LANGUAGE

Contributions to Spanish

Romani is a language that has been enriched as it has coexisted with different cultures and languages. It has incorporated words from a wide range of sources. On some occasions it has brought words from far-flung places while on others it has impregnated the general speech of non-Roma in the country with Romani vocabulary, preserving the same meaning that these terms originally had or partially or substantially modifying them.

These loanwords make up a vocabulary whose etymological origin is unknown to the vast majority of people, and in some cases they are identified with marginalised and criminal environments without people realising that they are actually using loanwords from an ancestral language. There are lots of words in Spanish derived from Romani. Here are some of them:

Chaval
↓
Boy
Chalado
↓
Mad
Pirado
↓
Mad
Pirarse
↓
Leave
Camelar
↓
Seduce
Chorizo
↓
Thief
Molar
↓
Be cool
Achantar
↓
Intimidate
Achanta la mui!
↓
Shut up
Pinreles
↓
Feet
Parné
↓
Money
Pureta
↓
Old
Jalar
↓
Eat
Pribar
↓
Drink
Calas
↓
Money
Chachi
↓
Fantastic
Apoquinar
↓
Pay
Currar
↓
Work
Changar
↓
Spoil
Diñar
↓
Give
Baranda
↓
Vulgar way to refer to someone
Cate
↓
Punch
Quer / Queli
↓
House
Chinarse
↓
Get angry, cower
Langui
↓
Lame
Chinorri
↓
Small
Julai
↓
Berk
Sobar
↓
Sleep
Nanai
↓
No way
Najar
↓
Flee
Chivarse
↓
Snitch
Mangar
↓
Steal