qué boleta
keh boh-LEH-tahphrase, adjectiveInformalBogotá
A Colombian Spanish slang term. Browse all Colombian slang.
What it means
How embarrassing; what a disgrace. Said of a public humiliation, yours or someone else's — the emphasis is on being seen.
As an adjective of a person: someone who makes a spectacle of themselves. 'Es muy boleta' is a mild but real insult.
Dar boleta is the verb: to show yourself up in public.
Literally: What a ticket.
Examples with translations
¡Qué boleta, se cayó delante de todos!
How mortifying — he fell over in front of everyone!
No dé boleta, hermano, cálmese.
Don't make a scene, mate, calm down.
Where it comes from
From boleta, 'ticket, notice'. The idea is of a public posting — something everyone can read. Strongest in Bogotá and among younger speakers nationwide; paisas are likelier to reach for qué oso for the same feeling.
Other forms
- Spellings and variants:
- dar boleta, boletero
- Similar terms:
- qué oso, qué ridículo