a weird word that i can't understand

[Maria]

In the conversations or smses with my spanish-speaking friends i oftenly hear them use the word "tronkis" or "tronki", i continuously asked about the meaning, but the explanations were not quite clear for me, and also explanations of spanish and latin-american people were completely different, so i would like to know eventually what it means exactly. Does the word "tronka" exist as well and does it have the same meaning? Does it have anything to do with "tronco"? Why do they use "k" if it's not of a foreign origin?

One more thing is the verb "flipar": there are many different interpretations in the dictionary here, is there the most common particular use of this verb? Does it really come from the name of the grasshoper Flip from the cartoon "la abeja Maya"?:-)

[atnbueno]

We're entering slang territory, and that's always difficult. Also the SMS-subspecies has its own quirks.

"Tronki" is a kewl deformation of "tronco" and "tronkis" is its plural (no "tronka" AFAIK). "Tronco" in this context is the same as saying "man" or "dude" in English. All this is from a Spaniard POV.

"Flipar" actually comes from the English "flip" and it can mean to be under the influence of some substances ("Se flipaba todos los días"), to enjoy some event very much ("La gente flipó con el concierto"), or to like some thing a lot ("Me flipan las motos").

[Maria]

Muchas gracias por su ayuda, atnbueno, that's more clear since now! So, about that tronki thing, this word isn't bad, dirty or vulgar, right? Can it be a way to apply to a friend?

[atnbueno]

Not bad nor dirty, at all. But it's appropiated only for extremely informal situations.

[Maria]

Ok, I see. Can you give some other examples of slang words in Spanish that are not offensive or dirty, but can be used among friends just for fun? I'm not looking 4 smth particular, just curious

[atnbueno]

Frankly, I wouldn't where to start :?

Well, "colega" (diminutive="colegui") is pretty much equivalent to "tronco". "Quillo/a" (short form of "chiquillo/a" can be used similarly to "man" in English (v.g. "Don't say that, man" => "No me digas eso, quillo").

[Maria]

That's interesting Colega is also a colleague, isn't it?

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Maria

That's interesting Colega is also a colleague, isn't it?

Sí.

También usan pareja de una forma similar a tronco/colega (Al menos en México ).

[sosia]

Hi
we use the word "tronka" as feminine for tronco/tronko, but usually only in Navarre & Basque country. The "k" comes because here a lot of slang words changes "c" for "k" and "ch" for "tx" like "calimocho" for "kalimotxo" (red-wine & cocacola mix) and Carmen/Karmen . But as atnbueno says, it's appropiated only for extremely informal situations.

[Duircein]

Quick note, in Chile when I heard the word tronki used it had more of a sense of a missing one's home or person or object, kind of like hechar de menos. You get all sorts of variants of words that have no meaning in one country that are commonly used in others in Latin America, but you probably already know that.