General
cana
What does cana mean?
The police, the cops (collectively 'la cana'), or a single policeman. The source is debated; the Academia Portena del Lunfardo notes possible links to French argot 'canne' or to 'cana' (gray hair/old guard), without fixing one.
"Vino la cana al boliche. (The cops came to the bar.)"
Origin
Lunfardo from the early-1900s Buenos Aires underworld and recorded by the Academia Portena del Lunfardo; as a piece of thieves' cant its etymology is genuinely uncertain, with French 'canne' and the 'gray-haired old guard' image both proposed.
Frequently asked questions
What does cana mean?
It means the police, or, in the phrase 'en cana', jail.
Where did cana come from?
From early-1900s underworld argot; its exact root is uncertain, possibly French 'canne' or the 'old guard' image.
What does 'estar en cana' mean?
It means to be in jail or locked up.
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