Thread: drinking straw

Does anyone know any other words for the small plastic tube people suck drinks through than "straw". In Spanish, I have heard popote, canuto, pajita and sorbete. Thanks, Paul.

Hello,

I think the best word for that is: un absorbente

So many words for straw! I wonder if it has anything to do with Latin Americans' obsession with Coca Cola. Thanks for your contributions guys.

Mario Joel, are you on the base in Gtmo? Incredible. Can you tell us what it's like, maybe in the Miscellaneous section of this forum?

It`s called: "popote"-

I think it depends on the country. In Argentina, it's called sorbete. However, in some provinces it's called pajita.
Hope this helps!

Is this something that changed with time, perhaps? My parents and everyone they know always called straws pajitas, but when I came to Buenos Aires and asked a guy for a pajita while out one day, I got a few giggles, and was told that that was really rude to say.

Hi Carla,

the word pajita has also a different meaning - but almost everybody (including myself) say call a straw that way in Argentina. Tell your parents not to feel wierd, whoever laughed at them is a jerk.

It all depends on the country your vistiting. Guatemala and most of central america we say Pajilla! Mexico is the only one that says Popote...which in Guatemala mean big pile of crap!! Sorvete is another that comes to mind....South Americans use that a lot.