Jeringonza (aka jerigonza) is played in Spain and throughout Latin America. It’s also found in Portuguese speaking Brazil and even in Italy. It’s a secret language for kids – just like the English word game Pig Latin.
(I’m going to make all the changes to the words in bold below to help you learn how to create the secret languages.)
In Pig Latin, you create a secret language – that adults don’t understand unless they played the games themselves. You do it by taking the first letter off the beginning of each word and add it to the end of the word. Then put “ay” after that. So, the word “tomorrow” becomes “omorrow-tay“. If the first two letters of the word are two consonants making one sound, (like “st”, “sp”, “tr”, etc.) both letters get moved to the end of the word. Thus, “star” becomes “ar-stay“.
There are different ways to play Jeringonza depending on the country. The most common way is to add a “P” after each vowel in a word, and then after the “P” you repeat the vowel again. So “Chile” would become “Chi-pi-le-pe“.
In Puerto Rico, you add “chi” before each syllable of the word. So the word “gato” (cat) becomes chi-ga-chi-to. Say it out loud. It’s very rhythmic!
In Brazil, the game is called Língua do Pê (P language). It’s rules are like the “P” rules for Spanish above – you add a “P” after each vowel in a word, and then after the “P” you repeat the vowel again. So “carro” (car) becomes “car-pa-ro-po“.
In Italy, the game is called Alfabeto Farfallino (Farfallino Alphabet) – because you add “F” to words making them sound like the word “farfallino”. Actually, the rules are again like the “P” rules for Spanish above – but with an “F” instead: The most common way is to add a “F” after each vowel in a word, and then after the “F” you repeat the vowel again. So, “luna” becomes “lu-fu-na-fa“.
Have fun having secret conversations!
Please, feel free to share your word games with us in the comments below.
Cheers!
Mama Lisa
UPDATE: Oscar Teliz wrote to me about Jerigonza in Uruguay:
“Where you have a note about “jerigonza’, the origin of it as I know it, was a communication device created by thieves in Andalucía, Southern Spain. However, the Uruguayan version is called ‘jeringoso’. It is more than a game, it’s more like a ‘secret language’ and when spoken fast, it becomes almost unintelligible. And yes, it is done adding a ‘p’ after the vowels. For example, jeringoso, becomes jeperipingopozopo. Quite a mouthful.”
This article was posted on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 1:06 pm and is filed under Alfabeto Farfallino, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Countries & Cultures, English, Games Around the World, Italian, Italy, Jeringonza, Languages, P Language, Pig Latin, Portuguese, Puerto Rico, Spain, Spanish, Uruguay, Venezuela. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
9 Responses to “Jeringonza – A Spanish Word Game Like Pig Latin, with Portuguese and Italian Versions”
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November 6th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
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November 7th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Ayako Egawa wrote from Japan:
Hi, Lisa. It’s very interesting to know about Jeringonza or Pig latin because I have the same kind of experience in my childhood.
My friend added a special rule to the words. In Japan we have five vowels A, I, U, E, O. in Japanese. And she added BA, BI, BU, BE, BO to each vowels. So AYAKO became A BA YA BA KO BO and YUTAKA became YU BU TA BA KA BA.
I thought it was just my personal experience (as far as I knew it was only my friend that used this kind of words in my childhood!).
But now I know the kids in many countries enjoy the same kind of game from your comment! It is a big surprise for me and I do want to share this with you!
Now I just remember how funny it was to hear that she used this special words when speaking very quickly!!
It’s a small world and fantastic! I’m sure you already know it.
Ayako
November 7th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Hi Ayako,
It is a small and fantastic world… I totally agree with you!
Your comment makes me wonder if there is a Japanese Pig Latin that exists that your friend knew about, or if she just made it up. It’s funny if she did make one up! You must have loved speaking and hearing it as a kid.
Thanks for sharing that with us!
Lisa
April 23rd, 2010 at 2:51 am
I found this for Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/jeringonza
is it useful?
September 10th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
mepe epencapantapa epel jeperipigoponciopo, lopo apaprependipi depesdepe pepequepeñapa apaquipi epen chipilepe.
September 13th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Is that, “me en canta el jerigonci lo aprendi desde peque eña aqui en chile”? (I’m singing a song (?) I learned from an Andean kid in Chile.)
December 6th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
My family from Mexico taught me a type like the Italian one but insted of italian words it Spanish word me and my friends pass notes like that so if we get caught teachers can’t read it out loud :) ex. My name::: nataly= nafatafalyfy (yfy sounds like ifi by the ifi)
June 7th, 2017 at 9:44 am
Lisa Says:
Is that, “me en canta el jerigonci lo aprendi desde peque eña aqui en chile”? (I’m singing a song (?) I learned from an Andean kid in Chile.)
Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for your wonderful site full of resources!
Me encanta – “it delights me”= I love…
Lo aprendi desde (que era) pequeña-i learned it when was young/a kid
Besos!
March 18th, 2020 at 7:13 pm
The “jeringoza” that I learned in Puerto Rico many, many years ago was adding “chi” at the beginning of each syllable. For example, chitu chiqui chie chires chiju chigar chicon chimi chigo? ( Tu quieres jugar conmigo?) Means- Do you want to play with me? We talked hours like that. The more we talked faster we were able to talk and understand each other. You brought beautiful memories of my younger years. Thank you!!!