Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, is the country's administrative, social and cultural center. Learning a few practical sayings unique to Bogotá, which is one of the fastest growing cities in South America, will help you easily adapt to the city.

Having preserved its culture with its 300-year-old houses and cobble-stoned streets, Bogotá may be considered a small city but it's the third-largest city in the Americas after New York and Mexico City. A very developed and modern city, Bogotá has kept alive a great number of its traditional values due to its attachment to its past and its cultural heritage. This duality can be traced in many aspects of the city from its architecture to its cuisine. The diversity and liveliness in the city, which has preserved its essence despite being heavily influenced by Europe and North America, will keep your curiosity flowing. Learning a few local words will help you around the city.

Tinto: It's no doubt that coffee is the first thing that comes to mind in the capital of Colombia. Colombian coffee is the best in the world, tastiest and with the best quality.
Tinto is the most common name in the country for a small sized cup of coffee.
You can enjoy it from small street kiosks to well-recognized stores as "Juan Valdez"
How about trying one at la Candelaria, the oldest neighborhood in Bogotá, where many coffee shops attract their costumers with the aromatic smells emanating from indoors. Sip your tinto and have a great start to your trip.

Panadería: it means patisserie, is a word you should add to your vocabulary during your visit to Bogotá.
A ravishing city with its climate, local fruits and variety of vegetables and cuisine, the city has many must-try patisseries, order a Colombiana (a local soda) with a freshly baked baguette and feel like a true Bogotano.

"Que pena": Meaning "I'm sorry", "Que pena" is the most used expression among Colombians after "Hola" ("Hello") and "Gracias" ("Thanks"). Keep in mind that people in Bogotá are very sensitive about their cars: don't slam the door when you get out of a cab, and don't forget to say "que pena" if you accidentally do so.

"Gracias!": This is the land of friendly and helpful people. So "Gracias" ("Thanks") will be one of the expressions that you most frequently use and hear the most on every occasion.

Minuto celular: You'll see people wearing blue shirts or vests with "minuto celular" written on them and street signs with this logo. In the stalls where you see this words, you can make a phone call to any number for a small fee and buy trivial items as candy and gum. If you are in Bogotá for a limited time and don't want to buy a subscription for a cellphone number, minuto celular can be a practical solution.

Interests

• meeting people
• discovering new places

Countries I’ve Visited

Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey

Countries I’ve Lived In

Colombia, Turkey