Spanish Sweet Nothings

Spanish Sweet Nothings

Spanish Sweet Nothings

Want to learn the local lingo? Add a few Spanish sweet nothings to your growing language skills. It’s amazing what sprinkling in Mi vida (my life) or Mi amor (my love), can do. If said in a playful, joking manner, these terms of endearment will help make you the funniest foreigner to land on the Isthmus since….. well, me.

It’s helpful to understand Caribbean influences on the Spanish language. Spanish in Spain is noticeably different from Spanish spoken in Caribbean countries; Cuba and Puerto Rico or countries that partially border the Caribbean Sea; Colombia and Panama. The Spanish spoken here has a flirtatious, flamboyant flavor to it. Maybe it’s the heat? Maybe it’s the rum? No sé (I don’t know) but a close Latina friend put it best, “Caribbean Spanish is just mas rico (more rich or spicy)”.

Let’s begin the Using Sweet Nothings in Panama lesson. Use your sweet nothing at the beginning of the conversation. Smoothly insert your choice of a sweet nothing after your greeting, but before beginning the general conversation.

For example, (Greeting) Hola (Insert sweet nothing), blah (General Conversation), blah blah….. Gracias (Again, insert sweet nothing)

Got it? Let’s go through a few examples together.

Male to Female

Buenos dias mi amor, ¿como andas?..blah, blah… Gracias, mi amor.

Good day my love, how have you been doing?…. Thanks, love.

Female to Male

Ohhh mi gordito, ¿cómo te va?

Hey my little cubbie boy, how’s it going?

Sweet nothings don’t always have to be romantic. They can also be used to show affection for your same sex friends.

Male to Male

Hola papa, ¿cómo ha sido?…blah, blah… Bueno, papa, hasta luego.

Hey pops/dad, how have you been…. Cool, pops/dad, see you later.

Female to Female

Oye nena, auydame con esto por favor ……

Hey girl, help me with this please.

List of possible Spanish terms of endearment:

Male to Female

Mi Amor – My love

Mi Vida – My life (personal favorite)

Mi Reina – My queen

Mi Corazon – My heart

Jovencita – Young girl

Mami/Mamacita – Sexy mama

Flaquita – Skinny girl (personal favorite)

Female to Male

Carnio – Sweetheart

Gordo – Chubbie

Papi/Papito – Sexy Daddy

Mi Amor – Love

Mi Vida – Life

Male to Male

Primo – Cousin

Tio – Uncle (popular with Spaniards)

Hermano/Brother – In Panama, more people use the English term “brother” with a Spanish accent.

Papa – Dad or pops (personal favorite)

Mi Hijo – My child

Female to Female

Chola – Country Girl

Nena – Girl

Mi Hija – Daugther

Guapa – Pretty Girl

It’s important to remember to whom, and in what setting, you are using these sweet nothings. It is generally not appropriate to call a young lady “mi amor” in a business meeting. Basic common sense still applies.

I still call, and get called, mi vida by Latina grandmothers. It is a term of endearment. Additionally, it is not unmasculine for a father to refer to his son as mi amor. It is not sexual, just being sweet.

Beyond the basics. If you want to spice it up a little more, use the diminutive form cito/a-ito/a. Cito is a suffix used to denote endearment. Use this to give your conversation a more personal touch. Cito is often used when speaking to kids. Guys also use it with their romantic interest.

Otro Nivel (To the next level): Want to elevate your Spanish to the next level?

First, combine the guy’s/girl’s nationality nickname in the diminutive form.

Examples:

Nationality Term Romantic Female Interest

Bogota, Colombia Rolo/a Mi Rolita

Venezuela Chamo/a Mi Chamita

Chiriqui Province in Panama Chiricano/a Mi Chiricanita

Chinese Chino/a Mi Chinita

Secondly, alternate two different Spanish sweet nothings in the same conversation. The first time I heard this in real time, it threw me a communication cruveball. I overheard a local guy use it while I was waiting in a local bus terminal. I thought to myself “This can’t be. He must be mistaken. There is no way he could be that suave.” From that day forward, I have never looked back. Using differing Spanish sweet nothings is now my standard speak.

My personal favorite duel sweet nothing combo.

Bueno, mi vida, me puedes …blah, blah… Bien. Mil gracias, mi reina.

Hello, my life, can you …… good. Thanks a lot, my queen.

Foreigners have often said to me, “Evan, saying sweet nothings is just silly. It’s pointless and makes you look stupid.”. Quite the contrary, there are tangible benefits:

1. Reduce your risk of price discrimination. Being overcharged for products and services solely based on skin color (white) and country of origin (North America/Europe) is a daily occurrence. It’s frustrating.

Yet, magically, using sweet nothings with people from store clerks to cab drivers demonstrates (or fools) locals into believing that you have been in Panama for a long time. Practically a local. As a result, your odds of receiving a fair price will dramatically increase. Hurah for savings!

2. More effective. An example from Panama’s daily life; My friend was calling IDAAN

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