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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

coger

Spanish translation: with the meaning of "joder" o "copular"

20:07 Feb 8, 2002
English to Spanish translations [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / general
English term or phrase: coger
In which countries does "coger" have a bad connotation?
ntizon
Spanish translation:with the meaning of "joder" o "copular"
Explanation:
in Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, de acuerdo con el diccionario de regionalismos de la lengua espanola
Selected response from:

Maria
Local time: 23:38
Grading comment
Un millón de gracias.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1Awful in Argentina! Ok in Colombia
Aurora Humarán (X)
4 +1coger
elenali
5fine in Spain
Marian Greenfield
4 +1Argentina
Alisu S-G
5Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico
Margaret Schroeder
4Perú
Egmont
4with the meaning of "joder" o "copular"
Maria


  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
coger


Explanation:
México

elenali
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rick Henry: I can vouch for Mexico.
1 min
  -> copular le quita la fuerza o el sentimiento, lo otro es con más garra y una connotación más fuerte y puede ser muy vulgar o muy bonito, verdad Rick? gracias
neutral  Margaret Schroeder: I added a comment below. It is also sometimes used in its respectable sense in Mexico.
2 hrs
  -> Indeed. The question referred to the connotation of people who know the double meaning
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2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
fine in Spain


Explanation:
not fine in many Latin American countries

Marian Greenfield
Local time: 00:38
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 38
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Argentina


Explanation:
tambien

Alisu S-G
Local time: 23:38
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alejandra Paz
0 min
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Awful in Argentina! Ok in Colombia


Explanation:
Never use it to mean "agarrar" in Argentina.



    el espa�ol es mi lengua materna
    mi mejora amiga es una abogada colombiana
Aurora Humarán (X)
Argentina
Local time: 01:38
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gabriela Minsky: Unless you mean to be rude.
14 mins
neutral  OLMO: We shouldn't exaggerate. While in Argentina "coger" indeed means "to fuck," it may be used without offence in rather formal or literary contexts. It all depends on your target audience.
1 day 7 hrs
  -> sí pero the questioner habló de bad connotation, saludos
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Perú


Explanation:
vid. expl.


    Reference: http://www.rae.es
Egmont
Spain
Local time: 06:38
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 44
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
with the meaning of "joder" o "copular"


Explanation:
in Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, de acuerdo con el diccionario de regionalismos de la lengua espanola


    Grosschmid/Echegoyen Dicc. de Regionalismos de la Lengua Espa�ola
Maria
Local time: 23:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Un millón de gracias.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico


Explanation:
It is strongest in Argentina and Uruguay, where it equates with f***. The author A. Bryson Gerrard travelled all around the Spanish-speaking world gathering material for his excellent book "Cassel's Colloquial Spanish" in which he explains to English-speakers hundreds of idioms and regional expressions which are in common use, but which we English-speakers didn't learn in our formal Spanish lessons. He comments that "in Mexico the word (coger) has suffered less contamination but is nevertheless not so everyday as in Spain." I can vouch for that, as I have heard respectable people use it in its innocent meaning here in Mexico. For the most part, these are of the older generation. Young people would avoid it unless they intend the vulgar meaning. For its use in Mexico, you might compare it with "screw" which can be used innocently in some contexts, and "meaningfully" in others. In contrast, in Argentina, it means one thing only.

We can't leave this topic without quoting the classic joke:

Spaniard: Oiga, ¿en dónde puedo cojer el autobus?

Latin American: Pues, no sé, si no por el escape.

Margaret Schroeder
Mexico
Local time: 22:38
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 51

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Esperanza Clavell: Muy bueno tu chiste. Coger va con G no con J, pero está bien...
31 mins
neutral  elenali: Maybe I am too old to know about the topic, when I was young, it meant "to hold something", like you say, my sons avoid saying it in fron of me. But when they are with their male friends; they enjoy the meaning but it sounds somewhat vulgar
50 mins
disagree  OLMO: As explained to Aurora HUMARAN, in Argentina we are perfectly aware of both meanings. Again, it depends on context and target audience. PS: "Autobús" carries an accent mark on the last sillable.
2 days 2 hrs
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