regional.uy.lexicon
Everyday Uruguayan words: ta, bo, botija, championes
Uruguay shares Rioplatense slang but has its own: ta (OK/alright), bo (hey, like che), botija/gurí (kid), championes (sneakers), de más (great), salado (intense).
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Explanation
Uruguay shares the Rioplatense/lunfardo base with Argentina (laburo, quilombo, guita, boludo), but carries a distinctive set of its own. The most Uruguayan word is ta — 'OK / alright / agreed', used constantly on its own or doubled: ta, ta; ¿ta?
Address and people: bo is the local vocative alongside che (bo, ¿vamos?), and a kid is a botija or gurí/gurisa (from Guaraní/Portuguese) rather than pibe. Everyday nouns diverge too: championes (sneakers; Argentina says zapatillas) and refuerzo (a filled sandwich).
Judgments and intensity: de más and bárbaro mean 'great', salado ranges from 'expensive' to 'intense/impressive', and mate culture is even more central than in Argentina — the thermos under the arm is a national image. A handful of these words instantly place you in Montevideo, not Buenos Aires.
Examples
—Shall we meet at eight? —OK, sure.
Region: UY
Hey, did you see the match?
Region: UY
The kid left his sneakers at the canteen.
Region: UY