This is just a brief glossary of some frequently-used Spanish words and terms. Please bear in mind that some usages may be local–i.e., limited to Chiriquí or even Potrerillos.
acero steel; large chisel used on stone, cement
agropecuario agriculture and livestock
aguacero downpour
allá there, over there
apellido last name
australiense Australian
bijao 4-6 ft tall shrub with fibrous leaves used for wrapping tamales, bollos
bodega small storage structure
bollo corn masa roll, wrapped in bijao, boiled for 40 minutes
bolsa bag, sack; purse; monetary award such as a scholarship
bomba gas station; pump; bomb
calibre caliber–a measure of wall thickness
cajera cashier
camino road
canal channel
canadiense Canadian
carretera highway
casita small house
casera home, home-style (usually, cooking)
caucho rubber; rubber washer
chiriqueno dialect of Spanish common in Chiriquí
clavo nail
colegio secondary school; high school
collarin no idea in english–see text.
comedor dining room
controlador control or shut-off valve
cruz crossroads; cross
cuadro construction: square lumber, usually 2” x2”
cuarenta 40
cuneta U-or V-shaped cement drainage ditch
dependiente clerk; store assistant
deposito warehouse-see also bodega
desayuno breakfast
ducha shower
entrada entrance; entrance way, entrance driveway or road (short)
estranjero foreigner
factura invoice; detailed bill
ferretería hardware sotre
flor flower
flor de mayo ”May flower”–a flowering tree with yellow blooms in May
funcionario government worker
gallinase a dried mixture of rice husks and chicken manure widely used for fertilizer
ganadera cattle ranch
golpe blow, strike, including labor work stoppage
gringo, gringa ”American”–around here, any English-speaking foreigner.
hoja leaf; panel; page
hermano, hermana brother, sister
inglese English (person)
irlandese Irish
inverno winter; rainy season
jardinero gardener
jefe, jefa chief; boss; crew chief; section head
jubilada (f) retiree, pensioner
jubilado (m)
kiosko roadside stand; small roadside restaurant
ladrón thief
lindo, linda beautiful
llave key; faucet; small shutoff valve; pipe wrench
madero wood merchant, timber yard
madrugada early hours of the morning, usually taken to mean between 1 am and, say, 4 am.
maiz nuevo fresh corn
maracuyá passion fruit
masa dough, usually of corn ground in a molino
mayo May; a type of wood
malissimo very bad
mercadito small local market, more than just a convenience store
mesa table
mesa de trabajo work table
molino mill, most often referring to mills for grinding corn
muchacha young woman; “young” female worker of any type
muchacho young man; “young” male worker of any type
municipio municipality; town or city hall
nieto, nieta grandson, granddaughter
Nochebuena Christmas Eve
nombre name; first name
pata paw (animal); “leg” of a table, trellis or similar
pinzas pliers
pinzas de presión Visegrips
plaga plague (of insects)
plátano plantain
plomeria a plumbing part
poste de salud local government-sponsored medical and dental clinic
presupuesto a cost estimate, which can be very detailed
provisional temporary
pueblo town; a cohesive group of people–a nation or community
quebrada small creek
regla rule; ruler, form for concrete
repellos stucco-type cement finish for interior/exterior walls
reserva reserve
riachuelo small creek
sala living room
salida exit
sanja ditch
sarnia mange
tabla construction: 1” x 6” (up to 12”) by up to 20 ft long
tablon same as a tabla except at least 2” thick
taller workshop
tanque tank; large bucket; cylinder (such as for gas)
taxista taxi driver
tenia tapeworm
terraza balcony; terrace
tienda store
típico Panamanian, usually applied to food
tomatero a plot of land or farm that grows tomatoes
tubo tube; pipe
valvula valve
verjas (pl) iron security grills on windows
vivero nursery
Expressions
“Buenos días, hermano” ”Good morning, brother”
el burro Americano the stupid American(s)
La cabeza no está en el trabajo [His/her] mind is not on [her/his] work
Poco a poco little by little
