- Meaning and origin
- Uses in Spain
- Uses in Colombia, Venezuela, Chile and Mexico
- Synonyms
- Usage examples
- References
The sprinkles of rain is a light rain, drizzle or splashing water. This expression is used with that meaning in some countries of Central and South America, mainly in Venezuela, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico.
Likewise, in these countries the verb pringar or the gerund pringando is used very frequently to indicate the action that it is raining lightly or starting to rain. The noun pringa is synonymous with a drop or small portion of liquid.
Spit of rain, a way of referring to drizzle. Source: pixabay.com.
The term "pringado" in this context refers to a person, surface or object (mainly your clothing) which has been conspicuously splattered by a light rain. Generally, the rain drip precedes a heavier rain or storm.
In the countries mentioned above, it is common for it to be used in warning phrases, in order to take the necessary precautions against the possibility of getting wet in the rain and catching a cold or ruining clothing. The term is also used to indicate the consequences of having been exposed to the rain, having been soaked by it.
Meaning and origin
The word pringa comes from the Latin pringuis, which means fat or adipose. In different Spanish-speaking countries it has different meanings, in addition to the one mentioned relating to drizzle or light precipitation of water. It is necessary to take into account the place and context in which this word is used.
Uses in Spain
For example, in Spain the word pringar means to spread or soak something in fat, sebum, sauce, oil or some substance. It is used mainly in reference to the action of dipping bread in stews or other preparations during the meal.
It is also used as a synonym for staining or dirtying, either clothes or objects, particularly grease. The noun used can be pringa or pringue.
In the figurative use of the term, gooing is synonymous with contaminating something or annoying a situation. It can mean getting someone into trouble, tarnishing their reputation, or denigrating them in front of a superior. Also muddy a pleasant time within a group of people with some inappropriate action or comment.
As a curiosity, in Andalusia, in southern Spain, there is a tapa called pringá (with a final accent). This is a kind of mini sandwich stuffed with leftover meat from the stew or stew.
Uses in Colombia, Venezuela, Chile and Mexico
Another meaning of pringar is to work hard or very insistently on something. A different variant is taking part in an important and beneficial business or matter, usually illegal or improper. In some places in Colombia and Venezuela it is used as the equivalent of boiling water to sterilize it.
Even in countries like Chile or Colombia it is used in reference to the contagion of some disease, mainly those of sexual transmission. In Mexico, in addition to being a synonym for drizzle, any splash of liquid is used in reference.
Synonyms
- Wet.
- Drizzle.
- Rain lightly.
- Soak.
- Splash out.
- Spray with water.
- Dirty.
- Stain.
- Spread.
- Grease.
- To pollute.
- Denigrate.
- Annoy.
- Take part.
- Involve.
- To work.
- Boil.
Usage examples
- Do not go out on the street that is clinging, José.
- You arrived with all your clothes soaked in rain, no one told you to go out like that.
- Pedro smeared my car with the water from the puddle on the corner.
- Laura went to the university with the messy books because it was raining.
- It's starting to get messy, surely a storm is coming.
- Clara's dress is all dirty because she left it outside.
- Remind Juan to take the umbrella, he's starting to mess up.
- It is not raining very hard yet, it is just smearing very lightly.
- Since dawn began to mess around here, better not go out.
- The dog came from the patio soaked by the rain and soaked everything in the room.
- This dripping rain can make anyone sick, bundle up well.
References
- (2018). Spain: Dictionary of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language, Tricentennial Edition. Recovered from: dle.rae.es.
- (2019) Chile: Así Hablamos.com, the Latin American dictionary to understand each other. Recovered from: asihablamos.com.
- (2019). Spain: Educalingo.com. Recovered from: educalingo.com.
- (2019). Worldreference.com, online French, Italian and Spanish dictionary. Recovered from: wordreference.com.
- (2019). Spain: Royal Spanish Academy. Recovered from: dle.rae.es.