picadero
/pikadeɾo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the English phrase 'trap house' is translated as picadero.
The term refers to a building or residence used primarily for the sale and distribution of illegal drugs.
Which one should you use?
You might use the slang term Búnker de drogas to describe a 'drug bunker'. For a more formal description, you can use the phrase Casa de venta de drogas.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
picadero is highly informal and carries a strong criminal connotation. If you need to be formal, use Casa de venta de drogas.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term Narcopiso is used to refer to a 'trap house'.
How do you pronounce it?
/pikadeɾo/
Did you know?
- In some regions, picadero can also refer to a place where horses are trained or broken in. The context of the conversation is the only way to distinguish a criminal hub from an equestrian center.
- The term picadero is derived from the verb picar, which in many Spanish-speaking contexts means 'to peck' or 'to sting'.
- In Spain, the term narcopiso is a portmanteau combining narco and piso, the Spanish word for 'flat' or 'apartment'.
Examples in context
- La policía allanó un búnker de drogas la semana pasada.The police raided a drug bunker last week.
- La policía cerró el picadero ayer.The police closed the trap house yesterday.
- Hay mucha vigilancia cerca de ese picadero.There is a lot of surveillance near that trap house.
- Ese picadero está abandonado hace meses.That trap house has been abandoned for months.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are walking through a dangerous neighborhood.
- SofíaAlejandro, no entres en esa casa.Alejandro, don't go into that house.
- Alejandro¿Por qué? Parece normal.Why? It looks normal.
- SofíaEs un picadero muy conocido aquí.It is a well-known trap house around here.
- AlejandroEstá bien, caminemos por otra calle.Okay, let's walk down another street.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries picadero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
