Paraguayan phrases: 300 words and sayings to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
72 slang
7 regions
36 local phrases
11 marked vulgar

Paraguay speaks 2 languages at once. Most people mix Spanish with Guaraní in the same sentence, so a lot of the slang you'll hear has no Spanish root at all.

Greetings and small talk 30

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	Buenas / buen día	Hi / good morning	Buenas, karai. ¿Este colectivo va al centro?Hi, sir. Does this bus go downtown?	Everyday The hello you hear in every shop, bus and taxi. Buenas works at any hour, and buen día is for the morning.
2	¿Qué tal?	Hi, how's it going?	¿Qué tal, señora? ¿Me da dos chipas?Hi, ma'am. Can I get 2 chipas?	Everyday The default hello in shops, bars and taxis.
3	¿Mba'éichapa?	How are you? (Guaraní)	¡Mba'éichapa, chera'a! ¿Todo bien?How are you, my friend? All good?	Everyday The Guaraní hello you'll hear on day 1. Locals smile when a visitor tries it.
4	Iporã	Good, fine	¿Mba'éichapa? Iporã, ¿ha nde?How are you? Good, and you?	Everyday The usual reply to mba'éichapa. You'll also hear iporãnte, just fine.
5	No entiendo, ¿podés hablar más despacio?	I don't understand, can you speak more slowly?	Perdón, no entiendo. ¿Podés hablar más despacio?Sorry, I don't understand. Can you speak more slowly?	Everyday Use the vos form podés. People slow down and switch to plain Spanish for you.
6	¿Hablás inglés?	Do you speak English?	Perdón, ¿hablás inglés? Mi español es muy básico.Sorry, do you speak English? My Spanish is really basic.	Everyday Use the vos form hablás. Few people speak English outside Asunción's hotels and tourist spots, so learn a few lines.
7	¿Y la bendi?	And the kids?	¿Qué tal, señora? ¿Y la bendi, todo bien?How are you, ma'am? And the kids, all good?	Casual La bendi is short for la bendición, your children. People ask about them right after the hello.
8	Mucho gusto	Nice to meet you	Mucho gusto, soy Ana. ¿Primera vez en Paraguay?Nice to meet you, I'm Ana. First time in Paraguay?	Everyday Say it with a handshake when you meet someone.
9	¿De dónde sos?	Where are you from?	¡Hola! ¿De dónde sos? Se nota que no sos de acá.Hi! Where are you from? I can tell you're not from here.	Everyday Locals often ask it in the first minute. Sos is the vos form of eres.
10	Soy de Estados Unidos	I'm from the United States	Soy de Estados Unidos, de Texas. Es mi primera vez acá.I'm from the United States, from Texas. It's my first time here.	Everyday Swap in your own country, and add your state or city.
11	¿Cuánto tiempo te quedás?	How long are you staying?	¡Qué bueno! ¿Y cuánto tiempo te quedás en Paraguay?That's great! And how long are you staying in Paraguay?	Everyday You'll hear it a lot, so ask it back. Quedás is the vos form.
12	Gracias / de nada	Thank you / you're welcome	Gracias por todo. De nada, que le vaya bien.Thanks for everything. You're welcome, have a good one.	Everyday Say it after every favor, ride and meal. Add aguyje if you want to try Guaraní.
13	Chau / jajohecháta	Bye / see you	Chau, chera'a. ¡Jajohecháta!Bye, my friend. See you!	Everyday Chau is the usual goodbye. Jajohecháta is Guaraní for "we'll see each other". You'll also hear jajotopata, we'll meet again.
14	¿Qué hacés?	Hey, what's up?	¿Qué hacés, kape? ¿Salimos hoy?What's up, mate? Shall we go out tonight?	Casual A hello between friends. Nobody expects a real answer.
15	Me hallo / ¿te hallás?	I feel at home / do you feel at home?	¿Te hallás en Paraguay? Sí, me hallo mucho, la gente es re buena.Do you feel at home in Paraguay? Yes, I really do, people are so nice.	Everyday Here hallarse means to feel at home. Locals ask every visitor ¿te hallás?
16	Karai	Sir, mister	Buenas, karai. ¿Cuánto sale el kilo de mandioca?Hello, sir. How much is a kilo of cassava?	Everyday Guaraní for sir. A polite way to talk to an older man.
17	Chera'a	My friend	¿Qué tal, chera'a? Hace rato no te veo.How's it going, my friend? I haven't seen you in ages.	Casual Guaraní for "my friend". Warm with anyone your age.
18	Aguyje / aguyjevete	Thank you / thanks so much (Guaraní)	Aguyjevete, señora, muy rico estaba todo.Thanks so much, ma'am, it was all really good.	Everyday Hosts love it. Add -vete for "so much". In the cities most people just say gracias.
19	Permiso / disculpá	Excuse me	Permiso, ¿puedo pasar? Disculpá, ¿qué hora es?Excuse me, can I get by? Sorry, what time is it?	Everyday Say permiso to get past someone, and disculpá to get someone's attention.
20	¿Ha nde?	And you?	Iporã, ¿ha nde?Good, and you?	Everyday Guaraní for "and you?". Use it to send the question back.
21	¿Ha upéi?	So? What's new?	¿Ha upéi, kape? ¿Qué contás?So, mate? What's new?	Casual The jopara hello you hear most after mba'éichapa. Upéi means "then".
22	Dale	OK, sure	¿Nos vemos a las 8 en la plaza? Dale.See you at 8 in the square? Sure.	Everyday The yes to every plan. You'll hear it many times a day.
23	Hẽe	Yes (Guaraní)	¿Vas a venir mañana? Hẽe, temprano voy a estar.Are you coming tomorrow? Yes, I'll be there early.	Casual The nasal Guaraní yes. You hear it in the market and in the countryside.
24	Nahániri	No (Guaraní)	¿Querés más tereré? Nahániri, aguyje.Do you want more tereré? No, thanks.	Casual The full Guaraní no. It sounds polite and firm.
25	Haku / hakueterei	It's hot / it's so hot	¡Hakueterei hoy! Vamos a la sombra.It's so hot today! Let's go to the shade.	Casual Guaraní for hot. The first thing anyone says about the weather from October to March.
26	Aháta aju / ahata-ayu	I'm off, I'll be back	Bueno, aháta aju, mañana nos vemos.OK, I'm off, see you tomorrow.	Casual A goodbye that means you'll be back.
27	Tranquilopa	All good, relax	¿Cómo estás? Tranquilopa nomás.How are you? All good, just chilling.	Casual Spanish tranquilo plus the Guaraní ending -pa. Use it as a reply or to calm someone down.
28	Nde	Hey, you	Nde, vení un poco, te quiero mostrar algo.Hey, come here a sec, I want to show you something.	Casual Guaraní for "you". It also works to get a friend's attention.
29	¿Mba'épio?	What's up? What do you want? (grumpy)	¿Mba'épio? Estoy ocupado.What do you want? I'm busy.	Casual A grumpy what's up. Say it with a smile or it sounds rude.
30	Por favor	Please	Un tereré, por favor. Gracias.A tereré, please. Thanks.	Everyday Say it with every order. Locals also add -na to a request, as in damena.

Getting around 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
31	¿Pedimos un Bolt?	Shall we get a Bolt?	Es tarde. ¿Pedimos un Bolt o un Uber?It's late. Shall we get a Bolt or an Uber?	Everyday Ride apps like Bolt and Uber are how most visitors get around Asunción.
32	¡Taxi!	Taxi!	¡Taxi! ¿Me llevás al centro?Taxi! Can you take me downtown?	Everyday Ask ¿con taxímetro? before you get in, or agree on a price first.
33	¿Me llevás a...?	Can you take me to...?	¿Me llevás a la terminal, por favor?Can you take me to the bus station, please?	Everyday The vos way to tell a driver where you're going.
34	¿Cuánto me cobrás hasta...?	How much to...?	¿Cuánto me cobrás hasta el centro?How much to downtown?	Everyday Ask the driver before you get in.
35	Dejame ahí / pará acá	Drop me there / stop here	Dejame ahí, en la esquina nomás. ¡Pará acá, que me bajo!Just drop me there, at the corner. Stop here, I'm getting off!	Everyday Say dejame ahí to a taxi as your stop comes up. Shout pará acá to a bus driver.
36	¡Chake! / ¡hake!	Watch out!	¡Chake! Ahí viene una moto.Watch out! A motorbike is coming.	Everyday People shout it at any danger. You'll also hear the Spanish ¡atendé!, pay attention.
37	¿Dónde está el baño?	Where's the bathroom?	Perdón, ¿dónde está el baño, por favor?Excuse me, where's the bathroom, please?	Everyday Say baño at a restaurant, bar or station. Bring a few coins, as some public ones charge a fee.
38	Colectivo	City bus	¿Este colectivo va al centro?Does this bus go downtown?	Everyday The word for any city bus.
39	¿Dónde queda la parada?	Where's the bus stop?	Disculpá, ¿dónde queda la parada del colectivo?Excuse me, where's the bus stop?	Everyday Asunción has few marked stops, so ask a local where people wait.
40	Bajo en la próxima	I'm getting off at the next one	Bajo en la próxima, por favor.I'm getting off at the next stop, please.	Everyday Say it loud to the driver as your stop comes up.
41	¿Me avisás dónde bajo?	Can you tell me where to get off?	Voy al Mercado 4. ¿Me avisás dónde bajo?I'm going to Mercado 4. Can you tell me where to get off?	Everyday Ask the driver or the person next to you. People here are happy to help.
42	Motochorro	Thief on a motorbike	Guardá tu celular, hay muchos motochorros por acá.Put your phone away, there are lots of bike thieves around here.	Everyday The phone snatcher on a motorbike. Keep your phone in your pocket on the sidewalk.
43	¡Ladrón!	Thief!	¡Ladrón! ¡Me robaron el celular!Thief! Someone stole my phone!	Everyday Shout it to get help. In the cities, keep an eye on your bag and wallet.
44	¡Chepytyvõ!	Help me! (Guaraní)	¡Chepytyvõ! Me caí de la moto.Help me! I fell off the motorbike.	Everyday The Guaraní cry for help. In Spanish, shout ¡socorro!
45	¿Cuánto falta?	How much longer?	¿Cuánto falta para llegar a Encarnación?How much longer until we get to Encarnación?	Everyday Handy on long bus rides.
46	¿Dónde cargo la tarjeta?	Where can I top up my card?	¿Dónde cargo la tarjeta para el colectivo?Where can I top up my bus card?	Everyday City buses in Asunción take a Jaha or Más card. Supermarkets, kiosks and drugstores sell them.
47	Semicama / coche cama	Reclining seat / bed seat (bus classes)	¿El bus a Encarnación es semicama o coche cama?Is the bus to Encarnación a reclining seat or a bed seat?	Everyday The 2 seat classes on long-distance buses. Coche cama is the comfier one for a night ride.
48	Boleto	Bus ticket	¿Cuánto sale el boleto hasta Encarnación?How much is the ticket to Encarnación?	Everyday For city buses and long-distance buses.
49	¿Tienen una habitación libre?	Do you have a free room?	Buenas, ¿tienen una habitación libre para 2 noches?Hi, do you have a free room for 2 nights?	Everyday Use it at a hotel desk. Add con baño privado if you want your own bathroom.
50	¿Moõpa oĩ...?	Where is...? (Guaraní)	¿Moõpa oĩ la terminal?Where's the bus station?	Casual Mix it into Spanish like locals do.
51	Ko'ápe / upépe	Here / there	Ko'ápe nomás, karai.Right here, sir.	Casual Guaraní for here and there. Handy when you point a driver to your stop.
52	Akatúa gotyo / asu gotyo	To the right / to the left	Akatúa gotyo en el semáforo.To the right at the traffic light.	Casual Guaraní directions. Drivers in small towns will grin.
53	Chilere	Used car brought in from Chile	Me compré un chilere, salió barato pero gasta mucha nafta.I bought a used import from Chile, it was cheap but it burns a lot of gas.	Slang Any used car imported through Chile.
54	Nafta	Gasoline	Paremos a cargar nafta antes de la ruta.Let's stop and get gas before the highway.	Everyday Locals say nafta, not gasolina.

Food and drink 35

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
55	Chipa / chipá	Cassava cheese bread	¿Cuánto sale la chipa? Dame tres.How much is the chipa? Give me 3.	Everyday Vendors sell it hot on every bus and corner, shouting "chipa, chipa".
56	Tereré / tere	Ice-cold yerba mate	¿Tomamos un tere antes de irte?Shall we have some tereré before you go?	Everyday The national drink, shared in a circle from 1 cup. Friends cut it to tere, and you say gracias only when you want no more.
57	¿Qué me recomendás?	What do you recommend?	Es mi primera vez acá. ¿Qué me recomendás?It's my first time here. What do you recommend?	Everyday The vos way to ask a waiter or a vendor for the best dish.
58	La cuenta, por favor	The bill, please	Ya terminamos. La cuenta, por favor.We're done. The bill, please.	Everyday Waiters won't bring the bill until you ask, so say it when you're done.
59	Payaguá mascada	Fried cassava patty with meat	Para la merienda hay payaguá mascada y cocido.For the afternoon snack there's a fried cassava patty with meat and mate tea.	Everyday A fried patty of cassava with a meat filling. You find it at street stalls and snack bars.
60	¡Buen provecho!	Enjoy your meal!	Llegó la comida. ¡Buen provecho a todos!The food's here. Enjoy your meal, everyone!	Everyday Say it when the food arrives, or as you walk past people eating.
61	¿La propina está incluida?	Is the tip included?	Perdón, ¿la propina está incluida en la cuenta?Excuse me, is the tip included in the bill?	Everyday Check the bill first, since some restaurants add the tip for you.
62	Un agua sin gas	A still water	Un agua sin gas, por favor, bien fría.A still water, please, really cold.	Everyday Ask for con gas if you want sparkling.
63	Sin hielo	No ice	Una gaseosa sin hielo, por favor.A soda with no ice, please.	Everyday Drinks come with lots of ice in the heat, so say it if you don't want any.
64	¿Me traés otra?	Can you bring me another?	Está riquísima la cerveza. ¿Me traés otra?The beer is great. Can you bring me another?	Everyday The vos way to order one more.
65	Para llevar	To go, takeaway	Dos empanadas para llevar, por favor.2 empanadas to go, please.	Everyday Say para comer acá if you want to eat in.
66	Guampa y bombilla	Tereré cup and metal straw	Traé la guampa y la bombilla, yo llevo el termo.Bring the cup and the straw, I'll bring the thermos.	Everyday The guampa is a cup of wood or horn, and the bombilla is a metal straw with a filter. Accept at least 1 round when someone offers.
67	Ja'u la tereré	Let's drink tereré	¡Haku! Ja'u la tereré, chera'a.It's hot! Let's have some tereré, my friend.	Casual Jopara for "let's drink tereré". An invitation you should always accept.
68	Lomito	Steak sandwich	Después del boliche siempre comemos un lomito.After the club we always get a steak sandwich.	Everyday The late-night classic in Asunción.
69	Sopa paraguaya	Solid corn bread	Probá la sopa paraguaya, está recién salida del horno.Try the sopa paraguaya, it's fresh out of the oven.	Everyday The national dish. It's a cheesy corn cake you eat with a fork.
70	Chipa guasu	Fresh corn cake	En el asado nunca falta la chipa guasu.There's always chipa guasu at a barbecue.	Everyday Like sopa paraguaya, made with fresh corn.
71	Mbejú	Cassava starch flatbread	Con el cocido de la mañana como mbejú.I eat mbejú with my morning mate tea.	Everyday Chewy, cheesy and best warm.
72	Cocido	Hot mate tea	De mañana tomo cocido con leche y chipa.In the morning I have mate tea with milk and chipa.	Everyday Short for mate cocido. People sweeten it with burnt sugar.
73	Mandioca / mandi'o	Cassava	En casa nunca falta mandioca en la mesa.At home there's always cassava on the table.	Everyday Boiled cassava comes with almost every meal.
74	Sin azúcar	No sugar	Un jugo de naranja sin azúcar, por favor.An orange juice with no sugar, please.	Everyday Juices and coffee can come sweet, so ask first.
75	Gaseosa	Soda	¿Qué gaseosa tenés? ¿Hay Coca?What soda do you have? Is there Coke?	Everyday The word for any fizzy drink.
76	Licuado	Fruit smoothie	Un licuado de frutilla con leche, por favor.A strawberry smoothie with milk, please.	Everyday Fruit blended with milk or water. Great on a hot day.
77	Delivery	Food delivery	Pidamos delivery, no quiero cocinar.Let's order delivery, I don't want to cook.	Everyday Locals use the English word, and most restaurants deliver.
78	¡Qué rico!	So good!	¡Qué rico está el asado, señora!The barbecue is so good, ma'am!	Everyday The easy way to praise the cook.
79	Vorí vorí	Corn dumpling soup	Mi abuela hace un vorí vorí riquísimo.My grandma makes a delicious corn dumpling soup.	Everyday Comfort food for cold days.
80	¿Qué hay de minuta?	What quick meals do you have?	¿Qué hay de minuta? Una milanesa con mandioca.What quick meals do you have? A breaded steak with cassava.	Everyday Minuta means the fast plates at a corner restaurant.
81	Pasámena	Pass it, please	Pasámena la sal, chera'a.Pass me the salt, please, my friend.	Casual Pasá plus -na, please. The most Paraguayan way to ask.
82	Damena	Give it to me, please	Damena un vaso de agua, ¿sí?Give me a glass of water, please?	Casual Spanish dame plus the Guaraní -na, please. Families say it all day.
83	Vare'a	Starving	¡Che vare'a, vamos a comer ya!I'm starving, let's eat now!	Slang Guaraní hunger at its highest level.
84	Yuyo	Medicinal herbs	Poné yuyo en el termo, que hace calor.Put herbs in the thermos, it's hot.	Everyday Herb sellers at the market crush them for your tereré water.
85	Mosto	Sugarcane juice	Un mosto bien frío, por favor.A really cold sugarcane juice, please.	Everyday Sweet and with no alcohol.
86	Pira caldo	Fish soup	En Concepción comimos pira caldo con surubí.In Concepción we had fish soup with surubí.	Everyday River fish soup, a favorite in towns on the Paraguay River.
87	Jopara	Bean and corn stew	El primero de agosto se come jopara.On August 1st people eat jopara.	Everyday A stew and also the word for the Spanish and Guaraní mix.
88	Mboriahu combo	Cheap snack combo	Hoy toca mboriahu combo: mortadela con galleta.Today it's the broke combo: mortadella with crackers.	Slang Guaraní mboriahu means poor. People stick it on anything cheap, like mboriahu torta or mboriahu regalo.
89	Karuvai	Greedy or messy eater	No seas karuvai, comé despacio.Don't be such a greedy eater, eat slowly.	Casual Literally "eat ugly", for eating too much or too fast. Among friends it's also a crude joke about who you slept with.

Money and shopping 29

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
90	¿Cuánto cuesta? / ¿cuánto sale?	How much is it?	¿Cuánto sale el kilo de mandarina?How much is a kilo of tangerines?	Everyday The 2 ways to ask a price at any stall.
91	¿Mboýpa?	How much? (Guaraní)	¿Mboýpa la chipa, señora?How much is the chipa, ma'am?	Casual The Guaraní price question, from mboy, how much. Vendors love it.
92	Son 50 mil	That's 50,000 guaraníes	¿Cuánto es? Son 50 mil.How much is it? That's 50,000.	Everyday Prices run into the thousands, so people say mil and skip the word guaraníes. A cheap meal costs about 35 mil.
93	¿Aceptan tarjeta?	Do you take cards?	¿Aceptan tarjeta o solo efectivo?Do you take cards or only cash?	Everyday Ask before you order at a small shop.
94	Efectivo	Cash	¿Pagás con tarjeta o en efectivo? En efectivo.Are you paying by card or in cash? In cash.	Everyday Carry some for markets, kiosks and small shops.
95	¿Con factura? / ¿RUC?	Do you want a tax receipt? / your tax number?	¿Con factura? No, sin factura, gracias.Do you want a tax receipt? No receipt, thanks.	Everyday Cashiers ask it at every till. RUC is a local tax number, so as a visitor just say sin factura.
96	Cajero	ATM	¿Hay un cajero por acá? Necesito sacar plata.Is there an ATM around here? I need to get cash.	Everyday Short for cajero automático. Many banks charge a fee for each withdrawal.
97	¿Tenés cambio?	Do you have change?	¿Tenés cambio de cien mil?Do you have change for 100,000?	Everyday Ask before you hand over a big note.
98	El vuelto	Your change	Acá está tu vuelto, señor.Here's your change, sir.	Everyday The money you get back. Count it before you walk away from the till.
99	Ndaipóri	There's none, we're out	¿Hay chipa? Ndaipóri, se terminó todo.Is there any chipa? There's none, it all sold out.	Everyday Guaraní for "there isn't any". You'll hear it at shops and stalls all day.
100	¿Me lo dejás más barato?	Can you do it cheaper?	Llevo 3. ¿Me lo dejás más barato?I'll take 3. Can you do it cheaper?	Everyday Ask it when you buy several things at 1 market stall.
101	Chip	SIM card	Comprá un chip en el aeropuerto para tener datos.Buy a SIM card at the airport so you have data.	Everyday Ask for a chip at any phone shop.
102	Saldo	Phone credit	Cargá saldo en la despensa, sale barato.Top up your phone credit at the corner shop, it's cheap.	Everyday You top up at shops and gas stations.
103	Despensa	Corner shop	Andá a la despensa a comprar hielo.Go to the corner shop and buy some ice.	Everyday The small shop on every block.
104	Pirapire	Money (Guaraní)	No tengo pirapire, chera'a, mañana te pago.I've got no money, my friend, I'll pay you tomorrow.	Casual The everyday Guaraní word for money.
105	A bulto	Loads, lots of it	En el Mercado 4 hay ropa a bulto y barata.At Mercado 4 there are loads of cheap clothes.	Casual Use it for anything there's plenty of, like beer at a party or goals in a match.
106	Vaquita	Money pool	Hagamos una vaquita para la birra.Let's chip in for the beer.	Casual Everyone puts in a bit.
107	Hepy / ¡qué caro!	Pricey / that's so expensive!	¡Hepy la chipa acá! ¿Me lo dejás más barato?The chipa is pricey here! Can you do it cheaper?	Casual Hepy is Guaraní for expensive, and ¡qué caro! is the Spanish. You need both to haggle at Mercado 4.
108	¿Me bancás?	Can you cover me, spot me?	¿Me bancás la birra? Mañana te pago.Can you spot me for the beer? I'll pay you tomorrow.	Casual Bancar means to help out or cover for a friend, often with money.
109	Sogue	Broke	No te puedo invitar, estoy sogue.I can't treat you, I'm broke.	Slang From Guaraní. Very common among young people, and a broke young person is a soguentu.
110	¿Tienen wifi?	Do you have wifi?	Buenas, ¿tienen wifi? ¿Cuál es la clave?Hi, do you have wifi? What's the password?	Everyday Cafés, hotels and many shops will share the clave, the password.
111	¿Hay una farmacia cerca?	Is there a pharmacy nearby?	Perdón, ¿hay una farmacia cerca? Necesito algo para el dolor de cabeza.Excuse me, is there a pharmacy nearby? I need something for a headache.	Everyday Pharmacies are easy to find in towns and cities. Ask for a farmacia de turno at night.
112	No, gracias	No, thanks	No, gracias, estoy mirando nomás.No, thanks, I'm just looking.	Everyday The polite no for street vendors. Say it with a smile and keep walking.
113	Pechero	Scrounger	No le des nada, es un pechero.Don't give him anything, he's a scrounger.	Slang Someone who always asks for money.
114	Manguear	To scrounge	Siempre me anda mangueando cigarrillos.He's always bumming cigarettes off me.	Slang To ask for money or things for free.
115	Pijotero	Stingy	Qué pijotero sos, no querés pagar ni un helado.You're so stingy, you won't even pay for an ice cream.	Casual For someone tight with money.
116	Eju lunes	Come back Monday (never)	¿Me vas a pagar lo que te presté? ¡Eju lunes!Are you going to pay me back? Come back Monday!	Slang A joking way to dodge a debt or a chore.
117	¿Me hacés un descuento?	Can you give me a discount?	Si llevo 3, ¿me hacés un descuento?If I take 3, can you give me a discount?	Everyday Common at markets and street stalls. Ask nicely and smile.
118	Te metieron en escuelita	You got conned	¿Pagaste eso por un celular usado? Te metieron en escuelita.You paid that for a used phone? You got conned.	Slang Literally "they put you in little school". You'll also hear entraste en escuelita.

Bars and going out 25

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
119	Una Pilsen	A beer (the local brand)	Una Pilsen bien fría, por favor.A really cold Pilsen, please.	Everyday The beer you'll see at every bar and asado.
120	Birra	Beer	¿Y si tomamos unas birras?How about a few beers?	Casual The everyday slang word for beer.
121	¿Qué tomás?	What are you drinking?	¿Qué tomás? Yo invito la primera.What are you drinking? The first one's on me.	Everyday The vos way to ask what someone wants to drink. Tomar means to drink.
122	Doblado	Drunk	El domingo llegué doblado a casa.On Sunday I got home drunk.	Slang Literally "folded". Ka'u is the Guaraní word for the same state.
123	La previa	The drinks before a night out or an event	Hacemos la previa en mi casa y después vamos al boliche.We'll have drinks at my place and then go to the club.	Casual The drinks before you head out, or before a big match.
124	Joda	Fun, a night out	Anoche la joda siguió hasta las 6.Last night the party went on until 6.	Slang Any fun, a party or a joke. Keep it for friends.
125	Un trago	A drink	¿Vamos por un trago después del laburo?Shall we go for a drink after work?	Everyday Any drink you order at a bar.
126	¡Salud!	Cheers!	¡Salud, chera'a! Por el finde.Cheers, my friend! To the weekend.	Everyday Say it as the glasses touch.
127	Boliche	Nightclub	¿A qué boliche vamos esta noche?Which club are we going to tonight?	Everyday Clubs here open late and close at dawn.
128	Ceecita	A little beer	¿Una ceecita bien fría antes de cenar?A nice cold beer before dinner?	Slang Cervecita said fast. It often comes with ¿ñamokõta piko?
129	¿Hasta qué hora abren?	How late are you open?	¿Hasta qué hora abren hoy?How late are you open today?	Everyday Ask before you settle in for the night.
130	Picada	Snack platter	Pedimos una picada para compartir.Let's order a snack platter to share.	Everyday Cold cuts, cheese and fries with beers.
131	¡Jaha!	Let's go!	¿Salimos? ¡Jaha!Shall we go out? Let's go!	Casual The yes to any plan.
132	¿Ñamokõta piko?	Shall we drink?	Ya salimos del trabajo. ¿Ñamokõta piko?We're off work. Shall we have a drink?	Slang Guaraní "shall we swallow?".
133	Chupi / chupar	Booze / to drink booze	¡Dejá de darle al chupi! Anoche chupamos hasta las tres.Quit hitting the booze! Last night we drank till 3.	Slang Chupi is any drink, most often beer, and chupar means to drink it.
134	Caña	Sugarcane liquor	En la fiesta del pueblo todos toman caña.At the town festival everyone drinks cane liquor.	Everyday Strong and cheap. Pace yourself.
135	¡Pega!	Great, awesome!	¡Qué buen boliche! ¡Pega!What a great club! Awesome!	Slang Young people's word for a place or a plan they love.
136	Farra / farrear	A night of partying / to party	Anoche nos fuimos de farra hasta las 5.Last night we went out partying until 5.	Casual The usual word for a big night out. A farrero never misses one.
137	Me agarró elba	I'm in a slump, I'm not up for it	¿Por qué no salís hoy? Me agarró elba.Why aren't you going out tonight? I'm in a slump.	Slang Elba is short for el bajonazo, a letdown. Friends say it to skip a night out.
138	San Ber	San Bernardino	Lo perro, vamos a San Ber hoy.Guys, let's go to San Ber today.	Casual The lake town where Asunción parties in summer.
139	Jahakatu hese	Let's go for it	¿Vamos a San Ber? ¡Jahakatu hese!Shall we go to San Ber? Let's go for it!	Slang An invite to something a bit risky.
140	Fernet con cola	Fernet and cola	Pedimos un fernet con cola para compartir.We ordered a fernet and cola to share.	Casual A popular mixed drink for a night out, along with beer.
141	Ka'u / ka'u vai	Drunk / very drunk	Llegó ka'u vai a la casa y se durmió en el patio.He got home wasted and fell asleep in the yard.	Slang Guaraní for drunk. Add vai for wasted.
142	Yeron	Hangover pill	Me duele la cabeza, voy a la farmacia a comprar un yeron.My head hurts, I'm going to the pharmacy to buy a hangover pill.	Casual The hangover remedy you'll hear about the morning after. It goes with yerar, the slow wait for a hangover to pass.
143	Yerar	To get over a hangover	Hoy no salgo, estoy yerando desde la mañana.I'm not going out today, I've been nursing a hangover since the morning.	Slang You'll hear it the day after a big night out.

Friends and people 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
144	¿Te sumás?	Do you want to join?	Vamos a San Ber el sábado. ¿Te sumás?We're going to San Ber on Saturday. Want to join?	Casual The easy way to invite someone into a plan. To ask if you can come along, say ¿me puedo sumar?
145	¿Me pasás tu WhatsApp?	Can I get your WhatsApp?	Me caíste re bien. ¿Me pasás tu WhatsApp?I really like you. Can I get your WhatsApp?	Everyday The usual way to swap contacts with a new friend. Pasar here means to send, and after a night out you'll hear ¿me pasás tu Insta? too.
146	KP / kape / kapelu	Mate, best friend	Mañana viene mi kape de Encarnación, salimos todos.My best friend is coming from Encarnación tomorrow, we're all going out.	Slang The top word for a close friend. People write it kp, and kapelu is the playful form.
147	Lo perro	The gang, the guys	Lo perro ya están en la plaza.The guys are already at the square.	Slang "Los perros" with the s dropped.
148	Ami / amiguis	Bestie	¿Adónde nos vamos, ami?Where are we going, bestie?	Casual Ami is warm. Amiguis can be sarcastic, for a rival.
149	Ña	Ma'am, Ms. (before a first name)	Buen día, ña Rosa. ¿Hay chipa caliente?Morning, Ms. Rosa. Is there hot chipa?	Everyday Short for señora. Market vendors and neighbors are ña Rosa or ña Juana to everyone.
150	Guapo / guapa	Hardworking	Mi hijo es muy guapo, trabaja de lunes a sábado.My son is very hardworking, he works Monday to Saturday.	Everyday Here guapo means hardworking. It's a big compliment.
151	Tipazo	Great guy, good person	Tu papá es un tipazo, me ayudó con todo.Your dad's a great guy, he helped me with everything.	Casual For someone kind and easy to like.
152	Kurepi / kurepa	An Argentine	Llegaron un montón de kurepas a Encarnación.Loads of Argentines showed up in Encarnación.	Casual Everyone's nickname for Argentines. It can sound rude, so read the room.
153	Tujatu	Young-at-heart older person	Mi tío es un tujatu, sale todos los fines de semana.My uncle is young at heart, he goes out every weekend.	Slang Guaraní tuja, old, plus "juventud".
154	Karape	Shorty	Vení, karape, sentate acá.Come here, shorty, sit here.	Casual Guaraní for short. Teasing but friendly.
155	Juky	Sweet, charming	Tu novia es re juky, me cae bien.Your girlfriend is so sweet, I like her.	Casual Literally "salt". For someone lovable.
156	Taha taha	Tags along everywhere	Mi hermano es taha taha, se apunta a todo.My brother tags along everywhere, he joins in on everything.	Slang The name comes from a burr that sticks to your clothes.
157	Lorito óga	Friend who needs permission	No va a venir, es un lorito óga.He won't come, he needs his girlfriend's OK.	Slang A friend whose partner decides his plans.
158	Chuchi	Posh, fancy	Ese restaurante es muy chuchi para mí.That restaurant is too fancy for me.	Slang For people or places with money.
159	Tekorei	Lazy	No seas tekorei, ayudame a lavar.Don't be lazy, help me wash up.	Casual People stretch it out: "tekoreíí".
160	Kaigue	Low on energy, listless	Con este calor estoy re kaigue.With this heat I've got no energy.	Casual Guaraní for listless. You say it kaiwe, and the heat is the usual excuse.
161	Vueltero	Fussy, indecisive	No seas vueltero, decidí ya.Don't be so fussy, decide already.	Casual Someone who makes things longer than they need to be.
162	Bocafloja	Blabbermouth	No le cuentes nada, es un bocafloja.Don't tell him anything, he's a blabbermouth.	Casual Someone who can't keep a secret.
163	Chisme	Gossip	Se corrió el chisme de que Ana se casa.Word got around that Ana is getting married.	Everyday Gossip runs on WhatsApp here.
164	Chusma / chusmear	Busybody / to gossip	Mi vecina es re chusma, se pasa la tarde chusmeando.My neighbor is such a busybody, she spends the afternoon gossiping.	Casual A nosy person, and what they do all day.
165	Acomodado	Well connected	Consiguió el trabajo porque es acomodado.He got the job because he's well connected.	Casual Someone with a job through contacts.
166	Pila	Over the top, too much energy	No le aguanto, es muy pila.I can't stand him, he's way too much.	Slang For a person whose energy wears you out.
167	Mitã / kuñataĩ	Kid / young woman	Hoy salgo con los mitã al parque.Today I'm going to the park with the kids.	Everyday Mitã is Guaraní for child, and kuñataĩ means a young woman, a miss. You hear both in every market.

Reactions and feelings 26

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
168	¡Purete!	Awesome!	¡Qué purete tu celular!Your phone is awesome!	Slang The go-to word for something great.
169	¡Mbore!	No way!	¿Me prestás tu auto? ¡Mbore!Will you lend me your car? No way!	Vulgar Blunt and crude, keep it for close friends and never use it with your boss.
170	¡Hesúkena!	Jesus!	¡Hesúkena! Casi me pisa el colectivo.Jesus! The bus nearly ran me over.	Casual A Guaraní "Jesús" for shocks and scares.
171	¡Ñandejára!	Oh God!	¡Ñandejára! ¿Viste cómo llueve?Oh God! Did you see how hard it's raining?	Casual Guaraní for God. People say it in surprise, in horror or when they're fed up.
172	¡Chaaa!	Wow!	¿Te casás? ¡Chaaa!You're getting married? Wow!	Casual The longer the a, the bigger the surprise.
173	¡Ndéra! / ¡ndi!	Oh man!	¡Ndéra, me olvidé la billetera!Oh man, I forgot my wallet!	Casual For a small shock or letdown.
174	¡Nderasore! / ¡nderachore!	Gosh!	¡Nderasore, qué lluvia!Gosh, what rain!	Casual A softer ndéra. Fine at work and with kids.
175	¡Nderakore! / ¡kore!	Damn it!	¡Nderakore! Se me pinchó la cubierta.Damn it! I've got a flat tire.	Vulgar The strongest form, for real anger.
176	¡Aijuepete! / ¡aijue!	You're kidding!	¿Quintillizos? ¡Aijue!Quintuplets? You're kidding!	Casual For an over-the-top story.
177	Angá / angana	Poor thing	Se le murió el perro, angá.His dog died, poor thing.	Everyday Guaraní pity. Very common.
178	¡Nambré!	I'm fed up!	¡Nambré! Otra vez tarde el colectivo.I'm fed up! The bus is late again.	Casual Say it when you've had enough. Nambré luego flips it into praise, for something that was the best.
179	Trambótico / trambólico	Weird, over the top	¡Qué trambótico tu peinado! ¿Quién te lo hizo?Your haircut is so weird! Who did it?	Slang A twist on estrambótico, outlandish. It caught on after a drunk man said it.
180	¡Qué full!	Great!	Ya salí del trabajo, estoy libre. ¡Qué full!I'm off work, I'm free. Great!	Slang Add HD or 4K for even better.
181	Haso	Rotten, lousy	Esa película es re haso.That movie is so lousy.	Slang A put-down you can use for almost anything. Said to mean rotten or poor quality.
182	¡Qué fule!	That sucks!	Choqué con el auto. ¡Qué fule!I crashed the car. That sucks!	Slang For anything bad or ugly.
183	Pochy	Angry	Che pochy con el tráfico de hoy.I'm angry about the traffic today.	Casual Guaraní for anger. Use it for a bad mood, as in ¡no te pongás pochy!
184	Ro'y	Cold	Esta cerveza está re ro'y. ¡Qué bien!This beer is so cold. Great!	Casual Guaraní for cold, the opposite of haku. Great for an iced tereré.
185	¡Qué quemo!	How embarrassing!	Me caí en la calle, ¡qué quemo!I fell in the street, how embarrassing!	Slang Pelada means the same.
186	Chambeña / ñameña	Aww, so sweet	¡Chambeña! Mirá ese perrito.Aww! Look at that puppy.	Casual A loving word for something cute, like ¡chúlina!
187	En el cora	Right in the heart	Me separé de Juan. ¡En el cora!I broke up with Juan. Right in the heart!	Slang Short for corazón. For heartbreak.
188	Amanoite	I nearly died	Cuando vi la cuenta, amanoite.When I saw the bill, I nearly died.	Slang Guaraní "I really died". For shock, fear or being tired.
189	Pirevai	In a bad mood	Hoy está pirevai, no le hables.He's in a bad mood today, don't talk to him.	Casual For a moment or a whole personality.
190	Eñecalma	Calm down	Eñecalma y tomá tereré.Calm down and have some tereré.	Casual The Guaraní command prefix eñe- plus Spanish calma, so "calm yourself".
191	Úle / úlema	It's over, too late	Querías la entrada, pero ya se agotó. ¡Úlema!You wanted a ticket, but they sold out. Too late!	Slang Use it for a chance that's gone for good. You'll also hear úle ya.
192	¡Ni ahí! / ni ahí luego	No way, not even close	¿Te gusta Marcos? ¡Ni ahí!Do you like Marcos? Not even close!	Slang Use it to shoot down a guess that's way off. Add luego for extra force.
193	Ni bollo	Don't care at all	¿Te dejó tu novio? Ni bollo, ya estoy bien.Your boyfriend left you? I don't care, I'm fine now.	Slang Very common among young people.

Fillers and everyday words 30

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
194	Luego	Really, I did (stress)	Te dije luego que iba a llover.I did tell you it was going to rain.	Everyday Here luego adds stress, like "I did tell you".
195	Nomás	Just, go ahead	Pasá nomás, está abierto.Go right in, it's open.	Everyday Softens almost any sentence.
196	Hína	Right now, in the middle of it	Estoy comiendo hína, te llamo después.I'm eating right now, I'll call you later.	Everyday A Guaraní word for something happening as you speak. It also adds stress.
197	Vecino / vecina	Neighbor	Mi vecina siempre me regala chipa.My neighbor always gives me chipa.	Everyday Neighbors chat across the fence and share food, so say hello.
198	Pieza	Room	Mi pieza en el hostel tiene aire.My room at the hostel has AC.	Everyday The usual word for a bedroom or a hotel room.
199	Piko / pio	Question word	¿Vas a venir piko?Are you coming, then?	Everyday A Guaraní word that marks a question, and it can also show surprise. Pio is the short form you hear most.
200	Ko / nikó	Really, for sure	Ndéra, vos nikó siempre llegás tarde.Oh man, you really are always late.	Everyday Guaraní stress words, like "really".
201	Ndaje	They say, apparently	Ndaje va a llover todo el finde.Apparently it's going to rain all weekend.	Casual A Guaraní word for news you heard and haven't checked.
202	Vení un poco	Come here	Vení un poco, sentate con nosotros.Come here, sit with us.	Everyday Un poco makes the order softer.
203	Ejúmina	Come here, please	Ejúmina, que ya está la comida.Come here, please, the food is ready.	Casual Guaraní "come" plus "-mína", please. Common with family.
204	Che	My, me (Guaraní)	Che amigo es de Luque.My friend is from Luque.	Casual Here che means my, from Guaraní.
205	Gua'u	Fake, pretend	De gua'u nomás era, no te asustes.It was just pretend, don't be scared.	Casual Guaraní for fake.
206	Manté	Only, just	Uno manté queda.There's only 1 left.	Casual Guaraní "only".
207	Ya	Really, so (adds stress)	¡Qué lindo ya es tu barrio!Your neighborhood is so nice!	Everyday Ya after an adjective adds feeling.
208	Demasiado / masiao	Very	Masiao lindo es tu país, demasiado lindo.Your country is really beautiful, just so beautiful.	Everyday Here demasiado often just means very. In fast speech it shrinks to masiao.
209	Upéicha	That's it, exactly	¿Entonces nos vemos a las 8? Upéicha.So we meet at 8? Exactly.	Everyday Guaraní for "like that". You hear it in every chat, and upéicha luego adds force.
210	Ahorita	Right now, in a moment	Ahorita te llamo, esperame.I'll call you in a moment, wait for me.	Everyday Soon, not always right away. Locals also say ya mismo.
211	Fuera de bola	No joke	Fuera de bola, casi me desmayo.No joke, I almost fainted.	Slang Bola means a lie.
212	Callao nomás	Keep it quiet	Te cuento algo, pero callao nomás.I'll tell you something, but keep it quiet.	Casual Before you share gossip.
213	Vyrorei	Nonsense	Dejá de hablar vyrorei.Stop talking nonsense.	Casual Guaraní "silly thing". The stress falls on the last syllable: vyroreí.
214	De balde	For nothing	Fuimos hasta allá de balde, estaba cerrado.We went all the way there for nothing, it was closed.	Everyday When the effort was wasted.
215	Al pedísimo	Totally pointless	Me hiciste venir al pedísimo.You made me come for absolutely nothing.	Vulgar A stronger "al pedo". Keep it among friends.
216	Vai vai	Botched, so-so	El arreglo quedó vai vai.The repair was botched.	Casual Guaraní "ugly ugly". For bad work.
217	Mba'e	Thing, or what?	¿Vamos al cine o mba'e?Shall we go to the movies or what?	Casual Guaraní "thing". Ends a lot of questions.
218	Toas cosas	All sorts, a bit of everything	En el Mercado 4 hay toas cosas, desde ropa hasta yuyos.At Mercado 4 there's all sorts, from clothes to herbs.	Slang Todas las cosas said fast. Use it for a place or a table with lots of choice.
219	Perewey	Paraguay (joke spelling)	¡Vamos Perewey! Hoy ganamos seguro.Come on, Paraguay! We're winning today for sure.	Slang A joke spelling of Paraguay online. It mocks how beauty-pageant hosts said the name.
220	Ja karu	Let's eat	Son las 12. Ja karu, que tengo hambre.It's 12. Let's eat, I'm hungry.	Casual Ja is the Guaraní we, and karu is to eat. A friendly way to start lunch.
221	Ikatu / ndaikatúi	Sure, can do / I can't	¿Me ayudás mañana? Ikatu. Hoy ndaikatúi.Will you help me tomorrow? Sure. Today I can't.	Everyday Ikatu is Guaraní for "it's possible", and ndaikatúi is the no. People say both all day.
222	Entoncero	So, then (playful entonces)	Entoncero, ¿vamos o no vamos?So, are we going or not?	Slang A jokey way to say entonces. Young people use it to start a sentence.
223	Astolado / amostolado	All over the place, this side and that	Dejaste tu ropa astolado, ordená un poco.You left your clothes all over the place, tidy up a bit.	Slang A jokey jopara form of "este lado, aquel lado".

Time and plans 19

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
224	Ahora después	Later, maybe never	Ahora después te arreglo la canilla.I'll fix your tap later.	Everyday It means later, and it can mean never.
225	Hora paraguaya	Paraguayan time, running late	La fiesta es a las nueve, hora paraguaya, así que llegá a las diez.The party's at 9, Paraguayan time, so get there at 10.	Casual People here are relaxed about time, and they joke about it with this phrase.
226	La siesta	The early afternoon break	No llames a la siesta, todos duermen.Don't call during the siesta, everyone's asleep.	Everyday Many small shops close from about 12 to 3.
227	Ko'ẽrõ	Tomorrow (Guaraní)	Ko'ẽrõ nos vemos en la plaza, ¿dale?See you in the square tomorrow, OK?	Everyday Guaraní for tomorrow. Mix it into Spanish like locals do.
228	De hoy en ocho	In a week, on the same weekday	Nos vemos de hoy en ocho.See you a week from today.	Everyday You count today and the same day next week, so 8 days.
229	Me ganó la hora	I lost track of time	Perdón, me ganó la hora.Sorry, I lost track of time.	Everyday The standard excuse for being late.
230	Al toque	Right away	Le mandé un mensaje y al toque me contestó.I sent him a message and he answered right away.	Casual Fast.
231	Ya mismo	Right now	Vení ya mismo, que ya empieza el partido.Come right now, the game's starting.	Everyday Faster than ahorita. Use it when you mean it.
232	Finde	Weekend	¿Qué hacés este finde?What are you doing this weekend?	Casual Short for fin de semana.
233	¡Eju pya'e!	Come quick!	¡Eju pya'e, que se va el colectivo!Come quick, the bus is leaving!	Casual Pya'e means fast in Guaraní. Add -terei to say very fast.
234	De vuelta	Again	Se cortó la luz de vuelta.The power went out again.	Everyday Here de vuelta means again.
235	Jeyvoi	Again!	¿Jeyvoi llegás tarde?You're late again?	Casual Guaraní "again", often annoyed.
236	Ko'ẽmbapeve	Until dawn	Ñamokõ ko'ẽmbapeve, mañana es feriado.Let's drink until dawn, tomorrow's a holiday.	Casual Guaraní for "until the sun comes up". You hear it when a night out has no end time.
237	Unavemínte	Just once!	Unavemínte quiero ir a la playa.Just once I want to go to the beach.	Slang For something you want badly.
238	Vyropáma voi	Whatever, too late now	Ya comí una torta, vyropáma voi, me como otra.I already ate a cake, so whatever, I'll have another.	Slang The excuse for breaking a diet or a plan.
239	Hasta mañana	See you tomorrow	Chau, hasta mañana. Que descanses.Bye, see you tomorrow. Rest well.	Everyday The usual goodbye at night or when the day is done.
240	Aper	Nah, I'm out	¿No te gusta el plan? Aper.You don't like the plan? I'm out.	Slang To pull out of something.
241	Vamos a degenerar	Let's ditch it, let's skip it	Nada de clases hoy, vamos a degenerar.No classes today, let's ditch.	Slang Students say it when they skip a class or drop a plan.
242	Ajeabrí	I bailed	La fiesta estaba aburrida y ajeabrí.The party was boring so I bailed.	Slang Jopara from me abrí, I took off, with the Guaraní reflexive aje-.

Teasing and insults 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
243	Nde tavy	You're so dumb	¿Te olvidaste otra vez? ¡Nde tavy!You forgot again? You're so dumb!	Casual Between friends it's teasing. It also shows shock.
244	Macanear	To make stuff up	No le creas, siempre está macaneando.Don't believe him, he's always making stuff up.	Casual It can also mean to bug someone.
245	Cementerio timbre	Useless person	No trabaja nunca, es un cementerio timbre.He never works, he's totally useless.	Slang A doorbell at a cemetery: nobody answers.
246	Nde rova atã	You're shameless	Te comiste mi chipa, nde rova atã.You ate my chipa, you're shameless.	Casual Literally "your face is hard".
247	¿Moõpio nde mykurẽ?	Where are you, opossum?	¿Moõpio nde mykurẽ? Hace rato te espero.Where are you, you opossum? I've been waiting for ages.	Slang Teasing between friends that went viral.
248	Recurso'i	Out of arguments	No sabe qué decir, es un recurso'i.He doesn't know what to say, he's out of arguments.	Slang Literally "little resource".
249	Váiro	Ugly	Salí de acá, ¡nde váiro!Get out of here, you ugly thing!	Slang Teasing between friends. Harsh with strangers.
250	Argel	Grumpy, annoying	Qué argel es tu primo, nunca se ríe.Your cousin is so grumpy, he never laughs.	Casual For someone hard to like.
251	Nderógape	Yeah, right	¿Que vos pagás? Nderógape.You're paying? Yeah, right.	Slang To brush off what someone says.
252	Hacerse el ñembotavy	To play dumb	No te hagás el ñembotavy, sabés que me debés plata.Don't play dumb, you know you owe me money.	Casual Guaraní for acting dumb to fool someone or dodge something.
253	No pyumbái	Stuck-up person	Esa es una no pyumbái, ni saluda.She's so stuck-up, she doesn't even say hi.	Slang For someone who acts like they're above everyone.
254	Jare	Dirty, trashy	Qué jare está tu auto.Your car is so dirty.	Slang For dirty or low-class people and things.
255	Ndohapypái	Has a screw loose	Mi vecino ndohapypái, habla solo.My neighbor has a screw loose, he talks to himself.	Casual Literally "it doesn't burn all the way".
256	Terehona embojahu pira	Go bathe the fish	Terehona embojahu pira, me tenés cansado.Go bathe the fish, you're wearing me out.	Slang A funny Guaraní way to say get lost.
257	¡Ekañy!	Get lost!	¡Ekañy de acá, no te quiero ver!Get lost, I don't want to see you!	Casual Guaraní "disappear". Only say it to a friend as a joke.
258	Carruaje	Lowlife	No salgas con él, es un carruaje.Don't go out with him, he's a lowlife.	Slang For someone you despise.
259	Mborear	To mess around	Dejá de mborear y trabajá.Stop messing around and get to work.	Vulgar A rude word for wasting time or bugging someone, so keep it for friends.
260	¡Caraja!	Damn!	¡Caraja, se me cayó el celular!Damn, I dropped my phone!	Casual A softer way to say carajo.
261	Bagre	Ugly woman	¿Viste a la nueva novia de Juan? Dicen que es un bagre.Have you seen Juan's new girlfriend? They say she's ugly.	Vulgar Literally "catfish". Offensive, so just know it.
262	Teviremói	Attention seeker	Ese es un teviremói, no se queda quieto.That guy's an attention seeker, he can't sit still.	Vulgar Literally "itchy butt".
263	Tembo'i	Tiny penis	Le gritaron tembo'i en la cancha.They shouted "tiny dick" at him at the stadium.	Vulgar A crude insult. Don't use it.

Love and flirting 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
264	¿Bailamos?	Shall we dance?	Me encanta esta canción. ¿Bailamos?I love this song. Shall we dance?	Everyday The easy opener at a boliche.
265	Sos re linda / re lindo	You're really pretty / really cute	Perdón, pero sos re linda. ¿Cómo te llamás?Sorry, but you're really pretty. What's your name?	Casual Re means really. Keep it light and friendly.
266	¿Te puedo invitar algo?	Can I buy you something?	Hola, ¿te puedo invitar algo de tomar?Hi, can I buy you a drink?	Everyday The polite opener at a bar. Invitar means you pay.
267	¿Tenés novio / novia?	Do you have a boyfriend / girlfriend?	Perdón la pregunta, ¿tenés novio?Sorry to ask, do you have a boyfriend?	Casual Ask it with a smile once you've chatted a bit. Tenés is the vos form.
268	¿Querés salir conmigo?	Do you want to go out with me?	Me caés re bien. ¿Querés salir conmigo el sábado?I really like you. Do you want to go out with me on Saturday?	Casual The direct way to ask for a date. Querés is the vos form.
269	Nde porã	You're beautiful (Guaraní)	Nde porã, ¿sabías?You're beautiful, did you know?	Casual Guaraní for "you're pretty". Locals love to hear it from a visitor.
270	Me copa / me recopa	I really like it	Me recopa tu vestido. ¿Bailamos?I really love your dress. Shall we dance?	Slang Copar means to like something a lot. A safe compliment.
271	Rohayhu / rohayhu'eterei	I love you / I love you so much	Rohayhu'eterei, mi amor.I love you so much, my love.	Everyday The Guaraní "I love you". Add -eterei for "so much".
272	Levantar	To pick someone up	Anoche se levantó a una chica en el boliche.Last night he picked up a girl at the club.	Slang To win someone over on a night out.
273	Mi chúli	My boyfriend, my girlfriend	¿Cómo se llama tu chúli?What's your partner's name?	Slang A cute word for your partner. Young people use it where their parents said chico'i.
274	Un pico	A quick kiss	Le quise dar un pico y no me animé.I wanted to give her a quick kiss but didn't dare.	Casual A peck.
275	Che ména / che rembireko	My husband / my wife	Mi hermana y che ména llegan mañana.My sister and my husband arrive tomorrow.	Casual Guaraní words for a spouse. Ména is husband and rembireko is wife.
276	Afilar	To date, to court	Afilo con Juanita desde marzo.I've been dating Juanita since March.	Casual To court or date someone. Estar afilando means you're seeing someone, and people of all ages say it.
277	Mi pareja	My partner	Te presento a mi pareja, Lucía.Let me introduce you to my partner, Lucía.	Everyday The safe word for a boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse.
278	¡Pejovesána!	Get a room!	Te quiero. Yo más. ¡Pejovesána!I love you. I love you more. Get a room!	Slang A third person says it to a sweet couple.
279	Tesapo'ẽ	Partner thief	No le presentes tu novia, es un tesapo'ẽ.Don't introduce your girlfriend to him, he steals partners.	Slang Literally "finger in the eye". Someone who goes after a friend's partner.
280	Churro campaña	Hot country guy	Mi primo es un churro campaña, todas le miran.My cousin is a hot country guy, all the girls look at him.	Slang Handsome, with a rural style and haircut.
281	No liga ni tuke	Gets no action at all	Mi primo no liga ni tuke desde que volvió al pueblo.My cousin hasn't had any action since he went back to his town.	Vulgar A teasing line about a friend who gets no action at all. Keep it among friends.
282	Háka pichona	Older woman with a young vibe	La tía de Ana es una háka pichona, sale todos los findes.Ana's aunt is a young-at-heart older woman, she goes out every weekend.	Vulgar A sexual label for a mature woman with a young vibe. Say it among friends, never to her face.
283	Sponsor	Sugar daddy, sugar mommy	Ese auto nuevo se lo pagó su sponsor.Her sponsor paid for that new car.	Slang Gossip slang for someone who pays for their lover. Don't use it about anyone to their face.
284	Facturera	Woman who dates for money	Dicen que es una facturera, siempre sale con tipos con plata.They say she's a gold digger, she always goes out with guys with money.	Vulgar A harsh label for a woman men pay for her company. Know it, but don't use it.

Sayings and expressions 16

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
285	Se armó un guarara	All hell broke loose	Perdió el equipo y se armó un guarara.The team lost and all hell broke loose.	Casual For a fight, a mess or a family drama. Some people say una guarara.
286	Jagua ry'ái	The crowd someone brings along uninvited	Le trajo a su jagua ry'ái y todo a la fiesta.He brought his whole uninvited crew to the party.	Slang Literally "dog's sweat". For the friends someone drags along without asking.
287	Opa rei	It all came to nothing	Tanto trabajo y opa rei, se suspendió el partido.All that work and it came to nothing, the game got called off.	Casual Guaraní for "it ended in vain". Say it when a plan falls apart.
288	Aháta aju he'i la osova	"I'll be right back," said the one who left	¿Te dijo que volvía? Aháta aju he'i la osova.He told you he'd be back? "I'll be right back," said the one who left.	Slang A jopara joke. A broke friend says it on the way out, and everyone knows he won't come back.
289	Me dejó un clavo	Left me holding the bag	Mi ex me dejó un clavo con el alquiler.My ex left me stuck with the rent.	Casual A clavo is a problem someone passes to you.
290	Ni mberu no fly	Not a fly moving	En la siesta, ni mberu no fly en el pueblo.During the siesta, not a fly moves in town.	Slang Guaraní, Spanish and English in 1 line.
291	Eréma nio cien vece	You've said it 100 times	Ya sé, eréma nio cien vece.I know, you've said it 100 times.	Slang For someone who repeats the same story.
292	Emombe'úna Ménchipe	Go tell it to Menchi	¿Te duele? Emombe'úna Ménchipe.It hurts? Go tell it to Menchi.	Slang From a TV host whose shows asked viewers to send in their stories. Use it to brush off a complaint.
293	Lo que importa	As if that matters	¿Que su perro tiene Instagram? Lo que importa.His dog has Instagram? As if that matters.	Slang Sarcasm for silly topics.
294	¿Reipota che rasẽ piko?	Want me to cry?	¿Que no te gusta mi auto? ¿Reipota che rasẽ piko?You don't like my car? Want me to cry?	Slang Shows you don't care what they think.
295	Nákever	No way, nothing to do with it	¿Ese es tu novio? ¡Nákever!That's your boyfriend? No way!	Slang Short for "nada que ver".
296	Opa pyhare pukukue	All night long	Bailamos opa pyhare pukukue.We danced all night long.	Casual A Guaraní phrase for the whole night. Opa means all.
297	Ñe'ẽ rei	Empty talk, lies	Eso es ñe'ẽ rei nomás, no le creas.That's just empty talk, don't believe him.	Casual Guaraní for "talk in vain". Say it when a promise or a story sounds fake.
298	Besensena	You two are in sync	Los dos piensan igual. ¡Besensena!You both think the same. You two are in sync!	Slang You say it to 2 people who agree too much.
299	Perdéu ya	It's gone, they don't care	Ese ya no estudia más, perdéu ya.He doesn't study at all anymore, he's gone.	Slang From Portuguese "perdeu", lost.
300	Japiro todo	To hell with it all	Ya no me importa, japiro todo.I don't care anymore, to hell with it all.	Vulgar Said when you give up. Japiro is a crude word, so keep it among friends.

Around Paraguay 36

Paraguay is small, but the capital, the lake towns, the 3 border cities, the Mennonite Chaco and the countryside each have words of their own.

Asunción

The capital, where you'll land, shop at Mercado 4 and go out in Villa Morra.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
El Mercado 4	The big, cheap market downtown	Vamos al Mercado 4 a comprar ropa barata.Let's go to Mercado 4 to buy cheap clothes.
La Costanera	The riverside promenade	A la tardecita vamos a tomar tereré en la Costanera.In the early evening we go drink tereré on the Costanera.
Salir por Villa Morra	To go out in the bar district	El viernes salimos por Villa Morra, ¿te sumás?We're going out in Villa Morra on Friday, want to join?
Palmear	To stroll along Calle Palma	Vamos a palmear este sábado.Let's go strolling on Palma Street this Saturday.
Lomito árabe	Shawarma-style wrap	Después del boliche, un lomito árabe.After the club, a shawarma wrap.

Central department and the lake towns

The towns around Lake Ypacaraí, a day trip from the capital, with Caacupé's big pilgrimage on 8 December.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Ñandutí	The fine spiderweb lace of Itauguá	Compré un mantel de ñandutí en Itauguá.I bought a ñandutí tablecloth in Itauguá.
Ir a Caacupé	To join the Virgin's pilgrimage	Cada 8 de diciembre vamos a Caacupé a pie.Every 8 December we walk to Caacupé.
La Virgen de los Milagros	The patron Virgin of Caacupé	Le prometió a la Virgen de los Milagros que iba a ir caminando.He promised the Virgin of Miracles he'd walk there.
Frutilla de Areguá	Strawberries from the lake town	Traje un frasco de dulce de frutilla de Areguá.I brought a jar of strawberry jam from Areguá.
El lago	Lake Ypacaraí, the weekend escape	El domingo nos escapamos al lago, a San Bernardino.On Sunday we're escaping to the lake, to San Bernardino.

Encarnación

The beach town on the Paraná River, across the bridge from Posadas in Argentina, and home of the biggest Carnaval in the country.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
La playa San José	The city beach on the river	Hace 40 grados, vamos a la playa San José.It's 40 degrees, let's go to San José beach.
Cruzar a Posadas	To cross the bridge into Argentina	Mañana cruzamos a Posadas a comprar, llevá el pasaporte.Tomorrow we're crossing to Posadas to shop, bring your passport.
El Carnaval Encarnaceno	The city's summer Carnaval	¿Venís al Carnaval Encarnaceno? Tengo entradas para el sábado.Are you coming to the Encarnación Carnaval? I've got tickets for Saturday.
El sambódromo	The Carnaval parade strip	Las comparsas desfilan en el sambódromo hasta tarde.The Carnaval troupes parade on the strip until late.
Pasera	Woman who carries goods across the bridge to sell	La pasera cruza a Posadas 3 veces por día con sus bolsas.The border trader crosses to Posadas 3 times a day with her bags.

Ciudad del Este

The shopping city on the bridge to Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, where Spanish, Guaraní and Portuguese mix.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Cruzar el Puente	To cross the Friendship Bridge to Brazil	Cruzamos el Puente temprano, después hay mucha fila.Let's cross the bridge early, later there's a long line.
Mototaxi	Motorbike taxi	Tomá un mototaxi, en auto no pasás el tráfico del Puente.Take a motorbike taxi, by car you won't get through the bridge traffic.
¿Aceptás reales?	Do you take Brazilian reais?	¿Cuánto sale en dólares? ¿Y aceptás reales?How much is it in dollars? And do you take reais?
Sacolero	Bulk shopper from Brazil	Los sacoleros cruzan el Puente de madrugada.The bulk shoppers cross the bridge before dawn.
Mesitero	Street-stall seller	Le compré el cargador a un mesitero frente a la galería.I bought the charger from a street-stall seller outside the mall.

Pedro Juan Caballero

The northern border city that touches Ponta Porã in Brazil. There's no wall, so people cross the street and mix Portuguese into their Spanish and Guaraní.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Tudo bem	How are you? / all good (Portuguese)	¿Tudo bem? Sí, tudo bem, ¿y vos?How are you? Yes, all good, and you?
Obrigado	Thanks (Portuguese)	Obrigado, y buen día.Thanks, and have a good day.
Tchau	Bye (Portuguese)	Tchau, nos vemos mañana.Bye, see you tomorrow.
Brasiguayo	Brazilian-descended person living in Paraguay	Mi vecino es brasiguayo, habla portugués en casa.My neighbor is Brasiguayan, he speaks Portuguese at home.
Cruzar a Ponta Porã	To walk across the street into Brazil	Cruzamos a Ponta Porã a tomar un café.We're crossing over to Ponta Porã for a coffee.

The Chaco

The dry, empty west, where Mennonite towns like Filadelfia and Loma Plata speak Plautdietsch (Low German) first and ranches stretch for miles. Spanish is the common language with visitors.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
La Transchaco	The one highway into the Chaco	Por la Transchaco son 6 horas hasta Filadelfia.It's 6 hours to Filadelfia on the Transchaco.
Chaqueño	Person from the Chaco	Mi tío es chaqueño, nunca salió de Filadelfia.My uncle is from the Chaco, he's never left Filadelfia.
Los menonitas / la colonia	The Mennonites / their settlement	En la colonia casi todo lo manejan los menonitas, hasta la leche.In the colony the Mennonites run almost everything, even the milk.
Fortín	Old Chaco War fort	Visitamos el fortín, donde hubo batallas de la guerra del Chaco.We visited the fort, where Chaco War battles happened.
Estancia	Working cattle ranch	Pasamos el fin de semana en una estancia.We spent the weekend on a ranch.
Tajamar	Ranch pond	Después del asado nos bañamos en el tajamar.After the barbecue we swam in the ranch pond.

The countryside

The small towns and farms of the interior, where Guaraní comes first and Spanish second.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Kokue	Family farm plot (Guaraní)	Mi papá está en la kokue desde las 5.My dad's been out at the farm plot since 5.
Ir al chaco	To go out to your farm plot (not the Chaco region)	Mañana temprano me voy al chaco a plantar mandioca.Early tomorrow I'm going out to my plot to plant cassava.
Compañía	Rural hamlet	Mi abuela vive en una compañía de Caaguazú.My grandma lives in a hamlet in Caaguazú.
Pueblero	Villager, small-town person	Soy pueblero, me crié en Caazapá.I'm a small-town guy, I grew up in Caazapá.
Guaraní cerrado	Pure Guaraní, with no Spanish	En la compañía hablan guaraní cerrado.Out in the hamlet they speak pure Guaraní.

Don't mix these up

Word	In Paraguay	Elsewhere
Guapo	Hardworking	Good-looking in Spain and Mexico
Che	Hey, and also my, from Guaraní	Only hey, buddy, in Argentina
Luego	Adds stress: "te dije luego" means "I did tell you"	Later
Gracias (in a tereré round)	I'm done, no more for me	Thank you
Pico	A quick kiss	A crude word for penis in Chile
Cocido	Hot mate tea, sweetened with burnt sugar	A stew, in Spain
Coger	Vulgar, to have sex. Say tomar el colectivo instead	To take, in Spain
Concha	Vulgar, a crude word for a woman's private parts	A seashell, in Spain and Mexico
Pija	Vulgar, a crude word for penis	A posh girl, in Spain
Pendejo	A kid or a teenager	A jerk in Mexico
Hallarse	To feel at home	To be located, in Spain and Mexico
Quitar una foto	To take a photo	To remove a photo, in Spain and Mexico
Bombilla	The metal tereré straw	A light bulb, in most other countries
Demasiado	Very	Too much, in Spain and Mexico
Pieza	Your room or bedroom	A piece or a part, in Spain and Mexico
La siesta	The early afternoon break, when many shops close from about 12 to 3	A short nap after lunch
Mamón	Papaya	Stuck-up or arrogant, in Mexico

Questions people ask

How do you say "I love you" in Guaraní?

Say rohayhu. For "I love you so much", say rohayhu'eterei.

What are some common slang words in Paraguay?

Start with purete (awesome), kp (best friend), chera'a (my friend), haku (it's hot), pya'e (fast) and upéicha (exactly). Most Paraguayan slang mixes Spanish and Guaraní.

How do you say "hi" in Paraguay?

In Spanish, say "¿qué tal?". In Guaraní, say "¿mba'éichapa?", and the reply is "iporã".

Do people in Paraguay speak Spanish or Guaraní?

Both are official, and most people mix them in 1 sentence, a mix called jopara. In the countryside, you'll hear mostly Guaraní.

What does che mean in Paraguay?

Che means my, from Guaraní, as in che amigo. People also use it to say hey, like in Argentina.

How do you say goodbye in Guaraní?

Say jajotopata or jajohecháta, "we'll see each other". If you're leaving and coming back, say aháta aju.

How do you say thank you in Guaraní?

Say aguyje. Many Guaraní speakers also just say gracias.

What are some funny Paraguayan phrases?

Try cementerio timbre (a cemetery doorbell, so a useless person) and ni mberu no fly (not a fly moving).

What is jopara?

Jopara is the everyday mix of Spanish and Guaraní, often in 1 sentence. "¿Ha upéi, kape?" and "ja'u la tereré" are both jopara.

What are some Paraguayan proverbs and sayings?

Paraguayans call Guaraní sayings ñe'ẽnga. Try opa rei (it all came to nothing), ñe'ẽ rei (empty talk), jagua ry'ái (the crowd someone brings uninvited) and the joke aháta aju he'i la osova, "I'll be right back," said the one who left.

What are Paraguayan curse words?

Nderakore is the strongest common swear, for real anger, and caraja, ndéra and nderasore are the soft versions. Mbore and mborear are vulgar, and so is tembo'i, so just learn to spot them.

Is Paraguayan Spanish like Argentine Spanish?

It shares vos and many words with Argentina, like nafta and boliche. The big difference is Guaraní, which fills Paraguayan Spanish with words like piko, luego and -na.

How do you say cheers in Paraguay?

Say ¡salud! as the glasses touch. In a tereré round, gracias means you want no more.

Is kurepi offensive?

Kurepi is the everyday nickname for Argentines, and most people use it as a joke. It can sound rude to an Argentine, so read the room.

Slang in other countries

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Sources

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