The Eternaut: 7 Argentine Phrases from the TV Show Explained

Argentines take great pride in their cultural exports—be it Lionel Messi, mate, tango, or, more recently, the Netflix sensation The Eternaut. Based on the iconic 1957 graphic novel El Eternauta by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and illustrated by Francisco Solano López, the series plunges viewers into a dystopian Buenos Aires blanketed by a deadly snowfall. But beyond its gripping plot and haunting atmosphere, the show offers something else for language lovers: a crash course in Porteño Spanish, the unique variant spoken in Buenos Aires.

Throughout The Eternaut, Argentine slang and expressions color the dialogue, grounding the sci-fi epic in unmistakable local flavor. What follows is a breakdown of 7 of the most quintessentially Argentine phrases heard in the show—starting with one of the cheekiest scenes in the first episode.

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1. “Se largolla”

Early in the series, Juan Salvo (played by Ricardo Darín) and his friends are gathered around a table playing the beloved Argentine card game Truco. Suddenly, they hear it’s starting to rain. One of them shouts “¡Se largolla!”—a deliberate pun that fuses the standard “se largó” (it started raining) with “argolla,” Argentine slang for female genitals.

The wordplay doesn’t stop there. Another friend follows up with “conchaparrones,” blending concha (another vulgar term for female anatomy) with chaparrones (rain showers). Yet another piles on: “Está relampajeando,” a distortion of relampagueando (it’s lightning) that slips in paja (masturbation). The final punchline comes with: “Y justo dejé el paraguasca en la repija”—“And I just left the paraguasca (umbrella/semen) on the repija (shelf/penis).” Here, paraguas (umbrella) becomes paraguasca (playing on guasca, slang for semen), and repisa (shelf) turns into repija (from pija, slang for penis).

It’s as juvenile as it sounds—and that’s exactly the point. Darín’s character stares blankly at them throughout the exchange before dryly commenting on how depressing it is that they’re still making the same dirty jokes after all these years. Still, they’re not alone—these kinds of puns were once a staple among the Argentine boomer generation, and hearing them again sparks nostalgia as much as it does eye-rolls.

2. “Los de afuera son de palo”

One of the most iconic lines from El Eternauta’s opening scene, “Los de afuera son de palo” is heard while the group of friends plays a round of Truco, Argentina’s beloved, bluff-heavy card game. The line is delivered by Juan Salvo (Ricardo Darín) when someone not involved in the hand chimes in with commentary. His sharp response—Los de afuera son de palo—translates roughly to “outsiders don’t count,” or more literally, “those outside are made of wood.” In the context of Truco, it means: if you’re not playing, keep your mouth shut.

This Spanish expression from The Eternaut is more than just card table etiquette—it’s a widely used Argentine phrase to tell someone to mind their own business. Whether in a boardroom or a barbecue, throwing out “los de afuera son de palo” is a firm way to say: stay out of it.

3. “Envido”

Truco isn’t just a card game—it’s a full-blown performance, and nowhere is that more evident than when players shout “¡Envido!” In The Eternaut, the group kicks off the iconic first scene with this word echoing across the table. Envido means “I bet” or “I challenge” and refers to a side game within Truco where players wager on who has the highest combination of suited cards.

But envido is just the beginning. The show includes a cascade of Truco terms that are as entertaining as they are strategic. Here’s a quick rundown of the other phrases, as said in The Eternaut:

• “Real envido” – “Royal bet”
  A higher-stakes version of envido, raising the points and the tension.
• “Falta envido” – “Missing bet”
  The all-in of the envido family. The winner scores enough points to reach the end of the game—or takes all remaining points to win if close.
• “Quiero” – “I accept”
  Used to accept a bet or challenge. Saying quiero signals you’re confident enough to proceed and see who wins.
• “No quiero” – “I refuse”
  A strategic retreat. You fold, giving your opponent minimal points instead of risking a big loss.
• “Me estás corriendo” – “You’re bluffing me”
  An accusation, or perhaps a provocation. It’s how you call out your opponent’s confidence as fake.
• “Qué cagada” – “What a screw-up”
  A classic Argentine phrase of disappointment, used here when a supposedly strong hand flops.

4. “Contar las costillas”

—Vinieron a contarnos las costillas
“They’re here to ‘count our ribs´”

In the harsh, apocalyptic world of The Eternaut, solidarity is constantly put to the test. As society collapses under the weight of the deadly snowfall and alien invasion, survivors form small, self-governed groups. But not all groups play nice—and mutual suspicion often trumps compassion. When different bands of survivors cross paths, the tension is palpable. Everyone has something to protect, and no one wants to be caught off guard.

This atmosphere comes to a head in one scene where Favelli—Juan Salvo’s best friend and one of the story’s most intriguing characters—receives a visit from the leader of another group. Favelli is a tough, no-nonsense man who may seem harsh or insensitive, but his every decision comes from a fierce desire to protect his family and friends. The visitor seems impressed by how well Favelli’s group has organized themselves: they’ve managed to power some electrical devices, and, most impressively, they’ve made their car work again—a major advantage in a paralyzed city.

But once the visitors leave, Favelli isn’t fooled. He watches them go and mutters: “Vinieron a contarnos las costillas.”

Literally, this means “they came to count our ribs.” Figuratively, it means they came to evaluate the group’s resources. The expression comes from rural traditions. When food is scarce, a farmer might contarle las costillas to a cow, goat, or lamb—studying its body and ribs to decide whether it’s time to slaughter it and how much meat it will yield. Applied to people, the phrase carries a dark undertone: it implies you’ve already marked someone as a future victim, and now you’re just calculating how much you can get from them.

5. “El cuento del tío”

In episode 1 of The Eternaut, a woman knocks on the door, claiming to be a whisky delivery person. Some members of Juan Salvo’s group want to let her in. Others hesitate. One warns: “Ojo, que no nos hagan el cuento del tío.” (“Careful, they might be trying to scam us.”) This scene from The Eternaut shows just how quickly suspicion replaces solidarity in times of crisis.

El cuento del tío—literally “the uncle’s tale”—is an Argentine expression for a scam or con, usually involving a fake story meant to trick someone into giving up their money or trust. The phrase has its roots in an old trick: the scammer pretends to have received a huge inheritance from a long-lost uncle. They just need a small loan to travel and claim it. In return, they promise to repay the money many times over. Of course, they vanish as soon as they get what they want.

In modern use, el cuento del tío applies to any situation where someone uses a hard-luck story or emotional manipulation to take advantage of another person’s goodwill. It’s often associated with scams targeting the elderly, such as pretending to be a grandchild in trouble or a utility worker needing entry into the house.

The closest English equivalents would be “a con job” or “a sob story,” though neither quite captures the folkloric weight the phrase carries in Argentina.

6. “Amotinarse”

—“Esta casa ahora es como un barco en altamar. Si esos dos se amotinan, estamos fritos.”
“This house is like a ship on the open sea. If those two mutiny, we’re screwed.”

In this tense scene from The Eternaut, tensions within the survivor group begin to crack. Power struggles simmer beneath the surface, and one character warns what might happen if internal conflict breaks out. The verb amotinarse—”to mutiny”—carries a heavy weight here. It’s not just about disagreement; it’s about open rebellion.

While amotinarse is a standard Spanish verb (not exclusive to Argentina), its roots lie in naval vocabulary. Historically, it refers to sailors rising up against their captain to take control of a ship. In The Eternaut, the metaphor is clear: the household is a fragile vessel adrift in chaos, and rebellion from within could doom them all.

The phrase ends with “estamos fritos”—literally “we’re fried,” an Argentine way of saying “we’re in deep trouble.” Together, the line captures a moment of claustrophobic tension, showing how quickly a crisis can shift from external survival to internal conflict.

7. ¿No hay un chino cerca?

“Isn’t there a chino nearby?”

This Spanish phrase from The Eternaut is uttered in a moment of desperation as characters in The Eternaut try to figure out how they’ll find more supplies. At first glance, it might sound like they’re looking for a Chinese person. But in Buenos Aires slang, un chino refers to a small neighborhood grocery store, usually owned and operated by Chinese immigrants.

These stores are a cornerstone of everyday life in Argentina. While big chains like Carrefour or Día dominate the formal supermarket space, most city residents rely on el chino de la esquina (the Chinese store on the corner) for quick shopping trips. They open long hours, they sell just enough of everything, and they’re present in nearly every neighborhood.

The phrase ¿No hay un chino cerca? perfectly reflects how characters in The Eternaut cling to the logic of normal life even as society crumbles.

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Learning these Spanish phrases from The Eternaut isn’t just about grammar and vocabulary. It’s about stepping into a whole new way of seeing the world. Shows like The Eternaut reveal just how rich, expressive, and culturally unique Argentine Spanish can be. At Language Trainers, we believe language comes alive through culture. This is why we pair our clients with native teachers from the specific Spanish variety they’re interested in—whether that’s Argentine, Mexican, Colombian, or beyond. We offer both in-person Spanish courses in New York, Chicago and beyond, as well as online Spanish lessons, so you can immerse yourself in the language and culture wherever you are.

So, why wait? Contact Language Trainers now and get a free online Spanish lesson with a native teacher!

In the meantime, go ahead and binge The Eternaut on Netflix!