Let me give you some context here.
Cars in Argentina can run on NAFTA (not to be confused with the free trade agreement)*, DIESEL or GNC (Gas Natural Comprimido). This last one is the cheapest type of fuel, making it the best option for those who need to drive around but can’t afford the price of nafta.
Alright. This decision of what to feed your car with, by extension has led to everyone using GASOLERO as a synonym for thrifty.
Not just the car, but other things such as your holidays, for example. Take a look:
-Seba, ¿qué tal? ¿Cómo pasaste el verano?
-Mati, ¿qué hacés? ¿todo bien? Verano muy gasolero. Me fui unos días a la costa con Flor.
So, as you see in the example, basically, it means you get by spending as little as you can afford.
*Nafta, just to make sure we’re on the same page is the word for combustible in Argentina. [Read this article to discover more Argentinianisms]
See you around soon,
You might also want to read these articles:
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- Argentinian Spanish vs Mexican SpanishIn the past, I compared Argentinian Spanish to Peninsular Spanish and Uruguayan Spanish. Here’s the long due AR / MX comparison.
- Cognates and False FriendsLearn about cognates and false cognates so they don’t surprise further down in your Spanish learning journey.
- CancherearDive into the nuances of the word ‘canchero’ and how ‘cancherear’ can make or break a moment.
- Hacer una vaquitaI’m not going to argue how ridiculous this phrase may sound at first. Let me just tell you what it means in Argentina.