Thursday, April 15, 2010

Baras & Cariñoso

Baras (BAH • dass) and cariñoso (cah • ree • GNO • saw, lit. affectionate) are the best ways to refer to a price quote. Baras stands for barato, i.e. inexpensive. Cariñoso stands for caro, i.e. expensive. To add emphasis to any of them, precede them with bien pinche, which is equivalent to 'really fucking'.

Example 1:

Manlio: Se ve muy chida tu bírula. Te ha de haber salido en un ojo de la cara...
Fabio: Me salió bien pinche cariñosa. A ver si no me dan bajilla si la dejo aquí.
Manlio: That bike looks really cool. It must have cost an arm and an leg...
Fabio: It was very fucking expensive. I just hope nobody steals it if I leave it here

Example 2:

Vendedor en el tianguis: ¡Bara-bara-bara-bara-de remateeeeeee!
Marchanta: ¿De a cómo el mamey?
Vendedor: El primero se lo doy gratis, güerita. Del segundo en adelante a 10 pesos kilo, bien bara señito.

Street marker seller: Cheap-cheap-cheap-crazy-cheap stuff! 
Patron: How much for a mamey?
Street market seller: The first one is on me, blondy. From the second on it's 10 pesos per kilo, very cheap madam/miss.

Notice: (1) the use of bara as part of a quasi-chant to promote the products being sold; (2) the use of the  double-meaning of mamey by the vendor; (3) the use of güerita (blondy) as a way to flatter customers; (4) the use of señito in order to avoid mistakes using señora or señorita.

The image shows a tianguis (street market) seen from above.

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