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.
Start with lesson 1
Greeting at any hour and saying your nameLesson 1, level A0
Start lesson 1How 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.