Paloma ajena means someone else's dove in Spanish, a metaphor for loving a person who already belongs to another. The phrase is best known from the Peruvian cumbia song of the same name, popularised by Agua Marina and widely heard across Latin America at parties and on radio. Its refrain became easy to quote and share on its own, so short clips of the sung title circulate in memes, status videos and messaging apps, especially where cumbia remains a shared nostalgic soundtrack for romantic disappointment.