Llanero Vocabulary
Terms - Typical Expressions
Llanera Voices
Due to the immensity of the broad plain lands, both in the eastern and western sides of Colombia and Venezuela, respectively, also known as "Los Llanos", it is not surprising with the diversity of creole terms, with which we find, while we move through each of the populations of this geography of the flat land. As in any culture, each one of the typical llanera words has been transmitted through our ancestors and they have been integrated into the regional vocabulary, making this dialect almost a language of those born in the savannas. This wide dictionary of colloquial phrases, now better known through the different means that exist, facilitates that all the artistic and cultural expressions of the llaneros, can permeate other ideals and spread as a need to show that the creole llaneros are present and who also contribute with their thoughts and deeds, to the development of humanity.
The Orinoco region vocabulary compiled on this page is the product of our own experience, of many years of living in Casanare and Meta (Colombia), of consulting with native provincial composers and writers, of the listening to Colombian and Venezuelan folk songs and by our good habit of the reading about legends, myths, poetry and novels of the orinoquia and savannas of Venezuela. The contribution of the local composers and singers, both from Colombia and Venezuela, is immense, since most of the verses in their songs include colloquial expressions, unique to the region. Likewise, this dictionary of regional terms has been expanded, thanks to the contribution of our visitors, who have contributed with their phrases, which involve llanera voices, native terminology, which many of them knew, since their childhood, as true music connoisseurs of the typical music from the Orinoco's region. In this way, the understanding of autochthonous cultural manifestations, including Orinoco music, becomes easier to contextualize and literary compositions and writings become more interesting...
The underlined words on this site are part of the llanero vocabulary.
Omar, The guate (Outsider) who loves The Llanos the most.
Add a word to the Llanero Vocabulary
Orinoco Region Vocabulary and Expressions
Terms - Words - Regionalisms - What is...?
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N Ñ O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A chuco: A tuta. To carry someone on one's back.
A costilla: A costilla ajena. At someone else's expense.
Abaquianar: Serve or act as a guide on a tour.
Aboyado: Person who floats on water. Obtrusive, busybody.
Aceite: A tree whose latex is useful in veterinary medicine.
Achicar: Tie an animal to a stick or tree; extract water from a deep well; remove the water from the canoe, pump out.
Achilao: Crestfallen; sad, hopeless.
Achote: Achiote. Yellowish powder that is extracted from a tree in the region, used to make up one's face; spice.
Acochinar: Daunt.
Acomodar: Pair; To mate; to have dominance over the partner. "The boss accommodated his maid".
Aconcharse: To stick to something, to join like the shell to the snail; get close. The woman leans on her husband...
Acotejar: Accommodate; fix something or accomplish something.
Acupe: Fermented beverage made from corn.
Acure: Domesticable rodent with very fine meat.
Afilado: Directed; that follows the track; that he already took his way.
Afilar: Marauder the fish the bait of a hook.
Agallones: Agayones; lymph nodes; muscular congestions, which disappear by rubbing the arms; inflammation of the tonsils.
Aguaitacaminos: Small bird of the roads that sings at night.
Aguaitar: Watch over; wait.
Aguajal: Small stream of water through the bushes.
Sent by 
Eduardo.
Aguaje: Place where wild animals drink. Ripples seen in the water when fish come to the surface.
Aguajiar: When fish move almost on the surface of the water.
Ajilaíto: Afilado. Directed; that follows the track.
Aladín: Genie that comes out of a bottle and usually grants three wishess when summoned.
Alazano: Reddish horse.
Alcabala: Police checkpoint. Police station located at the entrance of the town.
Alcaraván: Bird that, with its screaming song, betrays the enemy.
Alguacilero: Mensual. Worker who, throughout the month, does various jobs; laborer, errand boy.
Altivo: Haughty, proud, with lordship, wild.
Alunao: Swollen stomach; sick; swelling of the belly of the beasts.
Amachinado: Living together, in free union.
Amadrinar: Accompany and help.
Amalayar: To yearn, to desire.
Amanecido: Who spent a sleepless night. Haggard, shopworn.
Amansador: Tamer (On the plain lands, generally, on horses).
Amarantar: Seeing something with some shadows, when the sun reflects on it.
Amero: Leaf that covers the ear of corn and is used to wrap typical dishes from the plain lands of Colombia and Venezuela.
Amorochao: Stuck, attached to another; next to each other as a twin, as a couple.
Ampolletero: Person who gives injections.
Anca: Each of the two lateral halves of the back of equines and other animals. "Montar en anca" is to ride a domesticated horse behind the horse rider.
Andón: Horse with a smooth walk, but not slow.
Angarilla: Wooden rig (tackle) placed on either side (on the back) of the horse, donkey or mule to carry loads.
Apaliar: Hunting tortoises in the estuaries, hitting the water with sticks to scare them away.
Apechugao: Pechuguera; constipated;he who is sick in the chest.
Aperar: To tack a horse up; To fit a horse with all of the items necessary for riding it. To saddle a horse.
Apuntalar: To eat something.
Araco: Palm used for fences.
Araguaney: Yellow-flowered timber tree, also known by the name of floramarillo. On May 29, 1948, the Araguaney was declared the National Tree of Venezuela.
Araguato: Red and howler monkey.
Arauco: Aruco; large bird.
Arcial: Instrument for the beasts to be still.
Arción: Strap that joins the stirrup to the horse's saddle.
Arganas: Wooden tablets used on each side of the horse's back, over two pillows, to carry out loading tasks.
Argollero: Nosy, flattering person.
Arica: Exquisite honey.
Arrebiatar: Tie the rope or harness to the horse's tail.
Arrebol: Reddish color shown in the clouds.
Arrecife: Savannah material suitable for adapting roads and pathways on the plain that replaces the sub-base or dressing; its appearance is made of slates or small reddish stones.
Sent by Solino.
Arrejerar: Prepare, organize, pack. "Arrejerar los macundales" is to pick up and get things ready to move to another place.
Arrosquetado: Of a rosy brown color.
Aruco: Arauco. Large bird.
Aspear: Knock down an animal and turn it upside down.
Asténico: Weak, sickly.
Astrología: Plant also called "Guaco Blanco". Plant used as an antidote against snake bites.
Atajo: Shortcut. Path or place where the path is shortened.
Atalayar: Search, look around.
Atarrilamiento: Horse tabard. Discomfort or illness after sunstroke.
Atetar: Breastfeeding on someone else's mother.
Atizar: Keep the fire going, adding wood and blowing on it.
Atrincarse: Hang oneself.
Aventao: Swollen.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N Ñ O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
The most typical song of the Colombian Llanos
The most Creole Song...
Based on the number of typical words of the Colombian plain used in its lyrics, the interpretive style, the feeling of the singer-songwriter Walter Silva and the epic content of the song, we could consider that "PAN DE POBRE", is the most creole song of our Colombian eastern plain lands...
Llanero Folklore
The llanera culture, through its verbal manifestations, such as song and poetry, literary documents about myths and legends and non-verbal expressions, such as the execution of musical instruments, the jobs in the immense savannas and other typical tasks of llanera agriculture and livestock, has managed to develop its own folklore and print its stamp on it, recognizable in any world cultural space. The Colombian-Venezuelan llanero is the same itinerant llanero folklore, a product of the legacy of the original indigenous groups that were located along the Orinoco River.
The llanero folklore is made up of three components:
Literary
The literary part of Llanero folklore includes the manifestations transmitted, both orally and in writing, and they are reflected in myths, legends, verses, sayings, idioms, toponymy and zoonymy.
The llanera toponymy is easy to identify, since the names created for the different places or populations, almost describe them in their name itself; in addition, the zoonymy, that is, the names of the animals in the region, often describe them physically or according to their behavior. Also, their names are accompanied by a phrase that manifests a characteristic of the geography of the plain region: "The sun of the deer". This expression is used to refer to sunsets that dye the sky a fiery red color. In the late afternoon, the deer that remain hidden in the forests, come out to eat fruit and graze on the plains.
In the previous example, we see that the single word "Deer", related to "Sun", triggers a description of the environment and customs of a typical animal of the region.
Musical
The musical component of the folklore of the llanera culture determines the rhythms, the tunes, the instruments and closes with the composers and musical groups.
The basic rhythm of llanera music is the joropo, which in its branches derives in "contrapunteo", "pasaje" and llanero "golpe". These musical compositions support their lyrics in experiences, romances and fables. The melodic instruments of llanera music are, by tradition, the harp and the bandola.
Choreography
The llanera choreographies are manifested through dances, paraphernalia, that is, the set of instruments and logistics that are needed for the development of the different presentations, which are carried out, locally, with free exhibitions, showing off the beauty of the region, its art, its customs and the hospitality of its inhabitants.
As the llanero poem, "El ánima de Santa Helena", by Héctor Enrique Paul Vanegas, says:
Get to know and enjoy the most beautiful tourist places in the Colombian Orinoquia and Western Plains of Venezuela.
If you want to own a horse, whether for daily riding or for working in the pen and open range, you must first make sure that you are ready, both financially and in terms of time, to care for the horse once it is yours. No matter how you use your horse, it will require a constant amount of work and money to care for it. También hay algunos accesorios básicos o equipo (Aperos) que necesitará.
For this reason, common mistakes usually made by those who buy an animal of this type for the first time, should be avoided.
