Piropos: Sexual Harassment or Street Poetry?

By Katie Arango

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we wanted to talk about some of the most colorful phrases used in Rioplatense Spanish – the piropo. To some, a priopo is a clever, poetic compliment, and old-fashioned way of appreciating a woman’s beauty. To others, it’s aggressive and vulgar machismo. You might know it as a cat call or pick-up line, but in actuality it’s a hybrid of the two – with extra emphasis placed on the creativity. And nowhere is the art of piropo more at home than in Buenos Aires.

Ladies, we’ve all been there. Walking down the street, either dressed up to the nines or in sweatpants, on our way out to a nice dinner or on our way home from the grocery store; in short – minding our own business. Then, out of nowhere, a man or group of men, feel it’s their duty to tell you how great you look. It can be a guy your age, teenagers, grandpas or even men with their three year-old sons (“blow the beautiful lady a kiss, son”).

Piropos can take many forms: they can be whispered, spoken, shouted, sung or even acted. An applause when a lady walks by. Or an “hola mi amor” where you would expect a simple “excuse me” when a man almost bumps into you on the street. A group of construction workers in a row that each fall over, on after the other, feigning a heart attack, as you walk by.

Argentines also have a particular affinity for the doble sentido or double entendre as shown by these classic priopos:

Tu con esas curvas y yo sin frenos.
You with all those curves and me without any brakes!

Andá por la sombra, que los bombones se derriten al sol.
Walk over in the shade, chocolates melt in the sun.

Sos tan dulce, que con solo mirarte, engordo.
You’re so sweet that I gain weight just by looking at you.

And there are many examples of not-so-PG rated piropos as well, but we’ll save those for another day…

So, when you get a piropo thrown your way, should you be flattered or insulted? Well, of course it depends. If it makes you feel flattered or at least, not disgusted, we’ll that’s terrific because it’s bound to happen many, many times throughout your stay in Buenos Aires. But, if you’re more in the street harassment camp, as I’d imagine many of us are, here are some great recommendations for appropriate reactions. My personal favorite is number nine:

Ask a Socratic question such as, “That’s so interesting – can you explain why you think you can put your hand on my leg?”

Do you have a piropo you’d like to share? Post it in the comments section below!

photo credit

Katie Arango

Program Director, Argentina:Katie, a US native, had traveled to Buenos Aires on several extended trips before the city’s lure became too strong and she decided to call it home. Long fascinated by the global scene, Katie earned a degree in International Studies from Miami University and spent time studying and living in Madrid, Spain. She then worked in marketing for an international board game company followed by a brief foray as an online community editor for several websites before joining the Connect-123 team. Still a tourist at heart herself, Katie loves watching newcomers discover the charm of Buenos Aires and takes great pleasure in helping them make the most out of their work and volunteer opportunities while experiencing everything this dynamic city has to offer.


Comments

  • One time, while a bus was driving be me, the conductor made a classic “hot stuff” whistling sound with the bus brakes. Unlike 99% of the time, I actually thought this was kind of funny and couldn’t help smile. Then he drove off into the sunset…. =)

  • Rastrear teléfono says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation. This is a preview; your comment will be visible after it has been approved.
    La mejor aplicación de control parental para proteger a sus hijos – monitoriza en secreto GPS, SMS, llamadas, WhatsApp, Facebook, ubicación. Puede monitorear de forma remota las actividades del teléfono móvil después de descargar e instalar apk en el teléfono de destino.

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