The thousand ways to hit someone

Puerto Rican Spanish has a remarkable number of ways to say that someone was hit. Some are more severe than others, and context matters.

Any of these blows might form part of una catimba or una pela—a beating.

graph TD
    A["Una catimba or una pela<br/>(a beating)"] --> B["Un barrecampo"]
    A --> C["Una galleta"]
    A --> D["Un puño en la cara<br/>(a punch in the face)"]
    A --> E["Una pescozá"]
    A --> F["Una gaznatá"]

The following expressions generally describe one slap or blow, often to the face, head, neck, or throat:

• Una bofetá — a slap.
• Una pescozá — a strike around the neck, from pescuezo.
• Una gaznatá — a blow near the throat, from gaznate.
• Un puño en la cara — a punch in the face.
• Una galleta — literally “a cookie,” but here a smack or slap.
• Un barrecampo — a powerful sweeping blow.

Usage

• Te voy a dar una galleta. — I’m going to smack you. (Tone determines whether galleta means a slap or an actual cookie.)
• Le metí una gaznatá. — I hit them in the throat/neck.
• Te voy a dar una pescozá que vas a ver. — I’ll give you such a smack you’ll see.
• Le dieron una catimba. — They gave him a beating.
• Te van a dar una catimba si sigues. — They will beat you if you keep going.

Related expressions

• Una prendía — a hard slap.
• Darle como pillo de película — to beat someone up dramatically, like a movie villain.
• The thousand ways to describe a beating.

Origin notes

Galleta may invoke the flat, round shape or sharp sound of a slap. Gaznatá derives from gaznate (throat or gullet), while pescozá derives from pescuezo (neck). The origin of catimba is uncertain and may reflect African-influenced Caribbean Spanish or sound symbolism.