Guatemalan slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
45 slang
8 regions
41 local phrases
13 marked vulgar

Guatemalans call themselves chapines, and their Spanish is full of words you won't find in a textbook. Here are 300 you'll hear, from the chicken bus to the bar.

Greetings and small talk 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	Buenas	Hi	Buenas, ¿tiene agua pura?Hi, do you have bottled water?	Everyday Short for buenos días or buenas tardes. Say it when you walk into a shop.
2	¿Cómo le va?	How's it going? (polite)	Buenos días, don Luis. ¿Cómo le va?Good morning, Don Luis. How's it going?	Everyday The usted greeting for elders, vendors and hosts. With friends, say ¿cómo te va?
3	¿Qué onda?	What's up?	¿Qué onda, vos? ¿Todo bien?What's up, man? All good?	Casual The default hello between friends. You'll also hear ¿qué ondas?
4	Mucho gusto	Nice to meet you	Mucho gusto, soy Ana. ¿Y usted?Nice to meet you, I'm Ana. And you?	Everyday Say it each time you meet someone. A plain hola can sound too casual.
5	Con mucho gusto	My pleasure, you're welcome	Gracias por el café. Con mucho gusto.Thanks for the coffee. My pleasure.	Everyday The warm reply to gracias. You'll hear it in shops, hotels and homes.
6	Con permiso	Excuse me	Con permiso, ¿me deja pasar?Excuse me, can I get past?	Everyday Say it when you squeeze past someone or get up from a table.
7	Buen provecho	Enjoy your meal	Buen provecho, con permiso.Enjoy your meal, excuse me.	Everyday Say it when you walk past people eating, even strangers in a restaurant.
8	Que le vaya bien	Take care	Gracias por todo, seño. Que le vaya bien.Thanks for everything, ma'am. Take care.	Everyday The polite goodbye to a vendor or a driver. With friends, say que te vaya bien.
9	Adiós pues	Bye then	Bueno, ya me voy. Adiós pues.Well, I'm off. Bye then.	Casual A relaxed goodbye.
10	¿Y vos?	And you?	Bien, gracias. ¿Y vos?Fine, thanks. And you?	Casual Use it with friends. Switch to ¿y usted? with elders and strangers.
11	¿Qué me contás?	What's new?	¿Qué me contás, vos? Hace rato no te veía.What's new with you? I haven't seen you in a while.	Casual Contás is the vos form of cuentas, stressed on the end.
12	¿Qué hacés?	What are you up to?	¿Qué hacés? ¿Vamos por un café?What are you up to? Want to grab a coffee?	Casual Stress the end: ha-CÉS.
13	¿De dónde sos?	Where are you from?	¿De dónde sos vos? ¿De Estados Unidos?Where are you from? The US?	Casual You'll get this question a lot. Sos is the vos form of eres.
14	¿Cómo te llamás?	What's your name?	Hola, ¿cómo te llamás? Yo soy Ana.Hi, what's your name? I'm Ana.	Casual The vos form, stressed on the last syllable.
15	Dos que tres	So-so	¿Cómo está tu abuelita? Dos que tres.How's your grandma? So-so.	Casual Things could be better. Ahí la llevo, I'm getting by, is the other modest answer you'll hear.
16	Compa	Buddy, pal	¿Qué onda, compa? ¿Cómo te fue en el viaje?What's up, buddy? How was the trip?	Casual A warm way to greet a friend. Short for compañero.
17	Disculpe la molestia	Sorry to bother you	Disculpe la molestia, ¿me puede ayudar con la maleta?Sorry to bother you, could you help me with my suitcase?	Formal A very polite opener before you ask a stranger or a host for a favor.
18	¿Me regalás una manita?	Can you give me a hand?	¿Me regalás una manita con las maletas?Can you give me a hand with the bags?	Casual The local way to ask for help. Say ¿me regala una manita? with usted, and you'll also hear ¿me echás una mano?
19	Haceme la campaña	Do me a favor	Haceme la campaña de cuidarme la mochila un ratito.Do me a favor and watch my backpack for a bit.	Casual A friendly way to ask for help. It carries a sense of give and take.
20	Fijate que	So, guess what	Fijate que no pude llegar, se me arruinó el carro.So, I couldn't make it. My car broke down.	Everyday Opens a story or an excuse. Say fíjese with usted.
21	Vieras que	You should see	Vieras qué lindo está el lago hoy.You should see how pretty the lake is today.	Casual Starts a story and grabs attention.
22	Primero Dios	God willing	Nos vemos el lunes, primero Dios.See you Monday, God willing.	Everyday People add it to any plan. You don't need to be religious to say it.
23	Chance	Job	¿En qué chance estás?Where are you working these days?	Casual Any job or gig. Voy al chance means I'm off to work.
24	Aló	Hello (on the phone)	Aló, ¿con quién hablo?Hello, who's speaking?	Everyday How most people answer the phone.

Getting around 35

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
25	¿Cuánto me cobra hasta...?	How much to...?	¿Cuánto me cobra hasta el parque central?How much to the main square?	Everyday Ask before you get in, so the price is set. Rotativo taxis have no meter, so agree a price or take a taxi amarillo or an Uber.
26	¿Me deja en la esquina?	Can you drop me at the corner?	Aquí está bien. ¿Me deja en la esquina?This is fine. Can you drop me at the corner?	Everyday It works in a taxi, an Uber or a microbus. Use usted with drivers.
27	Tuc tuc	Mototaxi	Agarremos un tuc tuc hasta el muelle.Let's take a tuk tuk to the dock.	Everyday 3-wheel taxis in towns and around the lake. Agree on the price before you get in.
28	Camioneta	Chicken bus	¿Esta camioneta va para Antigua?Does this bus go to Antigua?	Everyday The painted old school bus, which locals don't call a chicken bus. In the capital, la burra is the city bus.
29	Shuttle	Tourist van	¿A qué hora sale el shuttle para el lago?What time does the shuttle to the lake leave?	Everyday The tourist minivan between Antigua, the lake and Xela. Your hostel can book it.
30	Pullman	First-class bus	¿A qué hora sale el pullman para Flores?What time does the first-class bus to Flores leave?	Everyday A big coach with set seats, mostly on long runs like Guatemala City to Flores. It costs more, but it's direct.
31	¡Parada, por favor!	Stop, please!	¡Parada, por favor! Aquí me bajo.Stop, please! I'm getting off here.	Everyday Shout it on a bus or a microbus when your stop comes.
32	¿Dónde me bajo?	Where do I get off?	¿Dónde me bajo para el parque central?Where do I get off for the main square?	Everyday Ask the driver or the ayudante. They'll shout when it's your stop.
33	¿Dónde queda...?	Where is...?	Disculpe, ¿dónde queda el mercado?Excuse me, where's the market?	Everyday The usual way to ask where a place is. Start with disculpe to a stranger.
34	Derecho	Straight ahead	Siga derecho 2 cuadras y ahí está.Keep going straight for 2 blocks and it's there.	Everyday Recto means the same. You'll hear it in almost every set of directions.
35	Cuadra	City block	El hotel está a 3 cuadras del parque.The hotel is 3 blocks from the main square.	Everyday People give distances in blocks, not meters.
36	A la vuelta	Around the corner	La farmacia está a la vuelta.The pharmacy is around the corner.	Everyday Short for a la vuelta de la esquina.
37	Ahí nomás	Right there, close by	¿Está lejos el muelle? No, ahí nomás.Is the dock far? No, it's right there.	Casual Nomás makes it close, as in right there. Aquí nomás means right here.
38	¿Está lejos?	Is it far?	¿Está lejos la terminal? ¿Puedo ir caminando?Is the bus station far? Can I walk?	Everyday Ask before you turn down a tuc tuc.
39	¿Dónde está el baño?	Where's the bathroom?	Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño?Excuse me, where's the bathroom?	Everyday Ask it at any café or restaurant. ¿Hay baño? asks if there is one, and signs may say sanitarios.
40	Pasaje	Fare	¿Cuánto es el pasaje a Panajachel?How much is the fare to Panajachel?	Everyday The price of a bus or boat ride.
41	Lancha	Public boat	La lancha a San Pedro sale cada media hora.The boat to San Pedro leaves every half hour.	Everyday How you get around Lake Atitlán.
42	¿Pasa por...?	Does it go past...?	¿Esta camioneta pasa por el mercado?Does this bus go past the market?	Everyday Ask the ayudante before you get on. He'll wave you on or point to the next bus.
43	La directa	Direct bus	¿Esta es la directa a Antigua?Is this the direct bus to Antigua?	Everyday It skips most stops. Ask for it on the Guatemala City to Antigua run.
44	Microbús / micro	Minibus	Agarremos un micro hasta el pueblo de al lado.Let's take a minibus to the next town.	Everyday Vans that run short routes between towns. They leave when they're full.
45	Picop	Pickup truck	No pasa bus, pero hay un picop que va para la aldea.There's no bus, but a pickup is going to the village.	Everyday From the English pickup. In the highlands, people ride in the back of one when no bus runs.
46	Xela	Quetzaltenango	Me voy a estudiar español a Xela.I'm going to study Spanish in Xela.	Everyday Say SHAY-la. Nobody says Quetzaltenango in a chat.
47	Guate	Guatemala City	Mañana me voy para Guate a hacer unos mandados.Tomorrow I'm heading into the city to run some errands.	Everyday What people call the capital, and what ayudantes shout: ¡Guate, Guate! Some say la capi.
48	Zona	City district	Me quedo en zona 1, cerca del parque central.I'm staying in zona 1, near the main square.	Everyday Guatemala City addresses use numbered zonas. Always ask which one.
49	¡Aguas!	Watch out!	¡Aguas con el carro!Watch out for the car!	Casual Aguas con means watch out for. ¡Épale! is the other quick warning you'll hear on busy streets.
50	Ponete trucha	Stay alert	Ponete trucha en la terminal con tu mochila.Stay alert with your backpack at the bus station.	Casual Trucha means sharp and alert, and ponete buzo means the same. Ponete las pilas means try harder.
51	Chotear	To keep an eye on	Choteá mi mochila mientras compro los boletos.Watch my backpack while I buy the tickets.	Slang To watch someone or something.
52	Me asaltaron	I got robbed	Me asaltaron en la camioneta. ¿Dónde está la policía?I got robbed on the bus. Where are the police?	Everyday Say it to the police or your hotel. Don't fight back, since phones and cash can be replaced.
53	Bajar el celular	To steal a phone	Guardá el teléfono, que aquí te bajan el celular.Put your phone away, they'll steal it here.	Slang Here bajar means to steal. Phone theft is the most common crime, so keep yours out of sight on buses.
54	Ayudante	Bus helper	El ayudante subió mi mochila al techo.The helper put my backpack on the roof.	Everyday He collects fares and shouts the route. In slang he's the brocha.
55	Piloto	Driver	El piloto maneja rapidísimo en las curvas.The driver goes really fast on the curves.	Everyday The bus or car driver, as well as an airline pilot.
56	Dar jalón	To give a ride	¿Me das jalón a la terminal? Te invito un café.Can you give me a ride to the bus station? I'll buy you a coffee.	Casual A free lift in someone's car. Pedir jalón means to ask for one.
57	Transmetro	City rapid bus	¿Dónde agarro el Transmetro para la zona 1?Where do I catch the Transmetro to zona 1?	Everyday The city bus that runs in its own lane in Guatemala City. It stops at closed stations, so you board there.
58	Túmulo	Speed bump	Bajale, que viene un túmulo.Slow down, there's a speed bump coming.	Everyday You'll feel plenty of them on the bus.
59	Parqueo	Parking lot	¿El hotel tiene parqueo?Does the hotel have parking?	Everyday The local word for estacionamiento.

Food and drink 38

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
60	Agua pura	Bottled water	Un agua pura bien fría, por favor.A cold bottled water, please.	Everyday Ask for it by name, since un agua can mean a soda. Don't drink the tap water.
61	¿Qué me recomienda?	What do you recommend?	Es mi primera vez aquí. ¿Qué me recomienda?It's my first time here. What do you recommend?	Everyday Ask the waiter or the cook. Use usted.
62	Para llevar	To go	Dos shucos para llevar, por favor.2 shucos to go, please.	Everyday The first question at any counter or street cart. For here is para comer aquí.
63	¿Pica?	Is it spicy?	¿Pica esta salsa o es suave?Is this sauce spicy or mild?	Everyday Ask before you add salsa to anything.
64	Sin hielo	No ice	Una limonada sin hielo, por favor.A lemonade with no ice, please.	Everyday Ask for it when you're not sure the ice was made with safe water.
65	Pajilla	Drinking straw	Una limonada sin pajilla, por favor.A lemonade with no straw, please.	Everyday Ask for one, or say sin pajilla. Most other countries say pajita.
66	¡Qué rico!	It's delicious!	¡Qué rico el pepián, seño!The pepián is delicious, ma'am!	Everyday Praise the food at a host's table or a comedor. Está riquísimo means it's so good.
67	¿Me regala la cuenta?	Can I get the bill?	Muchas gracias, todo muy rico. ¿Me regala la cuenta?Thanks so much, it was all delicious. Can I get the bill?	Everyday The local way to ask for the bill. ¿Me trae la cuenta? works too.
68	Una mi...	A ... for me	¿Me da una mi tacita de café?Could I get a little cup of coffee?	Everyday Una plus a possessive sounds warm and very local.
69	Comedor	Cheap local eatery	Almorzamos en un comedor del mercado por 25 quetzales.We had lunch at a market eatery for 25 quetzales.	Everyday A small family place with a set lunch. It's the cheapest hot meal in town.
70	Kak'ik	Spicy turkey soup	¿Hoy hay kak'ik? Me dijeron que es de Cobán.Is there kak'ik today? They told me it's from Cobán.	Everyday A red, spicy turkey broth from before the Spanish came. Cobán is famous for it.
71	Frijoles volteados	Refried black beans	Los frijoles volteados vienen con todo.Refried beans come with everything.	Everyday Black beans mashed and fried until thick. Volteado means turned over.
72	Shuco	Guatemalan hot dog	Comamos unos shucos en la esquina.Let's eat some shucos on the corner.	Everyday A loaded hot dog with guacamole and cabbage. As an adjective, shuco means dirty.
73	Mixta	Hot dog in a tortilla	Una mixta con todo, por favor.A mixta with everything, please.	Everyday A sausage rolled in a tortilla with guacamole and cabbage. The shuco carts sell both.
74	Guacamol	Guacamole	¿El shuco trae guacamol?Does the shuco come with guacamole?	Everyday Guatemalans drop the final e. It's a sauce of mashed avocado, lime, onion and oregano.
75	Tamal / tamales	Tamale	En Navidad mi abuela hace tamales colorados.At Christmas my grandma makes red tamales.	Everyday Corn dough with meat and sauce, wrapped in a banana leaf. Families make big batches at Christmas and on holidays.
76	Chuchito	Small tamal	Deme 2 chuchitos con salsa, por favor.Give me 2 chuchitos with sauce, please.	Everyday Corn dough with meat and tomato sauce, wrapped in a corn husk.
77	Refacción / refa	Snack break	A las 10 hacemos la refa en la oficina.At 10 we have our snack break at the office.	Everyday A light meal between meals. Refa is the casual version.
78	Boquitas	Bar snacks	¿Qué boquitas hay con la cerveza?What snacks come with the beer?	Everyday Small bites with drinks. Many bars bring them free.
79	Pan con pollo	Chicken sandwich	La señora del bus vende pan con pollo.The lady on the bus sells chicken sandwiches.	Everyday Vendors sell it on buses and outside churches.
80	Papalinas	Potato chips	Me comí unas papalinas con salsa.I ate some potato chips with sauce.	Everyday Thin potato chips, often from a street cart with ketchup, mayo and hot sauce.
81	Campero	Fried-chicken chain	Vamos a Campero, que traigo antojo.Let's go to Campero, I'm craving it.	Everyday Guatemala's fried-chicken chain, open since 1971. Locals carry boxes of it on flights.
82	Rellenito	Stuffed plantain	Los rellenitos de frijol son mi postre favorito.Bean rellenitos are my favorite dessert.	Everyday Sweet plantain dough filled with beans and dusted with sugar.
83	Pepián	Spiced meat stew	El pepián de mi abuela es el mejor.My grandma's pepián is the best.	Everyday A thick stew in a roasted spice sauce. Guatemala named it part of its cultural heritage.
84	Recado	Thick stew sauce	El pollo en recado es mi platillo favorito.Chicken in recado is my favorite dish.	Everyday A thick, spiced sauce for meat. You'll see pollo en recado on menus.
85	Garnachas	Fried tortilla bites	Pedimos garnachas de entrada.We ordered garnachas as a starter.	Everyday Small fried tortillas topped with meat, cabbage and salsa.
86	Chirmol	Tomato salsa	Ponele chirmol a la carne.Put some chirmol on the meat.	Everyday A roasted tomato salsa for grilled meat. It can also mean a mess or a tangle.
87	Chiltepe	Tiny hot chile	Ojo, que el chiltepe pica bastante.Careful, chiltepe is really hot.	Everyday A small round chile. A little goes a long way.
88	Güisquil	Chayote squash	El caldo trae güisquil y zanahoria.The soup comes with chayote and carrot.	Everyday A pale green squash in soups and stews. Most countries call it chayote.
89	Licuado	Smoothie	Un licuado de banano con leche, por favor.A banana smoothie with milk, please.	Everyday Fruit blended with milk or water. Banano is the local word for banana.
90	Atol de elote	Sweet corn drink	En la feria compramos atol de elote.We bought corn atol at the fair.	Everyday A warm, thick drink made from fresh corn.
91	Atol shuco	Sour corn drink	Aquí la gente toma el atol shuco bien caliente.People here drink atol shuco very hot.	Everyday A dark, slightly sour corn drink. The name means dirty atol.
92	Mosh	Oatmeal	Desayuné mosh con canela.I had oatmeal with cinnamon for breakfast.	Everyday Avena on menus, mosh at home.
93	Poporopos	Popcorn	Compremos poporopos para la película.Let's buy popcorn for the movie.	Everyday The local word for palomitas.
94	Alboroto	Popcorn ball	Mi tía vende alborotos en el mercado.My aunt sells popcorn balls at the market.	Everyday Popcorn rolled in caramel or honey.
95	Chupete	Lollipop	Le compré un chupete de fresa al patojo.I bought the kid a strawberry lollipop.	Everyday In many other countries a chupete is a baby's pacifier.
96	Pache	Potato tamal	En el parque venden paches bien calientes.They sell hot paches in the park.	Everyday Like a tamal, but the dough is made from mashed potato.
97	Fiambre	Fiambre salad	El 1 de noviembre toda la familia come fiambre.On November 1 the whole family eats fiambre.	Everyday A giant cold salad with dozens of meats and veggies. Families make it for All Saints' Day.

Money and shopping 27

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
98	¿A cómo? / ¿A cómo es?	How much?	¿A cómo los tomates?How much are the tomatoes?	Everyday The standard price question at a market stall. Point and ask.
99	Regáleme	Can I get, sell me	Regáleme 2 libras de tomate.Can I get 2 pounds of tomatoes?	Everyday Literally give me as a gift, but you still pay. Very polite and very local.
100	¿Cuánto es lo menos?	What's your lowest price?	Está bonito. ¿Cuánto es lo menos?It's pretty. What's your lowest price?	Everyday A direct haggle, blunter than ¿a cuánto me lo deja? ¿Cuánto es lo último? asks for the final price.
101	¿A cuánto me lo deja?	What price will you give me?	¿A cuánto me lo deja si me llevo 2?What's your price if I take 2?	Everyday A softer way to start bargaining.
102	¿Me hace un descuentito?	Can you give me a little discount?	Me llevo 3. ¿Me hace un descuentito?I'll take 3. Can you give me a little discount?	Everyday The small -ito makes it friendly. It works best when you buy more than 1.
103	Está caro	It's expensive	Está caro, seño. ¿Cuánto es lo menos?That's expensive, ma'am. What's your lowest price?	Everyday Say it with a smile to start a haggle.
104	¿Aceptan tarjeta?	Do you take cards?	¿Aceptan tarjeta o solo efectivo?Do you take cards, or cash only?	Everyday Markets, buses and small shops want cash. Ask before you order.
105	Quetzales	Guatemala's currency	Son 35 quetzales, joven.It's 35 quetzales, young man.	Everyday Prices show Q, so Q35 means 35 quetzales. Locals often just say 35.
106	Pisto	Money	No traigo pisto, ¿me prestás 50?I don't have any money on me, can you lend me 50?	Slang The most common word for money. Plata works too, as across Latin America.
107	Cajero	ATM	¿Hay un cajero cerca? Necesito sacar pisto.Is there an ATM nearby? I need to get some cash.	Everyday Short for cajero automático. Use one inside a bank or a mall.
108	Sencillo	Small change	¿Tiene sencillo? Solo traigo un billete de 100.Do you have change? I only have a 100 bill.	Everyday Carry coins and small bills for buses and markets.
109	Len / lenes	Cents, coins	No traigo ni un len.I don't have a cent on me.	Casual A len is a quetzal cent. Older people call coins lenes.
110	Vuelto	Change	Aquí está su vuelto.Here's your change.	Everyday Small shops and markets say vuelto more than cambio.
111	Ver la cara	To rip someone off	Te vieron la cara de gringo, eso cuesta 20.They saw a tourist coming, that costs 20.	Casual To fool or overcharge someone. Te vieron la cara de gringo means they raised the price because you're a foreigner.
112	Vara / bara	1 quetzal	Me costó 20 varas.It cost me 20 bucks.	Slang Like saying bucks.
113	¿Me lo fía?	Can I pay later?	Don Beto, ¿me lo fía hasta el viernes?Don Beto, can I pay you on Friday?	Casual Ask only a shopkeeper who knows you. Don't ask a stranger.
114	Abarrotería	Grocery shop	Comprá el agua pura en la abarrotería.Buy the bottled water at the corner shop.	Everyday A small shop for basics. People also say la tienda.
115	Codo	Stingy	No seás codo, invitá una ronda.Don't be stingy, buy a round.	Casual For someone who hates to spend.
116	Paca	Used clothes store	Compré esta chumpa en la paca por 25.I got this jacket at the thrift store for 25.	Everyday Shops that sell used clothes from the US. Great for cheap layers in the highlands.
117	Chumpa	Jacket	Llevate una chumpa, en Xela hace frío.Bring a jacket, it's cold in Xela.	Everyday You'll need one in the highlands at night.
118	Chamarra	Blanket	¿Me da otra chamarra? En la noche hace frío.Can I get another blanket? It's cold at night.	Everyday A thick wool blanket. In Mexico a chamarra is a jacket, which here is a chumpa.
119	Güipil	Maya blouse	Ese güipil es de Santiago Atitlán.That huipil is from Santiago Atitlán.	Everyday A woven blouse, and each town has its own design. You'll also see huipil.
120	Corte	Maya skirt	Las señoras usan corte y güipil.The women wear a corte and a huipil.	Everyday A long, wrapped woven skirt worn by Maya women.
121	Caites	Sandals	Anduve en caites por todo el pueblo.I walked around the whole town in sandals.	Casual Simple sandals, often leather or rubber.
122	Playera	T-shirt	Compré una playera de la Selección.I bought a national team T-shirt.	Everyday A T-shirt, even though it sounds like a beach word.
123	Marchanta / marchante	Market vendor, regular customer	Marchanta, ¿a cómo el aguacate?Ma'am, how much is the avocado?	Everyday What market vendors and their regulars call each other. Use it with a vendor you buy from often.
124	Coperacha	Whip-round	Hagamos una coperacha para el pastel de Luis.Let's chip in for Luis's cake.	Casual Friends pool money for a gift, a cake or the gas. Hacer una vaquita means the same, and you'll hear it more in the city.

Bars and going out 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
125	¡Salud!	Cheers!	¡Salud, muchá! Por el viaje.Cheers, guys! To the trip.	Everyday The toast before the first sip.
126	Chela	Beer	¿Nos echamos unas chelas?Shall we have a few beers?	Slang The everyday word for beer with friends.
127	Una Gallo	A Gallo beer	Una Gallo bien fría, por favor.An ice-cold Gallo, please.	Everyday Gallo is the national beer. Order it by name and you sound local.
128	Te invito	It's on me	Te invito una chela, vos pagaste ayer.The beer's on me, you paid yesterday.	Everyday It means you're paying. When someone says it to you, they're treating you.
129	¿Otra ronda?	Another round?	¿Otra ronda? Esta la invito yo.Another round? This one's on me.	Everyday Otra Gallo, por favor gets you just 1 more beer.
130	Una Quetzalteca	A Quetzalteca liquor	Una Quetzalteca con limón para empezar.A Quetzalteca with lime to start.	Everyday The cheap cane aguardiente that bars and corner shops sell. It's strong, so sip it.
131	Pichel	Pitcher	Un pichel de cerveza para la mesa, por favor.A pitcher of beer for the table, please.	Everyday Also for water or lemonade.
132	Cantina	Local bar	Esa cantina abre desde las 10 de la mañana.That bar opens at 10 in the morning.	Everyday A cheap, old-school bar. Expect loud music and boquitas.
133	Guaro	Liquor	Ese guaro está fuertísimo.That liquor is super strong.	Slang Cane liquor, or any hard drink.
134	Cusha	Moonshine	En la feria vendían cusha.They were selling moonshine at the fair.	Slang Strong homemade liquor. Go easy on it.
135	Chupar	To drink (alcohol)	El sábado nos vamos a chupar.On Saturday we're going drinking.	Slang Here chupar means to drink, usually a lot.
136	Bolo / bola	Drunk	Ya estás bolo, mejor te llevo a tu casa.You're drunk already, I'd better take you home.	Slang Also a noun, so un bolo is a drunk.
137	A moronga	Wasted	Salió a moronga de la fiesta.He left the party wasted.	Vulgar Ponerse a moronga means to get wasted. Keep it to close friends, since moronga is also a crude word for penis.
138	Goma	Hangover	Tengo una goma terrible.I have a terrible hangover.	Slang Estar de goma means to be hungover.
139	Aguado	Watered down	Este guaro está aguado.This liquor is watered down.	Casual Weak or thinned with water. Some people say aguadado.
140	Toque	Gig, party	Hay un toque de rock en la zona 1.There's a rock gig in zona 1.	Slang A live music show or a party.
141	Rola	Song	¡Esa rola me encanta! Subile el volumen.I love that song! Turn it up.	Slang Any song. It came from Mexico, and Guatemalans say canción more often.
142	Parrandeada	Night out	Nos dimos una parrandeada en Antigua.We had a big night out in Antigua.	Casual A long night of partying.
143	Chompipe de la fiesta	Scapegoat	A Luis siempre le toca ser el chompipe de la fiesta.Luis always gets the blame.	Casual The person who takes the blame so others get off. Chompipe means turkey. More common in the countryside.
144	Echar el buitre	To throw up	Tomó tanto que echó el buitre en el baño.He drank so much he threw up in the bathroom.	Slang Literally to toss the vulture.
145	Bochinche	Ruckus	Se armó un bochinche en la fiesta.A big ruckus broke out at the party.	Casual Noise, chaos or a fight. It can also mean a lie or gossip.

Friends and people 29

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
146	Vos	You (informal)	Vos sos de Xela, ¿verdad?You're from Xela, right?	Casual The friendly you. Use it with friends and usted with elders and strangers.
147	Muchá	Guys	Muchá, ¿quién quiere ir al lago?Guys, who wants to go to the lake?	Casual Short for muchachos. Use it to get a group's attention.
148	Gringo / gringa	Foreigner, American	Mirá, ahí vienen unos gringos al mercado.Look, some foreigners are coming to the market.	Casual What vendors, ayudantes and kids will call you on day 1. It's a neutral word for a foreigner, often an American.
149	Canche	Blond, fair-skinned	Ahí viene la canche.Here comes the blonde girl.	Casual Also a nickname. If you're fair, people will call you canche, and it's friendly.
150	Don / doña	Sir, ma'am (before a name)	Buenos días, doña Marta. ¿Ya hay tortillas?Good morning, Doña Marta. Are the tortillas ready?	Everyday Put it before the first name of an older person. It shows respect in markets, shops and homes.
151	Seño	Ma'am, miss	Seño, ¿me da 2 aguacates?Ma'am, can I have 2 avocados?	Everyday Use it with market vendors, waitresses and teachers.
152	Joven	Young man, excuse me	Joven, ¿cuánto es el pasaje a Xela?Excuse me, how much is the fare to Xela?	Everyday How you call a waiter, a driver or an ayudante, even one who isn't young.
153	Mano / mana	Buddy, bro	¿Qué onda, mano? ¿Cómo andás?What's up, bro? How are you doing?	Casual Short for hermano. Use it with a friend.
154	Buena onda	Cool, nice (person)	Tu amiga es bien buena onda.Your friend is really nice.	Casual A warm, easygoing person. Mala onda is the opposite.
155	Chamusca	Pickup soccer game	¿Jugamos una chamusca en la cancha?Want to play a pickup game on the field?	Casual A friendly game between friends. Say yes, and you'll make friends fast.
156	Patojo / patoja	Kid, young person	Los patojos están jugando fútbol en la calle.The kids are playing soccer in the street.	Casual A kid, teen or young adult. You'll hear it constantly.
157	Chapín / chapina	Guatemalan	Soy chapina, nacida en la capi.I'm Guatemalan, born in the city.	Everyday What Guatemalans proudly call themselves.
158	Mara	Crowd, group of friends	Toda la mara va a la fiesta.The whole crew is going to the party.	Slang Your group of friends. ¡Qué maral! means what a crowd. In the news, mara also means a street gang.
159	Maje	Fool, sucker	No seás maje, te están viendo la cara.Don't be a sucker, they're ripping you off.	Slang Hacerse el maje means to play dumb. In El Salvador and Honduras it means dude, so you'll hear both.
160	Mamado	Ripped, buff	Ese tipo está bien mamado.That guy is really ripped.	Slang Strong and muscular.
161	Cerote	Dude (between close friends)	¿Qué onda, cerote? ¿Todo bien?What's up, dude? All good?	Vulgar Literally a lump of poop. Close friends use it warmly, but don't try it yourself.
162	Colocho / colocha	Curly-haired	El colocho de la tienda es mi primo.The curly-haired guy at the shop is my cousin.	Casual Curly hair, or a nickname for someone who has it.
163	Seco	Skinny	El seco se comió 3 shucos y sigue con hambre.Skinny here ate 3 shucos and he's still hungry.	Casual A friendly nickname for a thin person.
164	Chispudo / chispuda	Sharp, quick	Tu hija es bien chispuda para los números.Your daughter is really sharp with numbers.	Casual A compliment for a quick mind.
165	Buzo	Sharp, capable person	Ese patojo es bien buzo para las computadoras.That kid is a whiz with computers.	Casual Someone who's really good at something. Literally a diver.
166	Mijo / mija	Son, honey	Vení, mijo, ya está la comida.Come here, honey, food's ready.	Casual From mi hijo. Older people call young people this.
167	Tata	Dad, grandpa	Mi tata trabaja en el campo.My dad works in the fields.	Casual Dad, or a respectful word for an older man.
168	Nana	Mom	Le voy a llevar flores a mi nana.I'm taking flowers to my mom.	Casual Mom, especially in small towns.
169	Chirís	Little kid	Ese chirís no deja de llorar.That little kid won't stop crying.	Casual A small child. Use it for babies and young kids.
170	Güiro	Kid	Los güiros están jugando en el parque.The kids are playing in the park.	Casual Any child or young person. You'll hear it a lot from parents.
171	Ishto / ishta	Kid (a slur)	No le digás ishto al patojo, es ofensivo.Don't call the kid ishto, it's offensive.	Vulgar A slur, from a racist word for indigenous people. Know it, but don't use it.
172	Chafa	Soldier (mocking)	Había un retén de chafas en la carretera.There was a checkpoint of soldiers on the road.	Slang A scornful word for a soldier, so never say it to one. Chafa also means cheap, as in Mexico.
173	Chonte	Cop	Ojo, que ahí están los chontes.Careful, the cops are over there.	Slang A mocking word for police. Never say it to an officer.
174	Cachureco / cachureca	Showy churchgoer	Mi tía es bien cachureca, va a misa todos los días.My aunt is super churchy, she goes to Mass every day.	Casual A devout Catholic, or one who shows it off. Mild teasing.

Reactions and feelings 23

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
175	¡Qué chilero!	How cool!	¡Qué chilera tu chumpa!Your jacket is so cool!	Casual Chilero means cool or pretty, and chilera goes with feminine words. Chilerear means to make something look nice, or to show it off.
176	¡Púchica!	Wow! Darn!	¡Púchica, se me olvidó el pasaporte!Darn, I forgot my passport!	Casual A soft swear for surprise, joy or annoyance. ¡La gran púchica! is stronger, and ¡puchis! is lighter.
177	No hay clavo	No problem	¿Llegás tarde? No hay clavo.You're running late? No problem.	Casual The local way to say no problem.
178	Ni modo	Oh well	Se llenó la lancha. Ni modo, esperamos la otra.The boat filled up. Oh well, we'll wait for the next one.	Everyday For what you can't change.
179	Está chiche	It's easy	Subir ese cerro está chiche.Climbing that hill is easy.	Slang Chiche means easy, and it's also a crude word for breast. Your tone and the context decide which one people hear.
180	Está yuca	It's tough	Ese examen está yuca.That exam is tough.	Slang Yuca means hard here.
181	¡Qué pena!	How embarrassing! Sorry!	¡Qué pena! Te pisé.Sorry! I stepped on you.	Everyday Here pena means embarrassment more than sadness.
182	¡Chish!	Yuck!	¡Chish! No toqués eso, está sucio.Yuck! Don't touch that, it's dirty.	Casual Pure disgust. Parents say it to kids who reach for something gross, and it can also show scorn at a person.
183	¡A la gran!	No way! Wow!	¡A la gran! ¿Subiste el Acatenango en un día?No way! You climbed Acatenango in a day?	Casual Short for ¡a la gran púchica! Safe almost anywhere.
184	Encachimbado / encachimbada	Furious	No le hablés, anda encachimbado desde la mañana.Don't talk to him, he's been furious since this morning.	Slang Really angry, a step up from estar bravo.
185	Hijueputa	Jerk, son of a bitch	Ese hijueputa me cortó el paso en la camioneta.That jerk cut me off on the bus.	Vulgar You'll hear it on buses and in bars. It's a strong insult. Know it, but don't say it.
186	¡A su mecha!	Whoa!	¡A su mecha, qué grande está el volcán!Whoa, the volcano is huge!	Casual Amazement.
187	¡Qué de a sombrero!	How awesome! What nerve!	¡Qué de a sombrero te quedó la foto!Your photo came out awesome!	Casual Praise, as in the example. To someone who pushes their luck, it means what nerve: ¿Todavía querés más? ¡Qué de a sombrero!
188	¡Calidá!	Great!	¿Mañana vamos al volcán? ¡Calidá!We're going to the volcano tomorrow? Great!	Slang From calidad. It sounds young and upbeat.
189	¡Qué galán!	How nice! Great!	¡Qué galán que viniste!How nice that you came!	Casual Here galán means good or nice, not just handsome. You'll hear it from all ages.
190	De chiripa	By a fluke	Agarré la última camioneta de chiripa.I caught the last bus by sheer luck.	Casual Pure luck. Also heard across Latin America.
191	¡Adiós mis flores!	There it goes!	Se me cayó el celular al lago. ¡Adiós mis flores!My phone fell in the lake. Goodbye to that!	Casual For a loss or a ruined plan.
192	¡Qué clavo!	What a mess!	¡Qué clavo! Perdí las llaves del hotel.What a mess! I lost the hotel keys.	Casual For a problem or an embarrassing moment. Bien clavado means really tough, and sacar el clavo means to make up for a slip.
193	¡Qué pijudo!	How awesome!	¡Qué pijudo estuvo el concierto anoche!The concert last night was awesome!	Vulgar Very common among friends and young people. It comes from pija, so don't say it to elders or strangers. A pijazo is a hard hit or a bad crash.
194	Engasado / engasada	Hooked, really into it	Estoy bien engasado con esa serie.I'm totally hooked on that show.	Casual Hooked on a thing, a hobby or a person.
195	Estar bravo	To be angry	Mi papá está bravo porque llegué tarde.My dad is angry because I got home late.	Everyday Bravo means angry here.
196	¡Qué pacaya!	What a pain!	Se llenó el shuttle. ¡Qué pacaya!The shuttle filled up. What a pain!	Slang A hassle or a chore. Pacaya is also the name of a volcano near Antigua.
197	Chivearse	To get shy	Se chiveó cuando le pidieron que cantara.He got all shy when they asked him to sing.	Casual To feel embarrassed or bashful.

Fillers and everyday words 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
198	Va pues	OK then	¿Nos vemos a las 8? Va pues.See you at 8? OK then.	Casual The go-to yes to a plan.
199	¿Va'a?	Right?	Está bien chilero, ¿va'a?It's really cool, right?	Slang Squeezed from ¿verdad? Tag it onto the end of a sentence.
200	Cachar	To catch (in the act)	Lo cacharon copiando en el examen.They caught him cheating on the exam.	Casual It can also mean to understand, as in ¿cachaste?
201	Cabal	Exactly	¿Salimos a las 6? Cabal.We leave at 6? Exactly.	Casual Exactly right, you got it.
202	Chipi chipi	Drizzle	Llevá chumpa, está cayendo un chipi chipi.Bring a jacket, it's drizzling.	Everyday A light, steady rain.
203	Agarrar la onda	To get it	¿Agarraste la onda o te lo explico otra vez?Did you get it, or should I explain again?	Casual To catch on.
204	¡Sho!	Shh! Hey!	¡Sho! Que está hablando el guía.Shh! The guide is talking.	Casual Means quiet, and it can also grab attention. Only use it with friends.
205	Chunche	Thingamajig	Pasame ese chunche de allá.Pass me that thing over there.	Casual Any object when the name escapes you.
206	Cuenterete	Thingamajig	¿Para qué sirve este cuenterete?What's this thing for?	Casual For any object whose name you forget. Use it like chunche.
207	Chivas	Stuff	Agarrá tus chivas, ya nos vamos.Grab your stuff, we're leaving.	Casual Your belongings.
208	Pachón	Water bottle	Llená tu pachón antes de subir el volcán.Fill your water bottle before you hike the volcano.	Everyday Any reusable water bottle.
209	Cachito	A little bit	Echale un cachito de azúcar.Add a little bit of sugar.	Everyday A small amount.
210	Un cachimbo	A ton	Había un cachimbo de gente en el mercado.There were a ton of people at the market.	Slang A huge amount. The crude version is un vergo, so keep that one to friends.
211	Güirigüiri	Idle chatter	No le hagás caso, es puro güirigüiri.Don't listen to him, it's all idle chatter.	Casual Long talk with nothing in it, or gossip.
212	Chapuz	Patch job	Le hicieron un chapuz a la llanta, pero aguanta.They patched the tire, but it holds.	Casual A quick, temporary fix. Often a sloppy one.
213	Apachar	To press, to squash	Apachá el botón para abrir la puerta.Press the button to open the door.	Everyday To push a button or squash something.
214	Talegazo	Hard knock	Me di un talegazo con la puerta del bus.I banged myself hard on the bus door.	Casual A hard hit or a bad fall.
215	Shola	Head	Me duele la shola de tanto sol.My head hurts from all the sun.	Slang A playful word for your head.
216	Chingaste	Dregs, leftovers	No te tomés el chingaste del café.Don't drink the coffee grounds.	Casual The grounds at the bottom of a cup, or scraps of anything.
217	Paja	Lie	Eso que te dijo es pura paja.What he told you is a total lie.	Slang Here paja means a lie. In other countries it's a crude word, so be careful abroad.
218	Írsele el pájaro	To lose your train of thought	Perdón, se me fue el pájaro. ¿Qué te decía?Sorry, I lost my train of thought. What was I saying?	Casual Like a bird flying off with the idea.
219	Somatar	To throw hard, to slam	No somatés la puerta, que el bebé está dormido.Don't slam the door, the baby's asleep.	Casual To throw or bang something down with force.
220	Chucho	Dog	Ese chucho ladra toda la noche.That dog barks all night.	Everyday Any dog, often a street dog. Ser chucho also means to be stingy, as in no seás chucho.
221	Ya mero	Almost, in a moment	Ya mero llego, estoy en el Transmetro.I'll be there in a moment, I'm on the Transmetro.	Everyday Also said ya merito, which sounds softer.

Time and plans 16

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
222	Ahorita	In a bit, right now	Ahorita vengo, voy a la tienda.I'll be right back, I'm going to the shop.	Casual It can mean now or in 2 hours, so ask. Ahorititita, with extra ti, means this very second.
223	Al rato	Later	Al rato te llamo, ahorita estoy manejando.I'll call you later, I'm driving right now.	Casual Some time later today. Don't count on a set time.
224	Un ratito	A little while	Esperame un ratito, ya salgo.Wait a little while, I'm coming out.	Everyday Anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour.
225	Hecho pistola	In a flash, super fast	Salió hecho pistola para no perder la camioneta.He shot out of there so he wouldn't miss the bus.	Slang Moving or doing something in a big hurry.
226	Al chilazo	Right away	Llego al chilazo, estoy cerca.I'll be there right away, I'm close.	Slang Super fast.
227	Chanín, chanín	Quick, quick!	¡Chanín, chanín, que ya sale la camioneta!Quick, quick, the bus is leaving!	Casual Say it to hurry someone up.
228	Dos migueles	2 minutes	Dame dos migueles y ya bajo.Give me 2 minutes and I'll be right down.	Slang Migueles means minutes. A playful way to ask for a moment.
229	Media vez	As soon as	Media vez llegués, me avisás.As soon as you get there, let me know.	Everyday Means as soon as and comes before a verb.
230	La hora chapina	Guatemalan time	Dijeron a las 8, pero con la hora chapina empezamos a las 9.They said 8, but on Guatemalan time we started at 9.	Casual The joke that events start late. Plan for it.
231	¡Jalemos!	Let's go!	Ya es hora, ¡jalemos!It's time, let's go!	Slang Let's hit the road. Jalar also means to work, as in la ducha no jala.
232	Convivio	Party, get-together	El convivio de la oficina es el viernes.The office party is on Friday.	Everyday A group party, like a Christmas party at work.
233	Echarse un cuaje	To take a nap	Me voy a echar un cuaje antes de salir.I'm going to take a nap before we go out.	Casual A siesta.
234	Fondeado	Fast asleep	Se quedó fondeado en la camioneta.He fell fast asleep on the bus.	Slang Out cold.
235	De peluche	Easy, smooth	El examen estuvo de peluche.The exam was a piece of cake.	Slang Easy or smooth. Mexicans say it too. Street use
236	Metele un timbrazo	Give them a call	Metele un timbrazo a Luis para ver si viene.Give Luis a call to see if he's coming.	Slang A quick phone call.
237	Cargar con los tanates	To pack up and leave	Cargué con mis tanates y me fui a Xela.I packed up my stuff and moved to Xela.	Casual Tanates are bundles of belongings.

Teasing and insults 25

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
238	Baboso / babosa	Idiot, fool	¡No seás baboso, ese bus va para el otro lado!Don't be an idiot, that bus goes the other way!	Casual The most common mild insult, said with a laugh between friends. A babosada is nonsense or a cheap trinket.
239	Mula	Dummy	¡Qué mula! Dejé el pasaporte en el hotel.What a dummy! I left my passport at the hotel.	Casual Fine for laughing at yourself. Molleja, literally a gizzard, is just as soft.
240	Shute	Nosy	No seás shute, no es tu asunto.Don't be nosy, it's none of your business.	Casual A busybody. Mild teasing.
241	Culebra	Suck-up	Manuel es bien culebra con el jefe.Manuel is such a suck-up with the boss.	Casual Someone who flatters to get ahead. You'll also hear arrastrado, and lamber means to suck up.
242	Pedorro / pedorra	Show-off, smug	No seás pedorro, ya todos vimos tu celular nuevo.Don't be such a show-off, we've all seen your new phone.	Slang Someone who acts superior. It can also mean annoying, and literally it means farty.
243	Caquero	Snob	Se volvió bien caquero desde que vive en zona 10.He got really snobby since he moved to zona 10.	Slang Someone who acts posh and only likes pricey things.
244	Fanfa	Bragger	No seás fanfa, nadie te preguntó.Don't brag, nobody asked you.	Slang From fanfarrón.
245	Bagre	Ugly	Ese carro está bien bagre.That car is really ugly.	Slang Literally catfish. Ugly or poor quality, and rude about people.
246	Pendejo / pendeja	Idiot, jerk	Ese pendejo se me metió en la fila.That idiot cut in front of me in line.	Vulgar Much stronger than baboso. Don't say it to someone you don't know.
247	Pisado / pisada	Jerk, lowlife	No seás pisado, devolvele su pisto.Don't be a jerk, give him back his money.	Slang A common insult. Estar pisado means to be in a jam, as in estoy bien pisado.
248	Pura lata	Bad people, a nasty lot	No te juntés con ellos, son pura lata.Don't hang out with them, they're bad news.	Slang For people you should keep away from.
249	Alagartado	Greedy eater	No seás alagartado, dejá algo para los demás.Don't be greedy, leave some for everyone else.	Casual Someone who wolfs food down like a lizard.
250	Cuerudo	Shameless	Es bien cuerudo, no le importa lo que digan.He's so shameless, he doesn't care what people say.	Slang Someone criticism bounces off.
251	Choco	Half-blind	¿Estás choco? Ahí está el letrero.Are you blind? The sign's right there.	Casual Teasing for someone who misses the obvious.
252	Cholco / sholco	Toothless	Mi abuelo está cholco, pero no deja de sonreír.My grandpa has no teeth, but he never stops smiling.	Casual Missing teeth. People tease kids who lose their baby teeth with it.
253	Chambón	Clumsy, sloppy	Qué chambón, se te cayó todo.So clumsy, you dropped everything.	Casual Bad at a task or careless.
254	Trompudo	Sulky	¿Por qué estás trompudo?Why are you sulking?	Casual Pouting or in a bad mood. From trompa, a snout.
255	Pelar	To gossip	Se la pasan pelando a la vecina.They spend all day gossiping about the neighbor.	Casual To talk about someone behind their back.
256	Shumo	Low-class, trashy	Qué shumo, tiró la basura en la calle.How trashy, he threw his garbage in the street.	Vulgar A classist slur. Know it, but don't use it.
257	Muco / muca	Low-class, tacky	Qué muco, puso su música a todo volumen en el bus.So tacky, he blasted his music on the bus.	Vulgar A classist slur, close to shumo. Know it, but don't use it.
258	¿Cómo te quedó el ojo?	How do you like that?	¡Gol! ¿Cómo te quedó el ojo?Goal! How do you like that?	Casual Trash talk after you win.
259	Chamarreada	A thrashing (in a game)	¡Qué chamarreada les dimos, 5 a 0!We thrashed them, 5 to 0!	Casual A big win or a heavy loss in sports.
260	No chingués	Stop messing around	No chingués, devolveme el celular.Stop messing around, give me back my phone.	Vulgar Chingar means to bother here. A strong word, so friends only.
261	No fregués	Quit bugging me	No fregués, ya te dije que no.Quit bugging me, I already said no.	Casual The mild version of no chingués. Say no friegue with usted.
262	Mashcuil	Stubborn	No seás mashcuil, ya aceptá que nos perdimos.Don't be so stubborn, just admit we're lost.	Casual Someone who won't change their mind.

Love and flirting 19

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
263	Me caés bien	I like you (as a friend)	Me caés bien, sos bien buena onda.I like you, you're really cool.	Casual Friendly liking. Caés is the vos form.
264	Me gustás	I like you	Me gustás desde que te conocí.I've liked you since I met you.	Casual The vos form of me gustas. Stress the end.
265	Echar los perros	To hit on someone	Le está echando los perros a la mesera.He's hitting on the waitress.	Casual To flirt with and chase someone.
266	Jalar	To date, to go out with	¿Vos jalás con Ana o solo son cuates?Are you dating Ana, or are you just friends?	Casual The everyday word for dating. Ya jalan means they're a couple now.
267	¿Me pasás tu número?	Can I get your number?	Me caés bien. ¿Me pasás tu número?I like you. Can I get your number?	Casual Many people ask ¿tenés WhatsApp? instead, since everyone uses it.
268	¿Querés salir conmigo?	Want to go out with me?	¿Querés salir conmigo el viernes?Want to go out with me on Friday?	Casual The vos form sounds natural here.
269	¿Tenés novio?	Do you have a boyfriend?	Perdón la pregunta, ¿tenés novio?Sorry to ask, do you have a boyfriend?	Casual The vos form of tienes.
270	Sabroso / sabrosa	Hot, attractive	El nuevo instructor está bien sabroso.The new instructor is really hot.	Slang About a person, it means attractive. About food, it just means tasty.
271	Sacar a bailar	To ask someone to dance	¿Te puedo sacar a bailar?Can I have this dance?	Everyday You'll hear it at weddings and town fiestas. A no is fine, so just smile.
272	Galán	Handsome guy	Tu hermano es bien galán.Your brother is really handsome.	Casual A good-looking man, or a suitor.
273	¡Qué mango!	What a cutie!	Mirá ese actor, ¡qué mango!Look at that actor, what a cutie!	Casual For someone good-looking. Say it among friends, not to the person.
274	Mi reina	Dear, honey	¿Qué le doy, mi reina?What can I get you, dear?	Casual Vendors and older women say it to everyone, along with mi amor. Don't read it as flirting.
275	Traído / traída	Boyfriend, girlfriend	¿Y la traída? ¿No la trajiste?And your girlfriend? Didn't you bring her?	Casual Very Guatemalan. Novio and novia work too.
276	Wisa / güisa	Girlfriend	Voy al cine con mi wisa.I'm going to the movies with my girlfriend.	Slang Also a girl or young woman.
277	Chulo / chula	Cute	¡Qué chula tu amiga!Your friend is so cute!	Casual Cute or good-looking. Also nice, for things.
278	Chulear	To flirt, to compliment	Dejá de chulear a las patojas.Stop flirting with the girls.	Casual To say sweet things to a woman. Keep it light, or it sounds creepy.
279	Cuero	Hottie	Ese actor es un cuero.That actor is a hottie.	Vulgar A very attractive person. Said about a woman's body, it is crude. Said about a man, it is milder.
280	Me llegás	I'm into you	La verdad, me llegás mucho.Honestly, I'm really into you.	Casual To really like someone or something. Me llega means I love it.
281	Enculado	Madly in love	Anda enculado con ella.He's madly in love with her.	Vulgar Crude, from culo. Friends only.

Sayings and expressions 19

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
282	Donde caben dos caben tres	There's always room	Córrase, seño, donde caben dos caben tres.Scoot over, ma'am, where 2 fit, 3 fit.	Casual The chicken bus rule. Expect 3 people to a seat, and on a full bus you'll hear donde cabe uno caben tres.
283	De Guatemala a Guatepeor	From bad to worse	Dejé el hostal ruidoso y el nuevo es peor. De Guatemala a Guatepeor.I left the noisy hostel and the new one is worse. From bad to worse.	Casual A pun on the country's name that the whole Spanish-speaking world knows. Guatemalans say it with a laugh.
284	Tener cuello	To have connections	Enrique tiene cuello en la muni, él saca el permiso.Enrique has pull at city hall, he'll get the permit.	Casual Literally to have neck.
285	Hacerse un queso	To bend over backwards	El mesero se hizo un queso para atendernos.The waiter bent over backwards to look after us.	Casual To go out of your way to please.
286	Me agarraste de tu puerquito	You're using me	¿Otro favor? ¿Ya me agarraste de tu puerquito?Another favor? Am I your errand boy now?	Casual For someone who keeps asking favors. In the east you'll hear me agarraste de tu arce.
287	La papa pelada	An easy life	Ese quiere la papa pelada, no trabaja nada.He wants everything handed to him, he doesn't work at all.	Casual Literally a peeled potato.
288	Colgado como chorizo de tienda	Head over heels	Desde que conoció a Ruth, anda colgado como chorizo de tienda.Since he met Ruth, he's been head over heels.	Casual Shops hang sausages where everyone can see them. The short form is está colgado.
289	Echarle el muerto	To pin the blame	No me echés el muerto, yo no fui.Don't pin it on me, it wasn't me.	Casual To blame someone else.
290	Parar bola	To pay attention	Parale bola al guía, que está explicando la ruta.Pay attention to the guide, he's explaining the route.	Casual Nadie me para bola means nobody listens to me.
291	Chucho no come chucho	Birds of a feather	No lo va a acusar, chucho no come chucho.He won't rat him out, dog doesn't eat dog.	Casual People of the same kind don't hurt each other.
292	Como es el sapo es la pedrada	The fix fits the problem	Era un problema chiquito. Como es el sapo es la pedrada.It was a tiny problem. You match the fix to the problem.	Casual Size your effort to the task.
293	Pelar cables	To lose it	Con tanto tráfico voy a pelar cables.With all this traffic I'm going to lose it.	Slang To go crazy.
294	Calentar la cabeza	To talk someone into something	Le calentaron la cabeza para que comprara el tour.They talked him into buying the tour.	Casual To persuade, often in a bad way.
295	Casaquear	To sweet-talk someone into something	Me estuvo casaqueando para que le prestara el carro.He kept sweet-talking me so I'd lend him the car.	Slang To coax someone with smooth talk or tricks. It can also mean to chat about nothing.
296	¡Chinchilete, yo machete!	Up for grabs! Mine!	¿Quién quiere el último chuchito? ¡Chinchilete! / ¡Yo machete!Who wants the last chuchito? Up for grabs! / Mine!	Casual The person offering shouts ¡chinchilete! The first one to answer ¡yo machete! gets it.
297	Jalar las orejas	To scold	Mi mamá me jaló las orejas por llegar tarde.My mom scolded me for coming home late.	Casual A telling off.
298	Como cien putas	Furious	Mi papá está como cien putas por el choque.My dad is furious about the crash.	Vulgar Very angry. You'll hear it from adults when they're mad. Don't say it to strangers.
299	Estar salado	To be unlucky	Estoy salado, se me pinchó otra llanta.I'm so unlucky, I got another flat tire.	Casual Salado means jinxed here.
300	Ni mierda	Nothing at all	No entendí ni mierda de lo que dijo.I didn't understand a thing he said.	Vulgar Nothing at all. Fine with close friends only.

Around Guatemala 41

Guatemalan Spanish sounds much the same everywhere, so the places differ more in words than in accent. The capital and Antigua lean on usted. The highlands borrow Maya words. The east says cipote for kid, and the west and north say chamaco.

Guatemala City and Antigua

The capital, where flights land, and Antigua, the colonial town an hour away where most travelers stay. You hear these in and about both.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
La capirucha	The capital	Mañana bajo a la capirucha a hacer unos mandados.Tomorrow I'm going into the city to run some errands.
Sextear	To stroll La Sexta	El domingo fuimos a sextear y comimos shucos.On Sunday we went for a stroll on the Sexta and ate shucos.
Fresa / fresita	Posh kid	Esos patojos de zona 15 son bien fresas.Those kids from zona 15 are so posh.
Panza verde	Someone from Antigua	Mi abuela es panza verde, nació a la par del Arco.My grandma is from Antigua, she was born next to the Arch.
Brocha	Bus helper in the city	La brocha gritaba: "¡Zona 18, zona 18!"The bus helper was shouting, "Zona 18, zona 18!"

Lake Atitlán

The volcano-ringed lake with Maya towns on its shores and boats between them. You hear these from boat drivers, vendors and people in the lake towns.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Pana	Panajachel	Nos quedamos en Pana y de ahí agarramos la lancha.We stayed in Pana and took the boat from there.
Xocomil	Afternoon lake wind	Crucemos temprano, antes de que entre el xocomil.Let's cross early, before the afternoon wind picks up.
La pública	The shared boat	¿Esta es la pública a San Pedro?Is this the shared boat to San Pedro?
La privada	A boat you hire for yourself	Si somos 6, mejor pagamos una privada.If there are 6 of us, we'd better hire a boat of our own.
Lanchero	Boat driver	El lanchero nos cobró 25 hasta San Marcos.The boat driver charged us 25 to San Marcos.

Xela and the western highlands

Quetzaltenango and the cold mountain towns around it, where many travelers study Spanish. You hear these from host families, teachers and market vendors.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Xelajú	Xela's Maya name	En Xelajú hace frío en las mañanas.It's cold in Xela in the mornings.
Quetzalteco / quetzalteca	Someone from Xela	Mi familia anfitriona es quetzalteca.My host family is from Xela.
Chamaco / chamaca	Kid	Los chamacos salen de la escuela a las 12.The kids get out of school at 12.
Pijije	Silly, a goof	No seás pijije, eso se hace así.Don't be silly, that's done like this.
Sheca	Sweet anise bread	Una sheca con café para el frío.A sheca with coffee for the cold.
Chuj	Maya steam bath	Después de la caminata nos metimos al chuj.After the hike we got into the steam bath.

Cobán and Semuc Champey

Cobán is the Q'eqchi' Maya city in Alta Verapaz. Most travelers pass through on the way to Lanquín and the river pools of Semuc Champey. You hear these from shuttle drivers, guides and hostel staff.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Cobanero / cobanera	Someone from Cobán	Mi guía es cobanero y habla q'eqchi'.My guide is from Cobán and speaks Q'eqchi'.
Q'eqchi'	The Maya language of the area	En Lanquín muchas familias hablan q'eqchi' en casa.In Lanquín many families speak Q'eqchi' at home.
Cardamomo	Cardamom	En Cobán cultivan café y cardamomo.They grow coffee and cardamom in Cobán.
Lanquín	The village where shuttles stop	El shuttle nos dejó en Lanquín y ahí agarramos un taxi colectivo.The shuttle dropped us in Lanquín and we took a shared taxi from there.
Tubing	River tubing	Terminamos el tour con tubing en el río.We ended the tour tubing down the river.

Petén (Flores and Tikal)

The jungle north, where Flores sits on an island in a lake and Tikal is a short ride away. You hear these from boat drivers, guides and peteneros.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
La isla	Flores town	Nos quedamos en la isla y cenamos frente al lago.We stayed on the island and had dinner by the lake.
Noj Petén	Flores' old Itza name	Los guías dicen que Noj Petén es el nombre antiguo de Flores.The guides say Noj Petén is Flores' old name.
Ramón	Maya nut	Probá el atol de ramón, sabe a chocolate.Try the Maya nut drink, it tastes like chocolate.
Ispaxa	Fermented corn drink	En Flores probé la ispaxa, un atol de elote shuco.In Flores I tried ispaxa, a fermented corn drink.
La Chatona	Giant doll dance at fiestas	En la feria de Flores salió a bailar la Chatona.The giant doll came out to dance at the Flores fair.

The east (Oriente)

Zacapa, Chiquimula and Jutiapa, the hot cattle country on the road to Esquipulas and the Caribbean. You hear these from ranch families, truckers and pilgrims.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
¡Debajo!	No way!	¿Que te ganaste la rifa? ¡Debajo!You won the raffle? No way!
Cipote / cipota	Kid	Los cipotes ya se fueron para la escuela.The kids already left for school.
Huiteco	The fool in Zacapa jokes	Te voy a contar el chiste del huiteco.Let me tell you the one about the guy from Huité.
Tapesco	Rustic platform bed	En el rancho dormimos en un tapesco.At the ranch we slept on a platform bed.
Quesadilla	Sweet cheese cake	Paremos en Zacapa a comprar quesadilla.Let's stop in Zacapa to buy quesadilla.

The Pacific coast (Monterrico)

Monterrico is the black-sand beach south of Antigua, reached by boat across a canal. You hear these from boat drivers, hotel staff and turtle guides.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
El canal	The canal crossing	Cruzamos el canal en lancha desde La Avellana.We crossed the canal by boat from La Avellana.
La Avellana	The boat landing	Bajamos del bus en La Avellana y ahí sale la lancha.We got off the bus at La Avellana, and the boat leaves from there.
Un coco	A fresh coconut	Un coco bien frío, por favor.A very cold coconut, please.
Hamaca	Hammock	Colgamos la hamaca frente al mar.We hung the hammock facing the sea.
Soltar tortuguitas	Release baby turtles	Esta tarde vamos a soltar tortuguitas en la playa.This afternoon we're going to release baby turtles on the beach.

The Caribbean coast (Livingston)

Livingston and the mouth of the Río Dulce, reached by boat and home to many Garífuna families. You hear these from Garífuna cooks, vendors and boat drivers.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Tapado	Coconut seafood soup	El tapado lleva pescado, camarón y leche de coco.Tapado has fish, shrimp and coconut milk.
Guifiti	Herbal rum tonic	Compré una botellita de guifiti para el viaje.I bought a little bottle of guifiti for the trip.
Coco loco	Livingston's rum in a coconut	Un coco loco bien frío, por favor.An ice-cold coco loco, please.
Punta	Garífuna drum music and dance	El sábado hay punta en la playa.There's punta on the beach on Saturday.
La colectiva	Shared boat to Puerto Barrios	La colectiva sale a las 6 para Puerto Barrios.The shared boat leaves for Puerto Barrios at 6.

Don't mix these up

Word	In Guatemala	Elsewhere
Coger	A crude word for sex. Say agarrar la camioneta, not coger.	To take or catch, as in Spain.
Cerote	A rough "dude" between close friends, or an insult.	Shoemaker's wax, or fear in Spain.
Paja	A lie. Pura paja means total nonsense.	A crude word for masturbation in Spain and much of South America.
Pajero	A liar.	A crude insult, close to "wanker."
Chiche	Easy, and also a crude word for breast.	A breast in Mexico, or a cute trinket in the Southern Cone.
Hueco	A homophobic slur. Avoid it.	Hollow, or a hole.
Coche	A pig.	A car.
Agua	A soda. Ask for agua pura when you want water.	Water.
Chamarra	A thick wool blanket.	A jacket, in Mexico.
Chucho	A dog. Ser chucho also means to be stingy.	A nickname for Jesús in Mexico, or jail in Chile.
Pisto	Money.	A vegetable stew in Spain.
Camioneta	A chicken bus.	A pickup truck or a van.
Bravo	Angry.	Brave, or "well done!"
Pena	Embarrassment. Qué pena means sorry, how awkward.	Sorrow or pity.
Regalar	A polite way to ask for something you'll pay for, as in regáleme 2 libras.	To give as a gift.
Chance	A job. Tengo un chance means I have work.	A chance or an opportunity.
Patojo	A kid or young person.	Lame or limping, in Spain.
Bolo	Drunk.	A bowling pin.
Mamado	Ripped, buff.	Worn out in Colombia, or drunk in Spain.
Pija	A crude word for penis. Avoid it.	Posh or preppy, in Spain.
Tortilla	A thin corn flatbread.	A potato omelet, in Spain.
Goma	A hangover.	Rubber, glue or an eraser.
Refacción	A snack break.	A spare part or a repair.
Playera	A T-shirt.	A canvas sneaker in Spain.
Chulo	Cute, or nice for things.	Cocky, or a pimp, in Spain.
Chupete	A lollipop.	A baby's pacifier, in Spain and much of South America.
Pajilla	A drinking straw.	Pajita in Spain, popote in Mexico.
Chafa	A soldier, said with scorn.	Cheap or low quality, in Mexico.

Questions people ask

What are some common phrases used in Guatemalan slang?

You'll hear ¿qué onda?, ¡qué chilero!, ¡púchica!, va pues and no hay clavo every day. Add vos, pisto and patojo and you'll follow most casual chats.

What are 5 Guatemalan slang words to learn first?

Start with pisto (money), chilero (cool), patojo (kid), chucho (dog) and cabal (exactly). They cover prices, praise, people and agreeing with someone.

How do you say hello in Guatemala?

Say buenas when you walk into a shop, and mucho gusto when you meet someone. With friends, ¿qué onda? is the casual hello.

What do Guatemalans call foreigners?

Most people say gringo or gringa. It's a neutral word for a foreigner, often an American, and if you're fair, you'll hear canche too.

What does cerote mean?

Cerote literally means a lump of poop. Close friends use it as a rough "dude," but from a stranger it's an insult, so don't try it yourself.

What does chilero mean?

Chilero means cool, nice or pretty, as in ¡qué chilero! It has nothing to do with chile, and you say chilera for feminine words.

What does the term "chapín" mean in Guatemala?

Chapín means Guatemalan, and Guatemalans use it with pride. Chapín Spanish is the local way of speaking, and a chapinismo is a word from it.

What does pisto mean?

Pisto means money. You'll hear it every day, as in no traigo pisto, "I don't have any money on me."

Do Guatemalans use vos or tú?

Both, plus usted. Friends often use vos, but usted is common even between friends and couples, so start with usted and follow the other person's lead.

How do you say cool or dude in Guatemalan slang?

Cool is chilero, as in ¡qué chilero! For dude, friends say vos, mano or compa, and muchá to a group.

What are some Guatemalan slang bad words?

The strong ones are cerote, pendejo, hijueputa, a moronga, no chingués and hueco, which is a slur. ¡Qué pijudo! is crude but common, and ¡púchica! is safe almost anywhere.

Is there a Guatemalan slang dictionary?

Yes. The Diccionario de americanismos marks Guatemalan words. The Diccionario de guatemaltequismos collects even more.

How is Guatemalan Spanish different from Mexican Spanish?

They share a lot, like híjole, chafa and ¡aguas! But Guatemalans use vos, say pisto for money, patojo for kid and chucho for dog, and the "sh" sound is everywhere.

Can a Spanish to English translator handle Guatemalan Spanish?

Not well. Most translators read pisto, chilero or traída with their textbook meanings, so check slang against a page like this one.

Slang in other countries

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Sources

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