More Colloquialism: Intermediate to advanced

Question

I came across a billboard a few days ago, and it had a message that made me think of the Forum. The message is very short and deceptively simple, but it contains a couple of little details that I have noticed tend to throw students off every now and then. The advertisement is part of a long-running and clever series published by a well-known soft-drink company, and the central theme is "Las cosas como son." Rougly - "That's the plain truth", or "That's the way things are".

There is one very Puertorican colloquialism in here whose meaning you need to figure out. If Heidita can be merciless, so can I, so I'm not telling!.

So it's like this:

 

There's a photograph of an a teenage girl looking at her cell phone with an anguished expression.

The ad says: "Su celular tiene señal. Es que te está picheando".

 

What do you think this means, and what is going on here?

 

If you are a native speaker, and know the answer right away, please give a chance for the students to give it a try. But feel free to provide hints, if you think it necessary.

Have fun!

P.S. Neither the message nor the colloquial expression are rude in Puerto Rico, so please keep your answers clean! It is a perfectly innocent ad!

hmmm, are you sure this is not rude? In Spain it is...., la palabra en sí es vulgar, en sentido no lo conozco, pero si es vulgar ya sabes que no se admite, me supongo que no , no? - 00494d19, May 10, 2010

PM - 00494d19, May 10, 2010

¡Heidita! ¡por supuesto que no es vulgar! De otra forma no lo publicaría. Además, ¡es un anuncio de refresco en una valla pública! :-) - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

jejejeej, lo he encontrado, qué diver!! no tiene nada que v er con el sentido español, jeje , muy divertido, pero ni idea si no lo encuentro , no lo hubiera adivinado. - 00494d19, May 10, 2010

Answer 1

His phone has a signal. It's just that he's ignoring you.

Perfect. That is exactly right! Good job! - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

Care to explain how you got the response? - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

I had to figure out what "pichear" was to piece in that last meaning, and I found this article: http://www.laacera.com/posts/number-3/2010/02/el-arte-de-pichear - Luciente, May 10, 2010

Also, I think "His phone has service" might sound better in English, but I just kept the "signal" part in my answer anyway. - Luciente, May 10, 2010

Very good indeed. Congratulations! - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

Thanks for the article url. :) - galsally, May 11, 2010

Answer 2

"Su celular tiene señal. Es que te está picheando".

Yes, your phone has a signal, but it's just messing with you (making you miserable).

pues....:P yo lo sé, yo lo sé, yo lo sé, yo lo sé, yo lo sé......::.rolling on the floor::. - 00494d19, May 10, 2010

:-) I insist. People are sharp today! - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

My phone has a mind of its own too. - --Mariana--, May 10, 2010

Ah... I'm just noticing that I had read your reply incorrectly. Interesting take, hmm... But you're not as close as I thought you were initially.*giggle* - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

those cell phones:P - princessjane, May 10, 2010

Answer 3

"Su celular tiene señal. Es que te está picheando".

From what I can find via Internet searches, picheando can mean lanzando (como un beísbol) o ignorar.

Entonces, creo que dice:

Your cellphone has a signal. It's just that you're being ignored/tossed aside (as in a relationship?)

The last bit was a really good guess! Took me a long time to figure out what Puertoricans mean by "pichear". - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

This was a very fun exercise for me. Great idea, Gekko! - Lrtward, May 11, 2010

Answer 4

Su celular tiene señal. Es que te está picheando

I don't know, maybe one of these:

Your phone has a signal. Its just ignoring you.

Your phone has a signal. The trouble is he's dumping you/breaking up with you.

Your phone has a signal. But it forgot you were there.

Good guesses. As I figured, however, the construction is really difficult for English speakers. You are closer than Marianne, but still you are missing two important elements. :-) - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

Answer 5

Your phone has signal, it just wants to bother you.

(I asked my mom LoL)

(possible words I thought instead of "bother":

Prick, Madden

(The translator said: Her cell phone has a signal. It is you prick)

Very close to what Marianne said, and so equally far from the answer. :-) - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

Still cold. And I'd be careful about your use of the word "prick" there. It could be misunderstood for something vulgar. :-) - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

Answer 6

your beeping

Nope, sorry. :-) - Gekkosan, May 10, 2010

Answer 7

your beeping