In Spanish from Spain, the verb “coger” is heard in every daily conversation: “coges (you pick up) el móvil (the phone)”, “coges (you take) el autobús (the bus)”, “coges (you catch) un resfriado (a cold)”, or “coges (you get) una idea (an idea)…”. It’s so commonly used in Spain that sometimes we forget that for almost every Latin-American it’s a vulgar term that should be avoided if we don’t want to bring about uncomfortable situations, laughters, or double meanings.
Martín (Hache), Argentinian movie directed by Adolfo Aristarain.
Usage of the Verb “Coger” in Latin America
In Mexico and the Rio de la Plata region (Argentina, Uruguay) the sexual connotation of the word “coger” prevails, so we recommend not using it in formal contexts.
Mexicans, Argentinians and Uruguayans agarran (get) el teléfono (the phone), toman (grab) el micro (the bus), and entienden (understand) or captan (get) una idea (an idea). Do you get it?
In Colombia and Venezuela there isn’t that much of a taboo with the word “coger”. This is why both definitions of the natural form of “coger” coexist, meaning grabbing or taking as well as having sex.
This way, a Colombian can decide that someone “coge a la gente muy fácilmente“, meaning that they get people easily. And a Venezuelan can say “coge eso que se te ha caído al suelo” without making anyone blush because everyone there knows this person is just telling you to pick something up from the floor. It all depends on the context.
Liz in September, Venezuelan film directed by Fina Torres.
Why is a Cuban unlikely to get triggered by this meme?
Easy. Because in Cuba, just like in Spain, Ecuador, Porto Rico or Dominican Republic, there is no sexual meaning in “coger”. Nevertheless, it should be noted that, because of the influence of social media and the internet, this connotation has spread to countries where the word “coger” didn’t have that meaning originally, such as Peru.
Origins of the Sexual Meaning of “Coger”
Strangely, the sexual connotation of “coger” DOESN’T come from Latin America, but is said to have originated from the rural slang of Andalusian and Extremaduran Spain.
While the original context refers to the specific reproduction between animals, the Diccionario enciclopédico de la lengua castellana already defines the verb as an action between humans as of 1985.
Conclusions
Regardless of its origin, what is clear is that in Latin America the sexual meaning prevails on the traditional definition of the verb “coger”, favoring the use of other verbs that have come to substitute it:
❔ La policía cogió al ladrón.
✔ La policía atrapó al ladrón.
In conclusion, the importance of being conscious about the linguistic and cultural variations when carrying out audiovisual translation lies in the necessity of avoiding misunderstandings and distortion in front of the objective audience. What can be viewed as a common word in Spain, could become a vulgar or taboo term in over 20 countries in Latin America. Audiovisual translators must localize and adapt the expressions to the specific cultural context of their audience; only this way you can guarantee an efficient communication and avoid the possibility of misunderstanding or perceiving the message in an inappropriate way.
At Ponle Subtítulos, we rely on experience and specialization in audiovisual localization. If you need to use our services, feel free to get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to help you and make sure your work is meticulously adapted, respecting the culture of your audience.
