “yes, let’s do it!” When you’re invited to a Colombian party, you can simply say this to let people know that you’re going or that you are game for anything.

Rumba

Colombians don’t say fiesta. Instead, they say rumba. Originally, this term refers to music or dancing. But, in Colombia, it invariably means “party.” Also, don’t confuse rumba with rumbear as it means “to go partying.”

Other Colombian basic phrases to know include:

Buenos días — Good morning

Tenga un buen día — Have a good day

Hasta luego — See you later

De donde eres? — Where are you from?

Como estás?/Que tal?/Como te vas? — How are you?

No hay problema — no problem

Tengo una pregunta — I have a question

If you’re in a restaurant, you can use these phrases too.

Podemos ver la carta? — Can we see the menu?

Necesitamos diez minutos más — We need ten more minutes

Tomaré este — I’ll have this one

Puedo pagar con tarjeta/efectivo? — Can I pay with card/cash?

¿Puedo tomar un poco de agua, por favor? — Can I have some water, please?

Donde están los baños? — Where are the bathrooms?

When going shopping, use these words.

¿Cuánto es esto? — How much is this?

¿A qué hora cierran? — What time do you close?

Eso es caro.- That’s expensive

¿Tiene algo más barato? — Have you got anything cheaper?

¿Puede darme un recibo, por favor? — Can I have a receipt, please?

¿Puedo probármelo? — Can I try it on?

Of course, you’ll survive without learning the local language. But are you only visiting the country to survive? Do you not want to enjoy and learn more about their culture? Learning the local language is extremely helpful if you want to experience Colombia better. So, learn at least a few conversational phrases.