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cana
🇦🇷 Spanish slang from Argentina
What does “cana” mean?
police; jail
Example
“Cayó la cana y se terminó la fiesta.”
The cops showed up and the party was over.
Good to know
'Ir en cana' = to go to jail.
Who you can say it to
With friends, not your boss
☕ Everyday
The textbook way to say it: policía
Heard in a conversation
Road trip to the coast
Lu Bueno, bueno. ¿Llevamos la sombrilla cheta de tu vieja?
OK, OK. Shall we take your mom's fancy beach umbrella?
Mati Obvio... ¡Uy, la cana! Nos están haciendo parar.
Obviously... Oh, the cops! They're pulling us over.
Lu Tranqui, tenemos todo en regla. No flashees.
Relax, we've got everything in order. Don't freak out.
🚓 How other countries say “the cops”
- 🇨🇺 fianaCuba
- 🇨🇴 tomboColombia
- 🇵🇪 tomboPeru
- 🇵🇷 la jaraPuerto Rico
- 🇲🇽 la chotaMexico · In Puerto Rico 'chota' is a snitch.
- 🇪🇸 la pasmaSpain
- 🇨🇱 pacoChile
More from Argentina
- chehey, dude
- rereally, super
- ¡Qué quilombo!What a mess!
- bondibus
- postafor real, seriously
- al pedofor nothing; idle
- ¡Ni en pedo!No way! / Not a chance!
- bardomess, trouble
Songs from Argentina
- Lamento Boliviano · Enanitos VerdesLevel A2
- Color Esperanza · Diego TorresLevel A2
- De Música Ligera · Soda StereoLevel B1
- Adán y Eva · Paulo LondraLevel B1
Solang turns songs into lessons: synced lyrics, translation and slang explained, line by line.
Learn it in the songs you love — free