Bolivian slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
34 slang
6 regions
35 local phrases
11 marked vulgar

Bolivian slang mixes Spanish with Quechua and Aymara, so you'll hear words you won't find anywhere else. Here are 300 words and phrases people use in La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and beyond.

Greetings and small talk 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	Buenas / ¿qué tal?	Hi, how's it going?	Buenas, caserita, ¿qué tal? ¿A cuánto el queso?Hi there, how's it going? How much is the cheese?	Everyday Say buenos días or buenas tardes before you ask for anything. Opening with your question sounds rude.
2	Normal	Fine, nothing new	¿Cómo estás? Normal, ahí vamos.How are you? Fine, same as always.	Casual The most common answer to "how are you".
3	Caserita / casero	Dear (to a market seller or regular buyer)	Caserita, ¿a cuánto está la papaya?Excuse me, dear, how much is the papaya?	Everyday What sellers and buyers call each other in every market. Use it and you'll get a warmer welcome.
4	¿De dónde eres? / ¿de dónde sos?	Where are you from?	¿De dónde eres, gringuito? ¿Es tu primera vez en Bolivia?Where are you from? Is it your first time in Bolivia?	Everyday The first question you'll get. Answer, then ask it back to keep the chat going.
5	Cumpa	Buddy	¿Cómo estás, cumpa? ¿Todo bien?How are you, buddy? All good?	Casual Short for compadre. Friendly between men.
6	Con permisito	Excuse me (to pass)	Con permisito, voy a bajar.Excuse me, I'm getting off.	Everyday The small form sounds extra polite.
7	Joven	Excuse me (to a waiter or young man)	Joven, la cuenta, por favor.Excuse me, the check, please.	Everyday Works for any waiter, even an older one. Say señorita to a woman.
8	Mamita	Ma'am, dear (to a woman)	Mamita, ¿cuánto cuesta el api?Ma'am, how much is the corn drink?	Everyday Buyers and sellers use it in every market. Older women say it to younger ones too.
9	Hasta lueguito	See you soon	Ya, hasta lueguito, cuídate.OK, see you soon, take care.	Everyday A kinder hasta luego.
10	¿Qué dice, pariente?	How's it going, pal?	¿Qué dice, pariente? Tanto tiempo.How's it going, pal? Long time no see.	Regional The classic Santa Cruz hello. Pariente here just means friend.
11	Brother	Bro	¡Brother! ¿Dónde te habías perdido?Bro! Where have you been?	Slang Young people in the cities say it in English.
12	Loco	Dude, mate	¡Loco! ¿Dónde andabas?Dude! Where have you been?	Slang A friendly hello between young friends.
13	¿Cómo te llamas? / ¿cómo se llama?	What's your name?	Hola, ¿cómo te llamas? Yo soy Ana.Hi, what's your name? I'm Ana.	Everyday Say cómo se llama to an older person. Give your name back and shake hands.
14	Che	Hey	Che, ¿vamos a comer algo?Hey, shall we go get something to eat?	Casual Use it with a friend when you ask for something. You'll hear it most in Santa Cruz and Tarija. Also common in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
15	Cuate	Friend, buddy	¡Hola, cuate! Tanto tiempo sin verte.Hi, buddy! Long time no see.	Slang Young people in La Paz say it to a friend. In Mexico it's the everyday word for friend.
16	Viejo	Mate	¿Qué haces, viejo? Tanto tiempo.What's up, mate? Long time.	Slang Between male friends of any age. Mi viejo and mi vieja mean my dad and my mom.
17	Gracias / de nada	Thank you / you're welcome	Gracias por la salteña. De nada, joven.Thanks for the salteña. You're welcome.	Everyday Say it at every stall, ride and table. Muchas gracias sounds warmer.
18	¿Qué es de tu vida?	What have you been up to?	¡Tanto tiempo! ¿Qué es de tu vida?Long time no see! What have you been up to?	Everyday Say it to someone you haven't seen in a while.
19	¡Jallalla!	Hooray, cheers to all	¡Jallalla, Bolivia! ¡Ganamos!Hooray, Bolivia! We won!	Everyday An Aymara and Quechua cheer at festivals, marches and soccer games. It's also a warm hello to a whole room.
20	Yuspagara	Thank you (Aymara)	Yuspagara, caserita, hasta mañana.Thank you, see you tomorrow.	Regional Aymara thanks in La Paz, El Alto and around Lake Titicaca. Say it at a market stall and watch the reaction.
21	Sulpayki	Thank you (Quechua)	Sulpayki, mamita, todo muy rico.Thank you, ma'am, it was all delicious.	Regional Quechua thanks. Very welcome in Cochabamba and Potosí markets.
22	Kamisaki / waliki	How are you? / I'm fine (Aymara)	¿Kamisaki, jilata? Waliki, ¿jumasti?How are you, brother? Fine, and you?	Regional The Aymara hello in La Paz, El Alto and around Lake Titicaca. Waliki is the answer.
23	¿Imaynalla kashanki? / allinlla	How are you? / I'm fine (Quechua)	¿Imaynalla kashanki, tía? Allinlla, ¿qanri?How are you, auntie? Fine, and you?	Regional The Quechua hello in Cochabamba, Sucre and Potosí. Allinlla kashani is the full answer.
24	Tinkunakama	See you	Bueno, me voy. ¡Tinkunakama!OK, I'm off. See you!	Regional Quechua for "until we meet again". Locals smile when a traveler uses it.

Getting around 23

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
25	¿Cuánto me cobra hasta...?	How much to...? (to a taxi driver)	¿Cuánto me cobra hasta el Prado, jefe?How much to the Prado, boss?	Everyday Taxis have no meter. Agree on the price before you get in.
26	La carrera	The taxi fare, the ride	¿Cuánto es la carrera hasta Sopocachi?How much is the ride to Sopocachi?	Everyday Ask before you get in, since taxis have no meter.
27	Sorojchi / sorojcho / soroche	Altitude sickness	Llegué a La Paz con sorojchi y me tomé un mate de coca.I got to La Paz with altitude sickness and had a coca tea.	Everyday Pharmacies sell sorojchi pills. Take your first day slowly. Soroche is also the word in Peru and Ecuador.
28	Aquí nomás	Right here is fine	Aquí nomás, por favor, en la esquina.Right here, please, at the corner.	Everyday How you tell a driver to stop.
29	Radiotaxi	Booked taxi	De noche pedí un radiotaxi, no pares uno en la calle.At night, book a taxi, don't flag one down on the street.	Everyday Safer than a street taxi after dark.
30	Minibús	Shared van	Este minibús va a la Ceja, sube nomás.This van goes to the Ceja, hop on.	Everyday The main way to get around La Paz.
31	Teleférico	Cable car	Vamos en teleférico, la línea roja sube a El Alto.Let's take the cable car, the red line goes up to El Alto.	Everyday La Paz's cable cars are public transport. Locals ride them to work.
32	Pasaje	Bus or minibus fare	¿Cuánto es el pasaje? Aquí tiene, 2 pesos.How much is the fare? Here you go, 2 bolivianos.	Everyday Minibus fares are a few bolivianos, so carry coins. Pay the driver or the caller.
33	Chofer	Driver	Chofer, ¿pasa por la plaza Murillo?Driver, do you go past Plaza Murillo?	Everyday How you call to the driver of a taxi, minibus or bus. Jefe works too.
34	Trufi	Shared car or van on a fixed route	Agarramos un trufi hasta la plaza.We took a shared van to the plaza.	Everyday Cheaper than a taxi. The route is on a sign in the windshield.
35	Voceador	The person who shouts the route	El voceador gritaba: ¡Prado, Prado, San Francisco!The caller was shouting: Prado, Prado, San Francisco!	Everyday He hangs out of the minibus door. Pay him or the driver.
36	Micro	City bus	Toma el micro N hasta San Francisco.Take the N bus to San Francisco.	Everyday Big, slow and cheap.
37	Colectivo	Shared taxi	El colectivo te deja más cerca que el micro.The shared taxi drops you closer than the bus.	Everyday A taxi on a set route that picks up other people.
38	La Ceja	The busy edge of El Alto	Baja del minibús en la Ceja y camina al teleférico.Get off the van at the Ceja and walk to the cable car.	Regional The crowded hub where El Alto drops into La Paz.
39	Cuadra	A city block	La plaza está a 3 cuadras, derecho nomás.The plaza is 3 blocks away, straight ahead.	Everyday How locals give directions.
40	Movilidad	Ride, vehicle	¿Tienes movilidad o te recojo?Do you have a ride or shall I pick you up?	Everyday Very Bolivian. It means any car, van or ride.
41	Trancadera	Traffic jam	Había una trancadera terrible en El Prado.There was a terrible traffic jam on El Prado.	Everyday Leave early, the jams in La Paz and Santa Cruz are serious.
42	Bloqueo	Road blockade	No hay flotas a Cochabamba, hay bloqueo.There are no buses to Cochabamba, there's a blockade.	Everyday Protesters block roads often. Check the news before a long trip.
43	Flota	Long-distance bus	La flota a Uyuni sale a las 8 de la noche.The bus to Uyuni leaves at 8 at night.	Everyday People call bus companies flotas too.
44	Terminal	Bus station	Ve a la terminal una hora antes y compara precios.Go to the bus station an hour early and compare prices.	Everyday Always la terminal. Sellers shout the destinations at you.
45	Tranca	Road checkpoint	Nos pararon en la tranca para revisar los papeles.They stopped us at the checkpoint to check our papers.	Everyday A barrier across the road where police or tolls stop you.
46	Mototaxi	Motorbike taxi	En Trinidad todos andan en mototaxi.In Trinidad everyone gets around by motorbike taxi.	Regional Common in the eastern lowlands. Agree on the price first, like a taxi.
47	Tapeque	Food for the road	Llevá tapeque, el viaje a Trinidad es largo.Bring some food, the trip to Trinidad is long.	Regional Santa Cruz and the east. Always pack some for a long bus ride.

Food and drink 29

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
48	¿Pica? / sin picante	Is it spicy? / not spicy	¿Pica mucho? Para mí sin picante, por favor.Is it very spicy? No chili for me, please.	Everyday Ask before you order. How hot a dish is depends on the cook.
49	Salteña	Baked meat pastry with juicy filling	Cuatro salteñas para llevar, por favor.4 salteñas to go, please.	Everyday People eat them before noon. Bite the top and sip the juice first.
50	Mate de coca	Coca leaf tea	Toma un mate de coca, ayuda con la altura.Have a coca tea, it helps with the altitude.	Everyday Legal and everywhere in Bolivia. Don't take the leaves home.
51	Almuerzo / ¿qué hay de almuerzo?	Set lunch / what's for lunch?	¿Qué hay de almuerzo, caserita? Sopa, segundo y postre por 20 pesos.What's for lunch? Soup, a main and dessert for 20 bolivianos.	Everyday The big meal of the day. Look for the menu board outside.
52	Provecho / buen provecho	Enjoy your meal	Provecho, señora, gracias por todo.Enjoy your meal, ma'am, thanks for everything.	Everyday Say it to people still eating when you sit down or leave the table. Skipping it can seem rude.
53	¡Qué rico! / está rico	How tasty! / it's delicious	¡Qué rico, caserita! ¿Qué lleva esto?How tasty! What's in this?	Everyday Say it to the cook or your host. It's the quickest way to make a friend at the table.
54	La cuenta, por favor	The check, please	Señorita, la cuenta, por favor. Ya nos vamos.Excuse me, the check, please. We're heading off.	Everyday Catch the waiter's eye and say it. If service isn't on the bill, 10% is a kind tip in a sit-down place. Set-lunch spots don't expect one.
55	¿Dónde está el baño? / ¿hay baño?	Where's the bathroom? / is there a bathroom?	Disculpe, joven, ¿hay baño aquí?Excuse me, is there a bathroom here?	Everyday Ask in any café, market or bus station. Carry your own toilet paper.
56	Segundo	Main course	De segundo hay pollo o milanesa.For the main course there's chicken or breaded steak.	Everyday The course after the soup.
57	Llajua	Spicy tomato and chili sauce	Pasame la llajua, que esto está muy laca.Pass me the hot sauce, this is really bland.	Everyday It's on every table. Try a little first.
58	Tucumana	Fried meat pastry	Una tucumana con llajua, por favor.A tucumana with hot sauce, please.	Everyday Like a salteña, but fried. Great street food.
59	Laca / larkh'a	Bland, needs salt	La sopa está medio laca, pasame la sal.The soup is a bit bland, pass me the salt.	Casual Heard most in the highlands. Say it to friends, and ask a cook for salt politely.
60	Licuado	Fruit smoothie	Un licuado de papaya con leche, sin azúcar.A papaya smoothie with milk, no sugar.	Everyday Market juice stands make them. Say sin azúcar or you'll get a lot of sugar.
61	Anticucho	Grilled beef heart skewer	En la noche comemos anticuchos en la esquina.At night we eat beef heart skewers on the corner.	Everyday Street food after dark, with potatoes and peanut sauce.
62	Sándwich de chola	Roast pork sandwich	Vamos a Las Cholas por un sándwich de chola.Let's go to Las Cholas for a pork sandwich.	Everyday A La Paz favorite with pickled onions and chili.
63	Api	Hot purple corn drink	Un api con pastel para el frío.A hot corn drink with a fried pastry for the cold.	Everyday The classic breakfast in La Paz and Cochabamba markets.
64	Marraqueta	Crusty La Paz bread roll	Pasa por 10 marraquetas calientitas para el té.Pick up 10 warm bread rolls for tea.	Everyday The bread of La Paz. Buy it hot in the morning or around 5 for tea.
65	Salchipapa	Fries with sliced hot dog	Una salchipapa con harta mayonesa.Fries and hot dog with lots of mayo.	Everyday Cheap late-night food from street stands. Also common in Peru.
66	Tecito	Afternoon tea, a tea get-together	Ven al tecito a las 5.Come over for afternoon tea at 5.	Everyday Tea with bread around 5: marraqueta in La Paz, cuñapé in Santa Cruz.
67	Acullicar / pijchar / bolear	To chew coca leaves	Los mineros acullican para aguantar el trabajo.Miners chew coca leaves to get through the work.	Everyday All 3 mean the same thing. Acullicar is the highland word, pijchar is heard all over Bolivia, and bolear is the Santa Cruz and lowland word. Coca is legal in Bolivia.
68	Pipocas	Popcorn	Compremos pipocas para la película.Let's buy popcorn for the movie.	Everyday Bolivians say pipocas, though they'll understand palomitas.
69	Silpancho	Thin breaded beef on rice and potatoes	El silpancho de Cochabamba es enorme.The silpancho in Cochabamba is huge.	Everyday It comes with a fried egg on top. Cochabamba invented it.
70	Pique macho / pique a lo macho	Beef, sausage and fries in a spicy pile	Pedimos un pique macho para tres.We ordered a pique macho for 3.	Everyday 1 plate feeds 2 or 3. Watch out for the chili on top.
71	Sopa de maní	Peanut soup	La sopa de maní de mi abuela es la mejor.My grandma's peanut soup is the best.	Everyday Bolivia's favorite soup. Cooks put fries on top.
72	Chairo	Hearty chuño and meat soup	Un chairo bien caliente para el frío.A really hot chairo for the cold.	Everyday A La Paz soup made with freeze-dried potato.
73	Cuñapé	Cassava and cheese bun	Un café con dos cuñapés, por favor.A coffee with 2 cheese buns, please.	Everyday The Santa Cruz snack for afternoon coffee.
74	Mocochinchi	Dried peach drink	Un mocochinchi bien frío, por favor.A really cold peach drink, please.	Everyday Sweet and cinnamon-y. The wrinkled peach in the glass is normal.
75	Chuño	Freeze-dried potato	El fricasé viene con chuño y mote.Fricasé comes with freeze-dried potato and hominy.	Everyday Highland farmers freeze-dry it in the Altiplano cold. Chewy, earthy, very Bolivian.
76	Mañoso / mañosa	Picky eater	No seas mañoso, prueba el chairo.Don't be so picky, try the chairo.	Casual What parents say to a kid who won't eat. Fine to say to a friend.

Money and shopping 34

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
77	¿A cuánto? / ¿cuánto es?	How much? / how much is it?	¿A cuánto el kilo, caserita? ¿Me da 2?How much is a kilo? Can I have 2?	Everyday The question you'll ask most at a stall. You'll also hear ¿qué tanto es?, a Bolivian way to ask, and ¿me da...? is the polite way to ask for something.
78	Rebájeme, caserita	Give me a discount, please	¿Cuánto es lo último? Rebájeme pues, caserita, llevo 3.What's your best price? Give me a discount, dear, I'm taking 3.	Everyday Use usted with a seller: rebájeme. Rebájame, the tú form, sounds like a textbook. Bargain gently and with a smile, and push harder on tours.
79	Yapa / ¿y la yapa?	A free extra	¿Y la yapa, caserita? Ya, aquí tiene.And the extra, please? OK, here you go.	Everyday Sellers add a little extra for regulars. Asking with a smile is normal.
80	Pesos	Bolivianos (money)	Son 15 pesos, joven.It's 15 bolivianos, young man.	Everyday People still call bolivianos pesos. It's the same money.
81	Plata	Money	No tengo plata, ¿me prestás 20 pesos?I don't have any money, can you lend me 20 bolivianos?	Everyday The word for money you'll hear most.
82	Sencillo	Small change, coins	¿Tienes sencillo? Solo tengo de 100.Do you have small change? I only have a 100.	Everyday Always carry coins for minibuses and markets.
83	¿Tiene cambio?	Do you have change?	¿Tiene cambio de 200?Do you have change for a 200?	Everyday Big bills are hard to break in small shops.
84	¿A cuánto está el dólar?	What's the dollar rate?	Joven, ¿a cuánto está el dólar hoy? ¿Me cambia 100?What's the dollar at today? Can you change 100 for me?	Everyday Ask before you hand over cash. Offices often post a rate and give a better one when you ask.
85	Dólar paralelo	The street dollar rate	¿A cuánto está el paralelo hoy?What's the street rate today?	Everyday The street rate can differ from the bank rate, so check both before you change.
86	Casa de cambio	Money exchange office	Antes de cambiar, compará el banco con 2 casas de cambio.Before you change money, compare the bank with 2 exchange offices.	Everyday Compare the bank or ATM rate with 2 exchange offices. Then check the bills they give you.
87	Cambista	Street money changer	El cambista contó los billetes delante de mí.The money changer counted the bills out in front of me.	Everyday Compare their rate with an exchange office. Count your cash before you walk away.
88	Choro / chora	Thief	Cuidado con el celular, en la feria hay choros.Watch your phone, there are thieves at the market.	Slang The general word for a street thief, also used in Peru. In crowds, keep your phone and cash in a front pocket.
89	Cogotero / cogotera	Mugger	Ojo en el minibús de noche, hay cogoteros.Watch out on the van at night, there are muggers.	Slang A thief who robs with force, often on night minibuses. Wear your backpack on your front and keep your phone in a front pocket.
90	Feria	Street market	Los jueves y domingos hay feria en El Alto.On Thursdays and Sundays there's a street market in El Alto.	Everyday The 16 de Julio feria in El Alto is huge. Watch your pockets.
91	Aguayo	Colorful woven carrying cloth	Me compré un aguayo en la feria.I bought a woven cloth at the market.	Everyday Women carry babies and goods in it. A great souvenir.
92	Chompa	Sweater	Esta chompa de alpaca está a 120.This alpaca sweater is 120.	Everyday The Bolivian word for any sweater.
93	Chullo	Knitted hat with ear flaps	Cómprate un chullo, en Uyuni hace mucho frío.Buy yourself a knitted hat, it's really cold in Uyuni.	Everyday You'll find them in every La Paz market. Locals wear them too.
94	¿Me va a servir bien mercadito, ya?	Will you fill my plate properly, OK?	¿Me va a servir bien mercadito, ya? Tengo harta hambre.Will you fill my plate properly, OK? I'm really hungry.	Everyday Say it to the cook at a market stall. The small mercadito and the usted keep it polite.
95	¡Cabal, casero!	Deal!, that's just right	¿Diez pesos los dos? ¡Cabal, casero!10 for both? Deal!	Regional Highland and valley markets, like La Paz, Oruro and Cochabamba, when a sale is agreed or a job is done. A friendly way to close a deal.
96	Bien pesadito	Weighed fairly	Medio kilo de tomate, bien pesadito.Half a kilo of tomatoes, weighed fairly.	Everyday The small form keeps it polite.
97	¿Qué va a llevar?	What are you taking?	¿Qué va a llevar, caserito? Hay papa, hay oca.What will you have? There's potato, there's oca.	Everyday What sellers call out to you.
98	Trucho	Fake, knock-off	Esa botella de singani es trucha, mira la etiqueta.That singani bottle is fake, look at the label.	Casual People also say it about a two-faced person. Also common in Argentina and Uruguay.
99	Contrabando	Smuggled goods	Esa tele es de contrabando, por eso es barata.That TV is smuggled, that's why it's cheap.	Everyday A big part of Bolivian markets.
100	Chuto / auto chuto	Smuggled, with no papers (a car)	Ese auto es chuto, no tiene placa.That car is smuggled, it has no plates.	Casual A chuto car is a smuggled one with no papers, a meaning you'll hear a lot. Chuto also means naked.
101	Estar yesca	To be broke	Hoy no salgo, estoy yesca.I'm not going out today, I'm broke.	Slang From Santa Cruz, now heard all over Bolivia.
102	Sin medio	Broke, without a cent	Llegué a fin de mes sin medio.I got to the end of the month without a cent.	Casual A softer way to say you're broke.
103	Hacer una vaca	To pool money	Hagamos una vaca para la torta.Let's pool money for the cake.	Everyday Friends do it for cakes, drinks and gifts. Say ¿hacemos una vaca? and you'll fit right in.
104	Quivo	Money, cash	No tengo quivo para la entrada.I don't have cash for the ticket.	Slang Students and young people say it for cash. Fine for you to use with friends.
105	Colque	Money (Aymara)	Sin colque no hay fiesta.No money, no party.	Casual An Aymara word heard in La Paz.
106	Amarrete	Stingy	No seas amarrete, invita una ronda.Don't be stingy, buy a round.	Casual A gentle dig at a friend who never pays.
107	Michi	Stingy (Santa Cruz)	Ese tipo es bien michi, nunca pone para la vaca.That guy is so stingy, he never chips in.	Regional Santa Cruz. In Cochabamba michi means cat.
108	Mankagasto / mancagasto	Freeloader, someone who lives off others	Mi primo es un mankagasto, siempre come en casa ajena y nunca pone nada.My cousin is a freeloader, he always eats at other people's places and never chips in.	Casual From Aymara manq'a, food. Heard in Cochabamba and Oruro.
109	Pasanaku	Rotating savings circle	Con el pasanaku me compré una moto.With the savings circle I bought a motorbike.	Everyday Friends pay in each month and take turns getting the pot.
110	Coima	Bribe	No le des coima al policía.Don't give the police officer a bribe.	Everyday You'll hear it in the news and in complaints.

Bars and going out 28

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
111	Chela / echarse unas chelas	Beer / to have a few beers	¿Nos echamos unas chelas bien frías después del tour?Shall we have a few cold beers after the tour?	Casual The word for beer you'll hear most. Echarse un trago means to have a drink. Also common in Peru, Ecuador and Mexico.
112	¡Salud!	Cheers!	¡Salud, cumpa! Por tu viaje.Cheers, buddy! To your trip.	Everyday The toast before the first sip. Look people in the eye when you clink glasses.
113	¡Seco! / al seco	Down it in one / to the last drop	¡Salud! ¡Seco, seco, seco!Cheers! Down it, down it!	Everyday The toast you'll hear most. Say salud, then empty your glass, or the group will chant until you do.
114	Singani	Bolivian grape brandy	Un singani con Sprite, por favor.A singani and Sprite, please.	Everyday The national spirit, from the Tarija valleys.
115	Chuflay	Singani with lemon-lime soda	Pedimos unos chuflays para empezar.We ordered some singani and sodas to start.	Everyday The classic Bolivian cocktail.
116	Amolle	Your share of the drinks money	Ya, pongan su amolle para las chelas.OK, everyone put in their share for the beers.	Slang Young people say it before a night out. It's like vaca, but only for alcohol.
117	Te invito	My treat / here, have some	Te invito, hermano, salud.It's on me, brother, cheers.	Everyday Most of the time it means I'm paying. When a group passes 1 glass around, it means here, have some: drink and pass it on.
118	¡Dale!	Sure, let's do it	¿Nos juntamos en la plaza a las 8? ¡Dale!Shall we meet at the plaza at 8? Sure!	Casual The quick yes to any plan. Use it when friends invite you out.
119	Chupa / chupar	A drinking party / to drink alcohol	¿Hay chupa el viernes? Vamos a chupar, ¿te animás?Is there a party on Friday? Let's go drinking, are you in?	Slang Young people's words for a party with drinks and for drinking. Chupar means to drink all over Latin America.
120	Ch'alla / challar	To bless with a splash of drink	Antes de tomar, una ch'alla para la Pachamama.Before we drink, a splash for Mother Earth.	Everyday Pour a drop on the ground before your first sip. People bless cars and houses this way too.
121	Boliche	Club, bar	¿Vamos al boliche después de cenar?Shall we go to the club after dinner?	Casual Any club or small bar. Disco or discoteca is just as common. Also common in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
122	Farra / farrear	Night out / to party	Anoche fuimos de farra hasta las 4.Last night we partied until 4.	Casual Anyone says it, from teens to grandparents. Use it freely with friends.
123	Yungueño	Singani with orange juice	El yungueño se toma en fiestas.People drink singani with orange juice at parties.	Everyday The name comes from the Yungas valleys.
124	Chicha	Corn beer	En Cochabamba probá la chicha.In Cochabamba, try the corn beer.	Everyday Look for a white flag outside a house. It means chicha for sale.
125	Combo / combito	Spirit mixed with soda or juice	Armamos un combito con singani y jugo.We made a mix with singani and juice.	Slang The cheap drink at house parties.
126	Chaqui / ch'aki / curar el chaqui	Hangover	Tengo un chaqui terrible, vamos a curarlo con un caldo.I have a terrible hangover, let's cure it with a soup.	Casual From Quechua, and estoy de ch'aki means I'm hungover. To cure it: soup, salteñas or another beer.
127	Picarse	To get a bit tipsy	Con dos chuflays ya me piqué.After 2 singani and sodas I'm already a bit tipsy.	Casual The first stage of the night.
128	Huari / Taquiña	Bolivian beer brands	Dos Paceñas bien frías, por favor.2 really cold Paceñas, please.	Everyday Paceña is the La Paz flagship and the one you'll see most. Name the brand, or you'll get whatever they have.
129	En tragos	Drunk	Llegó en tragos y se durmió en el sofá.He came home drunk and fell asleep on the sofa.	Casual A polite way to say someone is drunk.
130	Estar yema	To be very drunk	Juan ya está yema, llevalo a su casa.Juan is wasted, take him home.	Slang Young people say it about a friend who's had too much. On its own, yema is also a vulgar word for penis, so keep the full phrase.
131	Estar mula	To be drunk	Volvió mula de la fiesta.He came back drunk from the party.	Slang Heard at parties all over Bolivia. Fine among friends. Don't say it about someone's family.
132	¿Bailamos?	Shall we dance?	¿Bailamos? Esta canción me encanta.Shall we dance? I love this song.	Everyday The easy way to ask someone at a boliche or a fiesta. If the answer is no, smile and move on.
133	Amanecerse	To stay up all night	Nos amanecimos en la fiesta de Carla.We stayed up all night at Carla's party.	Everyday Everyone says it after a long party. Use it freely.
134	El trago del estribo	One for the road	Ya me voy, pero tomemos el trago del estribo.I'm leaving, but let's have one for the road.	Everyday The last drink before you leave. Hosts often insist on it.
135	Cacho	Dice game	¿Jugamos un cacho? El que pierde paga la ronda.Shall we play dice? The loser buys the round.	Everyday Played with 5 dice in a leather cup. You'll see it in every bar.
136	Canchitas	Foosball	¿Jugamos canchitas mientras esperamos?Shall we play foosball while we wait?	Everyday Bars and street corners have tables.
137	Pucho	Cigarette	¿Tienes un pucho?Do you have a cigarette?	Slang It also means a cigarette butt.
138	Otra ronda / una más	Another round / one more	Una más y nos vamos, ¿ya? Otra ronda para la mesa, por favor.One more and we'll go, OK? Another round for the table, please.	Everyday How you ask the waiter for the next drink.

Friends and people 30

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
139	Encantado / encantada	Nice to meet you	Encantada, soy Ana. ¿Recién llegaste a La Paz?Nice to meet you, I'm Ana. Did you just get to La Paz?	Everyday Men say encantado and women say encantada. Mucho gusto works too.
140	Te presento a...	Let me introduce you to...	Te presento a mi cumpa Diego, es de Sucre.This is my buddy Diego, he's from Sucre.	Everyday Friends will introduce you to everyone at a party. Greet each person one by one.
141	¿Nos tomamos algo?	Shall we grab a drink?	¿Nos tomamos algo en la plaza después del tour?Shall we grab a drink in the plaza after the tour?	Everyday The easy way to turn a chat into a plan. Algo can be a coffee, a juice or a beer.
142	Me caés bien	I like you (as a friend)	Me caes bien, cumpa. ¿Nos vemos mañana?I like you, buddy. See you tomorrow?	Casual A warm way to say you get on with someone. Say me caes bien with tú.
143	Pasame tu número / tu WhatsApp	Give me your number / your WhatsApp	Pasame tu WhatsApp y te aviso dónde nos juntamos.Send me your WhatsApp and I'll tell you where we're meeting.	Everyday How new friends swap contacts. Get a local SIM so you can text back.
144	Chango / changa	Young guy / young woman	Esos changos juegan fulbito todas las tardes.Those kids play soccer every afternoon.	Casual The everyday word for a young guy or girl. Also used in northwest Argentina. In Mexico chango means monkey, so careful there.
145	Gringo / gringa	Foreigner, often a white one	El gringo pidió la salteña con cuchillo.The foreigner asked for a knife for his salteña.	Casual Most people say it without malice. Expect to hear it.
146	Paco	Cop	Cuidado, ahí vienen los pacos.Careful, here come the cops.	Slang A common word for the police, along with la poli. Say policía to an officer's face. Also used in Chile. You may also hear tombo, the word Peru uses most.
147	Paceño / paceña	Person from La Paz	Los paceños hablan despacio y claro.People from La Paz talk slowly and clearly.	Everyday Paceños say it with pride. It also means anything from La Paz.
148	Alteño / alteña	Person from El Alto	Mi casera es alteña, baja todos los días en teleférico.My market seller is from El Alto, she comes down every day by cable car.	Everyday El Alto sits above La Paz, and alteños are proud of their city.
149	Camba	Person from the east, mainly Santa Cruz	Mi viejo es camba, de Montero.My dad is from the east, from Montero.	Everyday Cambas use it with pride.
150	Colla / kolla	Person from the highlands	Los collas dicen que en Santa Cruz hace mucho calor.Highlanders say it's too hot in Santa Cruz.	Casual Highlanders use it with pride. From someone in Santa Cruz it can be a dig, so don't use it as a label.
151	Cochala	Person from Cochabamba	Los cochalas comen como cinco veces al día.People from Cochabamba eat like 5 times a day.	Everyday Cochabamba is famous for its food, and cochalas are proud of it.
152	Piola	Nice, easy to get along with	Tu amigo es bien piola, nos ayudó con todo.Your friend is really nice, he helped us with everything.	Casual Also means sharp or clever.
153	Pelado / pelada / peladingo	Kid, guy / girl	¿Qué hacés, pelada? ¿Vamos a la plaza?What's up, girl? Shall we go to the plaza?	Regional The friendly way to address a young person in Santa Cruz. Peladingo is a little kid.
154	Imilla	Girl, young woman	Esa imilla vende api en la esquina.That young woman sells corn drink on the corner.	Casual From Aymara and Quechua. Can sound rude from a stranger.
155	Llokalla / llocalla	Boy, young man	El llokalla me ayudó con las bolsas.The boy helped me with the bags.	Casual From Aymara and Quechua. Same care as imilla.
156	Wawa / guagua	Baby, small child	La wawa está dormida en el aguayo.The baby is asleep in the woven cloth.	Everyday Used all over Bolivia, by everyone.
157	Chicoco / chicoca	Little kid	Los chicocos juegan en la plaza.The little kids are playing in the plaza.	Casual Affectionate. It also means short.
158	Tata	Dad, grandpa, sir	El tata está en la chacra.Grandpa is out in the field.	Everyday A warm word for an older man.
159	Awicha	Old woman, grandma	La awicha nos contó historias del pueblo.The old woman told us stories about the village.	Regional Highlands. Said with respect.
160	Kara / q'ara	White, well-off city person	Los karas viven en la Zona Sur.The rich white folks live in the Zona Sur.	Vulgar From Aymara q'ara, a put-down about race and class. You may hear it about travelers, so leave it to locals.
161	Jailón / jailona	Posh, stuck-up rich kid	Ese barrio es de puros jailones.That neighborhood is full of posh kids.	Slang From English "high life". A tease.
162	Capo	Ace, the best	El guía es un capo, nos llevó al Salar sin perder el camino.The guide is an ace, he took us to the Salt Flat without getting lost.	Casual Praise for someone skilled. Also common in Peru and Argentina.
163	Torazo / torísimo	Someone really skilled / amazing	Mi primo es un torazo en el fútbol. La fiesta estuvo torísima.My cousin is amazing at soccer. The party was amazing.	Regional Santa Cruz. Torazo praises a skilled person, and torísimo a great party, game or meal.
164	Jichi	Someone sharp and skilled	Ese maestro es jichi para la carpintería.That craftsman is great at carpentry.	Regional Santa Cruz and Beni. The jichi is also a forest spirit.
165	Cholita / pollera	Woman in a bowler hat and wide skirt	Mira esa cholita con su pollera y su bombín.Look at that cholita with her wide skirt and bowler hat.	Everyday The proud word for a woman in traditional dress in La Paz and El Alto. Say it with respect.
166	Choco / choca	Blond, fair-skinned person	¿Qué va a llevar, choquita? Hay api calientito.What will you have, blondie? There's hot corn drink.	Casual Sellers call fair travelers choquito or choquita, and they mean it warmly.
167	Achachi	Old man	El achachi de la tienda siempre me da yapa.The old man at the shop always gives me a little extra.	Casual From Aymara. A highland word, often said with affection. Say señor to his face.
168	Cholo / chola	Person of Indigenous roots living in the city	Mi abuela es chola y orgullosa.My grandma is a chola and proud of it.	Vulgar It can be an insult about class and race, so leave it to locals.

Reactions and feelings 30

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
169	¡Qué chala!	How cool!	¡Qué chala tu corte de pelo!How cool your haircut is!	Casual Praise for a new haircut, an outfit or anything nice.
170	¡Pucha!	Darn!	¡Pucha, el micro no llega!Darn, the bus isn't coming!	Everyday Mild frustration. Fine in front of anyone. Also common in Chile, Peru and Argentina.
171	¡Pichanga!	So easy, a piece of cake	¿El examen? ¡Pichanga, lo terminé en 20 minutos!The exam? A piece of cake, I finished it in 20 minutes!	Slang Young people say it about tests, jobs and anything that turned out easy.
172	¡Wa! / ¡gua!	No way!	¿Te vas a comprar dos autos? ¡Waaa!You're going to buy 2 cars? No way!	Casual Stretch it out for big surprise.
173	¡Cha!	Wow! / ugh!	¡Cha! ¿Ya llegaste?Wow! You're here already?	Casual Surprise or annoyance, depending on the tone.
174	Macurca	Sore muscles	Después de subir al Huayna Potosí tengo macurca.After climbing Huayna Potosí my muscles are sore.	Everyday The Bolivian word for that day-after-hiking ache.
175	Achuncharse / achunchar	To get embarrassed / to embarrass someone	Me achunché cuando me hizo bailar delante de todos.I got embarrassed when she made me dance in front of everyone.	Casual Achunchar a alguien means to embarrass them. Safe to say about yourself.
176	¡Alalay!	Brr, it's cold!	¡Alalay, qué frío hace en Potosí!Brr, it's so cold in Potosí!	Casual From Quechua. You'll say it every night in the highlands.
177	¡Atatau!	Ouch!	¡Atatau! Me golpeé el dedo.Ouch! I hit my finger.	Casual From Quechua. Heard a lot in Cochabamba.
178	¡Ananay!	How lovely!	¡Ananay, qué linda tu wawa!How lovely, your baby is so cute!	Casual Quechua. For something small and sweet.
179	¡Guácala!	Yuck!	¡Guácala, hay un pelo en la sopa!Yuck, there's a hair in the soup!	Casual For anything gross.
180	Pintudo / pintuda	Good-looking, dressed sharp	Viniste bien pintudo hoy, ¿tenés cita?You came looking sharp today, do you have a date?	Casual Also for things that look great.
181	Walliq	Great, good, OK (Quechua)	¿Nos vemos mañana? ¡Walliq!See you tomorrow? OK!	Regional Quechua. A friendly OK in the highlands and valleys.
182	Me da pena / ¡qué pena!	I'm embarrassed / how embarrassing	Me da pena hablar en español delante de todos.I'm embarrassed to speak Spanish in front of everyone.	Everyday In Bolivia pena often means embarrassment, not sadness. Say it when you feel shy.
183	Maldito	Awesome	Ese concierto estuvo maldito.That concert was awesome.	Slang Young people use it as praise. Also common in Peru.
184	Manchay allin	Fabulous, great (Quechua)	¿Cómo estás? ¡Manchay allin!How are you? Fabulous!	Regional Quechua. A cheerful answer to a greeting. Locals smile when a traveler says it.
185	Chévere / bien chévere	Cool, great	Tu chompa nueva está bien chévere.Your new sweater is really cool.	Casual Young people in La Paz and Santa Cruz say it about people, plans and clothes. Also common in Peru, Colombia and Venezuela.
186	Buena onda	Nice, a good person	Tu amigo es buena onda, invítalo a la farra.Your friend is a good guy, invite him to the party.	Casual Say it about people and plans. Fine with anyone.
187	Lindo	Really well	El viaje salió lindo.The trip went really well.	Everyday In Bolivia lindo also works as "really well".
188	¡Qué macana!	What bad luck!	¿Perdiste el vuelo? ¡Qué macana!You missed your flight? What bad luck!	Casual For small bad news, like a missed bus. Safe to say to anyone.
189	Estar k'encha / kh'encha / quencha	To have bad luck	Se pinchó la llanta del minibús, estoy k'encha.The minibus got a flat tire, I'm so unlucky.	Casual From Quechua. A k'encha person brings bad luck to others too.
190	Estar chocho	To be thrilled	Mi mamá está chocha con su nieto.My mom is thrilled with her grandson.	Everyday Parents and grandparents say it about their kids. Safe in any company.
191	Me da bronca	It makes me mad	Me da bronca que el micro nunca llegue a tiempo.It makes me mad that the bus is never on time.	Casual Bronca is anger.
192	Me choca	It puts me off	Me choca la gente que no saluda.People who don't say hello put me off.	Casual For things you can't stand.
193	Mirar chueco	To give someone a dirty look	¿Por qué me miras chueco?Why are you giving me a dirty look?	Casual Said in families and among friends. Safe for you to use.
194	Jetón / jetona	Grumpy, cross	¿Por qué estás jetón?Why are you so grumpy?	Casual A tease between friends and family. Jetón also means thick-lipped, so don't use it with strangers.
195	Champ'a uma	Going nuts	Con tanto trabajo estoy champ'a uma.With all this work I'm going nuts.	Casual Quechua for "tangled head". Say it about yourself when you're stressed.
196	Rayarse	To lose it, to get really mad	Se rayó cuando le cobraron el doble.He lost it when they charged him double.	Slang Young people say it about someone who snaps. Fine with friends.
197	¡Qué huevada!	What a mess!	¡Qué huevada, se cortó la luz otra vez!What a mess, the power went out again!	Vulgar Fine with friends, rude at work.
198	¡Qué plato!	How funny!	Se cayó al agua con ropa, ¡qué plato!He fell in the water with his clothes on, how funny!	Casual A plato is a funny person or situation.

Fillers and everyday words 19

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
199	Pues / puej	Well, then (softener)	Ven pues, que se enfría la comida.Come on then, the food's getting cold.	Everyday On the end of half of all sentences. Puej is the Santa Cruz sound.
200	Nomás	Just, go ahead	Pase nomás, siéntese nomás, ya le atiendo.Come on in, just take a seat, I'll be right with you.	Everyday It softens a request. Pase nomás means come on in.
201	Ya / ¿ya? / yaaa	OK / OK? / come on	Nos vemos a las 8, ¿ya? Ya pues, apúrate.See you at 8, OK? Come on, hurry up.	Everyday Bolivians say ya where you'd say OK. In La Paz you'll hear it stretched into a long yaaa.
202	De one	Sure, let's do it, right away	¿Vamos al Salar el finde? ¡De one!Shall we go to the Salt Flat this weekend? Let's do it!	Slang Young people say it when they agree without a second thought.
203	¿No ve?	Right?, you see?	Te dije que iba a llover, ¿no ve?I told you it would rain, see?	Everyday A tag at the end of a sentence.
204	Siempre	After all, for sure	¿Vas a venir siempre?Are you coming after all?	Everyday In Bolivia siempre often means after all or for sure.
205	Recién	Just now, only then	Recién llegué, ¿y tú?I just got here, and you?	Everyday Bolivians use it all day for "just now". Use it as much as you like.
206	Harto	A lot, very	Hay harta gente en la plaza.There are loads of people in the plaza.	Everyday Everyone says it for "a lot". You'll hear it in every market and bar.
207	Full	Packed, to the max	La fiesta estaba full.The party was packed.	Slang Young people say it about a packed place. Estoy a full means I'm swamped, and a todo full means at top speed.
208	Digamos	Let's say, like	Llegamos, digamos, a las 9.We'll get there at, let's say, 9.	Everyday A filler you'll hear constantly in La Paz.
209	O sea	I mean, like	O sea, no es que no quiera ir.I mean, it's not that I don't want to go.	Casual Young people say it all the time, much like "like" in English. Fine to use.
210	¿Ubicas?	You know it?, get it?	¿Ubicas la salteñería de la esquina?You know the salteña shop on the corner?	Casual Ask it when you give or get directions. Locals use it with anyone.
211	Al ojo	Roughly, by eye	No tengo balanza, te lo peso al ojo nomás.I don't have scales, I'll just weigh it by eye.	Everyday Market sellers and cooks say it. Fine with anyone.
212	Dizque	Supposedly, they say	Dizque va a llover toda la semana.Supposedly it's going to rain all week.	Everyday For rumors and stories you didn't see yourself. More often you'll hear dice at the end instead: Va a llover toda la semana, dice.
213	Medio medio	So-so	¿Qué tal la comida? Medio medio.How was the food? So-so.	Casual A polite way to say something wasn't great. Safe to say to a host.
214	A la final	In the end	A la final no fuimos al Salar.In the end we didn't go to the Salt Flat.	Casual Very common in speech, though teachers call it wrong. Fine for you to use.
215	Ahí mismo	Right then, right away	Le pedí la cuenta y me la trajo ahí mismo.I asked for the check and he brought it right away.	Everyday Everyone says it. It can also mean "in that exact spot".
216	No sé qué tantos	What's-his-name	Vino no sé qué tantos, el primo de la Ana.What's-his-name came, Ana's cousin.	Casual Say it when you forget someone's name. Safe in any company.
217	Paparupa	Nonsense	No digas paparupas, estás borracho.Don't talk nonsense, you're drunk.	Casual Often about drunk talk. Friends say it with a laugh.

Time and plans 16

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
218	Ahorita / ahoritita / ahoritinga	Right now, or in a while	Ahorita vengo, esperame.I'll be right back, wait for me.	Everyday Ahorita can mean 5 minutes or 1 hour, and ahoritita is sooner. Ahoritinga is the Santa Cruz form.
219	La hora boliviana	Bolivian time, running late	La fiesta es a las 8, pero en hora boliviana llegan a las 9.The party's at 8, but on Bolivian time people show up at 9.	Everyday The joke Bolivians make about starting late, so plan for it. Say hora inglesa when you mean on the dot.
220	Al rato	In a bit	Al rato te llamo.I'll call you in a bit.	Everyday Like ahorita, it can mean minutes or hours. Ask for a time if it matters.
221	En una nada	In no time	Esperame, vuelvo en una nada.Wait for me, I'll be back in no time.	Casual Friends say it about a quick errand. Don't count on it being quick.
222	Tempranito	Nice and early	Mañana salimos tempranito a Uyuni.Tomorrow we leave nice and early for Uyuni.	Everyday Guides and drivers say it for early starts. The small form sounds friendly.
223	Un ratito	A little while	Esperame un ratito.Wait for me a moment.	Everyday Shop staff and drivers say it a lot. It can mean longer than you hope.
224	Más tardecito	A bit later	Más tardecito paso por tu casa.I'll drop by your place a bit later.	Everyday The small form makes the plan sound soft. Ask for a time if it matters.
225	Finde	Weekend	¿Qué haces el finde? ¿Vamos al lago?What are you doing this weekend? Shall we go to the lake?	Casual Young people say it for the weekend.
226	Hasta mañana	See you tomorrow	Ya, hasta mañana, y gracias por todo.OK, see you tomorrow, and thanks for everything.	Everyday The standard goodbye when the day is done.
227	Cascar unas tucus	To go eat some tucumanas	¿Vamos a cascar unas tucus antes de clase?Shall we go eat some tucumanas before class?	Slang Tucus is short for tucumanas, the fried pastries. A classic mid-morning plan.
228	Sajra hora	Mid-morning snack time	A la sajra hora salimos por salteñas.At snack time we go out for salteñas.	Regional Cochabamba. Around 10 or 11 in the morning.
229	Chacharse	To skip class or work	Nos chachamos de clase para ir al estadio.We skipped class to go to the stadium.	Slang Mostly about school.
230	Pelarse	To run off, to leave fast	Llegó la lluvia y todos se pelaron.The rain came and everyone ran off.	Regional Santa Cruz.
231	Pachanga	Pickup soccer game	¿Armamos una pachanga en la cancha del barrio?Shall we get a pickup game going at the neighborhood field?	Casual Heard most in the highlands. Elsewhere it can mean a loud party.
232	Fulbito	Friendly soccer game	¿Te sumás al fulbito del domingo?Want to join the Sunday soccer game?	Casual Heard all over Bolivia, and in Argentina too. A great way to make friends.
233	Preste	Fiesta sponsor	Este año mi tío es el preste de la fiesta.This year my uncle is sponsoring the fiesta.	Everyday The preste pays for the band, food and drink at a fiesta. It's a big honor.

Teasing and insults 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
234	Opa / hacerse el opa	Fool, dummy	¡No seas opa! No te hagás el opa, sabés qué pasó.Don't be a dummy! Don't play dumb, you know what happened.	Casual From Quechua upa, and common among friends. Hacerse el opa means to play dumb. Also heard in Argentina and Paraguay.
235	Cojudo / cojuda	Idiot	¡No seas cojudo, te dije que el bus sale a las 8!Don't be an idiot, I told you the bus leaves at 8!	Vulgar Male friends use it as a rude nickname, but with a stranger it's a real insult. Also common in Peru and Ecuador.
236	¡Te mamaron!	You got ripped off!	¿Pagaste 50? ¡Te mamaron!You paid 50? You got ripped off!	Slang Friends say it when you overpaid. Mamar is rough slang, so don't say it to a seller.
237	¡Anda a moler agua!	Get lost!	¡Anda a moler agua, ya me cansaste!Get lost, I'm sick of you!	Slang Literally "go grind water". A sharp brush-off, so keep it for friends.
238	Huaso / waso	Rude, crude	¡Qué huaso! Ni saludó.How rude! He didn't even say hi.	Casual For someone with no manners. In Chile it means a cowboy.
239	Pajarón	Airhead, gullible	No seas pajarón, te están mintiendo.Don't be so gullible, they're lying to you.	Casual A tease between friends. From a stranger it's a put-down.
240	Pendejo / pendeja	Sly, crafty one	¡Qué pendejo, se coló en la fila del banco!What a sly one, he cut in line at the bank!	Vulgar In Bolivia it often means sly, but it can also mean idiot. Leave it to locals.
241	Zonzo / sonso	Silly	No te hagás el zonzo.Don't play dumb.	Casual In Santa Cruz a sonso is also a cheese snack.
242	Gil	Idiot, sucker	Solo un gil paga 50 pesos por ese taxi.Only a sucker pays 50 bolivianos for that taxi.	Casual A mild put-down between friends. Also common in Argentina.
243	Huevón / webón	Idiot, dude	¡Qué webón, te olvidaste las llaves!What an idiot, you forgot the keys!	Vulgar Friends say it all the time. Never to a stranger.
244	Hueco / hueca	Airhead	Es medio hueca, no se acuerda de nada.She's a bit of an airhead, she forgets everything.	Slang Young people call a scatterbrained friend this. Keep it for friends, from a stranger it stings.
245	Mañudo	Sly, a cheat	No le compres, es bien mañudo.Don't buy from him, he's a real cheat.	Casual Said about sellers, kids and pets that play tricks. Fine for you to use.
246	Llunk'u	Suck-up	Ese llunk'u siempre le lleva café al jefe.That suck-up always brings the boss coffee.	Casual From Quechua, and a big word in Bolivian politics. Ama llunku, don't be a suck-up, is a joke rule aimed at politicians.
247	Corotón	Idiot, someone who knows nothing	¡Qué corotón! Dejó las llaves adentro.What an idiot! He left the keys inside.	Casual A tease for someone who knows nothing. Keep it for friends.
248	Charlar	To lie to, to string along	El vendedor me charló con que el celular era nuevo.The seller fed me a story that the phone was new.	Casual In most countries charlar means chat.
249	Pura lata	A pack of lies	Lo que dijo es pura lata, no le creas.What he said is a pack of lies, don't believe him.	Casual Lata is a lie.
250	Palomillo	Thief, rascal	Ese palomillo se comió mi salteña.That rascal ate my salteña.	Casual Jokey when the "theft" is small.
251	Nada puede	Useless, clumsy person	Ese es un nada puede, no sabe ni cambiar un foco.He's useless, he can't even change a light bulb.	Casual A tease in families and at work. Rude if a stranger hears it about them.
252	Guagua de pecho	Babe in arms, a total innocent	No le creas todo, no seas guagua de pecho.Don't believe everything, don't be so naive.	Casual Literally a nursing baby.
253	Sapo / sapa	Sharp, crafty person	¡Qué sapo, ya consiguió la mejor mesa!What a sharp one, he already got the best table!	Casual Half praise, half tease. In other countries sapo means a snitch.
254	Calientahuevos	Tease	Es una calientahuevos, coquetea con todos y no sale con nadie.She's a tease, she flirts with everyone and dates no one.	Vulgar Not only Bolivian, you'll hear it across Latin America. Don't use it.
255	¡Quete!	Mind your own business!	¿Con quién salís? ¡Quete!Who are you going out with? Mind your own business!	Slang Short for "¿qué te importa?".
256	Aps	Not telling	¿Con quién hablabas? Aps.Who were you talking to? Not telling.	Slang Young people say it to keep a secret, with a grin.
257	Lagartear	To laze around	¡Dejá de lagartear y ayudame con las mochilas!Stop lazing around and help me with the backpacks!	Slang Friends tease someone who's slacking. Also heard in Peru.

Love and flirting 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
258	Me gustas harto	I really like you	Me gustas harto, ¿salimos el sábado?I really like you, shall we go out on Saturday?	Everyday Harto makes it stronger.
259	Enamorado / enamorada	Boyfriend / girlfriend	Mi enamorado es de Cochabamba.My boyfriend is from Cochabamba.	Everyday For someone you're dating.
260	Mi ñato / mi ñata	My boyfriend / my girlfriend	Hoy salgo con mi ñata, nos vemos mañana.I'm going out with my girlfriend today, see you tomorrow.	Slang Young people's word for a partner. Fine with friends.
261	Pintón / pintona	Good-looking	Tu hermano es pintón, ¿tiene enamorada?Your brother is good-looking, does he have a girlfriend?	Casual A safe compliment.
262	Churro / churra	Hottie	¡Qué churro tu primo!Your cousin is so hot!	Slang Young people say it about someone attractive. A fun compliment between friends, never a catcall.
263	Camote / camote sin suerte	A huge crush / in love but not loved back	Estoy camote de una chica de mi clase, pero soy camote sin suerte.I have a huge crush on a girl in my class, but she doesn't like me back.	Casual Camote is also sweet potato. Encamotarse means to fall for someone. Also heard in Peru.
264	Pirañear	To go out flirting	Con ese perfume salió a pirañear a la plaza.With that cologne he went out flirting in the plaza.	Slang Like a piranha hunting.
265	Cortejo / corteja / cortejinga	Date, someone you're seeing (not yet official)	Te presento a mi corteja.Meet the girl I'm seeing.	Regional Santa Cruz and the east. Cortejinga is the playful -inga form.
266	Chape / chapar	Kiss / to make out	Los vi chapando en la plaza.I saw them making out in the plaza.	Slang A real kiss.
267	Tope	Quick kiss on the lips	Solo fue un tope, nada más.It was just a peck, nothing more.	Slang A peck with no tongue. A chape is the real thing.
268	Tire	One-night stand	No quiero algo serio, solo un tire.I don't want anything serious, just a one-night stand.	Vulgar Young people say it among close friends. Don't use it with someone you've just met.
269	Arrastrar el ala / andar de un ala	To try to win someone over / to be smitten	Hace meses que le arrastra el ala a la Sofi, anda de un ala.He's been trying to win Sofi over for months, he's smitten.	Casual Like a bird showing off. Friends say it as a sweet tease.
270	Ojo alegre	Flirt, player	No le creas, es medio ojo alegre.Don't believe him, he's a bit of a player.	Casual Said about a man with a wandering eye. Fine as a light tease.
271	K'acha warmi	Beautiful woman (Quechua)	Mirá la foto de la novia, ¡k'acha warmi!Look at the bride's photo, what a beautiful woman!	Casual Fine as a compliment about someone, or between people who know each other. Never say it to a stranger in the street.
272	K'acha qhari	Handsome man (Quechua)	Tu novio es un k'acha qhari.Your boyfriend is a handsome man.	Casual The Quechua pair to k'acha warmi. Older people smile when a traveler says it.
273	Mamacita	Hot woman	¡Qué mamacita! le gritaron en la calle."Hey, hottie!" they shouted at her in the street.	Vulgar A catcall. You'll hear it, don't use it.
274	Pinchulearse	To get all dressed up	Se pinchuleó todita para la cita.She got all dressed up for the date.	Casual Heard all over Bolivia, often as a tease.
275	Gordo / gorda	Honey	Gorda, ¿qué querés cenar?Honey, what do you want for dinner?	Casual Very common between couples, whatever their size.
276	Estás linda / estás guapo	You look nice	Estás muy linda hoy. Estás muy guapo con esa chompa.You look really nice today. You look really good in that sweater.	Everyday A kind compliment. Say it once and don't push.
277	Aflojar	To give in, to say yes to sex	Él quería, pero ella no aflojó.He wanted to, but she didn't give in.	Vulgar Young men say it about sex. You'll hear it, but don't use it.
278	Cholero	Man who chases cholas or maids, a womanizer	Ese cholero tiene novia en cada barrio.That womanizer has a girlfriend in every neighborhood.	Vulgar It sneers at Indigenous women and domestic workers, a put-down about race and class. Leave it to locals.

Sayings and expressions 22

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
279	Tener ñeque	To have guts	¿Saltaste en parapente sobre La Paz? Tenés mucho ñeque.You went paragliding over La Paz? You've got guts.	Casual Ñeque is courage, and also strength.
280	Por la plata baila el mono	People will do anything for money	Ahora trabaja los domingos, por la plata baila el mono.Now he works Sundays, people will do anything for money.	Casual Literally "the monkey dances for money".
281	Parientes, sacadientes	Relatives take advantage	Me pidió plata otra vez, parientes, sacadientes.He asked me for money again, relatives always take advantage.	Casual A family joke about relatives who ask for favors. Say it with a smile.
282	A ojo cerrado	Without a doubt	Te lo firmo a ojo cerrado.I'd sign it with my eyes closed.	Everyday Say it when you trust someone fully. Safe in any company.
283	Es difícil que el chancho hable	It'll never happen	¿Que él pague la cuenta? Es difícil que el chancho hable.Him paying the bill? That'll never happen.	Casual Literally "it's hard for the pig to talk".
284	Como la gente	Properly, like a decent person	¡Sentate como la gente!Sit properly!	Everyday What parents tell kids. You'll hear it in every family.
285	Nos hacemos pescar	We'll get caught	Bajá la voz, que nos hacemos pescar.Keep your voice down or we'll get caught.	Casual Kids and friends say it when they sneak around. Fine for you to use.
286	Calentar el mate	To worry yourself sick	No te calentés el mate, todo va a salir bien.Don't worry yourself sick, it'll all work out.	Casual Mate here means head.
287	Tener muñeca	To have connections	Entró al trabajo porque tiene muñeca.He got the job because he has connections.	Casual People say it about jobs and favors. Safe to use with anyone.
288	Lo fregaron	They ruined it	Les presté el auto y lo fregaron.I lent them the car and they wrecked it.	Casual Fregar means to wreck. It's mild and fine with friends.
289	La plata llama la plata	Money makes money	Compró otra casa, la plata llama la plata.He bought another house, money makes money.	Casual Older people say it about the rich. Fine in any company.
290	Picar el gusano	To be dying to know	Me pica el gusano, ¿qué te dijo?I'm dying to know, what did she tell you?	Casual Literally "the worm bites".
291	Picar la mano	To be waiting for money	Me pica la mano, mañana es día de pago.I'm itching for cash, tomorrow is payday.	Casual Said near payday. Safe to use with anyone.
292	Rajarse	To go all out	Me rajé trabajando todo el fin de semana.I went all out working all weekend.	Casual Careful: me rajé en el examen means I failed the exam.
293	Bolivia, corazón de Sudamérica	Bolivia, heart of South America	El guía dijo con orgullo: Bolivia, corazón de Sudamérica.The guide said with pride: Bolivia, heart of South America.	Everyday A line of national pride. Say it with a smile to a proud host.
294	Saludar con sombrero ajeno	To take credit for someone else's work	Ese político saluda con sombrero ajeno.That politician takes credit for other people's work.	Everyday Used about politicians and coworkers. Safe in any company.
295	Más apurado que rengo en tiroteo	In a huge hurry	Salió más apurado que rengo en tiroteo.He left in a huge hurry.	Casual Like a man with a limp in a shootout. Not only Bolivian, you'll also hear it in Argentina and Chile.
296	Gallo fino no extraña gallinero	A good one fits in anywhere	Llegó de Santa Cruz y ya tiene amigos, gallo fino no extraña gallinero.He just got here from Santa Cruz and already has friends, a good one fits in anywhere.	Casual A compliment for someone who settles in fast. Say it about a friend who travels.
297	Me llegaste hasta el copete	I've had it with you	Con tus mentiras me llegaste hasta el copete.I've had it with your lies.	Casual The copete is the top of your head. Not only Bolivian, Mexicans say estar hasta el copete too.
298	Mana yachanichu	I don't know (Quechua)	¿Dónde queda la plaza? Mana yachanichu.Where's the plaza? I don't know.	Regional Quechua. An easy line that gets a smile.
299	Cada chancho en su teta	Everyone in their own place	Cada chancho en su teta, vos en tu trabajo y yo en el mío.Everyone in their own place, you do your job and I'll do mine.	Casual A bit earthy, said with a grin.
300	Como chulupi en asamblea de pollos	Scared stiff	En la entrevista estaba como chulupi en asamblea de pollos.In the interview I was scared stiff.	Regional Santa Cruz. Like a cockroach at a meeting of chickens.

Around Bolivia 35

Slang changes a lot between the highlands, the valleys and the eastern lowlands, and Sucre has no slang of its own that any guide lists.

La Paz and El Alto

The high capital and the city above it, where Aymara mixes into everyday Spanish.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Kita	Very shy person	No habla nada, es bien kita.He doesn't talk at all, he's really shy.
Ch'iti	Little kid	Ese ch'iti ya sabe vender en la feria.That little kid already knows how to sell at the market.
Jaira	Lazy	No seas jaira, subí las gradas conmigo.Don't be lazy, climb the steps with me.
Jaque	Rough, clumsy guy	Ese jaque me pisó y ni pidió disculpas.That clumsy guy stepped on me and didn't even say sorry.
¡De bolas! / eres de bolas	For sure! / you've got guts	¿Subiste al Huayna Potosí sin guía? ¡Eres de bolas!You climbed Huayna Potosí without a guide? You've got guts!
Ch'enko	A mess, chaos	¡Qué ch'enko es tu cuarto, ordená un poco!What a mess your room is, tidy up a bit!

Lake Titicaca and Copacabana

The lake towns a few hours from La Paz by bus, where you'll hear this Spanish at the docks and the trout stalls.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Trucha a la diabla	Spicy grilled trout	Una trucha a la diabla con arroz, por favor.One spicy trout with rice, please.
¿A qué hora sale el último bote?	When does the last boat leave?	Disculpe, ¿a qué hora sale el último bote a Copacabana?Excuse me, when does the last boat leave for Copacabana?
La balsa de Tiquina	The ferry across the Tiquina strait	En el bus a Copacabana cruzamos el estrecho de Tiquina en balsa.On the bus to Copacabana we crossed the Tiquina strait on a ferry.
Como ispis en atado de chola	Packed in tight	En el bote íbamos como ispis en atado de chola.We were packed in like sardines on the boat.
Jisa / janiwa / jakisiñkama	Yes / no / goodbye (Aymara)	¿Este bote va a la Isla del Sol? Jisa. ¡Jakisiñkama!Does this boat go to Isla del Sol? Yes. Goodbye!

Santa Cruz, Beni and the east

The hot lowland city and the plains around it, where vos rules and the s fades. Beni talks much the same, with the same -ingo endings.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Casinga	Little house	Vivimos en una casinga cerca del río.We live in a little house near the river.
Chiquitingo	Tiny	Me dieron un pedazo chiquitingo de torta.They gave me a tiny piece of cake.
Grandango	Huge	Se compró un auto grandango.He bought a huge car.
Tiluchi	Clever, skilled person	El Pedro es tiluchi, arregla cualquier cosa.Pedro is handy, he fixes anything.
Cómper	Time out! (in a game)	¡Cómper! Me até el zapato.Time out! I'm tying my shoe.
Velatacú	Little country kid	El velatacú nos mostró el camino al río.The little kid showed us the way to the river.
Pichiró	Sour, like unripe fruit	No comás ese achachairú, está pichiró.Don't eat that achachairú, it's still sour.
Elay puej	That's right, exactly	¿Mañana a las 8 en la plaza? Elay puej.Tomorrow at 8 in the plaza? That's right.

Cochabamba

The valley city in the middle of the country, famous for its food and its Quechua-flavored Spanish.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Tullu	Skinny person	Comé más, pues, estás bien tullu.Eat more, you're really skinny.
Compadrear	To chat, to hang out talking	Nos quedamos compadreando en la plaza.We stayed chatting in the plaza.
Prestarime / pasarime	Lend it to me / pass it to me, please	Pasarime la llajua, ¿ya?Pass me the hot sauce, please, OK?
La llajta	The hometown, the city	Volví a la llajta para el carnaval.I went back home to the city for carnival.
Wawitay	My little baby, sweetheart	Vení, wawitay, dame un abrazo.Come here, sweetheart, give me a hug.

Oruro and Potosí

The cold southern Altiplano on the way to the Uyuni salt flats, where you'll meet the mine tours of Potosí and the carnival crowds of Oruro.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
¿Y?	Right? (a Potosí tag at the end)	Has ido al cine, ¿y?You went to the movies, right?
El Tío	The devil-like god of the mines	En la mina le dejamos coca y alcohol al Tío.In the mine we left coca and alcohol for the Tío.
Jucu	Ore thief who works at night	Dicen que los jucus entran a la mina de noche.They say the ore thieves get into the mine at night.
Palliri	Woman who picks ore out of the rocks	La palliri separa el mineral bueno de la piedra.The ore picker sorts the good ore from the rock.
Quirquincho / quirquincha	Nickname for someone from Oruro	Mi amigo es quirquincho, no se pierde ningún carnaval.My friend is from Oruro, he never misses a carnival.

Tarija

The wine valley in the south. People here are called chapacos, and the sing-song speech sounds close to northern Argentina.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Chapaco / chapaca	Person from Tarija	Los chapacos son famosos por su vino.People from Tarija are famous for their wine.
¡Velay!	Well, look at that!	¡Velay, llegaste temprano!Well, look at that, you got here early!
Cansau	Tired (cansado, the Tarija way)	Llegué bien cansau de la vendimia.I got back really tired from the grape harvest.
Escondiu	Hidden (escondido, the Tarija way)	El chico estaba escondiu en la bodega.The boy was hidden in the cellar.
Vos tienes / vos eres	You have / you are (vos with tú verbs)	Vos tienes razón, pues.You're right.
Vendimia	Grape harvest (the stress stretches out in Tarija)	Fuimos a la vendimia y probamos el vino nuevo.We went to the grape harvest and tried the new wine.

Don't mix these up

Word	In Bolivia	Elsewhere
Charlar	To lie to someone, to string them along	To chat
Chango	A young guy	A monkey (Mexico)
Huaso	Rude, crude	A countryside cowboy (Chile)
Pollera	The wide skirt of a cholita	Any skirt (Argentina, Paraguay)
Chupar	To drink alcohol	To suck
Tirar	To have sex (vulgar)	To throw. Say lanzar or botar to be safe.
Coger	A vulgar word for having sex	To take or grab (Spain). Say agarrar or tomar el micro.
Pena	Embarrassment ("me da pena")	Sadness or pity
Siempre	After all, for sure	Always
Lindo	Really well ("salió lindo")	Pretty
Recién	Just now	Recently
Ya	OK	Already
Harto	A lot	Fed up (Spain)
Bombilla	Drinking straw	Light bulb (Spain); the mate straw (Argentina)
Guagua	Baby, small child	A city bus (Cuba, Canary Islands)
Camote	A crush, and sweet potato	Only sweet potato (Mexico)
Pipocas	Popcorn	Palomitas (Mexico, Spain), canchita (Peru)
Torta	A cake	A sandwich (Mexico)
Pastel	A fried cheese pastry, great with api	A cake
Mate	Herbal tea, like mate de coca, and slang for head	Yerba mate sipped from a gourd (Argentina, Uruguay)
Refresco	A homemade fruit drink, like mocochinchi	A soda
Coca	The coca leaf, legal to chew and brew as tea	Short for Coca-Cola, or slang for cocaine
Michi	Cat in Cochabamba, stingy in Santa Cruz	Cat (Peru)
Indio	Offensive. Say indígena or campesino.	A neutral word in some places
Cholo	A city person of Indigenous roots, said with pride or as an insult	A gang member (Mexico, US)
Seco	"¡Seco!" means down your glass in one go, a toast you're expected to follow	Dry
Pendejo	Sly or crafty, though it can also mean idiot	A strong insult (Mexico), a kid (Argentina)
Paco	A cop, in slang	A nickname for Francisco
Concha	A vulgar word for vagina. ¡La concha de tu madre! is a heavy insult.	A seashell
Chucha	A vulgar word for vagina	Body odor (Colombia)

Questions people ask

What are 5 Bolivian slang words to learn first?

Start with caserita, yapa, chela, ch'aki and pucha. They cover the market, the bar, the morning after and every small disaster.

What does yapa mean?

Yapa is the little extra a seller adds for free, like one more orange. Ask "¿y la yapa, caserita?" with a smile at any market stall.

How do you say cheers in Bolivia?

Say ¡salud! and look people in the eye. Then expect ¡seco! to down it, and a splash on the ground for the Pachamama, called the ch'alla.

How do you say "hi" in Bolivia?

Buenos días or just "buenas" is the safe choice, and Bolivians greet strangers a lot. With friends, try "¿qué dice?" in Santa Cruz, and at a La Paz market an Aymara "kamisaki" gets a smile.

What's Bolivian slang for friend?

Cumpa, cuate and brother are the common ones. In Santa Cruz you'll also hear pariente.

What's the nickname for Bolivians?

People go by region: cambas in the east, collas in the highlands, chapacos in Tarija and cochalas in Cochabamba. Skip "bolita", an insult you may hear in Argentina.

What's Santa Cruz slang like?

It's warm, fast and full of vos. You'll hear puej, "¿qué dice, pariente?", peladingo and the -ingo ending on almost everything.

Do Bolivians use vos?

Vos is the norm in Santa Cruz and Tarija. In La Paz you'll hear tú more, though friends mix in vos commands like vení.

What does casera or caserita mean?

It's what market sellers and their regular buyers call each other, a bit like "dear". Say "buenas, caserita" at any stall and you'll get a warmer welcome.

What's Bolivian slang for beer and money?

Beer is chela, and a party with drinks is a chupa. Money is plata, quivo or colque, and a free extra is a yapa.

What's some funny Bolivian slang?

Try "¡anda a moler agua!" (go grind water), "por la plata baila el mono" (the monkey dances for money) and "como chulupi en asamblea de pollos". Locals laugh when a traveler drops one in.

Is Bolivian Spanish easy to understand?

Yes, La Paz Spanish is one of the slowest and clearest accents in South America. Santa Cruz talks faster and softens the s, so give your ear a few days there.

What does ch'aki mean?

Ch'aki is a hangover, from Quechua for dry. Say "estoy de ch'aki" the morning after, and locals will point you to a hot soup.

What does nomás mean in Bolivia?

It softens what you say, a bit like "just" or "go ahead". "Pase nomás" means come on in, and "aquí nomás" tells a driver to stop right here.

Slang in other countries

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Sources

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