Nicaraguan slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
33 slang
5 regions
26 local phrases
14 marked vulgar

Nicaraguans say "vos", soften their s's and pack every chat with words like "ideay", "maje" and "chunche". Your classroom Spanish gets you a room, but it won't help you joke with a taxi driver in Managua.

Greetings and small talk 29

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	¿Ideay?	What's up? So?	¡Ideay, chele! ¿Qué andás haciendo por aquí?Hey, blondie! What are you doing around here?	Casual The most Nica word there is. It greets, asks "so?" and shows surprise.
2	Chele	Light-skinned person, foreigner	Ey, chele, ¿de dónde sos?Hey, blondie, where are you from?	Casual Women are "chela". You'll get called this, and it's rarely rude.
3	Buenas	Hi, hello	Buenas, ¿tiene agua fría?Hi, do you have cold water?	Everyday The default hello in shops, buses and the street. Short for "buenos días", "buenas tardes" or "buenas noches".
4	Mucho gusto	Nice to meet you	Soy Ana. Mucho gusto.I'm Ana. Nice to meet you.	Everyday Say it with a handshake when you meet someone.
5	¿Cómo estás?	How are you?	Buenas, ¿cómo estás? ¿Todo bien?Hi, how are you? All good?	Everyday Nicaraguans often say "¿cómo estás vos?". With older people say "¿cómo está?".
6	Encantado / encantada	Pleased to meet you	Encantada, yo soy Lucía.Pleased to meet you, I'm Lucía.	Everyday A bit warmer than "mucho gusto". Women say "encantada".
7	Dale pues	Okay, sure	¿Nos vemos a las 6 en el parque? Dale pues.See you at 6 in the park? Okay, sure.	Everyday Agrees to almost anything, with strangers or friends.
8	Vaya pues / va pues	Okay then, bye	Vaya pues, mañana te llamo.Okay then, I'll call you tomorrow.	Everyday Agrees and closes a chat. You'll hear it as a goodbye at the end of every call.
9	Adiós	Hi (in passing)	Adiós, doña Mari, ¿cómo amaneció?Hi, Doña Mari, how are you this morning?	Everyday Said as a hello when you pass someone, and as a goodbye.
10	Con gusto	You're welcome, with pleasure	Gracias por la ayuda. Con gusto.Thanks for the help. You're welcome.	Everyday A warm reply to "gracias".
11	¿Y vos?	And you?	Bien, gracias. ¿Y vos?Fine, thanks. And you?	Everyday Nicaraguans use "vos" with friends and peers.
12	¿De dónde sos?	Where are you from?	Hablás bien español. ¿De dónde sos?You speak good Spanish. Where are you from?	Everyday "Sos" is the "vos" form of "eres". You'll get asked this a lot.
13	Nica	Nicaraguan	Yo soy nica, de Masaya.I'm Nicaraguan, from Masaya.	Everyday Nicaraguans call themselves this with pride.
14	¿Cómo te llamás?	What's your name?	Hola, yo soy Ana. ¿Cómo te llamás?Hi, I'm Ana. What's your name?	Everyday The "vos" form of "te llamas".
15	¿Hablás inglés?	Do you speak English?	Perdón, ¿hablás inglés? Mi español es malo.Sorry, do you speak English? My Spanish is bad.	Everyday Use it with young people. With older people say "¿habla inglés?".
16	Con permiso	Excuse me	Con permiso, voy a bajar aquí.Excuse me, I'm getting off here.	Everyday Say it to get past people on a bus or in a crowd.
17	Me da pena	I'm embarrassed, sorry to bother you	Me da pena, pero no entendí. ¿Me lo repetís?Sorry, I didn't catch that. Can you say it again?	Everyday "Pena" is embarrassment here. Use it to say sorry or to soften a favor.
18	¿Qué nota?	What's up? What's new?	¿Qué nota, maje? ¿Cómo te fue?What's up, dude? How did it go?	Casual A Nica hello between friends. You'll hear "¿qué onda?" too.
19	¡Epa!	Hey!	¡Epa, chele! Se te cayó la gorra.Hey, blondie! You dropped your cap.	Casual A hello, or a shout to get someone's attention.
20	¿Tenés WhatsApp?	Do you have WhatsApp?	¿Tenés WhatsApp? Te mando las fotos.Do you have WhatsApp? I'll send you the photos.	Casual How everyone swaps numbers.
21	¿Qué andás haciendo?	What are you up to?	¿Qué andás haciendo, chavala?What are you up to, girl?	Casual Nicaraguans use "andar" a lot.
22	¿Qué me contás?	What's new with you?	Ideay, ¿qué me contás? ¿Cómo está la familia?So, what's new? How's the family?	Casual The "vos" form of "cuentas".
23	¿Andás de vacaciones?	Are you on vacation?	¿Andás de vacaciones o vivís aquí?Are you on vacation or do you live here?	Everyday A common opener for visitors.
24	Que le vaya bien	Have a good one	Gracias, que le vaya bien.Thanks, have a good one.	Everyday Shopkeepers say it as you leave.
25	Cuidate, pues	Take care	Ya me voy. Cuidate, pues.I'm off. Take care.	Everyday A warm goodbye in the "vos" form.
26	Ahí te caigo	I'll drop by	Ya me voy. Ahí te caigo el sábado.I'm off. I'll drop by on Saturday.	Casual A goodbye that says you'll see them again soon.
27	Saludame a tu mamá	Say hi to your mom for me	Saludame a tu mamá, pues.Say hi to your mom for me.	Everyday Family matters here. People send greetings all the time.
28	Pinolero / pinolera	Nicaraguan (proud)	Somos pinoleros, puro pinolillo.We're Nicas through and through.	Casual From "pinol", toasted cornmeal, the base of pinolillo.
29	A la orden	You're welcome, at your service	Gracias por todo. A la orden.Thanks for everything. You're welcome.	Everyday A polite reply to "gracias". Shop staff and drivers say it a lot.

Getting around 26

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
30	¿Me llevás a...?	Will you take me to...?	¿Me llevás al mercado Huembes?Will you take me to the Huembes market?	Everyday The basic taxi ask. Say where you're going, then agree on the fare.
31	¿Cuánto me cobrás?	How much will you charge me?	¿Cuánto me cobrás hasta el mercado Huembes?How much to the Huembes market?	Everyday Taxis have no meter, so agree on the fare before you get in.
32	¿Me dejás en la esquina?	Can you drop me at the corner?	Ya casi llegamos. ¿Me dejás en la esquina?We're almost there. Can you drop me at the corner?	Everyday The "vos" form of "dejas".
33	Aquí nomás	Right here is fine	Aquí nomás, gracias. ¿Cuánto le debo?Right here is fine, thanks. What do I owe you?	Everyday Tells a taxi or bus where to stop.
34	Me bajo aquí	I'll get off here	Me bajo en la esquina, por favor.I'll get off at the corner, please.	Everyday Tell the helper or the driver as your stop comes up. In Managua you'll also hear "me quedo aquí".
35	Taxero	Taxi driver	El taxero me dejó en la rotonda.The taxi driver dropped me at the roundabout.	Everyday The local word for "taxista".
36	Ruletero	Taxi that cruises for fares	En Managua el ruletero te recoge en cualquier esquina.In Managua a cruising taxi picks you up on any corner.	Everyday Taxis that drive around and pick up more people on the way.
37	¿Es colectivo?	Is this a shared taxi?	¿Es colectivo a San Juan del Sur? ¿Cuánto por persona?Is this a shared taxi to San Juan del Sur? How much per person?	Everyday A colectivo picks up other people and charges each one. It costs less than a taxi of your own.
38	Caponera	3-wheel moto taxi	Agarramos una caponera hasta la playa.We took a moto taxi to the beach.	Everyday Common in towns and on the edge of Managua.
39	El pasaje	The fare	¿Cuánto es el pasaje a Granada?How much is the fare to Granada?	Everyday You pay on the bus once it's moving, in cash.
40	El ayudante	Bus helper who takes the fare	Pagale al ayudante cuando pase cobrando.Pay the helper when he comes round for the fare.	Everyday He hangs off the door, calls the stops and collects the fare.
41	¿Me avisás cuando lleguemos?	Will you tell me when we get there?	Voy para Masaya. ¿Me avisás cuando lleguemos?I'm going to Masaya. Will you tell me when we get there?	Everyday Ask the driver or the helper. Buses don't announce stops.
42	La terminal	The bus station	¿De qué terminal sale el bus a León?Which station does the bus to León leave from?	Everyday Big towns have 1 main terminal, often by the market.
43	La ruta	City bus line	¿Esta ruta pasa por Metrocentro?Does this bus go past Metrocentro?	Everyday Managua buses run on numbered routes. You pay a few córdobas in cash, since the old TUC card machines were taken out in 2018.
44	El expreso	Express bus	Agarrá el expreso a León, llega más rápido.Take the express bus to León, it gets there faster.	Everyday Express buses cost a bit more and make fewer stops.
45	Microbús	Minibus between cities	Agarramos un microbús en la UCA para ir a Granada.We took a minibus from the UCA to Granada.	Everyday Minibuses to Granada, León and Masaya still leave from the UCA in Managua. Big buses to Granada and Masaya also leave from the Roberto Huembes market.
46	¿Hay campo?	Is there room?	¿Hay campo para 2 más?Is there room for 2 more?	Everyday "Campo" means space here. Ask on buses and in shared taxis.
47	¿Dónde queda...?	Where is...?	¿Dónde queda el hostal? Del semáforo, 2 cuadras al lago.Where's the hostel? From the traffic light, 2 blocks north.	Everyday Streets rarely have names, so the answer starts from a landmark and counts blocks. In Managua "al lago" means north. In Granada the lake is east.
48	Cuadra	Block	El hostal queda a 2 cuadras del parque.The hostel is 2 blocks from the park.	Everyday Directions count in blocks.
49	Donde fue	Where something used to be	De donde fue el cine González, media cuadra al sur.From where the González cinema used to be, half a block south.	Everyday Landmarks that are long gone still give directions.
50	Al lago / arriba / abajo	North / east / west, in Managua	Del semáforo, 2 cuadras al lago y 1 arriba.From the traffic light, 2 blocks north and 1 block east.	Everyday In Managua the lake and the sun give the compass. "Arriba" is east, "abajo" is west and "a la montaña" is south. In Granada "al lago" means east.
51	Jalón	A ride, a lift	¿Me das un jalón hasta el pueblo?Can you give me a ride to town?	Casual Ask only people you trust.
52	Tranque	Traffic jam, roadblock	Hay un tranque en la carretera, vamos a llegar tarde.There's a traffic jam on the highway, we'll be late.	Everyday Anything that blocks the road, from heavy traffic to a closure.
53	La jura	The cops	Cuidado, ahí viene la jura.Careful, here come the cops.	Slang A rude word for the police, so never say it to an officer. "La pesca" means the same.
54	A pincel	On foot	Vamos a pincel, que el hostal queda cerca.We're going on foot, the hostel is close.	Casual Elsewhere "pincel" means a brush. People also say "a pata".
55	Batear	To steal	Me batearon el celular en el mercado.Someone stole my phone at the market.	Slang Literally "to hit with a bat".

Food and drink 41

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
56	Regalame... / ¿Me regalás...?	Can I have...?	Regalame un gallo pinto y un fresco de piña, por favor.Can I have rice and beans and a pineapple drink, please?	Everyday Use it to order. It means "can I have". Street use
57	La cuenta, por favor	The check, please	¿Me traés la cuenta, por favor?Can you bring me the check, please?	Everyday Staff won't bring it until you ask.
58	Para llevar	To go	Un fresco de piña para llevar, por favor.A pineapple drink to go, please.	Everyday Drinks to go often come in a plastic bag with a straw.
59	Sin hielo	No ice	Un fresco de piña sin hielo, por favor.A pineapple drink with no ice, please.	Everyday Ask for it if you don't trust the water in the ice.
60	Pajilla	Drinking straw	Un fresco sin pajilla, por favor.A fruit drink with no straw, please.	Everyday The Nica word for "pajita".
61	Agua purificada	Purified water	¿El agua es purificada?Is the water purified?	Everyday Drink bottled or purified water, not water from the tap.
62	Gallo pinto	Rice and beans	Desayuné gallo pinto con huevo y queso frito.I had rice and beans with egg and fried cheese for breakfast.	Everyday The national dish. You'll eat it 3 times a day.
63	Fritanga	Street grill stall	Cenamos en la fritanga de la esquina.We had dinner at the grill stall on the corner.	Everyday Cheap fried food and grilled meat, mostly at night.
64	Comida corriente	Cheap set lunch	En el mercado sirven comida corriente.They serve a cheap set lunch at the market.	Everyday Meat, rice and salad at a low price.
65	Comedor	Small eatery	Almorzamos en un comedor del mercado.We had lunch at a market eatery.	Everyday Cheap home-style food, mostly at lunch.
66	Fresco	Fresh fruit drink	¿De qué tiene el fresco hoy?What flavor is the fresh drink today?	Everyday Juice with water and sugar.
67	Calala	Passion fruit	Regalame un fresco de calala, por favor.Can I have a passion fruit drink, please?	Everyday The Nica word for "maracuyá".
68	Leche agria	Sour milk drink	De desayuno me tomé una leche agria.I had a glass of sour milk for breakfast.	Everyday Home-made and a bit like yogurt. Corner shops sell it.
69	Jamaica	Hibiscus drink	Un fresco de jamaica bien helado, por favor.A really cold hibiscus drink, please.	Everyday Red and tart, made from hibiscus flowers. Most eateries have it.
70	Cacao	Cacao and milk drink	Un cacao bien helado, por favor.A really cold cacao drink, please.	Everyday Cacao blended with milk and a little corn. It tastes the most like chocolate.
71	Chicha	Sweet corn drink	En la feria compramos chicha bien helada.At the fair we bought a really cold corn drink.	Everyday Made from corn. The strong fermented kind is "chicha bruja".
72	Tiste	Toasted corn and cacao drink	En el mercado de Masaya tomamos tiste.We drank tiste at the Masaya market.	Everyday It tastes a bit like chocolate. You'll find it at markets and fairs.
73	Vigorón	Yuca, pork rind and cabbage salad	En Granada pedí un vigorón en hoja de plátano.In Granada I ordered a vigorón on a banana leaf.	Everyday A street classic, served on a leaf.
74	Nacatamal	Big pork tamale	Los domingos comemos nacatamal con café.On Sundays we eat nacatamal with coffee.	Everyday A weekend favorite. People steam it in a banana leaf.
75	Indio viejo	Corn and shredded beef stew	Hoy hay indio viejo en el comedor.There's indio viejo at the eatery today.	Everyday A thick stew of corn dough, shredded beef and onion.
76	Vaho	Steamed beef and plantain	El domingo hicimos vaho en la casa de mi abuela.On Sunday we made vaho at my grandma's house.	Everyday Beef, green and ripe plantain and yuca, steamed for hours in banana leaves.
77	Quesillo	Tortilla with soft cheese and cream	Paramos en la carretera a comer quesillo.We stopped on the highway to eat quesillo.	Everyday A tortilla wrapped round soft cheese, pickled onion and cream.
78	Güirila	Sweet young-corn tortilla	Regalame una güirila con cuajada, por favor.Can I have a sweet corn tortilla with fresh cheese, please?	Everyday A thick, sweet tortilla made from fresh corn. Roadside stalls sell it with cuajada.
79	Cuajada	Fresh curd cheese	De cena hay gallo pinto con cuajada.There's rice and beans with fresh cheese for dinner.	Everyday Soft and salty. It often comes with gallo pinto.
80	Tajadas	Fried plantain chips	Regalame una carne asada con tajadas.Can I have grilled meat with plantain chips?	Everyday Thin fried slices of green plantain.
81	Chilero	Pickled hot sauce jar	Pasame el chilero, por fa.Pass me the hot sauce, please.	Everyday The jar of chili, onion and vinegar on every table.
82	Chiltoma	Bell pepper	¿El gallo pinto lleva chiltoma?Does the rice and beans have bell pepper in it?	Everyday The Nica word for "pimiento". You'll see it in stews and on menus.
83	Tres leches	Milk-soaked sponge cake	De postre pedí un tres leches con café.For dessert I ordered a tres leches cake with coffee.	Everyday The cake you'll see on most dessert menus.
84	Pinolillo	Sweet toasted cornmeal drink	Tomate un pinolillo bien helado.Have a nice cold pinolillo.	Everyday Sweet and drunk cold. It gives Nicas the name "pinoleros".
85	Raspado	Shaved ice	Hace calor, vamos por un raspado.It's hot, let's get a shaved ice.	Everyday Ice with syrup. Vendors sell it from carts.
86	Carne asada	Grilled beef	Cenamos carne asada con gallo pinto.We had grilled beef with rice and beans for dinner.	Everyday A typical plate at a fritanga or a restaurant.
87	Rosquillas	Crunchy corn rings	Compré rosquillas para el café de la tarde.I bought corn rings for the afternoon coffee.	Everyday A baked corn snack. People dunk them in coffee.
88	Cajeta	Milk or coconut sweet	Compramos cajeta de coco en el mercado.We bought coconut sweets at the market.	Everyday A fudge-like sweet made with milk, panela or coconut.
89	Queque	Cake	Le compramos un queque a mi chavala para su cumpleaños.We bought my girlfriend a cake for her birthday.	Everyday From English "cake". Bakeries sell it whole or by the slice.
90	Una orden	A plate, a portion	Una orden de tajadas con queso, por favor.A plate of plantain chips with cheese, please.	Everyday Fritangas sell everything by the "orden".
91	Tener filo	To be hungry	Tengo un filo, vamos a comer ya.I'm starving, let's eat now.	Slang "Filo" is hunger.
92	Lambrisco	Always hungry	Ese chavalo es bien lambrisco.That kid is always hungry.	Casual For someone who eats everything in sight.
93	Caer como zopilote	To pounce on the food	Sacaron los nacatamales y todos cayeron como zopilotes.They brought out the nacatamales and everyone pounced like vultures.	Casual A zopilote is a vulture. Use it when a crowd rushes the food.
94	Choco	Gone sour	No te comás esos frijoles, ya están chocos.Don't eat those beans, they've gone sour.	Casual Food that tastes sour or has started to ferment.
95	Bastimento	Side dishes	El bastimento es arroz, tajadas y ensalada.The sides are rice, plantain chips and salad.	Everyday What comes on the plate with the meat.
96	Chingaste	Dregs, leftovers	No te tomés el chingaste del café.Don't drink the coffee grounds.	Everyday The grounds at the bottom of a cup, or the scraps left on a plate. It has a crude 2nd meaning, so watch the context.

Money and shopping 31

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
97	¿Cuánto cuesta?	How much does it cost?	¿Cuánto cuesta la hamaca?How much is the hammock?	Everyday Works in any shop.
98	¿Cuánto vale?	How much is it?	¿Cuánto vale la libra de tomate?How much is a pound of tomatoes?	Everyday Another way to ask a price. Use it at market stalls.
99	Está caro	That's expensive	Está caro, ¿me lo dejás en 150?That's expensive, will you let me have it for 150?	Everyday Say it with a smile before you haggle.
100	Pesos	Córdobas	Son 50 pesos, chele.That's 50 córdobas, blondie.	Everyday Many people say "pesos" for córdobas. Some people also call a córdoba a "vara".
101	¿Me lo dejás en...?	Will you give it to me for...?	Está bonito. ¿Me lo dejás en 200?It's nice. Will you let me have it for 200?	Everyday Haggling at a market stall. Smile when you ask.
102	Vuelto	Change	¿Tenés vuelto de 500?Do you have change for 500?	Everyday Carry small bills. Drivers often have no change.
103	¿Tenés sencillo?	Do you have small change?	Solo tengo un billete de 500. ¿Tenés sencillo?I only have a 500 bill. Do you have small change?	Everyday "Sencillo" is coins and small bills. Carry some for buses and markets.
104	¿Aceptás dólares?	Do you take dollars?	¿Aceptás dólares o solo córdobas?Do you take dollars or only córdobas?	Everyday Many places take US dollars, but you'll get change in córdobas.
105	Coyote	Street money changer	Cambié dólares con un coyote en el mercado.I changed dollars with a street money changer at the market.	Everyday Count your money before you walk away. A friend who keeps eating your food is a coyote too.
106	Jugarle las barbas	To swindle someone	Le jugaron las barbas con el cambio de dólares.They swindled him when he changed dollars.	Casual To trick someone out of money.
107	Ñapa	A little extra	Me dio 6 mangos y uno de ñapa.She gave me 6 mangos and 1 extra for free.	Everyday The bonus a vendor adds. You can ask for it.
108	A precio de guate mojado	Dirt cheap	En el mercado venden las piñas a precio de guate mojado.At the market they sell pineapples dirt cheap.	Casual Use it for a real bargain.
109	De cachete	For free	Entramos de cachete al concierto.We got into the concert for free.	Slang Anything you get without paying.
110	Pulpería	Corner shop	Andá a la pulpería y comprá hielo.Go to the corner shop and buy ice.	Everyday Small shops in houses, on every block.
111	Tramo	Market stall	La señora del tramo de frutas me hizo rebaja.The lady at the fruit stall gave me a discount.	Everyday A spot in a market.
112	Caramanchel	Street stall	Compré un fresco en un caramanchel.I bought a fruit drink at a street stall.	Everyday A small stall on the street.
113	Riales	Money	Andá vos a pagar, que yo ya no tengo riales.You go and pay, I'm out of money.	Slang A local way to say "reales", money.
114	Plata	Money	¿Cuánta plata necesito para el fin de semana?How much money do I need for the weekend?	Everyday The everyday word for money. "Dinero" sounds more formal.
115	Billete	Money, cash	No ando billete para la entrada.I don't have cash for the ticket.	Slang Casual word for cash. "Tiene billete" means "he's loaded".
116	Ando palmado	I'm broke	¿Vamos al cine? No, ando palmado.Shall we go to the movies? No, I'm broke.	Slang The most common way to say it.
117	Pelado como un maní	Totally broke	No me pidás nada, ando pelado como un maní.Don't ask me for anything, I'm totally broke.	Casual Literally "peeled like a peanut".
118	Andar en la lipidia	To be dirt poor	Pagué el hotel y ahora ando en la lipidia.I paid for the hotel and now I'm flat broke.	Slang Extreme poverty, often said as a joke about yourself.
119	Pinche	Stingy	No seás pinche, comprá otra ronda.Don't be stingy, buy another round.	Casual In Nicaragua it means cheap. In Mexico it's a swear word.
120	Hacer la vaca	Pool money	Hagamos la vaca para la gasolina.Let's pool money for gas.	Everyday Good for group trips.
121	Jarana	Debt	Tengo una jarana con mi hermano.I owe my brother money.	Casual Any money you owe.
122	Balurde	Poor quality	Este cargador está balurde, no carga nada.This charger is junk, it doesn't charge at all.	Slang For cheap stuff that breaks fast. It's also an insult for a bad person.
123	Chereque	Odds and ends, junk	Esa mochila está llena de chereques.That backpack is full of junk.	Casual Your little things of no value.
124	Ipegüe	A free extra	Y ¿el ipegüe? Ya llevo una docena.And what about the extra one? I'm already taking a dozen.	Everyday Ask for the bonus item after a vendor packs a dozen. It works like "ñapa".
125	Coyol quebrado, coyol comido	Living hand to mouth	Mi tío vive coyol quebrado, coyol comido.My uncle lives hand to mouth.	Casual Said about people who spend each coin as soon as they earn it.
126	Chapas	Earrings	¿Cuánto valen esas chapas?How much are those earrings?	Everyday The Nica word for "aretes". Craft markets sell lots of them.
127	Alejandro en puño	Miser, someone who won't share	No le pidás nada, es un Alejandro en puño.Don't ask him for anything, he's a miser.	Casual A stingy person with a closed fist.

Bars and going out 27

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
128	Una chela, por favor	A beer, please	Regalame una chela bien helada, por favor.Can I have a really cold beer, please?	Everyday "Chela" is beer here, and also a light-skinned woman. Toña and Victoria are the 2 national beers.
129	¡Salud!	Cheers!	¡Salud! Por el viaje.Cheers! To the trip.	Everyday Raise your glass and look people in the eye.
130	Otra ronda	Another round	Otra ronda de Toñas, por favor.Another round of Toñas, please.	Everyday Order it for the whole table.
131	Un litro	A 1-liter bottle of beer	Regalanos un litro de Toña bien helada para la mesa.Can we have a liter of ice-cold Toña for the table?	Everyday The big glass bottle that friends share with small glasses. Ask for "una Toña de litro".
132	Un Flor de Caña	A glass of Flor de Caña rum	Regalame un Flor de Caña con hielo y limón, por favor.Can I have a Flor de Caña with ice and lime, please?	Everyday Flor de Caña is the rum most people drink.
133	Nica libre	Rum and cola	Regalame un Nica libre bien helado.Can I have a really cold rum and cola?	Everyday The local name for a Cuba libre, made with Nica rum.
134	El trago del estribo	One for the road	Uno más, el trago del estribo, y nos vamos.One more, one for the road, and then we go.	Casual The last drink before you leave a party.
135	Chupar	To drink (alcohol)	¿Vamos a chupar a la playa esta noche?Shall we go drinking at the beach tonight?	Slang To drink, often a lot. A long drinking session is "una chupadera".
136	Doce onzas	12-ounce bottle of beer	Regalame una doce onzas de Toña.Can I have a 12-ounce Toña?	Everyday The small bottle size.
137	Tapinear	To go drinking	¿Vamos a tapinear el viernes?Shall we go drinking on Friday?	Slang Young people say it.
138	Macuá	National cocktail	Probá el macuá, es ron con guayaba.Try the macuá, it's rum with guava.	Everyday Rum, guava and citrus. It takes its name from a bird.
139	Guaro	Hard liquor	Esa noche hubo guaro hasta las 3.That night there was liquor until 3.	Casual Any strong drink, mostly rum.
140	Relajo	Rowdy fun, a mess	Anoche en la playa hubo un relajo hasta las 3.Last night at the beach there was a wild party until 3.	Casual Fun that gets out of hand.
141	Bacanal	A big party	¿Vas al bacanal del sábado?Are you going to the party on Saturday?	Slang Any party, the wilder the better. To party is "bacanalear".
142	Bicha	A beer	Vamos por unas bichas después del trabajo.Let's get some beers after work.	Slang Young people say it.
143	Pacha	Small flat bottle of liquor	Compramos una pacha de ron para el viaje.We bought a flask of rum for the trip.	Casual It also means a baby bottle.
144	Bolo	Drunk	Mi primo ya está bolo y son las 8.My cousin's already drunk and it's 8.	Casual The everyday word for drunk. To get drunk is "embolarse".
145	Picado	Tipsy	Con 2 Toñas ya estoy picado.After 2 Toñas I'm already tipsy.	Casual A little drunk.
146	Jalado	Drunk	Mi tío ya está jalado y quiere bailar.My uncle's already drunk and wants to dance.	Casual Another word for "bolo". It can also mean pale and worn out.
147	Goma	Hangover	Ando una goma que no aguanto.I have an unbearable hangover.	Casual Literally "rubber". Locals cure it with sopa de mondongo.
148	Molote	A crowd	Había un molote en la entrada del bar.There was a crowd at the door of the bar.	Casual A big packed group of people.
149	Colado	Gatecrasher	No lo invitamos, vino de colado.We didn't invite him, he crashed the party.	Casual Someone who shows up uninvited.
150	Un pichel	A pitcher	Regalame un pichel de Toña para la mesa.Can I have a pitcher of Toña for the table?	Everyday Beer or fresco in a jug to share. From English "pitcher".
151	Bebedera	Drinking session	La bebedera siguió hasta el domingo.The drinking went on until Sunday.	Casual A long round of drinking.
152	Guarearse	To get drunk	Se guareó en la boda de su prima.He got drunk at his cousin's wedding.	Casual From "guaro", liquor.
153	Una Victoria, por favor	A Victoria beer, please	Una Victoria bien helada, por favor.A really cold Victoria, please.	Everyday Victoria is the other national beer, next to Toña.
154	Ron Plata	Light rum	Un Ron Plata con Coca-Cola, por favor.A Ron Plata with Coke, please.	Everyday A light rum from the same maker as Flor de Caña.

Friends and people 19

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
155	Maje	Dude, guy	Ese maje es mi vecino.That guy is my neighbor.	Slang Friendly between friends. It can mean "idiot", so save it for friends.
156	Compa	Buddy, close friend	Ideay, compa, ¿qué andás haciendo?Hey, buddy, what are you up to?	Casual Short for "compañero". Warm and very common.
157	Chavalo / chavala	Kid, young guy or girl	Los chavalos están jugando en la calle.The kids are playing in the street.	Everyday For kids and teens. "Mi chavala" can also mean your girlfriend.
158	Bróder	Bro, buddy	Gracias, bróder, te debo una.Thanks, bro, I owe you one.	Casual From English "brother".
159	Primo	Buddy (to a stranger)	¿Ideay, primo? ¿Me regalás fuego?Hey, buddy! Got a light?	Casual Literally "cousin". Men use it with men they don't know.
160	Lindo / linda	Love, dear (to a customer)	¿Qué va a llevar, linda?What are you having, dear?	Everyday Vendors say it to everyone, and many say "amor" too. Don't read anything into it.
161	Chigüín / chigüina	Kid	Cuando yo era chigüín no había celulares.When I was a kid there were no cell phones.	Casual The Nica word for a child. You'll hear moms shout it across the street.
162	Jodedor / jodedora	Joker, prankster	Ese maje es bien jodedor, siempre anda vacilando.That guy's a real joker, he's always kidding around.	Casual Someone who loves to tease and play jokes.
163	Cumiche	Youngest child	El cumiche de la casa siempre se sale con la suya.The baby of the family always gets his way.	Everyday The baby of the family.
164	Tico / tica	Costa Rican	Los ticos vienen a comprar a Rivas.Costa Ricans come to shop in Rivas.	Everyday Nicaraguans and Costa Ricans tease each other a lot. Keep it friendly.
165	Güegüense	Cunning joker	No le creás, es bien güegüense.Don't believe him, he's a real trickster.	Casual From the famous play "El Güegüense".
166	Araña	Sharp, crafty person	Ese taxero es araña, te cobra doble.That taxi driver is crafty, he'll charge you double.	Casual Smart, but maybe not honest.
167	Avispa	Quick, clever person	Mi hermana es avispa para los negocios.My sister is sharp at business.	Casual Literally "wasp".
168	Pegoste	Clingy person	Ese maje es un pegoste, no me deja en paz.That guy is so clingy, he won't leave me alone.	Casual Someone who sticks to you.
169	Jodido / jodida	Broke; hard to deal with; crafty	Ando jodido hasta el viernes.I'm broke until Friday.	Vulgar Friends also use it as a rough hello, as in "¡ideay, jodido!". Keep it away from strangers.
170	Volado	Favor	¿Me hacés un volado? Cuidame la mochila.Can you do me a favor? Watch my backpack.	Casual Also an errand. It has a crude 2nd meaning, so watch the context.
171	Chinear	To hold a baby	¿Puedo chinear al bebé?Can I hold the baby?	Everyday To carry a child or pet in your arms. The nanny who minds the kids is "la china".
172	Buena nota	Nice person, good guy	El dueño del hostal es buena nota.The hostel owner is a good guy.	Casual Use it for anyone kind and easy to deal with.
173	Abierto / abierta	Generous	Mi tía es bien abierta, siempre nos invita a comer.My aunt is really generous, she always treats us to food.	Casual Someone who shares what they have.

Reactions and feelings 22

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
174	¡Qué tuani!	How cool!	Mirá los zapatos que compré. ¡Qué tuani!Look at the shoes I bought. How cool!	Slang "Tuani" is the go-to word for cool. Costa Ricans say "tuanis".
175	¡De a cachimba!	Awesome!	¿Viste el atardecer desde el volcán? ¡De a cachimba!Did you see the sunset from the volcano? Awesome!	Slang Also written "diacachimba", or cut to "diaca". Safe with friends.
176	Salvaje	Amazing	¡Este gallo pinto está salvaje!This rice and beans is amazing!	Slang Literally "wild".
177	Caballada	Nonsense, a dumb thing; also awesome	No digás caballadas, eso no es cierto.Don't talk nonsense, that's not true.	Slang The main sense is a dumb thing or nonsense. Young people also say "¡qué caballada!" for something awesome.
178	¡Púchica!	Wow! Dang!	¡Púchica, qué calor hace en León!Dang, it's hot in León!	Casual A soft swear. Safe almost anywhere.
179	Pijudo / pijuda	Great, cool	¡Qué pijuda está la playa hoy!The beach is great today!	Vulgar Very common praise, but it comes from "pija", a rude word for penis. Keep it to friends.
180	¡Qué de a verga!	How awesome!	¡Qué de a verga el concierto!That concert was awesome!	Vulgar Strong praise between friends. Never use it with strangers or older people.
181	¡Qué leche!	Wow, so lucky!	¡Qué leche, te ganaste la rifa!Wow, you got lucky, you won the raffle!	Casual Said when someone has great luck. "Leche" is luck here.
182	A todo mecate	Full speed, all out	El bus iba a todo mecate por la carretera.The bus was going at full speed down the highway.	Slang For anything fast or intense. It can also mean great.
183	Encachimbado	Furious	Mi papá está encachimbado porque llegué tarde.My dad is furious because I got home late.	Slang Very angry.
184	Arrecho	Angry	No le hablés, anda arrecho.Don't talk to him, he's angry.	Casual In Nicaragua it means angry. In some countries it's sexual.
185	Enchichado	Annoyed	Me tiene enchichado con tanto ruido.All that noise is getting on my nerves.	Slang From "chicha", the corn drink.
186	Ya se le bajó la chicha	He's calmed down	Ya se le bajó la chicha, ya podés hablarle.He's calmed down, you can talk to him now.	Casual "Chicha" is anger here.
187	Me cae en las patas	I can't stand him or her	Ese maje me cae en las patas.I can't stand that guy.	Casual Use it for someone you find unbearable.
188	Culillo	Fear	Me dio culillo subir el volcán de noche.I got scared climbing the volcano at night.	Casual A bit crude, but very common.
189	Acalambrado	Panicked	Estoy acalambrado, mañana es el examen.I'm panicking, the exam is tomorrow.	Casual Frozen with fear or worry.
190	Azarearse	To get embarrassed	Me azareé cuando todos me cantaron cumpleaños.I got embarrassed when everyone sang happy birthday to me.	Casual "Azarear" is to shame someone in front of others.
191	Cabanga	Heartache	Desde que se fue, ando con una cabanga.Since she left, I've been heartsick.	Casual Sad because you miss someone.
192	Ahuevado	Bummed, bored	Ando ahuevado, perdí el bus.I'm bummed, I missed the bus.	Vulgar From "huevo". Very common, but crude, so keep it to friends.
193	¡Chocho!	Wow! Geez!	¡Chocho, qué caro está el pasaje!Wow, the fare is so expensive!	Slang Shows surprise, joy or annoyance. In other countries "chocho" is a crude word for a woman's body, so hear it here but don't say it.
194	Chuparse los dientes	To suck your teeth	Cuando le dije el precio, se chupó los dientes.When I told him the price, he sucked his teeth.	Everyday A sharp "tsk" sound. It shows you're annoyed or don't agree.
195	¡Qué vivo!	Nice try!	¿Querés que yo pague todo? ¡Qué vivo!You want me to pay for everything? Nice try!	Casual Sarcastic. Says someone wants the easy way out.

Fillers and everyday words 25

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
196	Pues	Well, then	Sí pues, ya voy.Yeah, I'm coming.	Everyday It ends half the sentences you'll hear. Often sounds like "pue".
197	Mirá	Look, listen	Mirá, ¿sabés dónde queda el mercado?Listen, do you know where the market is?	Everyday The "vos" form of "mira".
198	Fijate	Guess what, you know	Fijate que no hay agua hoy.Guess what, there's no water today.	Everyday Starts a piece of news.
199	¡Ve!	See? Told you!	¡Ve! Te dije que iba a llover.See? I told you it was going to rain.	Casual Say it when you're fed up, or when you were right all along.
200	Chunche	Thing, whatchamacallit	Pasame ese chunche de allí.Pass me that thing over there.	Casual For any object. It has a crude 2nd meaning, so watch the context.
201	Chochada	Thing, trifle	¿Cómo se llama esa chochada?What's that thing called?	Casual For things you can't name, or don't care about.
202	Chimbomba	Balloon	Le compramos chimbombas al chigüín para su cumpleaños.We bought balloons for the kid's birthday.	Everyday The Nica word for "globo".
203	Chimirringo	Tiny	Me dieron un cuarto chimirringo.They gave me a tiny room.	Casual For anything very small.
204	Jupa	Head	Me pegué en la jupa con la puerta.I hit my head on the door.	Casual A jokey word for the head.
205	¡Juega!	Deal, okay	¿Nos vemos a las 6 en la terminal? ¡Juega!See you at 6 at the bus station? Deal!	Casual Agrees to a plan, like "dale pues".
206	Cómo no	Of course, sure	¿Me ayudás con la mochila? Cómo no.Can you help me with my backpack? Of course.	Everyday A warm yes to a favor.
207	¡Chiva!	Watch out! Careful!	¡Chiva, que viene el bus!Watch out, the bus is coming!	Casual A shout when something dangerous is near. Street use
208	Bulla	Rumor	Hay una bulla de que van a cerrar la carretera.There's a rumor that they'll close the highway.	Casual Also loud chatter. To spread a rumor is "regar la bulla".
209	A huevo	By force, no choice; also great	Me tocó pagar a huevo.I had no choice but to pay.	Vulgar Says you had to do it, like it or not. It can also mean "great", so keep it to friends.
210	¿Cómo la ves?	What do you think?	Vamos a Ometepe el lunes. ¿Cómo la ves?Let's go to Ometepe on Monday. What do you think?	Casual Asks what someone thinks of a plan.
211	Cachimbo	A lot	Había un cachimbo de gente en el concierto.There were tons of people at the concert.	Slang A big amount.
212	Pucho	A little bit	Dame un pucho de arroz nomás.Give me just a little rice.	Casual A small amount.
213	Chiche	Easy	Subir el volcán está chiche.Climbing the volcano is easy.	Casual For any task that's easy. It also means a woman's breast, so watch the context.
214	Clavo	Problem, hassle	¡Qué clavo! Perdí la llave del cuarto.What a hassle! I lost the room key.	Casual Literally "nail". Any problem that's hard to fix.
215	Cuecho	Gossip	No le creás, es puro cuecho.Don't believe it, it's just gossip.	Casual Rumors and chatter.
216	Por gusto	For nothing, in vain	Fui por gusto al banco, estaba cerrado.I went to the bank for nothing, it was closed.	Casual Use it when an effort was wasted. It can also mean "for no reason".
217	Chante	House, home	Vamos a mi chante a ver el partido.Let's go to my place to watch the game.	Slang Also a place where friends hang out.
218	Guayola	A lie	Eso es pura guayola.That's a total lie.	Slang Made-up stories.
219	En tu mente loca	In your dreams	Dice que ya terminó el curso. En tu mente loca.He says he finished the course. In your dreams.	Slang Sarcastic. It means "I don't believe you". Street use
220	Solo vos sabés	Sure, I believe you	Dice que llegó a las 8. Solo vos sabés.He says he got there at 8. Sure, I believe you.	Slang Sarcastic. It means "I'm not convinced". Street use

Time and plans 17

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
221	Ahorita	In a bit	Ahorita voy, dame 5 minutos.I'll be there in a bit, give me 5 minutes.	Everyday It can mean in an hour or more.
222	Al rato	In a little while	Al rato paso por vos al hostal.I'll come by the hostel for you in a little while.	Everyday Soon, but not right now.
223	Hora nica	Nica time, running late	La fiesta es a las 8, pero en hora nica.The party's at 8, but on Nica time.	Casual Nicas joke about it too. Expect people to show up late.
224	Contra el cacho	Running late	Vamos contra el cacho, el bus sale en 5 minutos.We're running late, the bus leaves in 5 minutes.	Casual Use it when you're short on time. Street use
225	Primero Dios	God willing	Mañana nos vemos, primero Dios.See you tomorrow, God willing.	Everyday People add it to plans.
226	¡Qué rato!	It's been ages!	¡Qué rato sin verte, maje!It's been ages since I saw you, dude!	Casual Say it when you bump into someone you haven't seen in a long time.
227	A la mera hora	At the last minute	A la mera hora cancelaron el tour.They canceled the tour at the last minute.	Casual Use it when plans change late.
228	No te lentiés	Don't be slow	No te lentiés, que el bus ya va a salir.Don't dawdle, the bus is about to leave.	Casual Tells someone to hurry.
229	Ponete las pilas	Get moving	Ponete las pilas, que llegamos tarde.Get moving, we're going to be late.	Casual Literally "put your batteries in".
230	Arreado	In a rush, flat out	El bus iba arreado por la carretera.The bus was flying down the highway.	Casual Going fast. It can also mean lazy or slow, so watch the context.
231	Dejate caer	Drop by	Dejate caer por el hostal en la noche.Drop by the hostel tonight.	Casual A relaxed invite.
232	Jalarse (ya me jalo)	To head off, to leave	Ya me jalo, que se hace noche.I'm heading off, it's getting dark.	Casual "Ya me jalo" is how you say you're leaving.
233	Ya mero	Almost, in a moment	Ya mero llegamos, aguantá un poquito.We're almost there, hang on a little.	Everyday Says something is about to happen.
234	¿A qué horas?	At what time?	¿A qué horas sale el bus a León?What time does the bus to León leave?	Everyday Nicas often say "horas", plural.
235	Echar un pelón	To take a nap	Voy a echar un pelón después del almuerzo.I'm going to take a nap after lunch.	Casual A short sleep in the heat of the day.
236	Regarla (la regué)	To mess up	La regué, dejé el pasaporte en el hotel.I messed up, I left my passport at the hotel.	Casual The everyday way to admit a mistake. A big blunder is "una regazón".
237	De pura leche	By pure luck	De pura leche agarramos el último bus.By pure luck we caught the last bus.	Casual "Leche" is luck here.

Teasing and insults 29

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
238	Tapudo / tapuda	Gossip, big mouth	No le contés nada, es bien tapudo.Don't tell him anything, he's a big mouth.	Casual Someone who can't keep a secret, or lies.
239	Bueno para el bla bla	All talk, no action	Ese maje es bueno para el bla bla, nunca hace nada.That guy is all talk, he never does anything.	Casual For someone who promises a lot and does little.
240	Dundo	Dim, silly	No seás dundo, el bus sale a las 5.Don't be silly, the bus leaves at 5.	Casual Mild teasing.
241	Lelo / lela	Slow, silly	No seás lelo, el bus ya se fue.Don't be silly, the bus already left.	Casual Teasing someone who isn't paying attention.
242	Fachento / fachenta	Show-off	Ese maje es fachento, solo habla de su carro.That guy is a show-off, he only talks about his car.	Casual Arrogant and showy. To show off is "fachentear".
243	Mala nota	Inconsiderate person, a jerk	No seás mala nota, devolvele la plata.Don't be a jerk, give him his money back.	Casual Someone who treats people badly.
244	Pura pinta	All looks, no substance	Ese carro es pura pinta, no camina.That car is all looks, it doesn't run.	Casual For a person or thing that looks good but isn't.
245	Baboso / babosa	Fool	Ese baboso dejó el celular en el taxi.That fool left his phone in the taxi.	Slang A rough insult, fine only between close friends.
246	Caballo	Dumb, rough	¡Qué caballo sos, cerrá la puerta!You're so dumb, close the door!	Slang Teasing between friends. It stings with strangers.
247	Maleta	Useless at something	No lo metás al equipo, es maleta.Don't put him on the team, he's useless.	Casual Someone bad at a skill.
248	Chintano / chintana	Gap-toothed	Desde que se le cayó el diente, le dicen chintano.Since he lost a tooth, they call him gap-toothed.	Casual It teases someone with missing teeth, so use it only with friends.
249	Metiche	Nosy person	No seás metiche, eso no es asunto tuyo.Don't be nosy, that's none of your business.	Casual Someone who pokes into other people's business.
250	Tufoso / tufosa	Smelly	Bañate, que venís bien tufoso del volcán.Take a shower, you came back from the volcano really smelly.	Casual Teasing between friends. Some people also use it for someone stuck-up.
251	Pasmado / pasmada	Dazed, stunned	Andás pasmado, ¿dormiste?You look dazed, did you sleep?	Casual Out of it, or frozen with fright.
252	Cascarudo	Shameless	El cascarudo se coló en la fila.The shameless guy cut in line.	Casual Someone with no shame.
253	Conchudo	Freeloader, shameless	Ese conchudo me debe plata desde enero.That freeloader has owed me money since January.	Casual Someone who takes advantage.
254	Lagarto	Glutton	¡Lagarto, te comiste todo el queso!You glutton, you ate all the cheese!	Casual Teasing someone who eats too much. It can also mean greedy with money.
255	Bueno para el diente	Big eater	Mi hermano es bueno para el diente, se comió 3 nacatamales.My brother is a big eater, he ate 3 nacatamales.	Casual Teasing, but friendly.
256	Lambiscón	Suck-up	Es un lambiscón con el jefe.He's a suck-up with the boss.	Casual A flatterer.
257	Tambo	Jail	Si seguís así, vas a parar al tambo.Keep this up and you'll end up in jail.	Casual Friends use it as a joke threat.
258	Chismoso / chismosa	Gossip	Esa vecina es bien chismosa, todo lo cuenta.That neighbor is a real gossip, she tells everyone everything.	Casual Someone who spreads everyone's news.
259	Pendejo / pendeja	Idiot, coward	No seás pendejo, no dejés la mochila ahí.Don't be an idiot, don't leave your bag there.	Vulgar Common, but it's a real insult. Never say it to strangers.
260	Jueputa	Son of a b...	¡Jueputa, me pegué en el dedo!Son of a b..., I hit my finger!	Vulgar A swear, or a rough hello between close friends.
261	Verga	Thing, stuff	Recogé tus vergas y vámonos.Grab your stuff and let's go.	Vulgar It also means penis. Very common, very rude.
262	Cerote	Piece of crap	Ese cerote me robó la cartera.That piece of crap stole my wallet.	Vulgar Literally a lump of poop. Strong.
263	¡No jodás!	No way! Stop it!	¡No jodás! ¿Ganaste la lotería?No way! You won the lottery?	Vulgar Common, but keep it to friends.
264	Jincho	Hick	No me digás jincho.Don't call me a hick.	Vulgar It insults rural and Indigenous people, and it means ignorant too. Know it, never say it.
265	Mierda	Crap, junk	Este hostal es una mierda, no hay agua.This hostel is crap, there's no water.	Vulgar Common for anything of poor quality. Keep it to friends.
266	Cochón	Gay (slur)	Le gritaron cochón en la calle.They yelled a slur at him in the street.	Vulgar A homophobic slur. Know it, never say it.

Love and flirting 18

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
267	¿Querés bailar?	Do you want to dance?	Me encanta esta canción. ¿Querés bailar?I love this song. Do you want to dance?	Everyday The "vos" form of "quieres". People dance a lot here.
268	¿Te invito a algo?	Can I buy you a drink?	¿Te invito a algo? ¿Una Toña?Can I buy you a drink? A Toña?	Everyday A friendly opener. The one who invites usually pays.
269	¿Me pasás tu Insta?	Can I have your Instagram?	Me caíste bien. ¿Me pasás tu Insta?I like you. Can I have your Instagram?	Casual How young people swap contacts after a night out.
270	Sos muy linda	You're really pretty	Perdón, pero sos muy linda.Sorry, but you're really pretty.	Everyday A sweet compliment. To a man, say "sos muy lindo". "Sos" is the "vos" form of "eres".
271	Me gustás	I like you	Me gustás mucho, ¿salimos el sábado?I really like you, shall we go out on Saturday?	Everyday The "vos" form of "me gustas". Say it when you mean it.
272	Me cuadrás	I like you a lot	La verdad, me cuadrás mucho.Honestly, I'm really into you.	Casual "Cuadrar" means to please or attract. A bit more playful than "me gustás".
273	Echar los perros	To court someone	Anoche le echó los perros a la chela del hostal.Last night he flirted hard with the blonde from the hostel.	Casual Literally "to throw the dogs".
274	Te quiero	I love you	Te quiero mucho, mi amor.I love you so much, my love.	Everyday Say it to a partner, family or close friends. "Te amo" is deeper.
275	Jaño / jaña	Boyfriend, girlfriend	Tu jaña me dijo que era tu cumpleaños.Your girlfriend told me it was your birthday.	Slang The casual word for "novio" or "novia".
276	Jalar	To go out, date	Ellos ya andan jalando.They're dating now.	Slang To be in a relationship.
277	Chulo / chula	Cute, good-looking	¡Qué chula te ves hoy!You look so pretty today!	Casual Sweet and safe to say.
278	Pegado	Head over heels	Anda pegado con la chela del hostal.He's head over heels for the blonde from the hostel.	Casual Madly in love.
279	Caérsele las babas	To drool over someone	Se le caen las babas cuando la ve.He drools whenever he sees her.	Casual You can't hide how much you like them.
280	Afincar	To kiss hard, to make out	Se estaban afincando en la esquina.They were making out on the corner.	Slang Young people say it. A hard kiss is "una afincada".
281	Chupete	Hickey	¿Qué es ese chupete en tu cuello?What's that hickey on your neck?	Casual From a hard kiss.
282	Ponerle los cachos	To cheat on someone	Le puso los cachos con su mejor amiga.He cheated on her with her best friend.	Casual "Cachos" are horns. The one cheated on is "cachudo".
283	Robacuna	Cradle-snatcher	Tiene 45 y su novia tiene 19. ¡Robacuna!He's 45 and his girlfriend is 19. Cradle-snatcher!	Casual Dating someone much younger.
284	Enculado	Obsessed with someone	Está enculado con esa chavala.He's obsessed with that girl.	Vulgar Crude, from "culo".

Sayings and expressions 16

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
285	Unos a la bulla y otros a la cabuya	Some do the work, others take the credit	Yo cociné todo y él se llevó las gracias. Unos a la bulla y otros a la cabuya.I cooked everything and he got the thanks. Some do the work, others cash in.	Casual Use it when someone profits from your work.
286	Gallina que come huevo, aunque le quemen el pico	Old habits die hard	Otra vez llegó tarde. Gallina que come huevo, aunque le quemen el pico.He was late again. Old habits die hard.	Casual Said about someone who keeps doing the same bad thing. Literally "a hen that eats eggs will do it even if they burn her beak".
287	De aquí no sale chancho con mazorca	Everyone pays their debts in the end	Me hizo trampa, pero de aquí no sale chancho con mazorca.He cheated me, but what goes around comes around.	Casual Literally "no pig leaves here with a corncob".
288	No hay clavo	No problem	¿Se equivocaron con tu pedido? No hay clavo.They got your order wrong? No problem.	Casual A relaxed "don't worry". "Clavo" is a problem here. "No hay falla" means the same.
289	Claro y pelado	Plainly, no beating around the bush	Te lo digo claro y pelado: está muy caro.I'll tell you straight: it's way too expensive.	Casual Use it before you say something blunt.
290	Ni modo	Oh well, nothing you can do	Se fue el último bus. Ni modo, dormimos aquí.The last bus left. Oh well, we sleep here.	Everyday Use it to accept bad luck and move on.
291	Hacerse el maje	To play dumb	No te hagás el maje, vos sabías.Don't play dumb, you knew.	Casual Builds on "maje". You act like you know nothing.
292	Echar paja	To talk nonsense	Dejá de echar paja y contá la verdad.Stop talking nonsense and tell the truth.	Casual Empty talk or lies. "Hacerse una paja" is crude, so say the whole phrase.
293	Soltale el mecate	Give them some space	Soltale el mecate a tu hijo, ya tiene 18.Give your son some space, he's 18.	Casual "Mecate" is rope. "A mecate corto" means on a tight leash.
294	Jugar chueco	To cheat, to play dirty	No jugués chueco, todos te estamos viendo.Don't cheat, we're all watching you.	Casual Cheating in a game or a deal.
295	Andar como perro en procesión	To be totally lost	El primer día en Managua anduve como perro en procesión.My first day in Managua I was totally lost.	Casual Also for joining something without knowing what's going on.
296	La plata llama la plata	Money makes money	Abrió otra tienda. La plata llama la plata.He opened another shop. Money makes money.	Casual Said about people who keep getting richer.
297	Hasta los chingos colean	Everyone wants a go, even the hopeless	¿Vos querés ser modelo? Hasta los chingos colean.You want to be a model? Even hopeless cases have a go.	Casual Teases someone who wants something out of reach. Literally "even animals with no tail try to wag it".
298	Se lo chupó la bruja	To be done for, to fail	Se le cayó el negocio, se lo chupó la bruja.His business went under, he's done for.	Casual Use it when something goes badly wrong.
299	Jalarse la güirila	To get yourself in trouble	Te vas a jalar la güirila si llegás tarde otra vez.You'll get yourself in trouble if you're late again.	Slang A jokey warning between friends.
300	Alegrón de burro	Joy that doesn't last	Ganó la apuesta y lo perdió todo al día siguiente. Puro alegrón de burro.He won the bet and lost it all the next day. Joy that didn't last.	Casual Use it when good news turns out too good to be true.

Around Nicaragua 26

Most Nica slang works all over the Pacific side, where people use "vos" and Spanish is the first language, but addresses change by town and on the Caribbean coast Creole English and Miskito mix in.

Managua

The capital on Lake Xolotlán, where addresses start from a landmark and the compass words in Getting around only work here.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
El Oriental	The huge Mercado Oriental market	Compré las chinelas en el Oriental, pero cuidá tu celular.I bought the flip-flops at the Oriental market, but watch your phone.
La rotonda	Roundabout, used as a landmark	Metrocentro queda junto a la rotonda Rubén Darío.Metrocentro is next to the Rubén Darío roundabout.
El barrio	Neighborhood, the start of an address	Vivo en el barrio Monseñor Lezcano.I live in the Monseñor Lezcano neighborhood.
El reparto	Residential district in an address	El hotel queda en el reparto San Juan.The hotel is in the San Juan district.
Un privado	Taxi just for you	Tomamos un privado hasta el aeropuerto.We took a private taxi to the airport.

Granada and Masaya

Granada sits on the northwest shore of the lake, about 1 hour from Managua, so "al lago" means east there and not north.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Al lago, en Granada	East, toward the lake	Del parque central, 1 cuadra al lago.From the central park, 1 block east.
1c al lago, 1/2 c. norte	1 block toward the lake, half a block north	El café queda en el parque central, 1c al lago, 1/2 c. norte.The cafe is at the central park, 1 block toward the lake and half a block north.
Mombacho	The volcano next to Granada	Mañana subimos al Mombacho.Tomorrow we're climbing Mombacho.
Un coche	A horse-drawn carriage	Dimos una vuelta en coche por el centro.We took a carriage ride around the center.
El Torovenado	Masaya's satirical street parade	En el Torovenado se burlan de los políticos con máscaras.At the Torovenado they mock politicians with masks.

San Juan del Sur, Rivas and Ometepe

A surf town on the Pacific coast, and Ometepe, the volcano island in Lake Nicaragua.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Una soda	Small local eatery	Desayunamos en una soda del mercado.We had breakfast at a small eatery in the market.
Una panga	Small boat	Contratamos una panga con la tienda de surf.We booked a small boat through the surf shop.
De la Parroquia	From the church, a landmark in addresses	El hotel queda de la Parroquia, 1½ cuadras al este.The hotel is 1½ blocks east of the church.
Hospedaje	Cheap lodging	Buscamos un hospedaje en la isla.We're looking for a cheap room on the island.
El empalme	Road junction, a bus stop	Bajame en el empalme, por favor.Drop me at the junction, please.

León and the north

León in the hot northwest, and the cool coffee hills of Estelí, Matagalpa and Jinotega up toward Honduras.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
¡Abatido, pero nunca vencido!	Knocked down, but never beaten!	Perdimos, pero como dicen en León: ¡abatido, pero nunca vencido!We lost, but as they say in León: knocked down, but never beaten!
Cipote / cipota	Kid, also said in Honduras and El Salvador	Ese cipote vende tortillas en la terminal de Estelí.That kid sells tortillas at the Estelí bus station.
Caite	Leather sandal worn by farmers	Mi abuelo todavía usa caites en la finca.My grandpa still wears leather sandals on the farm.
Montuca	Tamale made with tender corn	En Jinotega desayunamos montuca con café.In Jinotega we had a tender-corn tamale with coffee for breakfast.
Cusnaca	Sweet of panela and jocote fruit	De postre nos dieron cusnaca en Matagalpa.They gave us cusnaca for dessert in Matagalpa.

The Caribbean coast

Bluefields, Pearl Lagoon and the Corn Islands, where many people speak Creole English or Miskito and Spanish comes second.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Alright!	Hello, in Creole English	En Corn Island todos te saludan con un "alright!".On Corn Island everyone greets you with "alright!".
Check you then	Goodbye, in Creole English	Al irme del bar me dijeron "check you then".When I left the bar they told me "check you then".
No feel, no way	Don't worry, it's okay, in Creole English	Se me cayó el vaso y el mesero dijo "no feel, no way".I dropped my glass and the waiter said "don't worry, it's okay".
Naksa	Hello, in Miskito	¡Naksa! Así saludan en miskito.Naksa! That's how you say hello in Miskito.
Aisabi	Goodbye, in Miskito	Al irme le dije "aisabi" a la señora.When I left I said "aisabi" to the lady.
Rondón / rundown	Coconut fish stew, in Spanish and Creole	En Little Corn cocinaron un rondón en la playa.On Little Corn they cooked a coconut stew on the beach.

Don't mix these up

Word	In Nicaragua	Elsewhere
Paja	Nonsense, as in "echar paja", and a water tap, as in "abrí la paja"	Straw, and a crude word for masturbation in most Spanish-speaking countries
Chocho	Wow!, a cry of surprise. Hear it, don't say it	A crude word for a woman's body in Spain and parts of Latin America
Pija / pijudo	A rude word for penis, and "pijudo" is vulgar praise	Posh, a "pijo" or "pija" in Spain
Pinche	Stingy, cheap	A strong swear word in Mexico
Arrecho	Angry	Sexually aroused in parts of Colombia
Chela	A light-skinned woman, and sometimes a beer	Only a beer in Mexico and Peru
Fresco	A fruit drink	Fresh, or cheeky, in Spain
Goma	A hangover	Rubber, glue or an eraser
Adiós	Hi, when you pass someone	Only goodbye
Ahorita	In a bit, maybe much later	Right now or in a second, depending on the country
Vara	A unit of length, about 0.84 meters, in addresses. It has a crude 2nd meaning, so watch the context	"A thing" in Costa Rica, as in "¡qué gran vara!"
Coger	To have sex (vulgar)	To take or catch, in Spain
Bolsa	A pocket, or a bag	A bag or a purse, and Spain says "bolsillo" for pocket
Chiche	Easy, as in "está chiche"	A toy or trinket in Argentina and Chile
Pena	Embarrassment, as in "me da pena"	Sadness, or a pity, in Spain

Questions people ask

What are the most common Nicaraguan slang words?

Start with "ideay" (what's up, so?), "dale pues" (okay), "maje" (dude), "chele" (foreigner), "chunche" (thing) and "tuani" (cool). You'll hear all 6 on your first day in Nicaragua.

What are common Nicaraguan phrases for travelers?

Start with "dale pues" (okay), "¿dónde queda...?" (where is...?) and "¿cuánto me cobrás?" (how much to...?). Say "con gusto" when someone thanks you.

What does tuani mean?

"Tuani" means cool or great, as in "¡qué tuani!". Costa Ricans say "tuanis".

What does chele mean?

"Chele" means a light-skinned or blond person, and it's what locals will call you. It's friendly, so smile and answer.

What does ideay mean?

"Ideay" is a hello, a "so?" and a "no way!" all in 1. Say "¿ideay?" to greet a friend, or "¡ideay!" when something surprises you.

What does maje mean?

"Maje" means "dude" or "guy" between friends. It can also mean "idiot", so don't use it with strangers.

What does dale pues mean?

"Dale pues" means "okay, sure". You can use it to agree to a plan, a price or a favor.

Do Nicaraguans use vos?

Yes. Nicaraguans say "vos" instead of "tú", as in "vos sos", "¿tenés?" and "mirá". Use "usted" with older people and officials.

How do Nicaraguans say "I love you"?

Say "te quiero" to a partner or close friend, and "te amo" when it's deep. "Mi amor" is the pet name you'll hear most.

What do Nicaraguans call Costa Ricans?

Nicaraguans call Costa Ricans "ticos", or "tica" for a woman. Costa Ricans call Nicaraguans "nicas".

How do Nicaraguans say cool?

"Tuani" is the go-to word, so say "¡qué tuani!" when you like something. "¡De a cachimba!" and "salvaje" work too.

What do Nicaraguans call foreigners?

Locals call a light-skinned foreigner "chele", or "chela" for a woman. It's rarely meant as rude.

What is Nicaraguan slang for money?

"Plata" is the everyday word, and "riales" and "billete" are the slang ones. Many people say "pesos" for córdobas, and "ando palmado" means you're broke.

How do you order a beer in Nicaragua?

Ask for "una Toña bien helada, por favor", or for "un litro" to share. With friends, a beer is "una bicha", and a jug for the table is "un pichel".

Is Nicaraguan Spanish hard to understand?

It's fast, the s's fade and "vos" replaces "tú", so the first days are hard. Learn "ideay", "dale pues" and "maje", and you'll catch a lot more.

How do you say you're welcome in Nicaragua?

Say "con gusto" after someone thanks you. "Gracias" works for thank you, and you'll often hear it as "graciah".

What is the Nicaraguan slang for friend?

Say "maje", "compa" or "bróder" for a buddy. Men also call strangers "primo".

What are some common swear words used in Nicaragua?

The big ones are "verga", "jueputa", "cerote", "pendejo" and "no jodás". They're very common, but keep them for close friends.

Which normal Spanish words sound rude in Nicaragua?

"Coger" means to have sex, so say "agarrar" for a bus. "Pija" is a rude word for penis here, though in Spain it just means posh.

What are Nicaraguan greetings?

"Buenas" is the default hello, and "ideay" or "¿qué nota?" are casual ones. Say "adiós" when you pass someone, and "que le vaya bien" as a polite goodbye.

Is Nicaraguan Spanish different from Mexican Spanish?

Nicaraguans use "vos", turn their s's into an "h" sound and use many words of their own. "Pinche" means stingy here but is a swear word in Mexico, and "güey" becomes "maje".

What does chunche mean?

"Chunche" means "thing" or "whatchamacallit". Use it for any object when the word won't come, as in "pasame ese chunche".

What does jaña mean?

"Jaña" means girlfriend, and "jaño" means boyfriend. It's casual, so use "novia" or "novio" with older people.

Slang in other countries

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Sources

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