Skip to main content

Lunfardo

Lunfardo was the 'Argot of the thieves' in early 1900's at the River Plate zone (Buenos Aires and Montevideo), and today is a non-structural deviation from the Argentine Spanish Dialect.

Origin:

Argentina is a country that promoted immigration. This immigration came with the wars in Europe (WWI and WWII), forming different colonies of immigrants that grouped themselves into separate settlements. Immigrants from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, England, The Netherlands, Hungary and Poland, helped to form the vast dictionary of Lunfardo's words.
These immigrants needed to adapt themselves to the local language, which they slowly did, but added their own words to the 'daily dictionary'. Soon, the rest of the population started to use these words, and created an argot that was used in the 'Arrabales' (lower class neighborhoods) by the thieves or 'Malandras' of that area.

Expansion and Evolution:

Lunfardo has become a 'daily-growing-lingo', and nowadays transformed the way of speaking of the Argentines. It is not only available in Buenos Aires, it also might be found in Montevideo, Rosario, Santa Fe, Cordoba and Entre Rios in a lower degree. There are two types of Lunfardo: Lunfardo Antiguo (Old Lunfardo, Tango) and Lunfardo Moderno (Modern Lunfardo).

Structure:
Lunfardo has exactly the same structure of Spanish, but with a good percentage of words that do not belong to any language, but have etymologies in different languages. (See Example 1)
Example 1:
Lunfardo: Andamio a laburar por la yeca, patiando roca com'un rope.

Argentine Spanish: Me voy a trabajar a la calle, caminando como un animal.

English: I'm going to work, to the streets, walking like an animal.

Note the words Andamio (Andiamo, from Italian 'to go'), Laburar (Lavorare, from Italian 'to work') and Rope (Perro, from Spanish 'dog'), come from different languages and/or are written in Vesre (Reves, reversing the syllabes), which causes unnoticed people not to understand what the speaker is about to.
However, there are words that carry no etymology, and cannot be explained without relating it directly to the subject that that word is referring to.
For Example: Mina. Mina has no etymology, and cannot be related to any other word in any other language with a grade of sense. However, in Lunfardo, Mina means 'young-woman'.

Example 2:

"Este salame se la pasa pelotudeando por la yeca, no hace ni un yeite, ni pon'l pan porque no tiene un mango. Es un Gil."

Example 3:
"Che, Boludo, tirame un marron para manyar, que ando corto de guita."
by Cock'of'the'north December 9, 2009
mugGet the Lunfardo mug.

lutang

To be out of it due to lack of sleep or stress. The term is mostly used by college students or sleep-deprived working millenials.
"Bro, what's your favorite color? "
"54."
"Bro you're so lutang na, what the fuck."
by mayaonefish May 13, 2022
mugGet the lutang mug.
Related Words
LUTFA lutfan lmtfa Lutfi lutha LTFA lufa lutang Lutfiah Lutka

Luthando

The name Luthando is a very popular in the country of Southern Africa, it means "she/he is love".The name is great for a baby boy and/or girl. Luthando is funny, caring, sweet, beautiful/handsome.
"Luthando is such an amazing friend oh my gosh!"
by Henry Danger #101 August 25, 2021
mugGet the Luthando mug.

litfa

short for the words
Leave it the fuck alone
when someone keeps carrying on about the same shit
dude1:you dude i fucked your mamma last night
dude2:okay nigga
dude1:it was sweet
dude2:okay damit
dude1:but man you should have...
dude2:LITFA motherfucker
by Ragnarok September 28, 2004
mugGet the litfa mug.

LMTFA

1. The acronym for, "Leave me the FUCK alone."

Can be used directly towards someone, to someone about someone, or as you're talking to yourself.

Often used towards a stage 4 or 5 clinger.
This dumb, annoying bitch who probably likes to zorch asked me if I knew somebody after telling me she was looking through my Facebook pictures. I was like, bitch why are you looking through my Facebook pictures? LMTFA.
by Daybincor Al November 20, 2010
mugGet the LMTFA mug.

lutraphobia

Noun; present tense.

lutraphobia is the fear of those pesky creatures, otters. The subject of fear is those pesky teeth and sharp... fur. lol
dude 1: dude that otter is giving me the creeps

dude 2: clearly you have lutraphobia

dude 1: omgwtfbbq

dude 2: no kidding
by razza62 September 29, 2008
mugGet the lutraphobia mug.

lutgarda

The bitchiest old lady you'll ever find.
"La vieja mas protestadora que vas a encontrar"
Lutgarda is old
by Gdtshsn May 18, 2018
mugGet the lutgarda mug.

Share this definition

Sign in to vote

We'll email you a link to sign in instantly.

Or

Check your email

We sent a link to

Open your email