Bolivian Spanish word

camba / colla

Other forms: cambas, collas

Meaning: camba: from Santa Cruz, Beni or Pando, the east; colla: from the Andean west and the altiplano

Where it is said: Camba: Santa Cruz, Beni and Pando. Colla: the Andean west

Example

Soy camba, pero vivo en La Paz hace diez años.

I'm from Santa Cruz, but I've lived in La Paz for ten years.

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Greeting at any hour and saying your nameLesson 1, level A0

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How it is used in Bolivia

Identity words, often said with pride as a self-label ('soy camba', 'soy colla'), but they can also be used as an insult in the camba/colla regional divide. Use them about yourself or with warmth, never to put someone down.

Camba comes from Guaraní and names the people and things of the eastern lowlands; in the east, colla names anyone from the west of the country. The ASALE dictionary marks some uses of both as pejorative.