Honduran slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
95 slang
5 regions
25 local phrases
14 marked vulgar

Honduran Spanish runs on pisto, cheque and vaya pues. These are the 300 words and phrases you'll actually hear from catrachos, from the taxi stand to the bar.

Greetings and small talk 19

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	Buenas	Hi (any time of day)	¡Buenas! ¿Tiene tortillas?Hi! Do you have tortillas?	Everyday Say it as you walk into a shop, a bus or an office.
2	¿Y vos?	And you?	Bien, gracias a Dios. ¿Y vos?Good, thank God. And you?	Everyday The reply you'll use most. Vos replaces tú.
3	¿Cómo te llamás?	What's your name?	Hola, ¿cómo te llamás? Yo soy Mike.Hi, what's your name? I'm Mike.	Everyday The vos form, for people your age. Ask "¿cómo se llama?" with drivers, vendors and older people.
4	Vaya pues / va pue	Okay then, bye	Vaya pues, nos vemos mañana.Okay then, see you tomorrow.	Everyday It ends almost every call, often as "va pue". Vaya alone means okay.
5	¿Qué onda?	What's up?	¿Qué onda, maje? ¿Todo bien?What's up, bro? All good?	Casual The go-to hello between friends your age.
6	¡Epa!	Hey!	¡Epa, Carlos! ¿Qué andás haciendo por aquí?Hey, Carlos! What are you doing around here?	Casual A quick hello when you spot someone you know.
7	¿Qué contás?	What's new?	Hola, loca, ¿qué contás? Hace rato no te veía.Hi, girl, what's new? I haven't seen you in ages.	Casual The vos form of "¿qué cuentas?". Use it with friends.
8	¿Qué hacés?	What are you up to?	¿Qué hacés, vos? ¿Vamos por unas baleadas?What are you up to? Want to go get some baleadas?	Casual With friends, Hondurans say hacés.
9	¿De dónde sos?	Where are you from?	¿De dónde sos vos? ¿De Estados Unidos?Where are you from? The States?	Everyday The vos form, for people your age. A driver or vendor will ask "¿De dónde es usted?", so answer in usted.
10	¿A qué te dedicás?	What do you do for work?	¿Y a qué te dedicás allá en tu país?And what do you do for work back home?	Everyday The vos form, for people your age. With a driver or an older person, it's "¿A qué se dedica?".
11	Adiós	Hi (in passing)	¡Adiós, doña Marta!, le dije al pasar por su casa."Hi, Doña Marta!" I said as I walked past her house.	Everyday When you pass someone without stopping, adiós means hello.
12	¿Cómo amaneció?	Good morning, how are you?	Buenos días, don José. ¿Cómo amaneció?Morning, Don José. How are you today?	Formal A warm morning greeting with usted, often for older people.
13	¿Aló?	Hello? (on the phone)	¿Aló? Sí, ¿quién habla?Hello? Yes, who's this?	Everyday How Hondurans pick up the phone. Stretch the o.
14	Aquí, al suave	Getting by, little by little	¿Cómo estás? Aquí, al suave, maje.How are you? Getting by, bro.	Casual A modest answer to "how are you?". Al suave means slowly, little by little.
15	Con gusto	You're welcome, my pleasure	Gracias por la ayuda. Con mucho gusto.Thanks for the help. My pleasure.	Everyday The usual reply to "gracias". You'll hear it more than "de nada".
16	Pase adelante	Come in	Pase adelante, está en su casa.Come in, make yourself at home.	Everyday What a host says at the door. Answer "con permiso" as you step in.
17	Con permiso	Excuse me (to pass or come in)	Con permiso, ¿me deja pasar?Excuse me, can I get past?	Everyday Say it as you squeeze past someone or step into a home.
18	Que le vaya bien	Have a good one (goodbye)	Gracias, don Pedro. Que le vaya bien.Thanks, Don Pedro. Have a good one.	Everyday A polite goodbye with usted. With friends, say "que te vaya bien".
19	Dios te bendiga	God bless you (goodbye)	Gracias por todo, mijo. Que Dios te bendiga.Thanks for everything, son. God bless you.	Everyday Older people say it as a warm goodbye. Answer "amén" or "igualmente".

Getting around 31

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
20	¿Cuánto me cobra hasta...?	How much to go to...?	¿Cuánto me cobra hasta el centro?How much to take me downtown?	Everyday Ask before you get in. Taxis here have no meter.
21	Punto	Taxi or bus stand	Agarrá un taxi en el punto de la esquina.Grab a taxi at the stand on the corner.	Everyday Taxis wait at a punto. Ask "¿dónde está el punto?".
22	¿Dónde queda...?	Where is...?	Disculpe, ¿dónde queda el parque central?Excuse me, where's the central park?	Everyday The usual way to ask for a place. Locals answer with landmarks, not street names.
23	Déjeme en la esquina	Drop me at the corner	Aquí nomás, déjeme en la esquina.Right here is fine, drop me at the corner.	Everyday Use usted with the driver.
24	Cuilío / cuilía	Cop (a rude word)	En el retén había 3 cuilíos pidiendo papeles.There were 3 cops at the checkpoint asking for papers.	Slang A rude word for the police, built on a crude root. Don't say it to an officer.
25	¡En la parada!	Stop at the stop!	¡En la parada, por favor, la del parque!At the stop, please, the one by the park!	Everyday Call it out to the driver on a bus or rapidito. La parada is the bus stop.
26	Colectivo	Shared taxi on a fixed route	El colectivo al centro sale a 25 lempiras.The shared taxi downtown costs 25 lempiras.	Everyday Cheaper than a private taxi. It picks up other people on the way.
27	Rapidito	Minibus	Me fui en rapidito hasta la terminal.I took a minibus to the bus station.	Everyday Small, fast, packed buses in Tegus and San Pedro.
28	Mototaxi	3-wheel motorbike taxi	Agarramos un mototaxi para llegar a la playa.We grabbed a moto taxi to get to the beach.	Everyday Common in small towns. Agree on the price before you get in.
29	Jalón	A free ride, a lift	¿Me das jalón al centro? Voy para allá.Can you give me a lift downtown? I'm going that way.	Casual Ask friends, not strangers.
30	Raite	A ride	Mi primo me dio raite hasta el aeropuerto.My cousin gave me a ride to the airport.	Casual From English "ride", and more common in Mexico and El Salvador. Jalón is the more Honduran word.
31	Ahí nomacito	Right near here	¿El parque? Ahí nomacito, a dos cuadras.The park? Right near here, 2 blocks away.	Casual Nomacito is nomás plus -ito. Locals say it a lot when they give directions.
32	Colonia	Neighborhood	Vivo en la colonia Palmira, cerca del parque.I live in Colonia Palmira, near the park.	Everyday Give drivers the colonia and a landmark. Street numbers rarely help.
33	Tegus	Tegucigalpa, the capital	Mañana me voy en bus para Tegus.Tomorrow I'm taking the bus to Tegus.	Everyday Everyone shortens the capital's name. San Pedro Sula is just San Pedro.
34	Carro paila	Pickup truck	Nos fuimos atrás en el carro paila hasta la aldea.We rode in the back of the pickup to the village.	Everyday La paila is also the truck bed.
35	Túmulo	Speed bump	¡Cuidado con el túmulo! Bajale.Watch the speed bump! Slow down.	Everyday You'll hit plenty on every road.
36	Retén	Police checkpoint	Hay un retén adelante, sacá los papeles.There's a checkpoint up ahead, get the papers out.	Everyday Keep your passport handy on long trips.
37	Andar buzo	To stay alert	Andá buzo en la terminal, hay mucho ladrón.Stay sharp at the bus station, there are a lot of thieves.	Slang Good advice in any crowd.
38	Peinar	To pickpocket, to rob	Me peinaron el celular en el rapidito.Someone swiped my phone on the minibus.	Slang Guard your pockets in crowds. It has a crude sense too, so stick to this one.
39	Bolsa	Pocket	Guardá el celular en la bolsa de adelante.Keep your phone in your front pocket.	Everyday Here a bolsa is a pocket, not only a bag.
40	Posta	Police station	Tuve que ir a la posta a poner la denuncia.I had to go to the police station to file the report.	Everyday Where you go to report a theft.
41	Tránsito	Traffic cop	El tránsito me paró por ir sin cinturón.The traffic cop pulled me over for not wearing a seat belt.	Everyday The traffic police.
42	Guachimán	Security guard	Preguntale al guachimán dónde se parquea.Ask the security guard where to park.	Everyday From English "watchman". Every bank and mall has one.
43	A pata	On foot	Está cerca, vámonos a pata.It's close, let's walk.	Everyday The plain way to say you'll walk. A pincel means the same.
44	A pincel	On foot	No hay bus, nos tocó irnos a pincel.There's no bus, so we had to walk.	Slang "Andar a pincel" is to go on foot. Pincelear means to walk a lot: "pinceleamos todo el centro".
45	Apearse	To get off a bus or truck	Apeate aquí, que ya llegamos.Get off here, we've arrived.	Everyday What you do at your stop. Also fine for getting down from a truck or a horse.
46	Hacer parada	To flag down a bus	Hacé parada aquí, el bus para Comayagua pasa cada media hora.Flag it down here, the bus to Comayagua comes by every half hour.	Everyday Stick your arm out on the roadside. Most buses stop anywhere, not only at a parada.
47	Ayudante	Bus helper who takes the fare	Pagale al ayudante cuando te subás, él te avisa dónde bajarte.Pay the helper when you get on, he'll tell you where to get off.	Everyday Every bus and rapidito has one, hanging out the door and calling out stops.
48	Hasta la verga	Packed, totally full	A las 6 de la tarde el bus va hasta la verga.At 6 p.m. the bus is totally packed.	Vulgar A crude way to say packed or fed up. The clean way is hasta los queques.
49	Zumbado	Fast, at top speed	El taxi iba zumbado por el bulevar.The taxi was flying down the boulevard.	Slang For a person or a car. It can also mean a bit tipsy.
50	Oscurana	The dark of night	No agarrés carretera en la oscurana, mejor salí temprano.Don't hit the road after dark, leave early instead.	Everyday Locals will tell you to travel before the oscurana.

Food and drink 41

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
51	¿Me regala...?	Can I have...? (to order or buy)	¿Me regala un agua y dos baleadas?Can I have a water and 2 baleadas?	Everyday The polite way to order or buy. You still pay for it.
52	Baleada	Flour tortilla folded over beans, cheese and cream	Deme dos baleadas y un fresco de piña.Give me 2 baleadas and a pineapple juice.	Everyday The national street food. Breakfast, lunch or late at night.
53	Agua purificada	Purified drinking water	¿Me regala un agua purificada, por favor?Can I have a bottle of purified water, please?	Everyday Don't drink from the tap. Buy purified water, and ask if the ice is made with it.
54	¿Pica?	Is it spicy?	¿Pica el chile? No quiero nada muy picante.Is the chile hot? I don't want anything too spicy.	Everyday Ask before you spoon on the encurtido.
55	La cuenta, por favor	The check, please	Ya terminamos. La cuenta, por favor.We're done. The check, please.	Everyday Waiters rarely bring it until you ask.
56	Comedor	Cheap local eatery	Comimos en un comedor cerca del mercado por 100 lempiras.We ate at a little eatery near the market for 100 lempiras.	Everyday A small place with home cooking and low prices. It's the best value in town.
57	Champa	Beach shack, food stall	Comimos pescado frito en una champa de la playa.We ate fried fish at a beach shack.	Everyday A thatched stall that sells food or drinks. It can also mean a simple hut.
58	Fresco	Fruit juice or soft drink	¿Qué fresco tiene? ¿De tamarindo o de piña?What drinks do you have? Tamarind or pineapple?	Everyday A homemade juice or a bottled soda.
59	Licuado	Fruit smoothie	Un licuado de guineo con leche, por favor.A banana smoothie with milk, please.	Everyday Fruit blended with milk or water. Ask for it with agua purificada.
60	Horchata	Rice and cinnamon drink	Una horchata bien helada, por favor.An ice-cold horchata, please.	Everyday A creamy drink of rice, cinnamon and toasted morro seeds. The morro seed is from the jícaro tree, and cooks vary the recipe.
61	Baleada sencilla	Plain baleada	Una sencilla nada más, que ando hule.Just a plain one, I'm broke.	Everyday Beans, cheese and cream only. The cheapest option.
62	Baleada con todo	Baleada with everything	Para mí una con todo y bastante mantequilla.A loaded one for me, with lots of cream.	Everyday Adds egg, meat and avocado.
63	Burra	Big folded tortilla with beans, egg and cheese	Pedí una burra con huevo y aguacate.I ordered a burra with egg and avocado.	Everyday A bigger cousin of the baleada. It comes on a flour or corn tortilla.
64	Mantequilla	Honduran sour cream	Échele mantequilla a los frijoles, por favor.Put some cream on the beans, please.	Everyday Here it means a thin sour cream.
65	Quesillo	Soft melting cheese	Las tortillas con quesillo están recién hechas.The tortillas with quesillo are fresh off the griddle.	Everyday Stringy white cheese, great melted.
66	Tajadas	Fried green plantain slices	El pollo viene con tajadas y repollo.The chicken comes with plantain chips and cabbage.	Everyday Thin and crunchy, on half the plates you'll order.
67	Plato típico	The traditional platter	Pedí el plato típico: carne asada, frijoles, chorizo y tajadas.I ordered the plato típico: grilled beef, beans, sausage and plantains.	Everyday The safe, filling order at any local restaurant.
68	Catrachitas	Tortilla chips with beans and cheese	Pidamos unas catrachitas para picar.Let's order some catrachitas to snack on.	Everyday Bar snack and party food.
69	Anafre	Hot clay pot of beans and cheese	Pedimos un anafre con tortillas tostadas.We ordered an anafre with tortilla chips.	Everyday It comes bubbling. The name comes from the clay burner.
70	Chismol	Fresh tomato and onion salsa	Ponele chismol a la carne.Put some chismol on the meat.	Everyday Honduras's pico de gallo.
71	Encurtido	Pickled vegetables	El encurtido de la pulpería pica bastante.The pickled veg from the corner store is pretty spicy.	Everyday Jars of onion, carrot and chile on every table.
72	Pastelitos	Fried corn turnovers	Doña Rosa vende pastelitos de carne a la salida del colegio.Doña Rosa sells meat turnovers outside the school.	Everyday Half-moon corn pastries with a meat filling.
73	Yuca con chicharrón	Boiled yuca with fried pork rind	Un plato de yuca con chicharrón, por favor.A plate of yuca with pork rinds, please.	Everyday Street food topped with cabbage and chismol.
74	Pataste	Chayote squash	La sopa de res lleva pataste, yuca y elote.The beef soup has chayote, yuca and corn.	Everyday A pale green squash for soups and stews. In the west some say güisquil.
75	Sopa de mondongo	Tripe soup	Para la goma no hay nada como una sopa de mondongo.For a hangover there's nothing like tripe soup.	Everyday A weekend and hangover favorite.
76	Casamiento	Rice and beans cooked together	El desayuno trae huevo, casamiento y tortilla.Breakfast comes with egg, rice and beans, and a tortilla.	Everyday The "marriage" of rice and beans.
77	Carneada	Big barbecue, a grill-out	El sábado hay carneada donde mi tío.Saturday there's a barbecue at my uncle's.	Everyday Grilled meat, chorizo and lots of people.
78	Nacatamal	Big tamal with meat	En Navidad mi abuela hace nacatamales.At Christmas my grandma makes nacatamales.	Everyday Cooks wrap it in banana leaf. It's Christmas food.
79	Ticucos	Bean-filled corn tamales	Mi tía vende ticucos los domingos.My aunt sells bean tamales on Sundays.	Everyday A plain corn tamal with beans inside. Cooks wrap it in banana leaf.
80	Sopa de caracol	Conch soup	La sopa de caracol con leche de coco es la especialidad de la costa.Conch soup with coconut milk is the coast's specialty.	Everyday The dish to try on the north coast and the islands. Yuca and green banana go in the broth.
81	Tapado	Coastal stew of coconut milk, plantain, yuca and meat	Pedimos un tapado con pan de coco.We ordered a tapado with coconut bread.	Everyday A hearty Garífuna coast stew. Order it for a long lunch.
82	Rosquillas	Crunchy corn and cheese rings	Las rosquillas con café son lo mejor.Rosquillas with coffee are the best.	Everyday Dunk them in your coffee.
83	Semita	Sweet bread	Pasé a la panadería por unas semitas.I stopped at the bakery for some sweet bread.	Everyday Order it at any bakery. It has a crude slang sense too, but nobody hears it there.
84	Quesadilla	Sweet baked snack	Con el café nos dieron quesadilla.They gave us quesadilla with our coffee.	Everyday A sweet bake you eat with coffee.
85	Atol de elote	Warm sweet corn drink	En la feria tomamos atol de elote bien calientito.At the fair we drank hot sweet corn atol.	Everyday Thick, sweet and served warm in a cup.
86	Machuca	Mashed ripe plantain, served with fish soup	Pedí una machuca con sopa de pescado.I ordered machuca with fish soup.	Everyday A Garífuna dish of boiled, mashed ripe plantain. It's a north coast classic.
87	Guineo	Banana	Un guineo y un café, ese es mi desayuno.A banana and a coffee, that's my breakfast.	Everyday Plátano is the cooking plantain. In Tegus and the south you'll hear mínimo more. It's also crude slang for penis, but nobody hears it at the fruit stand.
88	Gallina en pinol	Hen stewed with toasted corn flour	Los domingos mi abuela hace gallina en pinol.On Sundays my grandma makes hen stewed with toasted corn.	Everyday A country dish. Pinol is toasted, ground corn that thickens the sauce.
89	Andar con filo	To be hungry	Ando con un filo, vamos a comer.I'm starving, let's go eat.	Slang Filo alone means hunger: "tengo filo".
90	Chascada	Free extra, a little bonus	La señora me dio dos tortillas de chascada.The lady threw in 2 extra tortillas for free.	Casual Like a baker's dozen. Hope for it at markets.
91	Atipujarse	To stuff yourself	Me atipujé de nacatamales en Navidad.I stuffed myself with nacatamales at Christmas.	Casual Eating and drinking until you can't move.

Money and shopping 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
92	¿A cómo está?	How much is it?	¿A cómo está la libra de tomate?How much is a pound of tomatoes?	Everyday The way to ask prices at markets and stands.
93	¿En cuánto me lo deja?	What's your best price?	Está bonita la hamaca. ¿En cuánto me la deja?The hammock is nice. What's your best price?	Everyday The friendly way to start bargaining at a market.
94	¿Me hace una rebaja?	Can you give me a discount?	Llevo tres, ¿me hace una rebaja?I'm taking 3, can you give me a discount?	Everyday Fine at markets. Don't try it in supermarkets.
95	Sencillo	Small change	¿Tiene sencillo? Solo traigo uno de 500.Do you have small change? I've only got a 500.	Everyday Taxis and buses rarely break big bills.
96	Vuelto	Change (money back)	Me dio mal el vuelto, faltan 20.He gave me the wrong change, I'm 20 short.	Everyday Count it before you walk away.
97	Pisto	Money	No tengo pisto para salir hoy.I don't have money to go out today.	Slang The word for money. You'll hear it all day.
98	Lempira	The Honduran currency	La baleada sale a 25 lempiras.A baleada costs 25 lempiras.	Everyday The name honors a Lenca chief. Prices are in lempiras.
99	A la orden	What can I get you? At your service	¡A la orden! ¿Qué va a llevar?At your service! What can I get you?	Everyday What vendors call out as you walk past. Say "gracias" if you're just looking.
100	¿Tiene cambio?	Do you have change?	¿Tiene cambio de 500, por favor?Do you have change for a 500, please?	Everyday Small shops and drivers often run out of coins, so pay with small bills.
101	Saldo / recarga	Phone credit; a top-up	Deme una recarga de 100, que ya no tengo saldo.Give me a 100 top-up, I'm out of credit.	Everyday Buy it at any pulpería to keep a local SIM working.
102	Botado	Dirt cheap; a steal	Esa hamaca estaba botada, a 200.That hammock was a steal, just 200.	Casual Also for anything easy to get.
103	Cambista	Street money changer	En la frontera hay cambistas con fajos de lempiras.At the border there are money changers with wads of lempiras.	Everyday Check the rate on your phone first.
104	Billete	Cash, money	Ese man anda billete, mirá el carro.That guy has cash, look at the car.	Casual Any money at all.
105	Ficha	Coins, small change	Solo traigo fichas, no tengo billetes.I only have coins, no bills.	Casual Also a tiny amount of money.
106	Pistudo	Loaded, rich	Su papá es pistudo, tiene tres fincas.His dad's loaded, he has 3 farms.	Slang A bit cheeky.
107	Andar hule	To be broke	Ando hule hasta el viernes.I'm broke until Friday.	Slang "Estoy hule" works too.
108	Jarana	A debt	Tengo una jarana con mi primo, le debo 500.I'm in debt to my cousin, I owe him 500.	Casual Enjaranarse is to get into debt.
109	Hacer la vaca	To pool money, to chip in	Hagamos la vaca para la gasolina.Let's chip in for gas.	Casual Everyone puts in a bit for a shared cost. Handy on group trips.
110	Shasta	Junk, poor quality	Ese cargador es shasta, ya no sirve.That charger is junk, it already died.	Slang For cheap stuff that breaks.
111	Codo	Stingy, tight with money	No seás codo, poné para la gasolina.Don't be stingy, chip in for gas.	Casual For someone who never pays. Carne de lora means the same.
112	¿Acepta tarjeta?	Do you take cards?	Buenas, ¿acepta tarjeta o solo efectivo?Hi, do you take cards or only cash?	Everyday Ask before you order. Small stands, buses and taxis want cash.

Bars and going out 27

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
113	Birria	Beer	¿Unas birrias después del trabajo?A few beers after work?	Slang The most common beer word. Young people also say chela: "unas chelas".
114	Una Salva	A Salva Vida beer	Dos Salvas y una Port Royal, por favor.2 Salva Vidas and a Port Royal, please.	Everyday Salva Vida is the classic local beer.
115	Una helada	A cold beer	Con este calor, se antoja una helada.In this heat, I could go for a cold beer.	Casual Helada means beer here. Una fría works too.
116	Pichel	Pitcher, jug	Tráiganos un pichel de cerveza para la mesa.Bring us a pitcher of beer for the table.	Everyday From English "pitcher". You'll see picheles of fresco too.
117	Boquitas	Bar snacks	En este bar te dan boquitas con cada cerveza.At this bar you get snacks with every beer.	Everyday Small free plates, like tapas.
118	Guaro	Cane liquor	Los señores estaban tomando guaro en la feria.The old guys were drinking cane liquor at the fair.	Slang Cheap and strong. Go slow.
119	Pacha	Small flat bottle of liquor	Compramos una pacha de guaro para el camino.We bought a small bottle of cane liquor for the road.	Casual A pocket bottle, usually of guaro.
120	A tucún	In one gulp, really fast	Se tomó el guaro a tucún.He knocked back the shot in one gulp.	Slang For drinking fast. Pace yourself.
121	Pijín	A party	Hay un pijín en la casa de Andrea.There's a party at Andrea's place.	Slang A loud, fun party or a binge. To party is pijinear: "pijineamos hasta las 3".
122	Chonguengue	A big party, a blowout	El cumpleaños de mi tía fue un chonguengue.My aunt's birthday was a total blowout.	Slang A big, loud party that runs all day.
123	Jodarria	Rowdy fun with friends	Qué jodarria la de anoche, maje.What a wild time last night, bro.	Vulgar Fun but crude. Keep it among friends.
124	Estanco	Liquor shop or bar	Compramos el guaro en el estanco.We bought the cane liquor at the liquor shop.	Everyday A small bar or shop that sells liquor.
125	Chupadero	Bar, drinking spot	Nos vemos en el chupadero de la esquina.See you at the bar on the corner.	Slang A casual word for any bar.
126	Burrunche	Dive bar; also a brothel	No me llevés a ese burrunche otra vez.Don't take me to that dive bar again.	Slang A cheap, rough bar. It can also mean a brothel, so watch who you say it to.
127	Chupar	To drink (alcohol)	Ese man solo quiere chupar los fines de semana.That guy only wants to drink on weekends.	Slang Drinking booze, often too much.
128	Bolo	Drunk	Mi tío llegó bolo a la boda.My uncle showed up drunk to the wedding.	Slang "Andar bolo" is to be drunk.
129	Juma	A drunken binge	Qué juma se agarró anoche.He got so drunk last night.	Slang "Agarrar una juma" is to get wasted.
130	Agarrar pata	To go on a bender	Mi tío agarró pata desde el viernes.My uncle's been on a bender since Friday.	Slang A drinking spree that runs for days.
131	Hasta la pata	Wasted, blind drunk	Salió del bar hasta la pata.He left the bar totally wasted.	Slang It can also mean full to the brim.
132	Goma	Hangover	No hablés tan fuerte, que ando de goma.Don't talk so loud, I'm hungover.	Slang You'll need it the morning after. Someone hungover is engomado.
133	Cutear	To throw up	Se tomó seis guaros y se puso a cutear.He had 6 shots and started throwing up.	Slang Crude but common.
134	Fondearse	To pass out	Se fondeó en el sillón con los zapatos puestos.He passed out on the couch with his shoes on.	Slang To fall asleep, often after drinking.
135	Punta	Garífuna dance music	En La Ceiba se baila punta toda la noche.In La Ceiba people dance punta all night.	Everyday A fast, hip-shaking dance from the north coast.
136	Chinamo	Fair ride	En la feria nos subimos a todos los chinamos.At the fair we went on all the rides.	Casual The rides at a town fair. It can also mean a simple branch shelter.
137	Relajo	Rowdy fun, a racket	Los cipotes armaron un relajo en el bus.The kids made a racket on the bus.	Casual Noise and messing around.
138	Macaneo	A fight, a brawl	Hubo macaneo a la salida del bar.There was a fight outside the bar.	Slang Your cue to leave.
139	Despije	A wild mess, a rowdy scene	Se armó un despije en la fiesta y al final llegó la chepa.Things got out of hand at the party and in the end the cops showed up.	Vulgar Crude. A party or a meeting that gets out of control, or a brawl.

Friends and people 32

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
140	Vos	You (informal)	Vos sos de aquí, ¿verdad?You're from here, right?	Everyday Friends use it instead of tú. The verbs change: vos sos, vos tenés.
141	Maje	Bro, dude; also idiot	No sé, maje, hoy no tengo ganas de salir.I don't know, bro, I don't feel like going out today.	Slang Friendly with close friends. To a stranger it means idiot.
142	Alero	Best friend	Él es mi alero desde la escuela.He's been my best friend since school.	Slang Your closest buddy.
143	Chele / chela	Fair-skinned or blond person	Ese chele es gringo, ¿verdad?That blond guy is American, right?	Casual Not rude. If you're fair, you'll be called chele.
144	Compa	Buddy	Mi compa me ayudó con la mudanza.My buddy helped me move.	Casual Short for compañero.
145	Mara	Your group of friends; a gang	Voy al cine con la mara.I'm going to the movies with the crew.	Slang It also means a street gang, so context matters.
146	Catracho / catracha	Honduran	Soy catracha y orgullosa.I'm Honduran and proud of it.	Everyday Hondurans use it with pride.
147	Engavillarse	To hang out with your friends	El viernes nos engavillamos en la casa de Luis.On Friday we're all hanging out at Luis's place.	Slang Getting the group together. A gavilla is a group of friends.
148	Pata de perro	Someone who's always out	Mi hermana es pata de perro, nunca está en casa.My sister is always out, she's never home.	Casual For anyone who loves to go out and roam.
149	En vaca	As a group, all together	Nos fuimos en vaca a la playa.We all went to the beach together.	Casual Hacer la vaca means to chip in, and caer en vaca means to gang up on someone.
150	Potra	Pickup soccer game	¿Una potra el sábado en la cancha?A pickup game Saturday at the field?	Slang An easy way to make friends.
151	Gallo	Ace, expert	Mi hermano es gallo para la mecánica.My brother is an ace at fixing cars.	Slang "Ser gallo para algo" is to be great at it.
152	Cipote / cipota	Kid; boy, girl	Esa cipota es mi sobrina.That girl is my niece.	Everyday The main word for a kid. Also for teens.
153	Güirro / güirra	Kid	Los güirros están jugando en la calle.The kids are playing in the street.	Everyday Same as cipote.
154	Chichí	Baby	¡Qué lindo el chichí! ¿Cuántos meses tiene?What a cute baby! How old is he?	Casual For newborns, and a pet name for a child. In Mexico, chichis means breasts, so expect a grin.
155	Chinear	To carry a child; to pamper	La abuela se pasa el día chineando al chichí.Grandma spends all day carrying the baby around.	Casual To carry a child in your arms. It also means to spoil someone: "no lo chineés tanto".
156	Sampedrano	From San Pedro Sula	Los sampedranos hablan bien rápido.People from San Pedro talk really fast.	Everyday San Pedro is the big rival city to Tegus.
157	Olanchano	From Olancho	Mi suegro es olanchano, de los de sombrero.My father-in-law is from Olancho, the cowboy-hat type.	Everyday Olancho has a cowboy reputation.
158	Garífuna	Afro-Indigenous people of the coast	En Triunfo de la Cruz vive una comunidad garífuna.A Garífuna community lives in Triunfo de la Cruz.	Everyday Their language, music and food shape the north coast.
159	Chapín	Guatemalan	Mi vecino es chapín, de Quetzaltenango.My neighbor is Guatemalan, from Quetzaltenango.	Casual A friendly nickname.
160	Guanaco	Salvadoran	Los guanacos y los catrachos siempre pelean por el fútbol.Salvadorans and Hondurans always argue about soccer.	Casual Friendly or teasing, depending on tone.
161	Nica	Nicaraguan	Ella es nica, de León.She's Nicaraguan, from León.	Casual Neutral.
162	Catrín	Sharp dresser	Venía bien catrín para la boda.He came all dressed up for the wedding.	Casual Well dressed, a bit showy.
163	Pintoso	Good-looking, well dressed	Te ves pintoso con esa camisa.You look sharp in that shirt.	Slang Mostly for men.
164	Mamado	Buff, ripped	Ese man está mamado, vive en el gym.That guy is ripped, he lives at the gym.	Slang For a muscular body. It's crude in some countries, so keep it for friends.
165	Bichín	Toothless	Mi abuelo anda bichín, perdió la placa.My grandpa has no teeth in, he lost his dentures.	Slang Playful, for someone missing teeth. Don't say it to a stranger.
166	Bizcoreto	Cross-eyed	De chiquito era bizcoreto.He was cross-eyed as a kid.	Slang A teasing word for crossed eyes. Keep it for friends.
167	Palancón	Tall and lanky	Ese cipote ya está palancón.That kid is tall and lanky now.	Slang For a tall, thin person.
168	Huevón / huevona	Lazy bum	No seás huevón y ayudame a lavar.Don't be a lazy bum, help me wash up.	Vulgar It comes from huevos. Use it only with friends. Hueva is laziness: "qué hueva".
169	Chepo / la chepa	Cop; the police	Ahí vienen los chepos, mejor nos vamos.Here come the cops, we'd better go.	Slang A bit cheeky. A chepo is 1 officer, and la chepa is the police or jail.
170	Chafas	Soldiers, the army	Había chafas en la entrada del pueblo.There were soldiers at the entrance to town.	Slang Mildly rude. Soldiers are a common sight.
171	Tambo	Jail, the slammer	Por andar de pleitista terminó en el tambo.He ended up in the slammer for picking fights.	Slang Also a big barrel.

Reactions and feelings 28

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
172	¡Qué Pepsi!	How cool!	¿Te vas a Roatán? ¡Qué Pepsi!You're going to Roatán? How cool!	Slang Pure Honduras. Locals smile when a foreigner says it.
173	Bélico / bélica	Awesome, impressive	¡Qué bélico ese carro, vos!That car is awesome, man!	Slang Young people say it all the time, like macizo.
174	Macizo	Great, solid	Ese celular está macizo y te salió barato.That phone is great and you got it cheap.	Slang For good quality or anything great. "¡Qué macizo!"
175	¡Qué pinta!	How nice!	¡Qué pinta la vista desde aquí!What a nice view from here!	Slang Same idea as qué macizo.
176	Me llega	I like it, I love it	Esa canción me llega.I love that song.	Slang Say it about food, music or a place.
177	Cachimbón / cachimbona	Great, really nice	¡Qué cachimbona tu casa!Your house is so nice!	Slang For a thing, a party or a person you like. It can also mean huge.
178	Pijudo	Awesome, great	¡El concierto estuvo pijudo!The concert was awesome!	Vulgar The Honduran word for awesome among friends. It comes from pija, a crude word for penis, so skip it with older people.
179	¡Qué fregado!	That's rough!	¿Te robaron el celular? ¡Qué fregado!They stole your phone? That's rough!	Casual "Está fregado" means it's tough.
180	Mirá vos	Well, look at that	¿Se casó? Mirá vos.He got married? Well, look at that.	Casual Mild surprise.
181	Pura lija	The plain truth	Lo que te digo es pura lija.What I'm telling you is the plain truth.	Slang Say it to swear you're not lying.
182	Yuca	Hard, tough; strict	El examen estuvo yuca.The exam was really hard.	Slang Also a strict person. It's vulgar slang for penis too, so watch the context.
183	Me da pena	I'm embarrassed, I feel shy	Me da pena hablar en español delante de todos.I'm embarrassed to speak Spanish in front of everyone.	Everyday Pena here is shame or shyness. "¡Qué pena!" means "how embarrassing!".
184	Púchica / a la gran puchica	Darn! Holy cow!	¡Púchica, se me olvidó la billetera!Darn, I forgot my wallet!	Casual Mild and safe, even with grandma. "¡A la gran puchica!" is the louder version.
185	Bravo / brava	Angry, mad	Mi mamá está brava porque llegué tarde.My mom's mad because I got home late.	Casual "Ponerse bravo" is to get angry.
186	Encachimbado	Furious	Mi jefe está encachimbado conmigo.My boss is furious with me.	Slang Encachimbarse is to get mad.
187	Arrecho	Furious; tough, brave	Mi papá está arrecho porque choqué el carro.My dad's furious because I crashed the car.	Vulgar It also means brave or hardworking. In Colombia and Peru it means horny, so mind who's listening.
188	Maleado	In a bad mood	Hoy anda maleado, no le hablés.He's in a mood today, don't talk to him.	Slang Angry or grumpy.
189	Amocepado	Listless, down	Ando amocepado, no tengo ganas de nada.I feel down, I don't feel like doing anything.	Slang Bored and lazy, or a bit sad or sick.
190	Agüevado	Bummed; shy, timid	No seás agüevado, sacala a bailar.Don't be shy, ask her to dance.	Slang Built on a crude root (huevo), so keep it for friends. "Ando agüevado" means I'm feeling down. It also means shy or a bit slow.
191	Hijueputa / hijuepucha	Son of a bitch; a despicable person	¡Hijueputa, casi me atropellan!Damn it, they almost ran me over!	Vulgar An everyday oath you'll hear a lot. Never say it to someone you don't know.
192	Enchufado / enchufada	Focused, in the zone	Vos sí que estás enchufado en ese juego, ni me oíste.You're really into that game, you didn't even hear me.	Slang Plugged in to what you're doing. "Estoy enchufado en el trabajo" means you're deep in work.
193	Choya	Laziness	Qué choya me da ir a trabajar hoy.I really can't be bothered to go to work today.	Vulgar Very common, but a bit crude. Fine with friends.
194	Ponerse chiva	To watch out, to stay alert	¡Ponete chiva en la terminal, que ahí roban!Watch out at the bus station, people get robbed there!	Slang You'll hear "¡ponete chiva!" as a warning. Some say "ponerse chivas".
195	Estar hasta los queques	To be fed up	Estoy hasta los queques de este tráfico.I'm so fed up with this traffic.	Casual The clean way to say you've had enough. A bus that goes hasta los queques is packed.
196	Tener leche	To be lucky	¡Qué leche tenés! Ganaste la rifa.You're so lucky! You won the raffle.	Slang Leche means luck here. A lucky guy is a lechero.
197	Chiripón	Fluke, lucky break	El gol fue de puro chiripón.The goal was a total fluke.	Slang Pure luck.
198	Pelar las jachas	To grin, to laugh a lot	Con ese chiste todos pelaron las jachas.Everyone cracked up at that joke.	Slang Jachas are teeth.
199	Torcido	Unlucky	Ando torcido, todo me sale mal.I'm cursed, everything's going wrong.	Slang Always out of luck.

Fillers and everyday words 27

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
200	Cheque	Okay, alright	Nos vemos a las 7, ¿cheque? Cheque.See you at 7, okay? Okay.	Slang The Honduran "okay". Use it all day.
201	Cabal	Exactly, right	¿Salimos a las 6? Cabal.We leave at 6? Exactly.	Casual A quick "yes, that's it".
202	Fíjese que	Guess what; the thing is	Fíjese que hoy no hay tortillas, se acabaron.The thing is, there are no tortillas today, they ran out.	Everyday Starts a piece of news or an excuse. With friends it's "fijate que".
203	Chunche	Thingy	Pasame ese chunche que está en la mesa.Pass me that thingy on the table.	Casual For anything you can't name. Older people also say animala: "pasame esa animala".
204	Volado	Favor, a hand	Haceme un volado, cuidame la mochila un ratito.Do me a favor, watch my backpack for a sec.	Casual "Hacer un volado" is to do someone a favor. It has crude senses too, so stick to this one.
205	Mudada	Change of clothes	Llevá una mudada extra, que en el paseo al río te vas a mojar.Bring a spare change of clothes, you'll get wet on the river trip.	Everyday It can also mean a full outfit or moving house.
206	Chumpa	Jacket	Llevá una chumpa, que en la montaña hace frío.Bring a jacket, it gets cold in the mountains.	Everyday You'll want one in the highlands at night.
207	Brisa	Light drizzle	Está cayendo brisa, llevá la chumpa.It's drizzling, take your jacket.	Everyday You'll get a lot of it in the mountains.
208	Calzoneta	Swimsuit, swim trunks	No te olvidés la calzoneta, vamos al río.Don't forget your swimsuit, we're going to the river.	Everyday For men and women. For a woman it can also mean underwear, so say "traje de baño" if in doubt.
209	Caites	Sandals	Andá en caites, que la playa está cerca.Wear sandals, the beach is close.	Everyday Rubber or leather sandals. Old-style ones have tire soles.
210	Zancudo	Mosquito	Echate repelente, que en la playa hay mucho zancudo.Put on bug spray, there are lots of mosquitoes at the beach.	Everyday Pack repellent for the coast and the islands.
211	Pila	Outdoor concrete sink	Lavá la ropa en la pila.Wash the clothes in the outdoor sink.	Everyday Most houses have one in the yard to store water and wash clothes.
212	Papada	Thing, stuff; nonsense	Dejá de decir papadas.Stop talking nonsense.	Casual Any thing, or silly talk. It has a rare crude sense too.
213	Babosada	Silly thing; any old thing	No digás babosadas, eso no es cierto.Don't talk nonsense, that's not true.	Casual Also any object: "pasame esa babosada".
214	Bróder	Bro, brother	¿Qué onda, bróder? ¿Vamos al estadio?What's up, bro? Want to go to the stadium?	Casual Young Hondurans say it all day, as often as maje.
215	Clavo	Problem, trouble	Tengo un clavo con el banco.I've got a problem with the bank.	Slang It can also mean the blame. "No hay clavo" means no problem: "¿Llego tarde? No hay clavo."
216	Charolas	Eyes	Abrí bien las charolas, que aquí roban.Keep your eyes open, people steal here.	Slang A jokey word for eyes.
217	Jetas	Mouth, lips	Cerrá la jeta, que te van a oír.Shut your mouth, they'll hear you.	Slang A rough word for mouth. Say "jetas" for a group. Tapas means the same. Telling someone to shut it is rude.
218	A huevo	Hell yes, for sure; like it or not	¿Vas al partido? ¡A huevo, maje!Going to the game? Hell yes, man!	Vulgar Crude. Young people shout it for "for sure". It can also mean like it or not: "a huevo tenés que ir".
219	Cachimbo	A ton, loads	Había un cachimbo de gente en la feria.There were loads of people at the fair.	Slang A big amount. A cachimbazo is a hard hit: "se dio un cachimbazo".
220	Macanazo	A hard knock; a ton	Me di un macanazo con la puerta.I banged myself hard on the door.	Slang It also means a ton: "había un macanazo de gente". "De un macanazo" means in a flash.
221	A todo mecate	Full blast, flat out	Pusieron la música a todo mecate.They put the music on full blast.	Slang For loud music or top speed.
222	Chuco / chuca	Dirty	Llegué todo chuco del viaje.I got back from the trip filthy.	Slang It can also mean spoiled food or someone who smells bad. Pisto chuco is dirty money: "todo el pisto que tiene es chuco".
223	Mamero	Easy, a piece of cake	El examen estuvo mamero.The exam was a piece of cake.	Slang The opposite of yuca. It can also mean a lazy, useless person.
224	Chepear	To copy, to cheat on a test	Lo agarraron chepeando en el examen.They caught him cheating on the exam.	Slang Students say it about copying answers.
225	Vivo / viva	Sharp, crafty	Ese taxista es bien vivo, te quiso cobrar el doble.That taxi driver is a sharp one, he tried to charge you double.	Casual Smart in a sly way, so keep an eye on your change.
226	Chamba	Job, work	Conseguí chamba en un call center.I got a job at a call center.	Slang Also used in Mexico and nearby.

Time and plans 16

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
227	Ahorita	In a moment; right now	Ahorita vengo, no me tardo.I'll be right back, I won't be long.	Everyday It can mean now, soon or much later. Ask "¿ya?" to be sure.
228	Al rato	In a while, later	Al rato te llamo, ahorita estoy manejando.I'll call you in a bit, I'm driving right now.	Everyday Later today, but not right now.
229	Ir jalado	To be in a rush, to go fast	Voy jalado, se me hizo tarde para el bus.I'm in a rush, I'm late for the bus.	Slang Jalado means fast. It can also mean drunk, so the context tells you which.
230	Primero Dios	God willing	Nos vemos el lunes, primero Dios.See you Monday, God willing.	Everyday Hondurans add it to almost any plan.
231	Ni quiera Dios	God forbid	Ni quiera Dios que llueva el día del paseo.God forbid it rains on the day of the trip.	Everyday For things you hope won't happen.
232	Paseo	Day trip, outing	El domingo hacemos un paseo a la playa.On Sunday we're taking a day trip to the beach.	Everyday A family outing to a river, a beach or a park.
233	Ni modo	Oh well, nothing to be done	Se fue el último bus. Ni modo, nos quedamos otra noche.The last bus left. Oh well, we'll stay another night.	Casual For plans that fall through. You shrug and move on.
234	Añales	Ages, years	Hace añales que no venía a Copán.I hadn't been to Copán in ages.	Casual A long, long time.
235	Endenantes	A while ago	Endenantes pasó tu mamá preguntando por vos.Your mom came by a while ago asking for you.	Regional Older and rural speakers use it most.
236	Dar chance	To give someone a moment; to let	Dame chance, ya casi termino.Give me a sec, I'm almost done.	Everyday Chance also means time or permission.
237	Toldearse	To fall asleep, to nod off	Me toldeé viendo la película.I fell asleep watching the movie.	Slang To doze off or go to bed.
238	Trajín	Bustle, heavy traffic	Los sábados hay un trajín en el centro, mejor salí temprano.On Saturdays downtown is packed, better leave early.	Everyday For crowds and traffic. "Ando en un trajín" means I'm swamped.
239	Pelarse la tusa	To run for it, to take off	Cuando llegó la chepa, todos se pelaron la tusa.When the cops showed up, everyone ran for it.	Slang Leaving fast, often to dodge trouble.
240	Barajustarse	To bolt, to run off	Cuando empezó el aguacero, todos se barajustaron del parque.When the downpour started, everyone bolted from the park.	Slang Leaving in a big rush.
241	A medio palo	Half done	Dejaron la carretera a medio palo.They left the road half built.	Casual For jobs nobody finished.
242	A puras cachas	Just barely, by the skin of your teeth	Llegamos al bus a puras cachas.We made the bus by the skin of our teeth.	Slang You made it, but only just.

Teasing and insults 26

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
243	Cerote	Jerk	Ese cerote me robó el puesto.That jerk stole my spot.	Vulgar A strong insult. Literally a turd. Between close friends it can also mean dude: "¿qué onda, cerote?".
244	Hablar paja	To talk nonsense, to lie	Estás hablando paja, decime la verdad.You're full of it, tell me the truth.	Slang Paja is lies or fluff.
245	Hacerse el maje	To play dumb	No te hagás el maje, yo te vi.Don't play dumb, I saw you.	Slang Very common.
246	Caballo	Dummy, clumsy	¡No seás caballo! ¿Cómo le vas a decir eso?Don't be dumb! How could you say that to him?	Slang For someone clumsy or thoughtless. Dundo means dumb too: "no seás dundo".
247	Me vale pija	I don't give a damn	Me vale pija lo que digan.I don't give a damn what they say.	Vulgar Very crude. Hear it, don't use it.
248	Me vale charra	I couldn't care less	Me vale charra si llueve, igual voy a la playa.I couldn't care less if it rains, I'm going to the beach anyway.	Casual The polite cousin of "me vale pija".
249	¡No fregués!	Stop bugging me! No way!	¡No fregués, dejame dormir!Quit bugging me, let me sleep!	Casual The vos form. It can also mean "no way!".
250	Charrula	Good-for-nothing	Ese charrula nunca paga lo que debe.That good-for-nothing never pays what he owes.	Slang An unreliable person.
251	Basura	Lowlife; a bad scene	Ese tipo es una basura, no le prestés pisto.That guy is a lowlife, don't lend him money.	Casual For a bad person, or a situation that upsets you. It's strong, so don't say it lightly.
252	Jilote	Slow, dim	Sos bien jilote, no entendiste el chiste.You're so slow, you didn't get the joke.	Slang A jilote is a young ear of corn.
253	Bayunco	Silly, goofy	No seás bayunco, poné atención.Don't be silly, pay attention.	Casual A mild word for someone acting dumb. You also see it spelled ballunco.
254	Balín	Dummy	Ese balín se bajó en la parada que no era.That dummy got off at the wrong stop.	Slang A light insult for someone dim.
255	Planchar	To mess up, to blow it	La planché, le dije el nombre de mi ex.I blew it, I called her by my ex's name.	Slang To make a mistake. La planché means "I blew it".
256	Lambiscón	Suck-up, brown-noser	Ese lambiscón le lleva café al jefe todos los días.That suck-up brings the boss coffee every day.	Slang For anyone who flatters to get ahead.
257	Chingüear	To kid around, to tease	Dejá de chingüearme por mi acento, maje.Stop kidding me about my accent, bro.	Casual Friendly teasing. Expect it once your friends get comfy.
258	Agarrón	A heated argument; a fight	Hubo un agarrón entre los vecinos por el parqueo.The neighbors got into a shouting match over parking.	Casual A loud argument, and sometimes one where punches fly.
259	Chambón	Botcher, sloppy worker	Ese mecánico es bien chambón, el carro sigue fallando.That mechanic is so sloppy, the car still isn't working.	Slang For someone who does a job badly or halfway.
260	Sapo	Snitch	No le contés nada, es bien sapo.Don't tell him anything, he's a total snitch.	Slang Also a gossip. It has a crude sense too, but "es bien sapo" always means a snitch.
261	Chillo	A small debt; gossip	Tengo un chillo con la señora de la pulpería.I owe the lady at the corner shop.	Slang A small debt or a favor you owe. It can also mean gossip meant to make someone look bad.
262	Conchudo	Shameless freeloader	El conchudo se comió todo y no pagó.The shameless guy ate everything and didn't pay.	Slang Someone who takes advantage.
263	Chucho	Mutt, dog; stingy	No seás chucho, invitá una ronda.Don't be stingy, buy a round.	Slang Chucho is the everyday word for a dog or mutt. As slang, it means stingy.
264	Pajero	Bragger, bull artist	Ese pajero dice que conoce a Messi.That bragger says he knows Messi.	Vulgar In Honduras it mostly means a bragger or a liar, but it's also crude slang for a wanker. Keep it for close friends.
265	Pura casaca	Pure bull	Lo que dijo el político es pura casaca.What the politician said is pure bull.	Slang Casaca means lies or empty chatter.
266	Pintear	To show off	Anda pinteando con su carro nuevo.He's showing off his new car.	Slang To show off your looks, clothes or car.
267	Llanta	Belly roll	Ya me está saliendo llanta.I'm starting to get a spare tire.	Casual Teasing among friends.
268	Ser el chompipe de la fiesta	To be the scapegoat	Siempre soy el chompipe de la fiesta: todo es culpa mía.I'm always the scapegoat: everything's my fault.	Regional A chompipe is a turkey, the one that ends up on the table. Older and rural, but everyone gets it.

Love and flirting 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
269	¿Querés bailar?	Do you want to dance?	¿Querés bailar esta punta conmigo?Do you want to dance this punta with me?	Everyday The easiest opener at any party or bar.
270	Me gustás	I like you	Me gustás mucho. ¿Salimos el viernes?I really like you. Want to go out on Friday?	Everyday The vos form of "me gustas". Stress the last syllable.
271	Sos bien bonita	You're really pretty	Sos bien bonita, ¿ya te lo habían dicho?You're really pretty, has anyone told you?	Casual Bien works like "really". To a man, say "sos bien guapo".
272	¿Tenés novio / novia?	Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?	Y vos, ¿tenés novia?So, do you have a girlfriend?	Casual The vos form. It shows interest, so expect a smile.
273	¿Me pasás tu WhatsApp?	Can I get your WhatsApp?	Me gustó platicar con vos. ¿Me pasás tu WhatsApp?I liked chatting with you. Can I get your WhatsApp?	Everyday Hondurans use WhatsApp for everything, so this is how you swap numbers.
274	Jalar con alguien	To date someone, to be going out	Ella está jalando con un sampedrano.She's going out with a guy from San Pedro.	Slang "¿Están jalando?" means "are they a couple?". Jalar can also mean sex, so mind the context.
275	Apercollar	To cuddle where nobody can see	Los vimos apercollados detrás de la iglesia.We saw them cuddling behind the church.	Vulgar Hugging and fondling out of sight. Crude, so keep it for close friends.
276	Chulo / chula	Cute, good-looking	Qué chula te ves hoy.You look so cute today.	Casual Safe and sweet.
277	Echar el cuento	To sweet-talk, to woo	Le estuvo echando el cuento toda la noche.He spent all night sweet-talking her.	Casual Smooth talk to win someone over.
278	Jaño / jaña	Boyfriend, girlfriend	Te presento a mi jaña.This is my girlfriend.	Slang Young people's word. It can mean spouse too.
279	Fachento / fachenta	Showy, vain, full of yourself	Anda bien fachento con el carro nuevo.He's so full of himself with the new car.	Casual For someone who shows off.
280	Cuero	Hot girl	Esa muchacha es un cuero.That girl is gorgeous.	Vulgar Crude when said about someone. Never say it to a woman's face.
281	Guapo / guapa	Good-looking	Tu hermana es bien guapa.Your sister is really good-looking.	Everyday A safe, friendly compliment for a man or a woman.
282	¿Te puedo invitar algo?	Can I buy you something?	¿Te puedo invitar algo de tomar?Can I buy you a drink?	Everyday A polite opener at a bar or café. A "no" is fine too.
283	Mi amor / mi reina	Love, dear (from a vendor)	¿Qué va a llevar, mi amor? Los mangos están a 10.What will you have, love? The mangoes are 10 each.	Everyday Market vendors and waitresses call everyone this. It's friendly, not flirting. A man may hear "mi rey".
284	Te quiero	I like you; I love you	Te quiero mucho, sos mi mejor amiga.I really care about you, you're my best friend.	Everyday Used for friends and family too, so it's gentler than "I love you".
285	Dar el palo	To dump someone	Mi novia me dio el palo.My girlfriend dumped me.	Slang It can also mean to fire someone.
286	Quemar la pata	To cheat on a partner	Le quemó la pata con su mejor amiga.He cheated on her with her best friend.	Slang The gossip you'll hear most. Literally "to burn the foot".
287	Amachinarse	To move in together without marrying	Se amachinaron hace dos años.They moved in together 2 years ago.	Casual For couples who live together unmarried.
288	Me caés bien	I like you (as a person)	Me caés bien, sos muy buena onda.I like you, you're really nice.	Everyday A friendly line that doesn't push.
289	No, gracias. Me tengo que ir	No, thanks. I have to go	No, gracias. Me tengo que ir, mis amigos me esperan.No, thanks. I have to go, my friends are waiting.	Everyday A polite, firm way to say no and leave.

Sayings and expressions 11

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
290	Pisto jala pisto	Money makes money	Ya abrió otra tienda. Pisto jala pisto.He's opened another shop. Money makes money.	Casual Said when people who have money get even more.
291	El comal le dijo negra a la olla	The pot calling the kettle black	¿Vos me decís impuntual? El comal le dijo negra a la olla.You're calling me late? That's the pot calling the kettle black.	Casual For someone who criticizes you for what they do too. A comal is the clay griddle for tortillas.
292	No saber qué pata puso ese huevo	Nobody knows who did it	Se perdió el pisto y nadie sabe qué pata puso ese huevo.The money went missing and nobody knows who did it.	Casual For a mess nobody owns up to.
293	A dos puyas no hay toro valiente	2 problems at once are too much	Se arruinó el carro y perdí la chamba. A dos puyas no hay toro valiente.My car broke down and I lost my job. Nobody can take 2 hits at once.	Casual For when trouble comes in pairs. A puya is a sharp point. You'll also hear it in El Salvador and Nicaragua.
294	Peinar la culebra	To slack off	Ese man se pasa el día peinando la culebra.That guy spends all day slacking off.	Casual Literally "to comb the snake".
295	De aquí no sale chancho con mazorca	Nobody gets away with it	Ya le va a tocar pagar. De aquí no sale chancho con mazorca.He'll have to pay up. Nobody gets away with it here.	Casual Everyone pays what they owe in the end. A chancho is a pig, and the mazorca is the corn it stole.
296	Baño de zope	A quick wash with little water	No hay agua, solo me di un baño de zope.There's no water, I just gave myself a quick splash.	Casual A zope is a vulture. Handy when the water goes out.
297	Hacerse el de a peso	To play it cool, to act like nothing happened	Rompió el vaso y se hizo el de a peso.He broke the glass and acted like nothing happened.	Slang For someone who pretends they had nothing to do with it.
298	Gallina que come huevo, aunque le quemen el pico	Old habits die hard	Le dijeron que dejara el guaro, pero gallina que come huevo, aunque le quemen el pico.They told him to quit the booze, but old habits die hard.	Casual For someone who keeps at a habit whatever it costs.
299	A pura maceta	With a lot of hard work	Terminó la casa a pura maceta, ladrillo por ladrillo.He finished the house through sheer hard work, brick by brick.	Casual For something you got by grinding at it.
300	Mentar la madre	To insult someone's mother	Le mentó la madre al árbitro y lo sacaron.He insulted the referee's mother and got sent off.	Slang Fighting words in any bar, so never do it.

Around Honduras 25

Honduran slang shifts most between the hot Caribbean north, the Bay Islands and the cool hills of the capital. Each place keeps a few words of its own.

Tegucigalpa and the south

Tegucigalpa sits in the cool central hills. The capital shares these words with the hot south down to Choluteca and the Gulf of Fonseca.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Charamusca	Frozen juice in a bag (topoyiyo in San Pedro)	Saliendo de clases nos compramos una charamusca de tamarindo.After class we bought a tamarind juice bag.
Mínimo	Ripe banana (guineo on the north coast)	¿A cómo están los mínimos, señora?How much are the bananas, ma'am?
Rigua	Fresh sweet corn tortilla	¿Me regala dos riguas calientitas?Can I have 2 hot corn tortillas?
Casco de burro	Big clam from the Gulf of Fonseca	En Cedeño pedimos cascos de burro con limón.In Cedeño we ordered big clams with lime.
Pulpería	Corner shop (trucha on the north coast)	Voy a la pulpería por tortillas y un fresco.I'm going to the corner shop for tortillas and a drink.

San Pedro Sula

San Pedro Sula is the fast-talking business city in the north. You'll hear north coast words here that the capital doesn't use.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Topoyiyo / topogigio	Frozen juice in a bag (charamusca in Tegus)	Con este calor me compré un topoyiyo de uva.In this heat I bought a grape juice bag.
Pollo chuco	Fried chicken on plantain chips	Vamos por un pollo chuco al centro.Let's go get some pollo chuco downtown.
Trucha	Small corner shop (pulpería in Tegus)	Compré tortillas en la trucha de la esquina.I bought tortillas at the little shop on the corner.
Pilón	Homemade fruit ice pop in a cup	Con este calor me compré un pilón de mango.In this heat I bought a mango ice pop.
Tostones	Fried plantain slices (the north coast word)	El pescado viene con tostones y ensalada.The fish comes with fried plantain and salad.

La Ceiba and the Garífuna coast

La Ceiba sits on the Caribbean shore from Tela to Trujillo. Garífuna towns line this coast, and English loan words are part of daily talk.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Pan de coco	Coconut bread, served with soups and stews	¿Me vende un pan de coco para la sopa?Can you sell me a coconut bread for the soup?
Bululo	White bread (La Ceiba)	¿Todavía tiene bululo fresco?Do you still have fresh white bread?
Cuque	Cook	Mi tía trabaja de cuque en un restaurante.My aunt works as a cook in a restaurant.
Yarda	Yard, patio	Los cipotes están jugando en la yarda.The kids are playing in the yard.
¿Me regala un guífiti?	Can I have a guífiti? (Garífuna herbal liquor)	¿Me regala un guífiti para probarlo?Can I have a guífiti to try it?

The Bay Islands

Roatán, Utila and Guanaja sit off the north coast. Many islanders speak English first, so a few words here carry weight.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Caracol	What mainlanders call islanders (islanders find it rude)	Mejor no le digás caracol a un isleño.Better not call an islander a caracol.
Isleño / isleña	Islander	Mi guía en Roatán es isleño y habla inglés.My guide in Roatán is an islander and speaks English.
Kriol	Islander from the old English-speaking families	Los kriols llevan generaciones en la isla.The kriols have been on the island for generations.
Tuk-tuk	3-wheel taxi on Utila	En Utila un tuk-tuk te lleva por 3 dólares.In Utila a tuk-tuk takes you for 3 dollars.
Cayo	Small island off the coast	Fuimos en kayak a un cayo desde la playa.We kayaked to a small island from the beach.

Santa Bárbara, Copán and the west

The west is coffee country on the road to Copán Ruinas and Gracias. You hear words shared with the south and others like patojo and canchito from Guatemala.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Patojo / patoja	Kid (a Guatemalan word)	Ese patojo ya está bien grande.That kid is so big now.
Canchito / canchita	Fair-haired person (chele in the rest of Honduras)	El canchito de la tienda es mi primo.The fair-haired guy at the shop is my cousin.
Chelito / chelita	Little fair one (Santa Bárbara)	Allá todos son chelitos.There, everybody is fair.
Güisquil	Chayote squash (pataste in the rest of Honduras)	La sopa lleva güisquil y papa.The soup has chayote and potato.
Pinolero / pinolera	Person from Ocotepeque	Mi vecino es pinolero.My neighbor is from Ocotepeque.

Don't mix these up

Word	In Honduras	Elsewhere
Tuani	Cool, great. You'll hear it, but macizo and bélico are more Honduran	The everyday word for cool in Nicaragua
Goma	A hangover	Glue, rubber or an eraser almost everywhere else
Fresco	A fruit juice or a soda	Cool or fresh. In Spain, also cheeky
Sencillo	Small change	Simple or plain almost everywhere else
Bravo	Angry	Brave, or "well done!" as a cheer
Cheque	Okay, alright	A bank check everywhere else
Cipote	A kid	In Spain, a crude word for penis
Pisto	Money	In Spain, a vegetable stew. In Mexico, a shot of liquor
Chichí	A baby	In Mexico, chichis is slang for breasts
Chela	A fair-skinned woman, and among young people a beer too	In Mexico and Peru, mostly a beer
Arrecho	Furious, or tough and brave	In Colombia, Peru and the Dominican Republic, horny
Paja	Nonsense, as in "hablar paja"	"Hacerse una paja" is vulgar slang for masturbating
Chafa	Soldiers, the army	In Mexico, cheap or fake
Mantequilla	Thin sour cream	Butter in Spain and Mexico
Quesadilla	A sweet bake for coffee	In Mexico, a cheese tortilla
Me da pena	I'm embarrassed	In Spain, it makes me sad
Pajero	Someone who talks nonsense or brags, with a crude second meaning	In Spain and much of Latin America, a very rude insult
Pija	Vulgar for penis; pijudo means awesome	In Spain, a posh girl
Cuero	A gorgeous woman (crude)	In Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, a prostitute
Coger	Vulgar for sex, so most people avoid it	In Spain, to take or to catch. Say "agarrar el bus" in Honduras

Questions people ask

What are common Honduran phrases?

Start with "vaya pues" (okay then), "primero Dios" (God willing), "¿me regala...?" (can I have...?) and "con gusto" (my pleasure). With friends, say "¿qué onda, maje?" for "what's up, bro?".

What does maje mean in Honduras?

Maje means bro or dude between close friends: "¿Qué onda, maje?". With a stranger or in an angry tone it means idiot, so wait until a local uses it with you first.

What is Honduran slang for boyfriend or girlfriend?

Young Hondurans say jaño for boyfriend and jaña for girlfriend. Novio and novia work everywhere, and dar el palo means to dump someone.

How do you say "cool" or "awesome" in Honduran slang?

Say "¡Qué Pepsi!", "¡qué macizo!", "¡qué pinta!" or "¡qué cachimbón!". Pijudo is the big one with friends, but it comes from a vulgar word, so say macizo with older people.

What does vos mean in Honduras?

Vos is the "you" friends use instead of tú. The verbs shift too, so you'll hear vos sos, vos tenés and vení.

What does cheque mean in Honduras?

Cheque means okay or alright. Ask "Nos vemos a las 7, ¿cheque?" and the answer is "cheque".

What does vaya pues mean?

Vaya pues means okay then, and it ends most chats and calls. In fast speech it sounds like "va pue".

What is Honduran slang for friend?

Alero is your best friend, and maje and compa are your buddies. Your whole friend group is la mara.

What is Honduran slang for a girl or a pretty girl?

A girl is a cipota or a güirra, and a fair-skinned girl is a chela. For a pretty girl you'll hear chula, which is safe, and cuero, which is crude.

What are some common swear words in Honduran slang?

Pija is a crude word for penis, and "me vale pija" means "I don't give a damn". Cerote means a turd and works as "jerk". A huevo is a crude way to say "hell yes" or "like it or not".

What does cerote mean?

Cerote is a strong insult, close to "jerk" or "piece of crap". Literally it's a turd, so keep it out of polite company.

What does catracho mean?

Catracho means Honduran. Hondurans use it with pride, and a Honduran woman is a catracha.

What does pisto mean?

Pisto means money. "No tengo pisto" is "I'm broke".

What does cipote mean?

A cipote is a kid, and a cipota is a girl. In Spain it's a crude word, so keep that in mind.

What are some funny Honduran sayings?

Try "pisto jala pisto" (money makes money), or "el comal le dijo negra a la olla" for the pot calling the kettle black. "¡Qué Pepsi!" gets a laugh from almost anyone.

Is there a Honduran slang dictionary?

Yes. The classic is Membreño's Hondureñismos, and the Diccionario de americanismos marks Honduran words with "Ho".

What are the most common Honduran slang words?

Start with maje, pisto, cheque, catracho, cipote and vaya pues. You'll hear all 6 on your first day.

Slang in other countries

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Sources

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