Chilean slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
49 slang
8 regions
50 local phrases
15 marked vulgar

Chileans talk fast, drop letters and use words you won't find anywhere else. Your classroom Spanish gets you a coffee, but it won't help you follow a chat at a bar in Santiago.

Greetings and small talk 17

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	Buenas	Hi (to a shop or a stranger)	Buenas, ¿me da un café, por favor?Hi, can I get a coffee, please?	Everyday Short for "buenas tardes" or "buenas noches". Say it when you walk into a shop.
2	¿Cómo estái?	How are you?	¡Hola, Cami! ¿Cómo estái? Tanto tiempo.Hi, Cami! How are you? It's been ages.	Casual The Chilean "tú" form of "estás".
3	¿Qué onda?	What's up?	¿Qué onda, cabros? ¿Vamos o no?What's up, guys? Are we going or not?	Casual The everyday hello among friends.
4	Ya	Okay, sure	¿Nos juntamos a las 8? Ya, perfecto.Shall we meet at 8? Okay, perfect.	Everyday The Chilean "okay". "Ya po" can mean "okay then", or "come on!" when you say it sharply.
5	¿De dónde erís?	Where are you from?	Oye, tu acento es distinto. ¿De dónde erís?Hey, your accent is different. Where are you from?	Casual You'll hear it a lot as a visitor. "Erís" is the local form of "eres".
6	Sí po	Yes, of course	¿Vai a venir al asado? Sí po, obvio.Are you coming to the barbecue? Yeah, of course.	Casual "Po" comes from "pues" and adds weight. "No po" is a firm but friendly no.
7	¿Cachai?	You know? Get it?	Llegué ayer y no conozco a nadie, ¿cachai?I got here yesterday and I don't know anyone, you know?	Casual Texts spell it "caxai". "No cacho" means "I don't get it".
8	Mucho gusto	Nice to meet you	Mucho gusto, yo soy la Fran.Nice to meet you, I'm Fran.	Everyday The safe default. You'll also hear "harto gusto", and note the "la" before a first name.
9	Wena	Hey, hi	¡Wena, Seba! ¿Qué onda?Hey, Seba! What's up?	Slang A quick hello between friends, from "buena". It can sound rude to strangers.
10	Chao	Bye	Ya, me voy. Chao, nos vemos mañana.Okay, I'm off. Bye, see you tomorrow.	Everyday Chileans often say it twice: "chao, chao".
11	No hay de qué	You're welcome	Gracias por la ayuda. No hay de qué.Thanks for the help. You're welcome.	Everyday The polite reply to thanks. "De nada" works too.
12	¿Cómo andai?	How's it going?	¿Cómo andai, compadre? ¿Todo bien en la pega?How's it going, buddy? All good at work?	Casual Chilean "tú" form of "andas".
13	¿Todo bien?	All good?	¡Hola, Nico! ¿Todo bien? Todo bien, ¿y tú?Hi, Nico! All good? All good, and you?	Everyday A quick check-in. Just answer "todo bien" back.
14	¿Qué hací?	What are you up to?	¿Qué hací esta noche? Vamos por unas chelas.What are you doing tonight? Let's go for some beers.	Casual Chilean "tú" form of "haces".
15	¿Sabís?	Do you know?	Oye, ¿sabís dónde queda el metro?Hey, do you know where the metro is?	Casual Chilean "tú" form of "sabes".
16	¿Me hací una gauchada?	Can you do me a favor?	¿Me hací una gauchada y me cuidai la mochila?Can you do me a favor and watch my backpack?	Casual A "gauchada" is a favor done for free. Friends ask for one all the time.
17	Chao pescao	See ya	Me voy a la micro. ¡Chao pescao!I'm off to the bus. See ya!	Casual A rhyming goodbye, literally "bye, fish".

Getting around 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
18	¿Me lleva a...?	Can you take me to...?	Buenas, ¿me lleva al barrio Lastarria, por favor?Hi, can you take me to Barrio Lastarria, please?	Everyday The first thing you say in a taxi. "Lléveme a..., por favor" works too.
19	La micro	City bus	¿Esta micro pasa por Providencia?Does this bus go through Providencia?	Everyday Santiago buses take only the Bip card, not cash.
20	Tarjeta Bip	Santiago transit card	Tengo que cargar la Bip antes de subir al metro.I need to top up my transit card before I get on the metro.	Everyday You need it for the metro and the buses in Santiago.
21	¿Me avisa dónde me bajo?	Can you tell me where to get off?	Voy al Mercado Central, ¿me avisa dónde me bajo?I'm going to the Mercado Central, can you tell me where to get off?	Everyday Ask the driver or the person next to you on the micro.
22	¿Cuánto me cobra hasta...?	How much to...?	¿Cuánto me cobra hasta el terminal?How much to the bus station?	Everyday Ask before you get in if the taxi has no meter.
23	Taxímetro	Taxi meter	¿Puede poner el taxímetro, por favor?Can you turn on the meter, please?	Everyday Black and yellow city taxis should use one.
24	Me está cobrando de más	You're overcharging me	Disculpe, me está cobrando de más, el taxímetro dice 8 lucas.Excuse me, you're overcharging me, the meter says 8,000 pesos.	Everyday Say it calmly and point at the meter or the price.
25	Déjeme acá no más	Drop me off here	Déjeme acá no más, en la esquina.Just drop me off here, at the corner.	Everyday The polite way to end a taxi ride. "No más" softens it.
26	¿Dónde queda...?	Where is...?	Disculpe, ¿dónde queda la estación de metro más cercana?Excuse me, where's the nearest metro station?	Everyday The way to ask for directions. People answer in blocks: "a 2 cuadras".
27	Con permiso	Excuse me (to get past)	Con permiso, me bajo en esta.Excuse me, I'm getting off at this one.	Everyday Say it to get past people on a packed metro or bus.
28	¡Ojo!	Watch out! Careful!	¡Ojo con la mochila en el metro!Watch your backpack on the metro!	Everyday Literally "eye". "Ojo con..." means "watch out for...".
29	Lanza	Pickpocket	Ojo con el celular, hay lanzas en el metro.Watch your phone, there are pickpockets on the metro.	Casual The safety word every visitor should know.
30	Hacer dedo	To hitchhike	Hicimos dedo por la Carretera Austral.We hitchhiked along the Carretera Austral.	Everyday Backpackers do it in the south. Literally "to do finger".
31	Bencina	Gas, petrol	¿Dónde hay una bencinera? Nos queda poca bencina.Where's a gas station? We're low on gas.	Everyday Chileans say "bencina" for gas. Pumps show the grade as 93, 95 or 97. A gas station is a "bencinera", and older people call it "la bomba".
32	Colectivo	Shared taxi with a fixed route	Toma un colectivo, sale más barato que un taxi.Take a shared taxi, it's cheaper than a cab.	Everyday It runs a set route and picks up other people. In Santiago most visitors also use Uber, Didi or Cabify: "¿Te pido un Uber?"
33	Pasaje	Ticket, fare	Compré el pasaje a Pucón en el terminal.I bought the ticket to Pucón at the bus station.	Everyday For buses and planes.
34	Paradero	Bus stop	Espérame en el paradero de la esquina.Wait for me at the bus stop on the corner.	Everyday You'll see the sign at every stop.
35	Cuadra	City block	Está a tres cuadras de la plaza.It's 3 blocks from the square.	Everyday People give directions in blocks.
36	Taco	Traffic jam	Había un taco terrible en la Costanera.There was a terrible traffic jam on the Costanera.	Everyday "Taco" also means a high heel.
37	A pata	On foot	Vámonos a pata, está cerquita.Let's walk, it's really close.	Casual Literally "by paw".
38	Pasar a llevar	To bump into someone	Perdón, te pasé a llevar.Sorry, I bumped into you.	Everyday Say it on a packed metro.
39	Colarse	To sneak in, to cut the line	Se coló en la fila del metro.He cut the line for the metro.	Casual Chileans hate it.
40	Atochado	Packed, crammed	El metro iba atochado a las 8.The metro was packed at 8.	Casual Use it for any packed bus, metro or room.
41	Hora peak	Rush hour	No tomes el metro en hora peak.Don't take the metro at rush hour.	Everyday Chileans say it "hora pic", from English.

Food and drink 37

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
42	Garzón / garzona	Waiter / waitress	Disculpe, garzón, ¿me trae la carta, por favor?Excuse me, waiter, can you bring me the menu, please?	Everyday The usual word in Chile. Elsewhere you'd say "mesero" or "camarero".
43	¿Me trae la cuenta?	Can I have the bill?	Garzón, ¿me trae la cuenta, por favor?Waiter, can I have the bill, please?	Everyday Waiters won't bring it until you ask.
44	¿Desea agregar la propina?	Would you like to add the tip?	¿Desea agregar la propina? Sí, agregue el diez por ciento.Would you like to add the tip? Yes, add the 10%.	Everyday The suggested tip is 10%, and you can say no.
45	¿Qué me recomienda?	What do you recommend?	Es mi primera vez en Chile. ¿Qué me recomienda?It's my first time in Chile. What do you recommend?	Everyday Waiters like this question. You'll often get a local dish.
46	Agüita	Herbal tea	¿Le traigo una agüita de menta después de almuerzo?Shall I bring you a mint tea after lunch?	Everyday Chileans drink it after meals and when they feel unwell. Ask for "una agüita de manzanilla" for chamomile.
47	Menú del día	Set lunch	¿Qué trae el menú del día? Entrada, fondo y postre.What comes with the set lunch? Starter, main and dessert.	Everyday A cheap fixed-price lunch on weekdays. Some places call it "menú ejecutivo".
48	¡Qué rico!	Delicious! So good!	Probé el pastel de choclo. ¡Qué rico!I tried the corn pie. So good!	Everyday The usual way to praise food. About a person, "rico" means hot.
49	Sánguche	Sandwich	¿Te hago un sánguche de palta pa'l camino?Shall I make you an avocado sandwich for the road?	Casual The everyday Chilean word for a sandwich. You'll see it on menus too.
50	Once	Evening tea with bread	¿Te quedai a tomar once? Hay marraqueta y palta.Are you staying for tea? There's bread and avocado.	Everyday A light meal around 7 pm, often in place of dinner. Literally "eleven".
51	Palta	Avocado	Ponle harta palta al completo.Put lots of avocado on the hot dog.	Everyday Never "aguacate" in Chile.
52	Completo	Loaded hot dog	Un completo italiano y una bebida, por favor.An Italian-style hot dog and a soda, please.	Everyday "Italiano" means tomato, avocado and mayo, like the flag.
53	Churrasco	Thin steak sandwich	Un churrasco italiano y un jugo, por favor.A steak sandwich, Italian style, and a juice, please.	Everyday "Italiano" adds tomato, avocado and mayo. A "chacarero" adds green beans, tomato and green chili.
54	Bebida	Soft drink	¿Qué bebidas tiene? ¿Coca o Fanta?What sodas do you have? Coke or Fanta?	Everyday Ask for a "bebida" when you want a soda.
55	Agregado	Side dish	¿Con qué agregado? ¿Arroz o papas fritas?Which side would you like? Rice or fries?	Everyday Lunch menus let you pick one.
56	Marraqueta	Crusty bread roll	Compra cuatro marraquetas en la panadería.Buy 4 bread rolls at the bakery.	Everyday Chile's favorite bread.
57	Hallulla	Flat round bread	Para el desayuno, una hallulla con mantequilla.For breakfast, a flat bread roll with butter.	Everyday Say "a-YU-ya".
58	Empanada de pino	Beef empanada	Pedí dos empanadas de pino para el camino.I ordered 2 beef empanadas for the road.	Everyday "Pino" is the filling of beef, onion, egg and an olive.
59	Chorrillana	Fries piled with meat, onion and egg	Pidamos una chorrillana para compartir.Let's order a chorrillana to share.	Everyday A bar dish from Valparaíso. Order one for the whole group.
60	Pichanga	Shared platter of meat, cheese and fries	Pidamos una pichanga para picar.Let's order a platter to share.	Everyday Bar food for groups. A "pichanga" is also a pickup football game.
61	Lomo a lo pobre	Steak with fries, onions and fried eggs	Para mí, un lomo a lo pobre.A steak with fries and eggs for me.	Everyday A huge plate. Come hungry.
62	Barros Luco	Steak and melted cheese sandwich	Un Barros Luco y un schop, por favor.A steak and cheese sandwich and a draft beer, please.	Everyday A president ordered it so often it took his name.
63	Picada	Cheap local eatery	Conozco una picada con las mejores empanadas.I know a cheap local spot with the best empanadas.	Casual Ask locals for their favorite picada.
64	Sopaipilla	Fried pumpkin dough	En invierno venden sopaipillas en cada esquina.In winter they sell fried dough on every corner.	Everyday Street food. Add "pebre" or mustard.
65	Pebre	Fresh tomato and chili salsa	Pásame el pebre para la marraqueta.Pass me the salsa for the bread.	Everyday It comes with bread before a meal.
66	Choclo	Corn	El pastel de choclo de mi abuela es el mejor.My grandma's corn pie is the best.	Everyday The word for fresh corn and corn on the cob. "Elote" sounds Mexican here.
67	Poroto	Bean	Hoy almorzamos porotos con riendas.Today we're having beans with noodles for lunch.	Everyday "Frijol" sounds Mexican.
68	Pastel de choclo	Corn and beef bake	En verano siempre comemos pastel de choclo.In summer we always eat corn pie.	Everyday A summer classic.
69	Mote con huesillo	Wheat and dried peach drink	Hace calor, tomemos un mote con huesillo.It's hot, let's have a wheat and peach drink.	Everyday Street carts sell it in summer.
70	Cazuela	Meat and vegetable soup	Una cazuela calientita es lo mejor para el frío.A hot bowl of stew is the best thing for the cold.	Everyday A big bowl with meat, corn and potato.
71	Humitas	Corn tamales	Las humitas se comen con azúcar o con ensalada.You eat humitas with sugar or with salad.	Everyday A summer dish.
72	Cabritas	Popcorn	¿Compramos cabritas para la película?Shall we buy popcorn for the movie?	Everyday Not "palomitas" in Chile. Literally "little goats".
73	Frutilla	Strawberry	Un jugo de frutilla, por favor.A strawberry juice, please.	Everyday "Fresa" sounds foreign here.
74	Manjar	Dulce de leche	Los panqueques con manjar son mi debilidad.Pancakes with dulce de leche are my weakness.	Everyday Not "dulce de leche" in Chile.
75	Cocaví	Snack for a trip	Lleva cocaví para el bus, el viaje es largo.Bring snacks for the bus, it's a long trip.	Everyday Food you pack for the road.
76	Colación	Packed lunch, set lunch	Llevo mi colación a la pega todos los días.I take my lunch to work every day.	Everyday Also the lunch box kids bring to school.
77	Bajón	The munchies	Me dio el bajón, vamos por un completo.I've got the munchies, let's get a hot dog.	Slang Late-night hunger, often after drinking.
78	Hacer perro muerto	To dine and dash	Se fueron sin pagar, hicieron perro muerto.They left without paying, they dined and dashed.	Slang Literally "to do dead dog".

Money and shopping 31

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
79	¿Cuánto sale?	How much is it?	¿Cuánto sale el kilo de paltas?How much is a kilo of avocados?	Everyday The Chilean way to ask a price.
80	Luca	1,000 pesos	Son cinco lucas el kilo.It's 5,000 pesos a kilo.	Casual You'll hear prices in "lucas" everywhere.
81	Plata	Money	No ando con plata, ¿puedo pagar con tarjeta?I don't have any cash on me, can I pay by card?	Everyday Chileans say "plata" far more than "dinero".
82	Cajero	ATM	¿Hay un cajero por aquí? Necesito sacar plata.Is there an ATM around here? I need to get cash.	Everyday Short for "cajero automático". Most charge foreign cards a fee.
83	¿Aceptan tarjeta?	Do you take cards?	¿Aceptan tarjeta o solo efectivo?Do you take cards or just cash?	Everyday Most shops do. Carry cash for the feria and some colectivos.
84	¿Débito o crédito?	Debit or credit?	¿Débito o crédito? Crédito, por favor.Debit or credit? Credit, please.	Everyday Every till asks this when you pay by card. Pick the one that matches your card.
85	¿En cuántas cuotas?	How many installments?	¿En cuántas cuotas? Sin cuotas, por favor.How many installments? No installments, please.	Everyday Chileans often pay in monthly installments. With a foreign card, say "sin cuotas".
86	¿Me da su RUT?	Can I have your ID number?	¿Me da su RUT? No tengo RUT, soy turista.Can I have your ID number? I don't have one, I'm a tourist.	Everyday The RUT is the Chilean tax ID. Say "no tengo RUT, soy turista" and they'll skip it.
87	Vuelto	Change (money back)	Quédese con el vuelto.Keep the change.	Everyday "Cambio" sounds foreign here.
88	Sencillo	Small change	¿Tiene sencillo? No tengo para darle vuelto.Do you have small change? I don't have change for you.	Everyday Carry coins for buses, markets and tips.
89	¿Quiere donar su vuelto?	Would you like to donate your change?	¿Quiere donar su vuelto a la fundación? No, gracias.Would you like to donate your change to the charity? No, thanks.	Everyday Supermarket and pharmacy tills ask this for a charity. A simple "no, gracias" is fine.
90	¿Me hace una rebajita?	Can you knock a bit off?	Llevo tres, ¿me hace una rebajita?I'll take 3, can you knock a bit off?	Everyday Fine at markets and street stalls. Shops have fixed prices.
91	Boleta	Receipt	¿Necesita boleta?Do you need a receipt?	Everyday Shops will ask you this at the till.
92	Feria	Street market	Los domingos voy a la feria a comprar fruta.On Sundays I go to the street market to buy fruit.	Everyday The cheapest place for fruit and veg.
93	Almacén	Corner store	Anda al almacén a comprar pan.Go to the corner store and buy bread.	Everyday The small shop on the corner for bread, drinks and snacks.
94	Botillería	Liquor store	Pasemos a la botillería antes del carrete.Let's stop at the liquor store before the party.	Everyday Chile's word for an off-license.
95	¿Necesita bolsa?	Do you need a bag?	¿Necesita bolsa? No, gracias, traje la mía.Do you need a bag? No, thanks, I brought my own.	Everyday Shops can't give out plastic bags, so bring a tote or buy a reusable one at the till.
96	Quina	500 pesos	¿Tenís una quina para el baño?Do you have 500 pesos for the bathroom?	Slang Public toilets often cost a few hundred pesos. Older people call 100 pesos a "gamba".
97	Palo	1 million pesos	El arriendo cuesta medio palo.The rent is half a million pesos.	Slang Literally "stick".
98	Yapa	A little extra for free	La casera me dio una yapa de cilantro.The stallholder threw in some free cilantro.	Casual At the market, ask "¿y la yapa?" with a smile. Also used in Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.
99	Casero / casera	Regular stallholder or customer	Casera, ¿a cuánto el kilo de tomates?Ma'am, how much for a kilo of tomatoes?	Everyday How sellers and buyers greet each other at the market.
100	Andar pato	To be broke	Este mes ando pato, no puedo salir.I'm broke this month, I can't go out.	Slang Literally "to go around as a duck".
101	Chaucha	Tiny amount of money	Me pagan una chaucha por ese trabajo.They pay me peanuts for that job.	Casual Once a coin, now "next to nothing".
102	Hacer una vaca	To chip in	Hagamos una vaca para el copete.Let's chip in for the booze.	Casual Everyone puts money in a pot.
103	Yo me rajo	It's on me	Tranquilo, yo me rajo con la cuenta.Relax, I'll get the bill.	Slang "Rajarse" means to pay for everyone.
104	Apretado / apretada	Stingy	No seai apretado, invita una ronda.Don't be stingy, buy a round.	Casual A light jab. "Codo" is more Mexican.
105	Mula	Fake, knockoff	Esa polera de fútbol es mula.That football shirt is a knockoff.	Slang Also means "a lie".
106	Marca chancho	Cheap knockoff brand	Me compré unos audífonos marca chancho y no duraron ni una semana.I bought some cheap knockoff headphones and they didn't even last a week.	Casual Use it for anything cheap with no real brand. Literally "pig brand".
107	Polera	T-shirt	Me compré una polera de la Roja.I bought a Chile team T-shirt.	Everyday "Camiseta" is mostly a sports shirt.
108	Polerón	Sweatshirt, hoodie	Lleva polerón, en la noche hace frío.Bring a hoodie, it gets cold at night.	Everyday Pack one, since nights get cold even in summer.
109	Cachureos	Junk, odds and ends	El persa está lleno de cachureos baratos.The flea market is full of cheap odds and ends.	Casual Stuff people keep but barely use. A "cachurero" sells or collects it.

Bars and going out 28

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
110	Chela	Beer	Una chela bien helada, por favor.An ice-cold beer, please.	Casual Used all over the region, and all the time in Chile. "Chelear" means to go for beers.
111	¡Salud!	Cheers!	¡Salud por el viaje!Cheers to the trip!	Everyday Every round starts with it. You also say it when someone sneezes.
112	Carrete	Party, night out	¿Hay carrete este sábado?Is there a party this Saturday?	Casual Any night out, big or small. "Carretear" means to party.
113	Schop	Draft beer	Dos schops, por favor.2 draft beers, please.	Everyday Say "shop". Ask for it in any bar.
114	Piscola	Pisco and cola	Para mí, una piscola.A pisco and cola for me.	Everyday Chile's most popular party drink.
115	Pisco sour	Pisco sour	Para empezar, dos pisco sour, por favor.To start, 2 pisco sours, please.	Everyday Pisco, lemon juice, syrup and often egg white. Chile and Peru both claim it, so don't pick a side at the table.
116	Copete	Alcoholic drink	¿Quién trae el copete?Who's bringing the drinks?	Casual Any drink with alcohol.
117	Terremoto	Wine with pineapple ice cream	Pedimos un terremoto en La Piojera.We ordered a terremoto at La Piojera.	Everyday Literally "earthquake". It's stronger than it tastes.
118	Melón con vino	Melon filled with wine	Hace calor, hagamos un melón con vino.It's hot, let's make a melon with wine.	Everyday A summer classic. You hollow out a melon and pour wine inside.
119	Navegado	Hot spiced wine	En el sur nos tomamos un navegado al lado de la estufa.In the south we had a hot spiced wine by the stove.	Everyday Red wine heated with orange and spices. It's popular in the south.
120	Previa	Pre-drinks	Hagamos la previa en mi depto.Let's have pre-drinks at my apartment.	Casual Drinks at home before going out.
121	Al seco	Bottoms up	¡Salud! ¡Al seco!Cheers! Bottoms up!	Casual Down the whole glass.
122	Chupar	To drink alcohol	Anoche chupamos hasta las 3.Last night we drank until 3.	Slang Literally "to suck".
123	Curado / curada	Drunk	Quedó súper curado en el matrimonio.He got really drunk at the wedding.	Casual You'll often hear "curao".
124	Arriba de la pelota	Drunk	Llegó arriba de la pelota a la casa.He got home drunk.	Slang Literally "on top of the ball".
125	Caña	Hangover	Tengo una caña terrible.I've got a terrible hangover.	Casual Mild, so you can say it to anyone.
126	Pasado / pasada	Very drunk	Estai pasado, mejor te llevo a tu casa.You're very drunk, I'd better take you home.	Slang Said about a person who drank too much.
127	Pasarlo chancho	To have a great time	Lo pasamos chancho en el carrete.We had a great time at the party.	Casual Literally "to have it like a pig".
128	Pasarlo bomba	To have a blast	¡Lo pasamos bomba en Valpo!We had a blast in Valparaíso!	Casual Fine with anyone, from friends to your host family.
129	Paracaidista	Gatecrasher	Llegó un paracaidista al carrete y se tomó todo.A gatecrasher showed up at the party and drank everything.	Casual Literally "parachutist". Someone who turns up without an invite.
130	Asado	Barbecue	El domingo hay asado donde la Coté.On Sunday there's a barbecue at Coté's place.	Everyday The main weekend plan.
131	Pucho	Cigarette	¿Tenís un pucho?Do you have a cigarette?	Casual A "pucho" is also a cigarette butt. Also used in Argentina, Uruguay and Peru.
132	Fonda	Independence Day party tent	En septiembre todos van a las fondas.In September everyone goes to the party tents.	Everyday Food, cueca dancing and drinks.
133	Dieciocho	Independence holidays	¿Qué hacís para el Dieciocho?What are you doing for the September holidays?	Everyday The 18th of September and the days around it.
134	Chicha	Sweet fermented grape drink	Para el Dieciocho se toma chicha.People drink chicha for the September holidays.	Everyday You'll find it at every fonda in September.
135	Pito	Joint	Estaban fumando un pito en la plaza.They were smoking a joint in the square.	Slang In Mexico "pito" means penis.
136	Volado / volada	High, spaced out	Andai volado, ¿qué te pasa?You're spaced out, what's up with you?	Slang High, or just distracted.
137	Fono copete	Late-night booze delivery	Se acabó el pisco, llamemos al fono copete.We're out of pisco, let's call booze delivery.	Casual A phone number that brings drinks to your door late at night.

Friends and people 27

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
138	Weón / weona	Dude, mate; or idiot	¡Weón, tanto tiempo! ¿Cómo estái?Dude, it's been ages! How are you?	Vulgar Chile's most used word, texted "wn". Friendly with friends, rude with strangers.
139	Cabros	Guys, the gang	Los cabros vienen a las 9.The guys are coming at 9.	Casual Your group of friends. Literally "goats". A "cabro chico" is a little kid.
140	Socio	Buddy, mate	¡Socio! ¿Cómo va la pega?Buddy! How's work going?	Casual Literally "partner". Friendly, mostly between men. "Compadre" works the same way.
141	Gallo / galla	Guy / woman	Ese gallo de la barra es mi vecino.That guy at the bar is my neighbor.	Casual Literally "rooster".
142	Buena onda	Nice, good vibe	Tus amigos son súper buena onda.Your friends are really nice.	Casual The best thing to call someone. "Mala onda" is the opposite: mean. Also used in Mexico and Argentina.
143	Gringo / gringa	Foreigner from the US or Europe	¿Erís gringo? Hablai súper bien español.Are you a foreigner? You speak really good Spanish.	Casual Chileans use it for foreigners from the US and Europe, not for other Latin Americans. It's rarely meant as rude.
144	Patiperro / patiperra	Globetrotter	Mi prima es súper patiperra, ya conoce 20 países.My cousin is a real globetrotter, she's been to 20 countries.	Casual Someone who travels a lot. Chileans may call you this on your trip.
145	Paco	Cop	Ojo, viene un paco.Careful, a cop is coming.	Slang Don't say it to an officer.
146	Yunta	Best friend, partner in crime	Él es mi yunta desde el colegio.He's been my best friend since school.	Slang Literally "yoke", as in a pair of oxen.
147	Apañar	To back someone up, to come along	¿Me apañai al médico mañana?Will you come with me to the doctor tomorrow?	Slang A good friend "apaña".
148	Guagua	Baby	La guagua está durmiendo, habla despacito.The baby is sleeping, speak quietly.	Everyday The usual word for a baby in Chile. Also used in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
149	Lolo / lola	Teenager	Hay puros lolos en esa disco.There are only teenagers at that club.	Casual Older people use it for teens. Mild and friendly.
150	Buena leche	A good, well-meaning person	Mi jefe es buena leche, siempre te ayuda.My boss is a good guy, he always helps you.	Casual A kind person with honest intentions. Its opposite, "mala leche", is someone who means harm.
151	Mechón / mechona	University freshman	Los mechones andaban pidiendo plata en el semáforo.The freshmen were begging for money at the traffic light.	Casual In March you'll see the "mechoneo", when older students cover freshmen in eggs and flour.
152	Huaso / huasa	Chilean cowboy, country person	En la fonda había huasos bailando cueca.At the party tent there were cowboys dancing the cueca.	Everyday Also a jokey word for someone from the countryside.
153	Tata	Grandpa	Mi tata me enseñó a pescar en el sur.My grandpa taught me to fish in the south.	Casual A warm word for your grandfather. Mom and dad are often "mi vieja" and "mi viejo".
154	Regalón / regalona	Spoiled, the pet of the family	Soy la regalona de mi papá.I'm my dad's favorite.	Casual A sweet word. "Regalonear" means to pamper or cuddle.
155	Cuico / cuica	Posh, upper-class	Ese barrio es súper cuico.That neighborhood is really posh.	Casual A bit mocking.
156	Choro / chora	Cool, tough	Tu amiga es chora, no le tiene miedo a nada.Your friend is tough, she isn't afraid of anything.	Slang "¡Qué choro!" means "how cool!".
157	Seco / seca	Really good at something	Mi hermano es seco para el surf.My brother is really good at surfing.	Slang High praise among friends. Say "seco para" plus the thing they're good at.
158	Desubicado / desubicada	Out of line, rude	Fue súper desubicado preguntarle cuánto gana.It was really out of line to ask her how much she earns.	Casual Someone who breaks the unwritten rules or says the wrong thing.
159	Aperrado / aperrada	Gutsy, up for anything	Es súper aperrada, subió el volcán sola.She's really gutsy, she climbed the volcano on her own.	Slang You'll often hear "aperrao". From "perro", dog.
160	Chapa	Nickname	En el colegio mi chapa era "el Flaco".At school my nickname was "Skinny".	Casual Most Chileans have one. "Chapa" also means a door lock.
161	Patudo / patuda	Cheeky, pushy	Qué patudo, se sirvió sin preguntar.How cheeky, he helped himself without asking.	Casual A mild jab you can make to friends or family.
162	Sapo / sapa	Nosy person, snitch	No seai sapo, no mires mi celular.Don't be nosy, don't look at my phone.	Casual Literally "toad".
163	¡Péscame!	Listen to me! Pay attention!	¡Péscame! Te estoy hablando a ti.Listen to me! I'm talking to you.	Casual In Chile "pescar" means to pay attention to someone. "No me pesca" means he ignores me.
164	Quiltro / quiltra	Mutt, street dog	Un quiltro nos siguió todo el tour por Valpo.A street dog followed us the whole tour of Valparaíso.	Everyday You'll see friendly street dogs everywhere. From Mapudungun.

Reactions and feelings 35

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
165	¡Bacán!	Cool! Great!	¿Vamos al Cajón del Maipo el sábado? ¡Bacán!Shall we go to Cajón del Maipo on Saturday? Great!	Casual The most common "cool". Written "bkn" in texts.
166	¡Qué fome!	How boring!	Se cortó la luz y no hay nada que hacer. ¡Qué fome!The power's out and there's nothing to do. How boring!	Casual "Fome" also describes a dull person.
167	La raja	Awesome	Ese concierto estuvo la raja.That concert was awesome.	Vulgar Literally "the butt". Very common among friends, but crude.
168	Cuático / cuática	Intense, over the top	Fue cuático, el temblor duró un minuto.It was intense, the tremor lasted a minute.	Casual Good or bad.
169	Brígido / brígida	Intense, sketchy	Esa parte de la ciudad es brígida en la noche.That part of town is sketchy at night.	Slang Use it for scary or tough things.
170	Pa'l pico	Awful, like crap	Dormí 3 horas y me siento pa'l pico.I slept 3 hours and I feel like crap.	Vulgar Very common among friends. "Pico" is a rude word for penis, so keep it out of polite company.
171	Terrible	Really, super (as a booster)	El asado quedó terrible de bueno.The barbecue turned out really good.	Slang Chileans use it to boost good things too: "terrible bacán".
172	Encachado / encachada	Nice-looking, great	Tu depto está súper encachado.Your apartment looks really nice.	Casual A safe compliment for a place, a car or an outfit.
173	¡Qué lata!	What a drag!	Se suspendió el tour. ¡Qué lata!The tour got cancelled. What a drag!	Casual Literally "what a can". "Me da lata" means "I can't be bothered".
174	¡Qué plancha!	How embarrassing!	Lo saludé y no era él. ¡Qué plancha!I said hi and it wasn't him. How embarrassing!	Casual Say it about your own blunders. Fine with anyone.
175	¡Pucha!	Darn!	¡Pucha! Se me quedó el celular en el taxi.Darn! I left my phone in the taxi.	Casual Polite enough for anyone.
176	¡Chuta!	Oh shoot!	¡Chuta! Perdimos la última micro.Oh shoot! We missed the last bus.	Casual Polite enough for anyone.
177	¡Chucha!	Damn!	¡Chucha, me quemé!Damn, I burned myself!	Vulgar Very common, but crude. "Ándate a la chucha" means "get lost", and it's very rude.
178	¡La cagaste!	You blew it! You're in trouble!	¿Perdiste el pasaporte? ¡La cagaste!You lost your passport? You're in trouble!	Vulgar Very common among friends. "¡Cagaste!" on its own means "you're screwed".
179	Penca	Lame, bad	Qué penca que llueva justo hoy.How lame that it's raining today of all days.	Slang Mild. Use it for a bad day, a bad plan or bad luck.
180	Charcha	Lousy, cheap	El hostal era súper charcha.The hostel was really lousy.	Slang Mild. Use it for things, not to someone's face.
181	¡Qué paja!	What a pain!	¡Qué paja ir a la pega hoy!What a pain to go to work today!	Slang "Me da paja" means "I can't be bothered". The word has a crude sense too, so keep it to friends.
182	Piola	Chill, low-key	El carrete estuvo piola, nada muy loco.The party was chill, nothing too wild.	Casual Fine with anyone. Also used in Argentina and Uruguay.
183	Me carga	I hate it	Me carga el frío de Santiago.I hate the cold in Santiago.	Casual Mild, so you can say it to anyone. It's the Chilean "I hate it".
184	Me tinca	I have a feeling; I like the sound of it	Me tinca que va a llover.I have a feeling it's going to rain.	Casual "¿Te tinca?" means "are you up for it?", the easiest way to make a plan.
185	Ni ahí	Couldn't care less	Estoy ni ahí con el fútbol.I couldn't care less about football.	Casual It sounds blunt. "Estar ni ahí con algo" means you don't care about it.
186	Achacado / achacada	Down, sad	Ando achacado desde que se fue mi polola.I've been down since my girlfriend left.	Casual Often "achacao".
187	Chato / chata	Fed up	Estoy chato de esperar la micro.I'm fed up with waiting for the bus.	Casual Fine with anyone. Add "de" plus what wears you out.
188	Choreado / choreada	Annoyed	Ando choreado, me cobraron de más.I'm annoyed, they overcharged me.	Slang Fine among friends. To say something makes you angry, Chileans say "me da rabia".
189	Picarse	To get offended, to sulk	Se picó porque no lo invitamos al asado.He got offended because we didn't invite him to the barbecue.	Casual "¿Te picaste?" is the usual tease when a friend sulks.
190	Apestarse	To get fed up	Me apesté de esperar y me fui a la casa.I got fed up with waiting and went home.	Slang It means mildly bored or annoyed. "Cabrearse" means the same.
191	Un siete	Top marks, the best	Tu mamá es un siete, me trató increíble.Your mom is the best, she treated me so well.	Casual School grades in Chile go from 1 to 7, so a 7 is top marks.
192	Filete	Great, in top shape	El carrete estuvo filete, nos fuimos a las 5.The party was great, we left at 5.	Slang Young people say it about things that are going well.
193	Tener tuto	To be sleepy	Tengo tuto, me voy a acostar.I'm sleepy, I'm going to bed.	Casual A kid's word that adults use too. "Hacer tuto" means to take a nap.
194	Pa'l gato	Wrecked, exhausted	Después del trekking quedé pa'l gato.After the trek I was wrecked.	Slang Short for "para el gato".
195	¿A dónde la viste?	No way!	¿Que me vai a pagar tú? ¿A dónde la viste?You're going to pay for me? No way!	Slang Mock disbelief.
196	Pulento / pulenta	Awesome	Esa pizza está pulenta.That pizza is awesome.	Slang Young, popular. Among the most common words for "cool". Also means "rich" in some talk, so it can sound odd about a person.
197	Cagado de la risa	Dying of laughter	Quedamos cagados de la risa con su talla.We were dying of laughter at his joke.	Vulgar Very common among friends. In texts, people laugh with "jajaja" or "xd".
198	Manso / mansa	Huge, awesome	¡Fue un manso carrete!It was an awesome party!	Slang Before a noun it means huge or great, as in "una mansa casa".
199	Rajado / rajada	Really fast	La micro pasó rajada y no paró en el paradero.The bus went by really fast and didn't stop at the bus stop.	Slang It can also mean generous.

Fillers and everyday words 31

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
200	Harto	A lot, really	Hay harta gente en la playa.There are a lot of people at the beach.	Everyday Chileans use it all the time for "much" and "very".
201	Igual	Anyway, still, kind of	Está caro, pero igual lo voy a comprar.It's expensive, but I'm going to buy it anyway.	Everyday Chileans use it as a filler too.
202	No más	Go ahead, just	Pase no más, está abierto.Just come in, it's open.	Everyday Polite way to say "go ahead".
203	¡De más!	Sure! Of course!	¿Me acompañai al mall? ¡De más!Will you come to the mall with me? Sure!	Casual Also written "¡demás!". A cheerful yes.
204	O sea	I mean	Es caro, o sea, no tan caro, pero caro.It's pricey, I mean, not that pricey, but pricey.	Everyday Chileans use it as a filler all the time.
205	Tipo	Like, around	Nos juntamos tipo las 8 en la plaza.We'll meet around 8 in the square.	Casual Before a time it means "around". Chileans also use it as a filler, like "like".
206	Pega	Job, work	Encontré pega en un hostal de Valpo.I found work at a hostel in Valparaíso.	Casual The word for work in Chile.
207	Ene	Loads, lots	Tengo ene cosas que hacer hoy.I have loads to do today.	Casual From the letter "n", as in "n" number of things.
208	Fono	Phone, phone number	Pásame tu fono y te escribo.Give me your number and I'll text you.	Casual You'll see it on signs too, as in "fono copete".
209	Hueá / weá	Thing, stuff	Pásame esa weá que está en la mesa.Pass me that thing on the table.	Vulgar Say it "WEH-a". It stands in for almost any noun, and it's common but crude.
210	Huevear / webiar	To mess around, to bug someone	No webiís, estoy trabajando.Stop messing around, I'm working.	Vulgar Chileans say it every day among friends. "¿Estái webiando?" means "are you kidding me?".
211	Caleta	Loads, tons	Comimos caleta de empanadas.We ate tons of empanadas.	Casual "Hace caleta" means "ages ago", and "te quiero caleta" means "I love you loads".
212	Por las puras	For nothing, in vain	Fuimos al museo por las puras, estaba cerrado.We went to the museum for nothing, it was closed.	Casual Also "for no reason": "se enojó por las puras" means he got mad over nothing.
213	Pichintún	A tiny bit	Échale un pichintún de azúcar al café, no más.Just add a tiny bit of sugar to the coffee.	Casual A homey word. "Un cachito" means the same, and also "a sec".
214	La firme	The truth; for real	¿Te gustó? Dime la firme.Did you like it? Tell me the truth.	Casual "¿La firme?" means "seriously?".
215	Filo	Whatever, forget it	Filo, si no quiere venir, vamos nosotros.Whatever, if he doesn't want to come, we'll go.	Casual Also "filo con eso", forget about it.
216	Al lote	Any old way, messily	Hicieron la maleta al lote y se les quedó el pasaporte.They packed any old way and left the passport behind.	Slang It can also mean low-key, as in "andar al lote".
217	Lesera	Silly thing, nonsense	No digái leseras.Don't talk nonsense.	Casual Also a small thing: "una lesera".
218	Cahuín	Gossip, drama	Se armó un cahuín en la oficina.Some drama broke out at the office.	Casual From Mapudungun. A "cahuinero" is someone who stirs up drama.
219	Pelar	To gossip about someone	Llegó tarde y todos lo estaban pelando.He showed up late and everyone was gossiping about him.	Casual To talk about someone behind their back.
220	Chamullo	A lie, BS	No le creai, todo lo que dice es puro chamullo.Don't believe him, everything he says is pure BS.	Casual A smooth lie or BS. "Chamullar" means to spin a story to get your way.
221	Atado	Hassle, problem	Fue un atado conseguir la visa.Getting the visa was a hassle.	Casual Also "hacerse atados", to overthink.
222	Pilucho / pilucha	Naked	Salió pilucho del baño a buscar la toalla.He came out of the bathroom naked to get the towel.	Casual Mild and jokey, and people use it about kids at the beach too. "Calato" means the same and is common in Chile too, mostly in the north.
223	Queque	Butt (jokey)	Me resbalé y caí de queque en la micro.I slipped and landed on my butt on the bus.	Casual Playful, not rude. A "queque" is also a pound cake.
224	Calefont	Water heater	Prende el calefont para ducharte.Turn on the water heater before you shower.	Everyday You'll need it in rentals.
225	Guatero	Hot-water bottle	En el sur siempre duermo con guatero.In the south I always sleep with a hot-water bottle.	Everyday Homes have little heating.
226	El medio / la media	A huge, a real (as a booster)	¡Había el medio taco en la Alameda!There was a huge traffic jam on the Alameda!	Casual Put it before a noun to make it bigger: "la media fiesta" is a great party.
227	Pituto	Contact, connection	Conseguí la pega por pituto.I got the job through a connection.	Casual Knowing someone who can help.
228	Guata	Belly	Me duele la guata, comí demasiado.My belly hurts, I ate too much.	Casual You'll hear it all the time.
229	Poto	Butt	Me caí en la nieve y me mojé el poto.I fell in the snow and got my butt wet.	Casual The everyday word for butt. It's mild, and people say it in front of kids.
230	A lapa	Piggyback, on someone's back	El cabro chico anduvo a lapa de su papá todo el desfile.The little kid rode piggyback on his dad the whole parade.	Casual Parents carry kids this way at parades and concerts.

Time and plans 14

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
231	Al tiro	Right away	Ya, voy al tiro.Okay, I'm coming right away.	Everyday Also written "altiro". It can mean "soon" more than "now". "Al toque" means the same.
232	Hora chilena	Running late	Llegaron a las 9:30, típica hora chilena.They showed up at 9:30, typical Chilean time.	Casual Expect friends to be 20 or 30 minutes late. The opposite is "a la hora inglesa", on the dot.
233	¿A qué hora nos juntamos?	What time shall we meet?	¿A qué hora nos juntamos? Tipo las 9, en el metro Baquedano.What time shall we meet? Around 9, at Baquedano station.	Everyday "Juntarse" is the Chilean word for meeting up.
234	Te paso a buscar	I'll pick you up	Te paso a buscar a las 8 al hostal.I'll pick you up at the hostel at 8.	Everyday Friends say it when they'll come by for you.
235	Más rato	Later on	Hablamos más rato.We'll talk later.	Everyday The usual Chilean "later", from an hour to the end of the day.
236	Porsiaca	Just in case	Lleva un polerón porsiaca, en la noche hace frío.Bring a hoodie just in case, it gets cold at night.	Casual Short for "por si acaso". It can also mean "by the way".
237	Arrugar	To bail, to back out	Iba a saltar en parapente, pero arrugó.He was going to go paragliding, but he bailed.	Casual Literally "to wrinkle".
238	Achuntar	To get it right	Achuntaste con la hora, justo llegó la micro.You got the timing right, the bus just arrived.	Casual "¡Achuntaste!" means "you nailed it!".
239	Cuadrarse	To be in on a plan, to back it	¿Te cuadrai con el asado del sábado?Are you in for the barbecue on Saturday?	Slang Also to chip in money.
240	Día sándwich	Bridge day off	El viernes es día sándwich, así que tenemos fin de semana largo.Friday is a bridge day, so we get a long weekend.	Everyday A workday between a holiday and the weekend that many people take off.
241	Echarse el pollo	To take off, to leave	Ya, me echo el pollo, mañana trabajo.Okay, I'm off, I work tomorrow.	Slang A playful way to say goodbye to friends. In texts, "LJ" means "we're off".
242	Hacer la cimarra	To skip class or work	Hicimos la cimarra y nos fuimos a la playa.We skipped class and went to the beach.	Casual Every Chilean knows it from school.
243	Pasar piola	To go unnoticed, to lie low	Llegamos tarde, pero pasamos piola.We got there late, but nobody noticed.	Slang Handy when you slip in late or want to skip a fuss.
244	Liz Taylor	Ready	¿Estái listo? ¡Liz Taylor! Vamos.Are you ready? Ready! Let's go.	Slang A pun on "listo". Say it to friends for a laugh.

Teasing and insults 23

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
245	Gil	Fool, sucker	No seai gil, te están cobrando de más.Don't be a sucker, they're overcharging you.	Casual Also used in Argentina and Uruguay.
246	¡Avíspate!	Wake up! Get smart!	¡Avíspate! Ese taxi te está cobrando el doble.Wake up! That taxi is charging you double.	Casual From "avispado", quick and sharp.
247	Pesado / pesada	Annoying, mean	No seai pesado con tu hermana.Don't be mean to your sister.	Everyday A common jab. Mild with friends, sharper with strangers.
248	Ganso	Silly, gullible	Qué ganso, se le olvidó el pasaporte.How silly, he forgot his passport.	Casual Literally "goose".
249	Dar jugo	To mess around, to talk nonsense	Deja de dar jugo y ayúdame con las maletas.Stop messing around and help me with the bags.	Casual Say it to a friend who's goofing off. Literally "to give juice".
250	Chiva	A lie, a lame excuse	No me vengai con chivas, sé que no fuiste.Don't give me excuses, I know you didn't go.	Casual "Puras chivas" means "all lies". "Chamullo" and "tollo" mean the same.
251	Guatón / guatona	Chubby	El guatón de la esquina vende las mejores sopaipillas.The chubby guy on the corner sells the best fried dough.	Casual Often a nickname. Also a term of love.
252	Rasca	Cheap, tacky	La fiesta era súper rasca.The party was really tacky.	Slang A put-down for things, places and taste. It can sound snobby.
253	Chueco / chueca	Dishonest, two-faced	No le compres a ese gallo, es súper chueco.Don't buy from that guy, he's really dishonest.	Casual Literally "crooked".
254	Sacar la cresta	To beat someone up (as a threat)	Si me vuelves a mentir, te saco la cresta.If you lie to me again, I'll beat you up.	Slang Mostly an empty threat between friends or siblings. "Sacarse la cresta" means to take a bad fall or to work yourself to the bone.
255	Creerse la muerte	To be full of yourself	Se cree la muerte desde que se compró ese auto.He's been full of himself since he bought that car.	Casual Mild. Use it about a show-off, not to them.
256	Hocicón / hocicona	Loudmouth	No le digái a ella, es súper hocicona.Don't tell her, she's a real loudmouth.	Casual A sharp jab. Use it with friends, not strangers.
257	Siútico / siútica	Pretentious, putting on airs	Qué siútico, ahora habla con palabras en inglés.How pretentious, now he talks with English words.	Casual Use it for a show-off with fake class or bad taste.
258	Pije	Preppy rich kid	Puros pijes en esa disco.Only preppy rich kids in that club.	Casual A person who dresses neat and well off. Mocking, so don't say it to their face.
259	Chupamedias	Suck-up	Es el chupamedias del jefe.He's the boss's suck-up.	Casual Literally "sock sucker".
260	Chanta	Flake, unreliable person	No le prestís plata, es súper chanta.Don't lend him money, he's a total flake.	Casual Someone who brags or promises and doesn't deliver. Also a low-quality thing.
261	Cara de raja	Shameless, cheeky	Qué cara de raja, se coló y ni pidió perdón.How shameless, he cut the line and didn't even say sorry.	Vulgar You'll also hear "careraja". Common among friends, but crude.
262	Ni cagando	No way	¿Pagar 30 lucas por eso? Ni cagando.Pay 30,000 pesos for that? No way.	Vulgar Very common.
263	Ahuevonado / aweonao	Dopey, slow	Andai aweonao hoy, ¿dormiste?You're slow today, did you sleep?	Vulgar Teasing among friends.
264	Culiao	Asshole, fucker	Ese culiao me chocó el auto.That asshole crashed into my car.	Vulgar Chile's harshest everyday insult, texted "ql". Hear it, don't use it.
265	Conchetumare	Son of a bitch	¡Conchetumare, perdí el vuelo!Son of a bitch, I missed my flight!	Vulgar Chile's strongest swear, texted "ctm". Also an exclamation.
266	Flaite	Thug, low-life	No dejes el celular en la mesa, hay flaites.Don't leave your phone on the table, there are shady people around.	Slang A classist insult. Know it, don't call anyone it.
267	Picante	Tacky, low-class	Qué picante ese auto con luces de colores.How tacky, that car with colored lights.	Slang A classist put-down. Know it, don't use it.

Love and flirting 18

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
268	Pololo / polola	Boyfriend / girlfriend	Te presento a mi polola, la Javi.This is my girlfriend, Javi.	Everyday "Novio" in Chile sounds like you're engaged. "Pololear" means to date.
269	Me gustai	I like you	Me gustai harto, ¿sabís?I really like you, you know?	Casual The Chilean "tú" form of "me gustas". Say it when you mean it.
270	¿Querís bailar?	Do you want to dance?	¿Querís bailar? Me encanta esta canción.Do you want to dance? I love this song.	Casual The easy opener at a bar or a party.
271	¿Me dai tu número?	Can I have your number?	Lo pasé bacán. ¿Me dai tu número o tu Insta?I had a great time. Can I have your number or your Insta?	Casual "Dai" is the Chilean form of "das".
272	Erís muy lindo / linda	You're really cute	Erís muy linda, me encanta tu sonrisa.You're really cute, I love your smile.	Casual A sweet compliment you can say to anyone.
273	Tirarse un lance	To make a move on someone	Me voy a tirar un lance con el gallo de la barra.I'm going to make a move on the guy at the bar.	Casual Chileans also say "tirar los cortes", to flirt.
274	Pinchar	To hook up, to get with someone	Pinché con un cabro en el carrete.I hooked up with a guy at the party.	Slang Short and casual.
275	Engrupir	To sweet-talk	Me engrupió con su acento.He sweet-talked me with his accent.	Slang Also to trick someone. Also used in Argentina.
276	Atracar	To make out	Los pillaron atracando en el parque.They got caught making out in the park.	Casual Common, but keep it among friends.
277	Patas negras	Secret lover	Dicen que tiene un patas negras en la oficina.They say she has a secret lover at the office.	Casual Used for the other man or woman in an affair. You'll hear it in gossip and on TV.
278	Inflar	To notice someone, to give them time	Le hablé toda la noche, pero ni me infló.I talked to him all night, but he didn't even notice me.	Slang People mostly use it in the negative, "ni me infla". "No me pesca" and "no me da pelota" say the same.
279	Mino	Hot guy	El mino del hostal te estaba mirando.The hot guy from the hostel was looking at you.	Slang Women say it about men. Fine among friends.
280	Mina	Girl, woman (often attractive)	Esa mina es bacán.That girl is great.	Slang Can sound crude.
281	Andante	Casual fling	No es mi pololo, es mi andante.He's not my boyfriend, he's a fling.	Slang Less than a "pololo".
282	Jote	Sleazy flirt	No le hagai caso, es un jote.Don't pay attention to him, he's a sleazy flirt.	Slang Literally "vulture". A "jote" is also a drink of red wine and cola.
283	Gorrear	To cheat on someone	Lo gorrearon con su mejor amigo.He got cheated on with his best friend.	Slang You'll also hear "poner los cachos".
284	Tocar el violín	To be the third wheel	No quiero ir, voy a tocar el violín toda la noche.I don't want to go, I'll be the third wheel all night.	Casual A light joke about yourself or a friend.
285	Patear	To dump someone	La pateó después de 3 años de pololeo.He dumped her after 3 years of dating.	Casual Literally "to kick". "Me patearon" means "I got dumped".

Sayings and expressions 15

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
286	Mandarse un condoro	To make a big blunder	Me mandé un condoro, le dije el nombre de mi ex.I blew it, I called her by my ex's name.	Casual From the comic bird Condorito.
287	Tirar la talla	To joke around	Mi papá siempre tira la talla con los garzones.My dad always jokes around with the waiters.	Casual "Talla" means a joke.
288	Echar la foca	To tell someone off	Mi mamá me echó la foca por llegar tarde.My mom told me off for getting home late.	Casual A loud, sharp scolding.
289	Echar al agua	To rat someone out	Mi hermano me echó al agua con mi mamá.My brother ratted me out to my mom.	Casual Fine with anyone. Kids say it about their siblings.
290	Agarrar papa	To fall for it, to take the bait	Le dije que me había ganado la lotería y agarró papa.I told him I'd won the lottery and he fell for it.	Casual Fine with anyone. A "papa" is a lie or a prank.
291	Embarrarla	To mess it up	La embarré, borré todas las fotos del viaje.I messed up, I deleted all the photos from the trip.	Casual Literally "to muddy it". Fine with anyone.
292	Tirar a la chuña	To toss something for all to grab	Al final de la fiesta, mi tío tiró las monedas a la chuña.At the end of the party, my uncle threw the coins for everyone to grab.	Casual Kids scramble for the candy. It can also mean to give things away freely.
293	Está peluda	It's tough	Está peluda la subida al volcán.The climb up the volcano is tough.	Casual Literally "it's hairy".
294	Tener mala cueva	To have bad luck	Qué mala cueva, llovió todo el viaje.What bad luck, it rained the whole trip.	Vulgar Common among friends, but crude. "Buena cueva" is good luck.
295	Estirar la pata	To kick the bucket	El auto estiró la pata en medio del desierto.The car died in the middle of the desert.	Casual Literally "to stretch the leg". A jokey way to say "die", for people and things.
296	Irse al chancho	To go too far	No te vayái al chancho con el copete.Don't overdo it with the drinks.	Casual Mild. Use it for food, drink or a joke that goes too far.
297	Vale callampa	It's worthless	Ese tour vale callampa, no lo hagai.That tour is worthless, don't do it.	Vulgar Common among friends, but crude. "Callampa" means mushroom, and it's also slang for penis.
298	Dejar la escoba	To make a huge mess	Los cabros dejaron la escoba en el depto.The guys left the apartment a total mess.	Casual "Quedó la escoba" means all hell broke loose.
299	Hacerse el leso	To play dumb	No te hagái el leso, sé que fuiste tú.Don't play dumb, I know it was you.	Casual Fine with anyone. "Leso" means silly or dumb.
300	Más perdido que el teniente Bello	Totally lost	Ando más perdido que el teniente Bello en este barrio.I'm totally lost in this neighborhood.	Casual A pilot who vanished in 1914.

Around Chile 50

Most Chilean slang is the same from Arica to Punta Arenas, because Santiago TV and music set the default. What changes is the accent, a few swaps like the name of the bread roll, and the Mapuche and Chilote words you hear in the south.

Santiago and the central valleys

Santiago is where nearly every trip starts, and its speech is the national default. Locals also flip words around here, and farm towns nearby add rodeo words.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Trome	Metro, said backward	Voy en trome hasta Baquedano.I'm taking the metro to Baquedano.
Cromi	Micro (city bus), said backward	Perdí la cromi de las ocho.I missed the 8 o'clock bus.
Sanhattan	The tower district, a joke on Manhattan	Trabajo en Sanhattan, cerca del metro Los Leones.I work in the tower district, near Los Leones metro.
Medialuna	The ring where a rodeo is held	El domingo vamos a la medialuna en Rancagua.On Sunday we're going to the rodeo ring in Rancagua.
Collera	A pair of riders in a rodeo	La collera de Colchagua ganó el rodeo.The Colchagua pair won the rodeo.
¡Uyui!	A huaso's whoop of joy	"¡Uyui!", gritó el huaso cuando empezó la cueca."Woo-hoo!" the cowboy shouted when the cueca started.

Valparaíso and Viña del Mar

You'll hear these words in the port city, where funiculars climb the cerros (hills), and in the beach town next door, 2 hours from Santiago.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Valpo	Valparaíso, the short name everyone uses	Este finde me voy a Valpo a ver a mi familia.This weekend I'm going to Valpo to see my family.
Porteño / porteña	Person from Valparaíso	Mi polola es porteña, se crió en el cerro Alegre.My girlfriend is from Valparaíso, she grew up on Cerro Alegre.
El plan	The flat downtown by the sea	Bajemos al plan a comer.Let's go down to the flat part of town to eat.
Ascensor	A funicular that climbs a hill	Subimos al cerro en ascensor.We went up the hill by funicular.
Pan batido	Crusty bread roll, the word for "marraqueta" here	Pasa a comprar pan batido para la once.Stop and buy bread rolls for teatime.

The north: Arica to La Serena

You'll hear these words in the desert towns, the mining cities and the coast between the border with Peru and La Serena.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Camanchaca	Thick coastal fog	En la mañana la camanchaca tapa toda la costa.In the morning the fog covers the whole coast.
Pampino / pampina	Person from the nitrate desert	Mi abuelo era pampino, trabajó en Humberstone.My grandpa was from the nitrate desert, he worked at Humberstone.
Calato / calata	Naked, the north's word for "pilucho"	Los niños corrían calatos por la playa de Arica.The kids ran around naked on the beach in Arica.
Iquiqueño / iquiqueña	Person from Iquique	Mi vecina es iquiqueña y siempre vuelve a la Zofri.My neighbor is from Iquique and always goes back to the Zofri.
Zofri	Iquique's duty-free shopping zone	Compré el celular en la Zofri.I bought the phone at the Zofri.
Serenense	Person from La Serena	Los serenenses se van a Coquimbo los domingos.People from La Serena go to Coquimbo on Sundays.
Coquimbano / coquimbana	Person from Coquimbo	Mi jefe es coquimbano, del puerto.My boss is from Coquimbo, from the port.

Concepción and the Biobío

You'll hear these words in Chile's second big city, on the Biobío River 6 hours south of Santiago, and in the country towns around it.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Penquista	Person from Concepción	Mi compañero de pieza es penquista de toda la vida.My roommate is from Concepción, born and raised.
Conce	Concepción, the city's short name	¿Vai a ir a Rock en Conce este año?Are you going to Rock en Conce this year?
Pan francés	Crusty bread roll, the south's word for "marraqueta"	Compra pan francés pa' la once.Buy some bread rolls for teatime.
Echarse un zorrito	To take a short nap after lunch	Después del almuerzo me eché un zorrito.After lunch I took a short nap.
Hacerse el cucho	To play innocent (country speech in the south)	No te hagai el cucho, sé que fuiste tú.Don't play innocent, I know it was you.
Se me echó la yegua	A sudden tiredness for no reason	Quería salir, pero se me echó la yegua.I wanted to go out, but I suddenly felt wiped.

Araucanía and the lakes: Temuco, Pucón and Villarrica

Mapuche words mix into everyday Spanish here, in the volcano and lake towns that most travelers reach through Temuco.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Mari mari	Hello (Mapuche greeting)	¡Mari mari! Bienvenidos a la comunidad.Hello! Welcome to the community.
Peñi	Brother (what Mapuche men call each other; wait for a Mapuche person to use it with you first)	"Mari mari, peñi", se saludaron los dos lonkos."Hello, brother," the 2 chiefs said to each other.
Lamngen	Sister (what Mapuche women call each other; wait for a Mapuche person to use it with you first)	"Mari mari, lamngen", se saludaron las tejedoras."Hello, sister," the weavers said to each other.
Ruka	Traditional Mapuche house	Dormimos en una ruka cerca de Pucón.We slept in a traditional Mapuche house near Pucón.
Andar de lacho	To be a charmer, a ladies' man (southern speech)	Mi tío anda de lacho con la vecina.My uncle is playing the charmer with the neighbor.

Chiloé

Most of these come from the island of Chiloé, and you'll almost never hear them in Santiago.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Curanto	Seafood and meat cooked on hot stones in a pit	En Chiloé comimos curanto en hoyo.In Chiloé we ate a pit-cooked seafood feast.
Milcao	Fried potato bread, often filled with pork crackling	Con el curanto nos sirvieron milcao.They served fried potato bread with the curanto.
Palafito	A wooden house on stilts over the water	Dormimos en un palafito en Castro.We slept in a stilt house in Castro.
Caleuche	The ghost ship of Chilote legend	Mi abuela dice que vio el Caleuche en la bahía.My grandma says she saw the ghost ship in the bay.
Chilote / chilota	Person from Chiloé	Mi abuela es chilota, de Castro.My grandma is from Chiloé, from Castro.
Minga	A day of community work	Hicimos una minga para mover la casa.We got the neighbors together to move the house.
A cheque	Piggyback, the south's word for "a lapa"	Mi papá me llevaba a cheque a la feria.My dad carried me piggyback to the market.
Privao'	Furious (Chiloé)	Mi tío quedó privao' cuando supo.My uncle was furious when he found out.
Valiente	Hardworking (in Chiloé)	Mi abuela es valiente, trabaja la tierra todos los días.My grandma is hardworking, she works the land every day.

Magallanes and Punta Arenas

You'll hear these words in the far south, in Punta Arenas and on the road to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Puntarenense	Person from Punta Arenas	Mi guía es puntarenense, conoce todos los caminos.My guide is from Punta Arenas, she knows every road.
Nevazón	A snow blizzard	Hubo una nevazón y cerraron la ruta.There was a snow blizzard and they closed the road.
Cordero al palo	Whole lamb roasted on a cross over a wood fire	En Punta Arenas pedimos cordero al palo.In Punta Arenas we ordered spit-roast lamb.
Centolla	King crab	La centolla fresca está en temporada.Fresh king crab is in season.
Calafate	Wild purple Patagonian berry	Compramos mermelada de calafate en Puerto Natales.We bought calafate jam in Puerto Natales.
Quien come calafate, vuelve	Whoever eats calafate comes back	Cómete uno, quien come calafate, vuelve a la Patagonia.Eat one, whoever eats calafate comes back to Patagonia.

Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

These words come from the Rapanui language. Islanders mix them into their Spanish, 3,700 km out in the Pacific.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Iorana	Hello; also goodbye	¡Iorana! Bienvenidos a la isla.Hello! Welcome to the island.
¿Pehe koe?	How are you?	Iorana, ¿pehe koe?Hello, how are you?
Riva riva	Very good	¿Pehe koe? Riva riva, gracias.How are you? Very good, thanks.
Maururu	Thank you	Maururu por la comida, estaba rica.Thank you for the food, it was delicious.
¿E hia moni?	How much is it?	¿E hia moni este collar?How much is this necklace?
Umu	Food cooked in an earth oven	Nos invitaron a un umu en la playa.They invited us to an earth-oven feast on the beach.

Don't mix these up

Word	In Chile	Elsewhere
Pico	Penis. Very rude.	A bit, a peak. "Y pico" means "and a bit" in many countries. Say "y tanto" in Chile.
Concha	A rude word for female genitals.	A seashell.
Pito	A joint, or a whistle.	A whistle, or penis in Mexico.
Taco	A traffic jam, or a high heel.	A Mexican taco.
Novio / novia	Fiancé, or the bride and groom.	Boyfriend or girlfriend. In Chile say "pololo" and "polola".
Once	Evening tea with bread.	The number 11.
Guagua	A baby.	A bus in Cuba and the Canary Islands.
Polera	A T-shirt.	A turtleneck in Argentina and Uruguay.
Torta	A cake.	A sandwich in Mexico.
Pieza	A bedroom.	A piece or a part.
Polla	The national lottery, "la Polla".	A crude word for penis.
Jote	Red wine with cola, or a sleazy flirt.	A vulture.
Pasaje	A bus or plane ticket.	A passage or an alley.
Coger	Not crude, but people say "tomar": "tomar la micro".	Crude in Mexico and Argentina. To take in Spain.
Paco	A cop.	A nickname for Francisco.
Paja	Laziness or a hassle, as in "¡qué paja!". It's also a crude word, so keep it to friends.	Straw.
Pinche	A hair clip, or a casual fling.	A swear word in Mexico.
Cola	A slur for a gay man. "Fila" is safer for a line.	A line or queue, or a tail.
Cartera	A handbag.	A wallet in Spain.
Cachar	To get it, to understand.	Crude slang for sex in Peru.
Cabro	A kid, a young guy.	A male goat.
Mina	An attractive woman.	A mine. In Argentina it also means a woman.
Pinchar	To hook up with someone.	To prick, or to get a flat tire.
Raja	Butt; "la raja" means awesome.	A crack or a slice.
Huevón	Dude, or idiot.	Lazy in Mexico.
Pendejo	A kid or a teen.	An idiot in Mexico, and very rude.
Chucha	A common, crude exclamation, like "damn!".	A vulgar word for female genitals in Peru.
Choro	Cool, tough. At the market, a mussel.	A thief in Peru.
Sopaipilla	Fried pumpkin dough, often with salsa.	A puffy honey pastry in the US Southwest.
Terremoto	A drink of pipeño and pineapple ice cream, or a big earthquake. Call a small shake a "temblor", or you'll sound like a gringo.	An earthquake.

Questions people ask

What are the most common Chilean slang words?

Start with "po", "¿cachai?", "weón", "bacán", "fome", "al tiro", "harto", "luca", "pega" and "carrete". You'll hear all of them on your first day in Chile.

What does po mean in Chile?

"Po" comes from "pues" and adds weight to a word. "Sí po" means "yes, of course". "Ya po" means "okay then", or "come on!" when you say it sharply.

What does weón mean?

"Weón" means "dude" between friends and "idiot" in a fight. Your tone and the person decide which one you mean.

What does cachai mean?

"¿Cachai?" means "you know?" or "get it?". It comes from "cachar", to understand, and "no cacho" means "I don't get it".

What does luca mean in Chile?

A "luca" is 1,000 pesos, so "5 lucas" is 5,000 pesos. You'll hear prices in lucas at markets, in taxis and at bars.

Is Chilean Spanish hard to understand?

At first, yes. Chileans talk fast, drop the "s" and use their own "tú" forms, so read the "How it sounds" part of this page before you go.

Do you tip in Chile?

Yes. Waiters ask "¿Desea agregar la propina?" when you pay, and the suggested tip is 10%.

How do Chileans say "hi"?

With friends, Chileans say "¡Wena!" or "¿Qué onda?". "¿Cómo estái?" is the friendly Chilean way to ask how you are.

How do Chileans say "cool"?

"Bacán" is the most common word for "cool". You'll also hear "pulento", "filete", "la raja", "seco" and "¡qué choro!", and "terrible bacán" means "really cool".

What's the Chilean slang for friend?

Close friends call each other "weón" or "weona", and a group of friends is "los cabros". "Compadre" and "yunta" work too.

What's the Chilean slang for girlfriend?

A girlfriend is a "polola" and a boyfriend is a "pololo". Dating is "pololear", and "novio" sounds like you're engaged.

How do Chileans say "I love you"?

"Te amo" is for a partner, and "te quiero" is lighter. Among friends you'll hear "te quiero caleta", "I love you loads".

What are some common Chilean idioms?

"Mandarse un condoro" means to make a big blunder, and "tirar la talla" means to joke around. "Pasarlo chancho" means to have a great time.

What are Chilean slang insults?

"Weón" can be an insult, and "culiao" and "conchetumare" are very strong. "Gil", "ganso" and "aweonao" are milder ways to call someone a fool.

What's some funny Chilean slang?

"Liz Taylor" is a pun on "listo", ready, and "hacer perro muerto" ("to do dead dog") means to skip the bill. "Más perdido que el teniente Bello" means totally lost.

What do wn, ctm and ql mean?

They're texting forms: "wn" is "weón", "ctm" is "conchetumare" and "ql" is "culiao". You'll see them in every group chat, and the last 2 are very rude.

Do Chileans use vos?

Chileans mostly say "tú" but use their own verb forms, like "¿cómo estái?" and "¿querís?". The word "vos" itself is rare in Chile and can sound rude.

Can I say weón as a foreigner?

Yes, with friends who already call you weón. With strangers, staff or older people it sounds rude, so let your Chilean friends use it first.

What does fome mean?

"Fome" means boring or dull. "¡Qué fome!" means "how boring!", and a "fome" person is a dull one.

What do cuico and flaite mean?

A "cuico" is a posh, upper-class person, and a "flaite" is a thug or low-life. Both words judge people by class, so know them but don't call anyone them.

What's the Chilean slang for party and drunk?

A party or night out is a "carrete", and to party is "carretear". Drunk is "curado" or "curao", and a hangover is a "caña".

What's the Chilean slang for beer?

A beer is a "chela", and a draft beer is a "schop". The classic party drink is a "piscola", pisco and cola.

What is once in Chile?

"Once" is a light evening meal of tea, bread and avocado around 7 pm. Many families have it in place of dinner.

Slang in other countries

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Sources

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