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Origins of the Chabacano Amargoso and Cucuracha

I write about amargoso and cucuracha together in one post because these two have something in common with each, they both exist in the Chavacano de Ternate language. Amargoso though is margozo and cucuracha is spelled as kukuracha in Ternateño according to the book of Esteban A. De Ocampo (The Ternateños: their history, languages, customs, and traditions). But there is one more thing that these two have in common. I hate them both.

The Chabacano amargoso is a gourd that is very bitter and is called ampalaya in most areas in the Philippines. I think it got its name from its taste. The Spanish amargo means bitter. Cucuracha meanwhile means cockroach in Chabacano. This most probably comes from the Spanish cucaracha.

Here are some sentences using these two words.

Chabacano: Ta come ba tu amargoso?

English: Do you eat amargoso?

Chabacano: Por que bien mucho cucuracha aqui na tuyo casa?

English: Why are there a lot of cockroaches in your house?

According to Merriam-Webster, the word amargoso is from Philippine Spanish.
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  1. יאן סבייסקי דייוטMay 12, 2014 at 1:37 PM

    ese palabra "amargo" ta oí yo antes con mi difunta tía abuela y abuela con expresión "con amargo man gayot de vos cara." jajajajaja

    ese Amargoso o na Ingles "Bitter Melon" es uno del mana jendeh favorito mio pero na ultimo por causa de amon ya insistí gayot manda acerta canamon come ese gulay por eso ahora ya queda ya como uno de mi mana favorito gulay. ^_^

    jajajaja Cucuracha . . .^_^ mucho se antes aqui na Flat donde kame ya cambia pero ya busca gat yo muchas maneras na que laya eradica canila todo por medio de muchos trampas na casa. ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KyleJanuary 4, 2025 at 2:26 AM

      Jejeje sabroso se amargozo si ta kusi Junto con juevos. Cabar ase sawsaw na ketchup. Puede ba yo prigunta si de donde tu? Zamboangueño ba tu o Caviteño?

      Delete
    2. KyleJanuary 4, 2025 at 2:29 AM

      Jejeje sabroso gat se amargozo si ta cusi junto con juevos cabar ase sawsaw con ketchup ta puede gat yo acaba un kaldero de canun 🤭 puede yo prigunta si de donde tu? Zamboangueño ba tu o Caviteño?

      Delete
  2. Jerome HerreraMay 17, 2014 at 4:54 AM

    ya gusta gayod yo tuyo comento hehe

    ReplyDelete

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