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In Nicaragua, when children are playing tag, "to be it" is expressed using what is apparently the verb landarse:

Pablo se landa. -> Pablo's it.

Me lando yo. -> I'm it.

I can't find landar or landarse in the RAE dictionary, on WordReference, or in my Diccionario del Español de Nicaragua published by the Academia Nicaragüense de la Lengua. Maybe I've been hearing the word wrong? What word are they using, and why can't I find it in any dictionary?

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I never heard it in Spain. We use: "Pablo la lleva", "Pablo la tiene" or "Pablo (se) la queda (just in the moment he has started to be it)". This game is also known in some countries as "la anda" and they say "la anda" for "to be it". Maybe you misunderstood "Pablo se landa" and they really had said "Pablo se la anda". – Javi Jan 20 '12 at 8:18
@Javi: Aha, that must be it. They did call the game (what sounded like) "landa landa". Make that an answer and I'll accept it. – jrdioko Jan 20 '12 at 17:11
@Javi: I think you are right on the money and you should post your comment as an answer. Nicaraguans say "Pablo la anda" (Pablo tiene la lleva), "La ando yo" (Yo tengo la lleva). – Icarus Jan 20 '12 at 17:15

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I never heard it in Spain. We use:

Pablo la lleva

Pablo la tiene

Pablo (se) la queda (just in the moment he has started to be it)

This game is also known in some countries as "la anda" (probably in Nicaragua) and they say "la anda" for "to be it".

Maybe you misunderstood "Pablo se landa" and they really had said "Pablo se la anda".

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Thanks, I think that explains it! So to clarify, what would the se in se la anda be referring to? I've never heard it without the se (or me, te, etc). – jrdioko Jan 21 '12 at 17:12
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@jrdioko "se" it's just a reflexive pronoun there which means that the action is taken over himself. "la" would be "the obligation of chasing the rest of the people". RAE says that in Nicaragua "andar" can mean "to take something with him" so it is maybe used as a reflexive verb in that meaning. Maybe someone from Nicaragua can explain it better. The use of verbs as reflexive or not is sometimes strange, but for example in Spain I've heard more "se la queda" than "la queda" which may be the equivalent of it. – Javi Jan 21 '12 at 18:20
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Ah, that makes even more sense. Yes, in Nicaragua andar can be used like tener. – jrdioko Jan 21 '12 at 19:03

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