Verbamor
All 20 countries

Peruvian slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

  • 300 phrases
  • 300 real examples
  • 140 slang
  • 6 regions
  • 38 local phrases
  • 14 marked vulgar

Peruvian slang is quick, funny and full of food. These are the 300 words and phrases you'll hear in Lima, Cusco and beyond, each with a real example and a note on when to use it.

Greetings and small talk 17

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
1 Buenas Hi (in shops and taxis) Buenas, casero, ¿tiene agua sin gas?Hi there, boss, do you have still water? Everyday Short for buenos días or buenas tardes. Say it as you walk into a shop or get in a taxi.
2 ¡Habla! What's up? ¡Habla, causa! ¿Todo bien?What's up, mate! All good? Slang The classic Lima hello between friends. Say it with energy.
3 Ya Yes, OK / Enough ¿Nos vemos a las 8? Ya.See you at 8? OK. Everyday Peruvians say ya where you'd say yes or OK. Said sharply, it means that's enough.
4 Mucho gusto Nice to meet you Mucho gusto, soy Ana. ¿Y tú?Nice to meet you, I'm Ana. And you? Everyday Say it when someone introduces themselves. Safe with anyone.
5 ¿De dónde eres? / Soy de... Where are you from? / I'm from... ¿De dónde eres? Soy de Canadá, pero ya me siento en casa.Where are you from? I'm from Canada, but I already feel at home. Everyday Every local asks a visitor this. Answer with soy de and your country, then ask it back.
6 Gracias / de nada Thanks / You're welcome Gracias por la ayuda. De nada, que te vaya bien.Thanks for the help. You're welcome, have a good trip. Everyday Safe with anyone. Add pe or pues to sound local: de nada pe.
7 Con permiso / disculpe Excuse me Con permiso, ¿puedo pasar? Disculpe, ¿dónde queda el banco?Excuse me, may I get by? Excuse me, where is the bank? Everyday Con permiso asks to pass or come in. Disculpe gets someone's attention.
8 Casero / casera Regular vendor or customer Casera, ¿a cuánto está la palta?Ma'am, how much are the avocados? Everyday What market sellers and buyers call each other. Use it and sellers warm up to you.
9 Mamita / caserita Ma'am (to a woman seller or older woman) Mamita, ¿me da dos panes?Ma'am, can I have 2 rolls? Casual Women and sellers use it for a woman customer. As a man, say señora or casera.
10 Maestro Boss, pal Maestro, ¿cuánto hasta el centro?Boss, how much to downtown? Casual Friendly for taxi drivers and tradespeople.
11 Oe Hey Oe, ¿vamos por unas chelas?Hey, shall we go for some beers? Casual Short for oye. Fine with friends, a bit rough with strangers.
12 Bien nomás Just fine ¿Qué tal todo? Bien nomás, gracias.How's everything? Just fine, thanks. Everyday The modest Peruvian way to say you're fine.
13 Chau / cuídate Bye / take care Ya, chau, cuídate. Nos vemos mañana.OK, bye, take care. See you tomorrow. Everyday The normal goodbye in Peru. Add cuídate with friends and hosts.
14 Pase nomás Come on in Pase nomás, joven, está abierto.Come on in, young man, it's open. Everyday Nomás makes the invite warmer.
15 Provecho Enjoy your meal Provecho, señores.Enjoy your meal, everyone. Everyday Say it when you pass people eating or leave the table.
16 ¿Aló? Hello? (on the phone) ¿Aló? ¿Con quién hablo?Hello? Who am I speaking to? Everyday How Peruvians answer the phone.
17 ¿Qué fue? What happened? / What's wrong? ¿Qué fue? ¿Por qué esa cara?What happened? Why that face? Casual In Peru it mostly asks what happened. Ecuadorians and Colombians use it as a hello, so ¡habla! is the safer Lima hello.

Getting around 34

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
18 Carrera Taxi ride Maestro, ¿cuánto es la carrera hasta Barranco?Boss, how much is the ride to Barranco? Everyday The word for a taxi ride and its price.
19 ¿Cuánto me cobra hasta...? / ¿cuánto me cobras? How much to...? Maestro, ¿cuánto me cobra hasta Miraflores?Boss, how much to Miraflores? Everyday The question you'll ask every street taxi. If the price sounds high, offer a bit less. Street use
20 Acá nomás Right here is fine Acá nomás, maestro, en la esquina.Right here, boss, at the corner. Everyday How you tell a driver to stop.
21 Acasito nomás Just around here ¿El paradero? Acasito nomás, a dos cuadras.The bus stop? Just around here, 2 blocks away. Casual A friendly way to say it's close, but acasito can still mean a long walk.
22 Soroche Altitude sickness Llegué a Cusco con soroche.I got to Cusco with altitude sickness. Everyday A day-1 word in Cusco, so rest and go slow.
23 Pasaje Fare ¿Cuánto es el pasaje a Miraflores?How much is the fare to Miraflores? Everyday What you pay on a combi, bus or long-distance coach.
24 Combi Minibus La combi a Miraflores pasa cada 5 minutos.The minibus to Miraflores comes every 5 minutes. Everyday Cheap, fast and packed. Keep your phone in a front pocket.
25 Micro City bus Tomamos el micro en la avenida.We'll take the bus on the avenue. Everyday Bigger than a combi.
26 Paradero Bus stop Bajo en el paradero de la Javier Prado.I'm getting off at the stop on Javier Prado. Everyday The Peruvian word for a bus stop.
27 Cobrador Fare collector El cobrador te avisa dónde bajar.The fare collector tells you where to get off. Everyday The person hanging out of the combi door.
28 Colectivo Shared taxi Tomé un colectivo de Cusco a Urubamba.I took a shared taxi from Cusco to Urubamba. Everyday Cars or vans on a fixed route. You pay per seat.
29 Taxi informal Unlicensed taxi Mejor no tomes un taxi informal de noche.Better not take an unlicensed taxi at night. Everyday Use an app or ask your hotel to call one.
30 Sencillo / ¿me sencilla? / ¿me sencillas? Small change / Can you break this note? Casera, le compro una agua. ¿Me sencilla este billete de 50? Es para la combi.Ma'am, I'll buy a water. Can you break this 50 for me? It's for the minibus. Everyday Sencillo is small change, and sencillar is to break a big note. Do it before you ride, since combis rarely have change.
31 Mototaxi Motorbike taxi Tomamos un mototaxi al hostal.We took a motorbike taxi to the hostel. Everyday 3-wheelers in towns and outer Lima.
32 De frente Straight ahead Siga de frente dos cuadras.Go straight for 2 blocks. Everyday Also means "directly" or "honestly".
33 Cuadra City block El hostal está a tres cuadras.The hostel is 3 blocks away. Everyday Peruvians give directions in blocks.
34 Latear / ser una lataza To walk / To be a long walk No tomes taxi, el hostal está cerca, vamos lateando. Al mirador sí es una lataza.Don't take a taxi, the hostel is close, let's walk. The viewpoint is a long way, though. Slang Fine with friends. Miraflores and Barranco are easy to explore on foot.
35 Fercho Driver El fercho de la combi manejaba rapidísimo.The minibus driver was driving really fast. Slang Chofer said backward. You'll hear it about combi and taxi drivers.
36 Mosca Alert Ponte mosca con tu celular en la combi.Keep an eye on your phone in the minibus. Slang Ponerse mosca is to stay sharp.
37 Choro Thief Un choro me quitó el celular.A thief snatched my phone. Slang Keep your phone out of sight on the street.
38 Piraña Kid who robs in a gang Cuidado con las pirañas en el centro.Watch out for the kid gangs downtown. Slang Street kids who crowd you and grab what they can.
39 ¡Apéguese! Squeeze in! ¡Apéguese, joven, que sube una señora!Squeeze in, young man, a lady is getting on! Slang The cobrador's cry to pack more people in.
40 Jirón Street El hostal está en el jirón Junín, cuadra 4.The hostel is on Junín street, block 4. Everyday On signs and addresses you'll see Jr. for jirón and Av. for avenida.
41 Pista Road No cruces la pista sin mirar.Don't cross the road without looking. Everyday In Peru pista is the road itself.
42 Vereda Sidewalk Camina por la vereda, no por la pista.Walk on the sidewalk, not in the road. Everyday Peruvians say vereda, not acera.
43 Óvalo Roundabout Bájame en el óvalo Gutiérrez.Drop me at the Gutiérrez roundabout. Everyday Lima's roundabouts are landmarks for directions.
44 Grifo Gas station Paramos en el grifo para echar gasolina.We stopped at the gas station to fill up. Everyday In Spain grifo means tap.
45 Jalador Tout El jalador nos quería meter a su restaurante.The tout wanted to pull us into his restaurant. Everyday Touts crowd Cusco's main square. A smile and "no, gracias" works.
46 Tombo Cop Cuidado, hay tombos en la esquina.Careful, there are cops on the corner. Slang Don't say it to an officer.
47 Serenazgo City patrol Llama al serenazgo si ves algo raro.Call the city patrol if you see anything odd. Everyday Each Lima district has its own. A patrol officer is a sereno.
48 Huachimán / guachimán Security guard Pregúntale al huachimán, él sabe a qué hora cierran.Ask the guard, he knows what time they close. Casual From English "watchman". You'll see a guard at shops, banks and buildings. Say buenas to him.
49 Coima Bribe El tombo le pidió coima.The cop asked him for a bribe. Slang Don't offer one.
50 Brevete Driver's license ¿Tienes brevete para alquilar el carro?Do you have a driver's license to rent the car? Everyday In Peru you say brevete, not licencia.
51 Huaico Mudslide Un huaico bloqueó la carretera.A mudslide blocked the road. Everyday Common from December to March. Check the road before a long bus trip.

Food and drink 38

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
52 La carta The menu ¿Nos trae la carta, por favor?Could you bring us the menu, please? Everyday La carta is the full menu. El menú is the cheap set lunch.
53 Menú Set lunch El menú está a 12 soles con entrada y refresco.The set lunch is 12 soles with a starter and a drink. Everyday The cheap daily lunch at local places.
54 Mozo / joven Waiter ¡Joven! ¿Nos trae agua, por favor?Excuse me! Could you bring us water, please? Everyday The waiter is the mozo, and you call him joven to his face.
55 Sin ají, por favor No chili, please Un lomo saltado sin ají, por favor.A beef stir-fry with no chili, please. Everyday Say it when you can't take the heat. You can also ask for menos picante.
56 La cuenta The check ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?Could you bring us the check, please? Everyday Ask for it when you're ready to go.
57 Cebiche / cebichería Ceviche / ceviche restaurant Un cebiche mixto para compartir.A mixed ceviche to share. Everyday Peru's national dish, also spelled ceviche. Most cebicherías open for lunch only.
58 Tiradito Thin-sliced raw fish Un tiradito de ají amarillo para empezar.A tiradito in yellow chili sauce to start. Everyday Like cebiche, but the fish comes in thin slices with no onion.
59 Pollo a la brasa Rotisserie chicken Un cuarto de pollo a la brasa con papas.A quarter rotisserie chicken with fries. Everyday Peruvians eat it even more than cebiche. Order a quarter, a half or a whole bird.
60 Piqueo Shared snacks Pidamos un piqueo para la mesa.Let's order some snacks for the table. Everyday Good for a group, since everyone picks from the middle.
61 Chifa Chinese-Peruvian food Esta noche vamos al chifa.Tonight we're going to the chifa. Everyday Peru's own take on Cantonese food, and the place that serves it.
62 ¿Pica? Is it spicy? ¿El ají pica mucho?Is the chili sauce very hot? Everyday Ask before you dig in. Peruvians often say it's mild when it isn't.
63 Ají Chili pepper or sauce Pásame el ají, casero.Pass me the chili sauce, boss. Everyday Ají amarillo, the yellow pepper, is in half the dishes you'll eat.
64 Rocoto Very hot red pepper Cuidado, ese rocoto quema.Careful, that pepper is fiery. Everyday Hotter than ají. Try a little first.
65 Lomo saltado Stir-fried beef Para mí un lomo saltado con arroz.A beef stir-fry with rice for me. Everyday Saltado means stir-fried. You'll find it on almost every menu.
66 ¿Helada o al tiempo? / al polo Cold or room temperature? / Ice cold ¿La gaseosa, helada o al tiempo? Helada, casera, al polo.Do you want the soda cold or at room temperature? Cold, ma'am, ice cold. Everyday Shops ask this about every drink. Say helada if you want it cold, and al polo if you want it ice cold. Street use
67 Caño Tap El agua del caño no se toma.Don't drink the tap water. Everyday Agua del caño is tap water, so buy bottled.
68 Mate de coca Coca leaf tea Tómate un mate de coca para el soroche.Have a coca tea for the altitude sickness. Everyday Hotels in Cusco serve it on arrival. A mate is any herbal tea.
69 Chicha morada Purple corn drink Una jarra de chicha morada, por favor.A jug of purple corn drink, please. Everyday Sweet and alcohol-free. Chicha de jora is the fermented one.
70 Leche de tigre Ceviche juice Tómate una leche de tigre para la resaca.Have a leche de tigre for the hangover. Everyday The lime marinade, sold as a hangover cure.
71 Anticucho Beef heart skewer Los anticuchos de la esquina son buenazos.The skewers on the corner are amazing. Everyday Street carts grill them in the evening.
72 Jama / jamear Food / to eat Vamos a jamear algo, me muero de hambre.Let's go eat something, I'm starving. Slang Jama is food and jamear is to eat.
73 Bitute Food, a meal ¿Ya está el bitute? Me muero de hambre.Is the food ready? I'm starving. Slang Fine with friends and family. It usually means lunch or dinner.
74 Feca Coffee ¿Vamos por un feca antes del tour?Shall we grab a coffee before the tour? Slang Café said backward, in the vesre game.
75 Huarique Hole-in-the-wall spot Conozco un huarique con el mejor cebiche de Lima.I know a little spot with the best ceviche in Lima. Slang Ask locals for their favorite huarique.
76 Me provoca I feel like ¿Te provoca un cebiche?Do you feel like a ceviche? Everyday Colombia and Venezuela use it the same way. In Spain, Mexico and Argentina provocar means to provoke.
77 Antojo / antojito Craving, little treat Me dio antojo de un picarón.I've got a craving for a picarón. Everyday An antojito is a little treat you just fancy, like a picarón from a street cart.
78 Arroz chaufa Fried rice Un arroz chaufa de pollo para llevar.A chicken fried rice to go. Everyday On every chifa menu.
79 ¿Con cremas? With sauces? ¿La salchipapa con cremas? Sí, con todas.The salchipapa with sauces? Yes, all of them. Everyday Cremas are the sauces: mayo, ketchup, mustard and ají.
80 Salchipapa Fries with sliced hot dog Comimos una salchipapa a la salida del tono.We ate a salchipapa on the way out of the party. Everyday The classic late-night snack.
81 Lonche Afternoon snack Ven a tomar lonche a la casa.Come over to our place for tea. Everyday Around 6 pm, with bread, coffee or tea.
82 Cancha Toasted corn Siempre traen cancha con el cebiche.They always bring toasted corn with ceviche. Everyday Also means a sports field.
83 Emoliente Hot herbal street drink Un emoliente calientito para el frío, casero.A warm herbal drink for the cold, boss. Everyday Carts sell it early in the morning.
84 Calentado Fried-up leftovers De desayuno hay calentado.There are fried-up leftovers for breakfast. Everyday Last night's rice and beans, warmed in a pan.
85 Sánguche Sandwich Un sánguche de chicharrón, caserita.A pork sandwich, ma'am. Everyday How Peruvians say sándwich.
86 Juguería Juice bar En la juguería del mercado te dan yapa de jugo.At the market juice bar they top up your glass for free. Everyday Order a jugo surtido for mixed fruit.
87 Chancho Pork Pedí chancho al cilindro.I ordered barrel-roasted pork. Everyday Cerdo sounds formal.
88 Chupe Hearty soup El chupe de camarones de Arequipa es famoso.Arequipa's shrimp chowder is famous. Everyday Don't mix it up with chupar, to drink.
89 Taipá Piled high El arroz con pato vino bien taipá.The duck rice came piled high. Slang Praise for a big plate.

Money and shopping 26

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
90 ¿A cómo está? How much is it? Casera, ¿a cómo está el kilo de mango?Ma'am, how much is a kilo of mangoes? Everyday The market way to ask a price.
91 ¡Qué caro! / está barato So expensive! / It's cheap ¿50 soles? ¡Qué caro, casera!50 soles? That's so expensive, ma'am! Everyday Your first move in a market haggle. Está barato is what you hope to hear.
92 ¿Me hace una rebajita? / ¿cuánto es lo último? Can you knock a bit off? / What's your best price? Está bonito, casera. ¿Cuánto es lo último?It's nice, ma'am. What's your best price? Everyday Haggle at markets. Shops have fixed prices. Street use
93 ¿Aceptan tarjeta? Do you take cards? ¿Aceptan tarjeta o solo efectivo?Do you take cards or only cash? Everyday Hotels and big restaurants take cards. Markets and small shops often want cash, so ask first.
94 ¿Ya incluye el servicio? Is service already included? ¿La cuenta ya incluye el servicio?Does the check already include service? Everyday Many mid-range and upscale places add a servicio line, so ask before you tip.
95 Propina Tip Si no incluye servicio, deja una propina.If service isn't included, leave a tip. Everyday 5 to 10% is normal in cities when the bill has no servicio line.
96 Yapa Little free extra Casera, ¿y mi yapa?And my little extra, ma'am? Everyday Market sellers add a bit more. Ask with a smile.
97 Yapear To pay by Yape Te yapeo los veinte soles.I'll send you the 20 soles on Yape. Everyday Yape is the payment app nearly everyone uses, street sellers too. Plin is the other one, so sellers may ask ¿Yape o Plin?
98 Vuelto Change (after paying) Quédese con el vuelto.Keep the change. Everyday What a seller hands back. Count it before you walk away.
99 Luca 1 sol Me cobró diez lucas por la carrera.He charged me 10 soles for the ride. Slang Safe with anyone, drivers and sellers too.
100 Plata Money No tengo plata hasta la quincena.I've got no money until payday. Everyday Safe with anyone. Dinero sounds formal.
101 Bodega Corner shop Compra agua en la bodega de la esquina.Buy water at the corner shop. Everyday A small neighborhood store.
102 Paradita Street market Compra la fruta en la paradita, sale más barata.Buy the fruit at the street market, it's cheaper. Everyday An open-air street market. Prices are low, so bring sencillo.
103 Precio de gringo Tourist price No me cobre precio de gringo, casero.Don't charge me the tourist price, boss. Slang Say it with a smile and you may get the local price. Street use
104 Una china 50-céntimo coin ¿Tienes una china para el baño?Do you have 50 céntimos for the restroom? Slang Public toilets often cost 50 céntimos or 1 sol.
105 Cocos US dollars ¿A cuánto están los cocos hoy?What's the dollar rate today? Slang Street money changers use it.
106 Misio / estar aguja Broke, with nothing left Este mes estoy misio, aguja total.I'm totally broke this month. Slang Both mean you have no money at all. Estar en misión imposible means you're broke before payday.
107 Chancha Kitty, money pool Hagamos una chancha para las chelas.Let's pool our money for the beers. Slang Fine with friends. Hacer una chancha is to chip in.
108 Bamba Fake Ese celular es bamba.That phone is fake. Slang Fine to say at a market, with a smile.
109 Cachina Flea market Compré una bici usada en la cachina.I bought a used bike at the flea market. Slang Also a cheap thing. Stolen goods turn up there too.
110 Chompa Sweater Lleva chompa, en Cusco hace frío.Take a sweater, it's cold in Cusco. Everyday Safe with anyone. You'll see it on market signs.
111 Casaca Jacket Me olvidé la casaca en el bus.I left my jacket on the bus. Everyday Safe with anyone. Bring one for cold Lima nights.
112 Polo T-shirt Compré un polo de la selección.I bought a national team T-shirt. Everyday Peruvians call any T-shirt a polo.
113 Cachuelo Side gig Hago cachuelos los fines de semana.I do odd jobs on weekends. Slang Safe with anyone, from friends to coworkers.
114 Codo Stingy Mi tío es bien codo, nunca invita.My uncle is so stingy, he never pays for anyone. Slang Tap your elbow to say it without words.
115 Enyucarse To get stuck with a debt Me enyuqué con la tarjeta de crédito.I got stuck with a big credit card debt. Slang Also for a chore you can't get out of.

Bars and going out 24

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
116 Chela / rubia / chelear Beer / to have beers Hoy toca chelear, ¿unas chelas en Barranco?Today it's beer time. A few in Barranco? Slang The word you'll hear most on a night out. A rubia is a beer too, for its color. Chelear is to go for beers.
117 ¡Salud! Cheers! ¡Salud, causa, por el viaje!Cheers, mate, to the trip! Everyday The toast everyone uses. Say it before the first sip.
118 Te invito I'm buying Tranquilo, causa, hoy te invito yo.Relax, mate, today it's on me. Everyday Te invito means I'm paying. Let them pay, and invite them next time.
119 Tono / tonazo / tonear Party Hay tono en la casa de Diego.There's a party at Diego's place. Slang A tonazo is a huge party. Tonear is to go out partying.
120 Chupar / chupeta To drink (alcohol) / drinking session El sábado hay chupeta en el jato de Lucho. Vamos a chupar hasta las 4.On Saturday there's a drinking session at Lucho's place. We'll drink until 4. Slang Chupar also means to suck. A chupeta is a night of drinking with friends.
121 Pisco sour Pisco cocktail Dos pisco sours, por favor.2 pisco sours, please. Everyday Peru's famous cocktail of pisco, lime, sugar and egg white. It's strong, so go slow.
122 Chilcano Pisco highball Para mí un chilcano de maracuyá.A passion fruit chilcano for me. Everyday Pisco, ginger ale and lime. Lighter than a pisco sour.
123 Jaba Beer crate Compramos una jaba de chelas para la playa.We bought a crate of beer for the beach. Everyday A crate of big bottles, the usual buy for a party.
124 Trago Alcoholic drink ¿Vamos por unos tragos después de la cena?Shall we go for some drinks after dinner? Everyday Any alcoholic drink. Estar con trago means you've had a few.
125 Calientito Hot toddy Para el frío de Cusco, un calientito con pisco.For the Cusco cold, a hot toddy with pisco. Regional Mostly Andean. A hot herbal or citrus drink with a shot of liquor, served at night.
126 Un pisquito A little pisco ¿Un pisquito para el frío?A little pisco for the cold? Casual A friendly offer of a shot. Go slow at altitude.
127 Cover Entry fee El cover es 30 soles con un trago.Entry is 30 soles with a drink. Everyday Lima clubs charge it, often with a free drink.
128 Pepera / pepero Drink spiker Cuida tu vaso, en esa disco hay peperas.Watch your glass, there are drink spikers in that club. Slang Someone who drugs your drink to rob you. Never leave a drink alone.
129 Fallo Cigarette Oe, ¿tienes un fallo? Salgo a fumar.Hey, got a cigarette? I'm stepping out for a smoke. Slang Bars in Lima are smoke-free, so smokers step outside.
130 ¡Seco y volteado! Bottoms up! ¡Seco y volteado, causa!Bottoms up, mate! Slang Drink it all and turn the glass upside down.
131 Peña Live criollo music venue Vamos a una peña en Barranco a bailar.Let's go to a peña in Barranco and dance. Everyday The best bet for a real Peruvian night out.
132 Meterse una bomba To get really drunk Anoche nos metimos una bomba en Barranco.Last night we got really drunk in Barranco. Slang A bomba is a big drinking night. A bombaza is an even bigger one.
133 Picado Tipsy Con dos chilcanos ya estoy picado.2 chilcanos and I'm already tipsy. Slang Fine to say about yourself with friends.
134 Sampado Drunk Llegó sampado a la casa.He got home drunk. Slang You'll also see it spelled zampado.
135 Huasca Drunk Terminó huasca y cantando.He ended up drunk and singing. Slang Fine with friends. Said about someone else, it can sound like a dig.
136 Pollo Lightweight Eres un pollo, con una chela ya te mareas.You're such a lightweight, 1 beer and you're dizzy. Slang A friendly tease between friends.
137 Arrugar To bail No arrugues, quédate a una más.Don't bail, stay for 1 more. Slang What friends say to stop you leaving early.
138 Jarana Party with live music Se armó la jarana con cajón y guitarra.The party got going with cajón and guitar. Everyday Old-school, with criollo music.
139 Cacho Dice cup, dice game Juguemos un cacho, el que pierde paga.Let's play dice, loser pays. Everyday The cacho is the leather cup you shake the dice in, and jugar cacho is the bar game.

Friends and people 19

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
140 Pata / pata del alma / pataza Friend, guy Él es mi pata del colegio.He's my friend from school. Slang Mi pata is your friend and un pata is any guy. Your pata del alma or pataza is your best friend.
141 Causa Close friend, mate ¿Qué tal, causa?How's it going, mate? Slang Lima's favorite word for a friend. Also a potato dish.
142 Buena gente A good person Tu hermano es bien buena gente.Your brother is a really good guy. Everyday The top compliment for a person in Peru. You'll also hear es bien gente.
143 Gringo / gringa Foreigner ¡Gringa, pase, pase!Come in, gringa, come in! Casual Any light-skinned foreigner. Usually not meant as rude.
144 Choche / chochera Buddy Mi choche me ayudó con la mudanza.My buddy helped me move. Slang Warm and safe with any friend.
145 Yunta Close friend Somos yuntas desde chibolos.We've been close since we were kids. Slang Your partner in crime.
146 Hermano / mano Bro Gracias, mano, me salvaste el día.Thanks, bro, you saved my day. Casual Short for hermano. Heard more among Andean and northern speakers than in Lima.
147 Bróder Bro Bróder, ¿me prestas tu cargador?Bro, can I borrow your charger? Slang From English "brother".
148 Cumpa Pal Mi cumpa conoce un huarique buenazo.My pal knows a great little spot. Casual From compadre.
149 Collera / mancha Group of friends, crew Mañana sale la collera a la playa. Toda la mancha llegó tarde.Tomorrow the crew is going to the beach. The whole gang showed up late. Slang Fine with friends. Your collera or mancha is your regular group.
150 Crema / íntimo Universitario fan / Alianza Lima fan ¿Eres crema o íntimo?Are you a Universitario or an Alianza fan? Everyday Lima's 2 big soccer clubs. Ask which side someone's on, and the chat runs for an hour.
151 Chibolo / chibola Kid, teen Ese chibolo juega bien fútbol.That kid plays soccer really well. Slang Fine to say about kids. To an adult it's a tease.
152 Cachimbo / cachimba University freshman Es cachimbo, recién entró a San Marcos.He's a freshman, he just started at San Marcos. Slang People tease first-year students with it.
153 Pulpín Young newbie Todavía es un pulpín en la chamba.He's still a newbie at work. Slang Someone under 18, or new to something.
154 Jerma / jermu Girl, wife Esa jerma es la jermu de mi pata.That girl is my friend's wife. Slang Both flip mujer. Jermu often means your wife.
155 Cocho / cocha Old man, old woman Los cochos del barrio juegan dominó.The old guys in the neighborhood play dominoes. Slang Can sound rude to their face.
156 Chato / chata Shorty Oe, chato, ¿vienes?Hey, shorty, are you coming? Casual Often a friendly nickname.
157 Pituco / pituca Posh person Ese barrio está lleno de pitucos.That neighborhood is full of posh people. Slang A bit of a dig.
158 Pura finta Fake, all show Habla mal de sus amigos a sus espaldas, es pura finta.He talks badly about his friends behind their backs, he's all show. Slang For a fake person. Bamba is for fake things.

Reactions and feelings 27

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
159 Bacán Cool Tu hostal está bacán.Your hostel is really cool. Slang The safest slang word to start with.
160 Buenazo / buenaza Great, really tasty El lomo saltado está buenazo.The beef stir-fry is really good. Everyday The top praise for food, and it works for people and plans too.
161 Recontra Super, really La caminata estuvo recontra buena.The hike was really, really good. Slang Put it before any word to make it stronger: recontra caro, recontra lejos.
162 Chévere Great Qué chévere estuvo el tour.The tour was great. Everyday Safe with anyone. You'll hear it all over Latin America.
163 Paja Cool, nice El concierto estuvo paja.The concert was great. Slang In Peru paja means good. ¡Qué paja! is safe, but pajero is crude.
164 Mostro Awesome ¡Eres un mostro, gracias!You're amazing, thanks! Slang Comes from monstruo. Fine with friends and people your age.
165 Bravazo Awesome El cebiche está bravazo.The ceviche is awesome. Slang Fine with anyone your age. Older people say pitri mitri for the same thing.
166 ¡Chucha! Damn! ¡Chucha, me robaron el celular!Damn, they stole my phone! Vulgar The most common Peruvian swear, but not with elders.
167 ¡Asu! / ¡Asu mare! Wow! ¡Asu mare, qué vista!Wow, what a view! Slang Asu mare is a softened swear. Fine in casual talk.
168 ¡Qué bestia! Wow! ¡Qué bestia, subiste el Huayna Picchu en una hora!Wow, you climbed Huayna Picchu in an hour! Slang Fine with friends. It praises something amazing.
169 ¡Pucha! Darn! ¡Pucha, perdí el bus!Darn, I missed the bus! Casual A softened swear. Fine with anyone.
170 ¡Qué roche! How embarrassing! Me caí en plena calle, ¡qué roche!I fell in the middle of the street, how embarrassing! Slang Safe with anyone, even about yourself.
171 Palta / paltearse Awkward / to panic Me palteé cuando vi al tombo, qué palta.I panicked when I saw the cop, so awkward. Slang Palta is also avocado. Paltearse is to freak out.
172 Tranqui Chill Tranqui, no pasa nada.Chill, it's no big deal. Casual Fine with anyone your age.
173 Nada que ver No way, nothing to do with it ¿Yo? Nada que ver, ni estaba ahí.Me? No way, I wasn't even there. Casual Say it to reject an idea or an accusation. Nancy que Berta is the pun on it.
174 Ya fuiste / ya fue You missed it / forget it El concierto empezó a las 8. Ya fuiste.The concert started at 8. You missed it. Slang Ya fuiste means the chance is gone. Ya fue drops a plan or an argument.
175 ¡Alucina! Imagine that! Alucina, se casó en Las Vegas.Can you believe it, he got married in Las Vegas. Slang Safe with friends. Use it to share surprising news.
176 ¡Qué tal raza! What nerve! Se coló en la fila, ¡qué tal raza!He cut in line, what nerve! Slang Fine with friends. To someone's face it's a telling-off.
177 Fuerte Harsh, too much Uy, eso es fuerte.Ouch, that's harsh. Casual If someone says it after your joke, back off.
178 Asado Annoyed Está asado porque perdió su equipo.He's annoyed because his team lost. Slang Fine with friends. Don't call a stranger asado to their face.
179 Picón Touchy, sore loser No seas picón, era una broma.Don't be so touchy, it was a joke. Slang A tease between friends. It can sting if you mean it.
180 Me llega I don't care Me llega lo que diga.I don't care what he says. Slang A bit rude, so keep it for friends. Me llega altamente means I couldn't care less.
181 Hasta el queque Worn out, in a bad way Después de subir a Machu Picchu estoy hasta el queque.After the climb up to Machu Picchu I'm wiped out. Slang Fine with anyone. Use it when you're worn out, sick or low.
182 Nancy que Berta Nothing to do with it ¿Eso qué tiene que ver? Nancy que Berta.What's that got to do with it? Nothing at all. Slang A pun on nada que ver. You can say just "Nancy".
183 Hasta las patas In big trouble Si se entera mi viejo, estoy hasta las patas.If my dad finds out, I'm in big trouble. Slang Fine with friends. You'll mostly say it about yourself.
184 Qué piña What bad luck Llovió todo el día, qué piña.It rained all day, what bad luck. Slang Safe with anyone. A piña is also an unlucky person.
185 Lechero Lucky Ganó la rifa otra vez, qué lechero.He won the raffle again, so lucky. Slang A friendly tease, safe with friends.

Fillers and everyday words 31

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
186 Pe / claro pe Then, come on / Of course ¿Vienes al tono? Claro pe, ahí estoy.Are you coming to the party? Of course, I'll be there. Casual Short for pues. Tacked onto the end of almost anything: ya pe, apúrate pe.
187 Nomás Just, go ahead Siéntate nomás.Go ahead and sit down. Everyday Makes a request softer.
188 Recién Just (now) Recién llegué a Lima.I just got to Lima. Everyday Peruvians put recién before the verb: recién llegué, recién comí.
189 La firme / ¿a la firme? The truth / For real? ¿A la firme te vas mañana? Sí, la firme.Are you really leaving tomorrow? Yes, for real. Slang Ask ¿a la firme? when news surprises you. La firme is also the honest truth.
190 Porfa / porfis / xfa Please Pásame la sal, porfa.Pass me the salt, please. Casual Short for por favor. In texts you'll see xfa or xfis.
191 Ojo Watch out Ojo con tu mochila en el mercado.Watch your backpack at the market. Everyday Also "pay attention, this matters".
192 Malogrado Broken El ascensor está malogrado.The elevator is broken. Everyday Peruvians say malogrado for anything that stops working.
193 Tacho Trash can Bota la botella en el tacho, por favor.Throw the bottle in the trash can, please. Everyday Tacho de basura in full. Safe with anyone.
194 Manyar / ¿manyas? To get it / Get it? ¿Manyas lo que te digo?Do you get what I'm saying? Slang Manyar means to understand.
195 Full Lots of, super Había full gente en la playa.There were tons of people at the beach. Slang From English.
196 Como cancha Loads of En el tono había chelas como cancha.At the party there were loads of beers. Slang Cancha is toasted corn, which comes in big piles.
197 Chamba / chambear / la chamba es chamba Work / to work / work is work Tengo full chamba hoy, pero la chamba es chamba.I've got loads of work today, but work is work. Everyday The word for work in Peru, and chambear is to work.
198 Jato / quedarse jato Home, place / To fall asleep Vamos a mi jato. Ayer me quedé jato viendo la película.Let's go to my place. Yesterday I fell asleep watching the movie. Slang Jato is your home. Quedarse jato is to doze off.
199 Depa Apartment Mi depa está en Miraflores.My apartment is in Miraflores. Casual Short for departamento.
200 Ni michi Nothing at all No entendí ni michi.I didn't understand a thing. Slang Fine with friends. A playful way to say nothing.
201 De ley Definitely De ley llego a las 8.I'll definitely be there at 8. Slang Fine with friends. It sounds sure and keen.
202 Chongo Mess, ruckus Se armó un chongo en la fiesta.A ruckus broke out at the party. Vulgar Mess is the common sense, but chongo is also an older, crude word for a brothel. Keep it for close friends.
203 Floro / florear Smooth talk / to sweet-talk No me vengas con floro.Don't give me that smooth talk. Slang Florear is to sweet-talk someone.
204 Jalarse un curso / jalado To fail a class / failed Me jalé el curso de inglés, qué roche.I failed my English class, how embarrassing. Slang Students say it every day. Jalado is the failing grade. Fine with anyone.
205 Papaya Easy / a crude word El examen estuvo papaya, qué fácil.The exam was a piece of cake, so easy. Vulgar Peruvians say papaya or papayita for easy, but on its own it's a crude word for the vulva. Say fácil yourself.
206 Estar a huevo To be easy or cheap El pasaje a Paracas está a huevo.The fare to Paracas is dirt cheap. Vulgar Huevo is crude in many phrases, so keep it for friends. It works for an easy task too.
207 Yuca / tranca Hard El curso está yuca, y el examen está tranca.The class is tough, and the exam is hard. Slang Fine with anyone. Both are the opposite of easy.
208 Por las puras For nothing Fui al banco por las puras, estaba cerrado.I went to the bank for nothing, it was closed. Slang Fine with anyone, even at work.
209 Caleta On the quiet Te lo cuento caleta, no le digas a nadie.I'll tell you on the down-low, don't tell anyone. Slang Fine with friends. Caleta or caletita means on the quiet.
210 ¡Yara! Watch out! ¡Yara, que viene el tombo!Watch out, the cop's coming! Slang A warning between friends.
211 D1 / pq Of course, right away / why ¿Pq no viniste? Me quedé dormido. ¿Vamos mañana? D1.Why didn't you come? I fell asleep. Shall we go tomorrow? Sure thing. Slang Texting for de uno and por qué.
212 Tqm / tkm Love you lots Gracias por todo, tqm.Thanks for everything, love you lots. Casual Texting for te quiero mucho. Friends and family.
213 Normal / normal nomás Sure, no problem / Just fine ¿Puedo llevar a un pata? Normal, tráelo.Can I bring a friend? Sure, bring him. Everyday Peruvians say normal where you'd say sure or no problem. Normal nomás also means just fine. Street use
214 Sapear / sapo To snoop / nosy Deja de sapear mi celular, no seas sapo.Stop snooping on my phone, don't be nosy. Slang A sapo is a nosy person. It can also mean sharp or crafty.
215 Mote Accent Se le nota el mote cusqueño.You can hear his Cusco accent. Casual An accent, often an Andean one, and it can tease. Motoso mocks people whose first language is Quechua, so don't say either to anyone.
216 Lisura Swear word, cheek No digas lisuras delante de mi abuela.Don't swear in front of my grandma. Casual Decir lisuras is to swear. A lisuriento is someone who swears a lot.

Time and plans 14

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
217 ¿Atracas? Are you in? Vamos a Barranco esta noche, ¿atracas? Ya, atraco.We're going to Barranco tonight, are you in? Sure, I'm in. Slang The way to ask if someone's up for a plan. Answer atraco to say yes.
218 De repente Maybe De repente voy al tono, no sé.Maybe I'll go to the party, I don't know. Everyday In Peru de repente often means perhaps, not suddenly.
219 Nos vemos en... / ahí nos vemos See you at... / See you there Nos vemos en el parque Kennedy a las 8. Ya, ahí nos vemos.See you at Kennedy Park at 8. OK, see you there. Everyday How you lock in a time and place. As a joke, friends say ahí nos vidrios.
220 Al toque / un toque Right away / a moment Espérame un toque, te escribo al toque.Wait a sec, I'll text you right away. Slang Al toque often means in a few minutes. Un toque is a moment.
221 Ahorita In a bit Ahorita bajo.I'll be down in a bit. Everyday Could be 1 minute or 20.
222 Más rato Later Hablamos más rato.Let's talk later. Everyday Means later today.
223 Mecer / me estás meciendo To string someone along Me dijo que pagaba el lunes, pero me está meciendo.He said he'd pay on Monday, but he's stringing me along. Slang For someone who keeps putting off what they promised.
224 Hora peruana Running late Quedamos a las 8, pero hora peruana.We said 8, but on Peruvian time. Casual A joke about lateness. Tours leave on time.
225 Hacer hora To kill time Llegamos temprano, así que hicimos hora en el parque.We got there early, so we killed time in the park. Everyday What you do while you wait for a bus or a table.
226 Hacer la taba To keep someone company ¿Me haces la taba al mercado?Will you come with me to the market? Slang Ask a friend to tag along.
227 Agarrar viaje To go along with it Le propuse ir a Paracas y agarró viaje.I suggested going to Paracas and he was up for it. Slang Fine with friends. It means you said yes to a plan.
228 Tirar cintura To dodge Siempre me tira cintura cuando lo invito.He always dodges me when I invite him. Slang From soccer, a body swerve.
229 Pichanga Pickup soccer game El domingo hay pichanga en el parque.There's a pickup soccer game in the park on Sunday. Slang Ask to join. It's a good way to meet people.
230 Tirarse la pera To skip class Mañana me tiro la pera y nos vamos a la playa.Tomorrow I'll skip class and we'll go to the beach. Slang Students say it. Fine with friends.

Teasing and insults 33

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
231 Huevón / huevada / huevear Dude, idiot / dumb thing / to laze around Oe, huevón, ¿dónde estás? ¿Sigues hueveando en el hostal?Hey dude, where are you? Still lazing around at the hostel? Vulgar Friends use huevón all the time, but from a stranger it's an insult. A huevada is a dumb thing, and huevear is to laze around.
232 Cojudo / cojudez Idiot / dumb thing No seas cojudo, cierra la puerta. ¡Qué cojudez!Don't be an idiot, shut the door. What a dumb thing! Vulgar Stronger than tonto. Keep it for close friends. You'll hear it in Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile too.
233 Conchudo Shameless El conchudo se comió mi pan.The cheeky guy ate my bread. Slang Cheeky, but it can sting, so it's better understood than used.
234 Lenteja Slowpoke Apúrate, lenteja, que perdemos el bus.Hurry up, slowpoke, we'll miss the bus. Slang A mild tease. Fine with friends, a dig to a stranger.
235 Lorna Sucker, fool Me vieron cara de lorna y me cobraron doble.They took me for a sucker and charged me double. Slang Fine as a joke with friends. To a stranger it's a dig.
236 No tener calle To lack street smarts Le vendieron un celular bamba, no tiene calle.They sold him a fake phone, he's got no street smarts. Slang A tease between friends. Tener calle is the praise.
237 Monse Dull, slow No seas monse, vamos a bailar.Don't be a bore, let's go dance. Slang A mild tease, fine with friends.
238 Calabaza Airhead Es buena gente, pero un poco calabaza.He's a nice guy, but a bit of an airhead. Slang Jokey with friends. Behind someone's back it's a dig.
239 Zanahoria Goody two-shoes Es bien zanahoria, a las 10 ya está durmiendo.He's such a goody two-shoes, he's asleep by 10. Slang A friendly tease, often for someone who doesn't drink.
240 Ser un coca-cola / estar coca-cola To be crazy Estás coca-cola si crees que te van a regalar un carro.You're crazy if you think they'll give you a car. Slang A playful tease, fine with friends.
241 Chancón / chancar Nerd / to study hard El chancón de la clase se quedó chancando toda la noche.The class nerd stayed up studying all night. Slang Chancar is to cram, and a chancón does it all the time.
242 Cuadrar To put someone in their place Se puso faltoso y la señora lo cuadró.He got rude and the lady put him in his place. Slang What you do when someone takes liberties with you.
243 Mecharse To get in a fight Dos hinchas se mecharon a la salida del estadio.2 fans got in a fight outside the stadium. Slang Walk away if you see one start.
244 Combo Punch Le metió un combo en la pelea.He punched him in the fight. Slang You'll hear it in fight stories.
245 Achorado Tough, aggressive Se puso achorado con el cobrador.He got aggressive with the fare collector. Slang You'll hear it about others. To someone's face it can start a fight.
246 Faite Thug, tough guy Ese pata se hace el faite.That guy acts like a tough guy. Slang From English "fighter".
247 Faltoso Rude, disrespectful No seas faltoso con la señora.Don't be rude to the lady. Casual For someone who crosses a line with elders or strangers.
248 Cerrar el pico To shut up Cierra el pico, que nos van a escuchar.Shut up, they'll hear us. Slang A joke between friends. To a stranger it's rude.
249 Figureti Show-off Es un figureti, siempre quiere salir en la foto.He's a show-off, he always wants to be in the photo. Slang A light tease, fine with friends.
250 Huachafo Tacky La decoración está bien huachafa.The decor is really tacky. Slang Tacky or pretentious. A very Lima word.
251 Chicha Loud, tacky, working-class pop style Ese cartel con letras de colores es bien chicha.That poster with colored letters is so chicha. Slang Also the name of Peru's cumbia-rock music. Fine with friends, but it can sound snobbish.
252 Agrandado Full of himself Desde que lo ascendieron está agrandado.Since his promotion he's full of himself. Casual A dig, so say it about someone, not to them.
253 Cara de palo Shameless Ese cara de palo se coló en la fila.That shameless guy cut in line. Slang A real insult. Say it about someone, not to them.
254 Franelero Brown-noser No seas franelero con el profe.Don't brown-nose the teacher. Slang A tease between friends. At work it's a dig.
255 Pastrulo Junkie, scruffy guy Hay unos pastrulos en el parque de noche.There are some junkies in the park at night. Slang A harsh word. Understand it, but don't use it.
256 Pendejo Sly, crafty Es bien pendejo, siempre se sale con la suya.He's really sly, he always gets his way. Vulgar In Peru it means crafty. In Mexico it's a strong insult.
257 Suzuki Dirty Báñate, estás bien suzuki.Take a shower, you're filthy. Slang A pun on sucio.
258 Chambón / chambona Clumsy, sloppy No seas chambón, lee bien las instrucciones.Don't be sloppy, read the instructions properly. Slang Someone who does a job badly. A mild dig, fine with friends.
259 ¡Ampay! Caught you! ¡Ampay, te vi con otra!Caught you, I saw you with another girl! Slang From a kids' game. Tabloids use it too.
260 ¿Cuál es tu cau cau? What's your deal? Oe, ¿cuál es tu cau cau con mi hermana?Hey, what's your deal with my sister? Slang Cau cau is also a tripe stew.
261 Cabro Gay man (slur) Le gritaron cabro en la calle, qué abuso.Someone yelled cabro at him in the street, how awful. Vulgar An anti-gay slur. Know it so you can spot it, and never use it.
262 Concha tu madre Son of a... ¡Concha tu madre, me chocaste el carro!You son of a... You hit my car! Vulgar One of the strongest insults. Don't use it.
263 Cholo Person of Andean roots Mi abuelo decía con orgullo "soy cholo".My grandfather used to say with pride "I'm cholo". Vulgar It can be a racist slur, so don't use it. Some Peruvians say it with pride about themselves.

Love and flirting 23

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
264 Novio / novia / enamorado Boyfriend, girlfriend ¿Tienes novia? Sí, mi novia vive en Cusco.Do you have a girlfriend? Yes, my girlfriend lives in Cusco. Everyday Novio and novia are the most common words. Enamorado also works and is heard more in the north and among older people.
265 Flaco / flaca Boyfriend, girlfriend Voy al cine con mi flaca.I'm going to the movies with my girlfriend. Slang Means your partner.
266 Mariachi Husband (as a joke) Mi mariachi llega tarde otra vez.My husband is late again. Slang A funny word for a husband. Fine with friends and family.
267 Estar en algodón To be very attractive Esa chica está en algodón, ¿la viste?That girl is really attractive, did you see her? Slang Said about someone, not to them. Fine with friends.
268 Afanar To hit on, to court Mi pata está afanando a la chica de la barra.My friend is hitting on the girl at the bar. Slang It means to chase someone romantically. In other countries afanar can mean to steal.
269 Tener jale To have charm, pull Ese pata tiene jale, todas le hablan.That guy has real pull, everyone talks to him. Slang Jale is the power to attract people. Say it as praise.
270 Dar bola To show interest Le escribo, pero no me da bola.I text her, but she doesn't pay me any attention. Casual Safe with anyone. No me da bola means they ignore you. You'll hear it in Argentina and across Latin America too.
271 Vacilón / agarre Casual fling No es mi enamorado, es mi agarre. Un vacilón nomás.He's not my boyfriend, he's my fling. Just for fun. Slang Both mean a fling. Vacilón can also mean plain fun.
272 Gilear / gil To flirt / fool Toda la noche estuvo gileando con la bartender.He was flirting with the bartender all night. Slang Gilear is to flirt. A gil is a fool, so use it only as a joke.
273 Churro / churra / cuero Hottie Tu amigo es un churro, y su hermana es un cuero.Your friend is a hottie, and his sister is gorgeous. Slang Churro works for anyone. Cuero is mostly said about women.
274 Chape / chapar A kiss / to make out Se dieron un chape en el malecón.They kissed on the boardwalk. Slang Chapar is to make out.
275 Hacerle el bajo To make a move on someone Le está haciendo el bajo a la chica de Arequipa.He's making a move on the girl from Arequipa. Slang To try to win someone over. Friends say it to tease you.
276 Templado Head over heels Está templado de la chica de Arequipa.He's head over heels for the girl from Arequipa. Slang A sweet tease, fine with friends.
277 Estar camote / encamotarse To have a crush, to be smitten Está camote de su compañera de clase. Se encamotó en una semana.He's got a crush on his classmate. He fell for her in a week. Slang Camote is sweet potato, and estar camote is to be smitten. You'll also hear agarrar camote.
278 Costilla Girlfriend Mi costilla me espera en la casa.My girlfriend is waiting for me at home. Slang Literally "rib".
279 Chotear To turn someone down Le pedí su número y me choteó.I asked for her number and she turned me down. Slang Ser choteado is to get rejected.
280 Jugador Player No te confíes, es jugador.Don't trust him, he's a player. Slang A warning between friends.
281 Mañoso Sleazy guy Cuidado con ese mañoso en la disco.Watch out for that sleazy guy at the club. Slang A man who gets too handsy.
282 Brichero / brichera Tourist chaser Ese pata es brichero, solo sale con gringas.That guy's a tourist chaser, he only dates foreigners. Regional Common in Cusco. Someone who romances tourists, often hoping for a visa.
283 Choque y fuga One-night stand Fue choque y fuga, no lo volví a ver.It was a one-night stand, I never saw him again. Vulgar Literally "hit and run". Keep it for friends.
284 Sacar la vuelta To cheat Le sacó la vuelta con su mejor amiga.He cheated on her with her best friend. Slang Safe to say, but it's a serious charge.
285 Arrecho Horny Ese pata está arrecho.That guy is horny. Vulgar In Peru it's sexual. In Venezuela it means angry.
286 Cachar To have sex Ese pata solo piensa en cachar.That guy only thinks about sex. Vulgar Very crude in Peru. In much of Latin America cachar means to catch or to get it.

Sayings and expressions 14

#PhraseMeaningExampleWhen to use
287 Pisar el palito To fall for it, to slip up Quería guardar el secreto, pero pisó el palito y lo contó todo.He wanted to keep it secret, but he slipped up and told everyone. Casual You tripped yourself up, or fell for a trick.
288 Tirar arroz To ignore someone Le escribí y me tiró arroz.I texted her and she ignored me. Slang Fine with friends. Me tiró arroz means they ghosted you.
289 Pasar piola To go unnoticed Me puse una gorra para pasar piola.I wore a cap to go unnoticed. Slang Fine with friends. Eso pasa piola also means that will do.
290 Más perdido que cuy en tómbola Totally lost Llegué a la reunión más perdido que cuy en tómbola.I got to the meeting totally lost. Casual Literally "more lost than a guinea pig at a raffle".
291 Estás en nada You're out of it ¿Todavía cambias plata en el aeropuerto? Estás en nada.You still change money at the airport? You're so out of it. Slang Said to someone who's wasting their time or way behind. Fine with friends.
292 Estar en la luna de Paita To be daydreaming ¿Me escuchas? Estás en la luna de Paita.Are you listening? You're miles away. Everyday A Peruvian saying, fine with anyone.
293 Pelar los choclos To grin Pela los choclos para la foto.Give a big smile for the photo. Casual Choclos are corn cobs, here your teeth. Fine with anyone.
294 Romper el chanchito To break the piggy bank Rompí el chanchito para el viaje.I broke into my savings for the trip. Everyday A chanchito is a piggy bank. Fine with anyone.
295 Quedarse con los crespos hechos To be stood up Me quedé con los crespos hechos, no vino.I got all dressed up for nothing, he didn't show up. Everyday Literally "left with your curls done". You'll hear it in Colombia and Spain too.
296 Meter el dedo To trick someone Te metieron el dedo con ese precio.They ripped you off with that price. Vulgar Someone cheated you, often on a price. Meter el dedo a la boca is the milder form, so use that one.
297 Se murió el payaso Show's over Ya, se murió el payaso, nos vamos.Right, show's over, we're leaving. Slang Ends something that went on too long.
298 Bueno es culantro, pero no tanto Too much of a good thing ¿Otra chela? Bueno es culantro, pero no tanto.Another beer? You can have too much of a good thing. Everyday Culantro is cilantro. A saying about life you'll hear from older Peruvians, and in Spain too.
299 Tirarse el pollo To slip out early La fiesta estaba aburrida, así que me tiré el pollo a la 1.The party was boring, so I slipped out at 1. Slang Leaving without saying bye to everyone. Fine with friends.
300 Hacerse el chancho To play dumb to dodge paying Llegó la cuenta y Lucho se hizo el chancho.The check came and Lucho played dumb. Casual For the friend who never reaches for his wallet.

Around Peru 38

Peru's coast, Andes and Amazon each have their own words, and many come from Quechua.

Lima and Callao

The capital and its port, where most trips start. Vesre, the backward street slang, began here and spread to the rest of Peru.

PhraseMeaningExample
Lleca Street Los chibolos se pasan el día en la lleca.The kids spend all day on the street.
Rioba Neighborhood En mi rioba todos se conocen.In my neighborhood everyone knows each other.
Ñoba Bathroom Oe, ¿dónde está el ñoba?Hey, where's the bathroom?
Yapla Beach Este domingo nos vamos a la yapla.This Sunday we're off to the beach.
Chalaco / chalaca Person from Callao Mi viejo es chalaco de toda la vida, hincha del Sport Boys.My dad is a Callao man through and through, a Sport Boys fan.

Cusco and the Andes

The old Inca capital at 3,400 m. Hosts and guides greet you in Quechua, and the cold, hot and yuck cries slip into Spanish across the Andes.

PhraseMeaningExample
¿Allillanchu? / Allillanmi How are you? / I'm well Buenos días, ¿allillanchu? Allillanmi, ¿y usted?Good morning, how are you? I'm well, and you?
¿Imaynalla? How's it going? ¿Imaynalla, taita? Bien nomás.How's it going, sir? Just fine.
Sulpayki Thank you Sulpayki, mamita, la sopa estuvo rica.Thank you, ma'am, the soup was good.
¡Alalau! It's so cold! ¡Alalau, qué frío hace en la mañana!Brr, it's so cold in the morning!
¡Achachau! Ouch, it burns! ¡Achachau, quema la sopa!Ouch, the soup is burning hot!
¡Atatay! Yuck! ¡Atatay, qué cochino!Yuck, that's gross!
Taita Dad, sir Buenos días, taita, ¿por dónde se va al mirador?Good morning, sir, which way to the viewpoint?
Chacchar To chew coca leaves Los señores chacchan coca antes de salir al campo.The men chew coca leaves before they head out to the fields.

Arequipa

The White City in the south, proud of its food, its volcano and its own people.

PhraseMeaningExample
Characato / characata Person from Arequipa Los characatos son orgullosos de su tierra.People from Arequipa are proud of their home.
Mistiano / mistiana From Arequipa Vivo en Lima, pero soy mistiano de corazón.I live in Lima, but I'm from Arequipa at heart.
Lonco / loncco Country person from around Arequipa Mi tío es loncco, vive en la campiña de Sabandía.My uncle is a country guy, he lives in the farmland at Sabandía.
¡Acacáu! / ¡achacáu! Ouch, that hurts! / How awful! ¡Achacáu, me golpeé el dedo! ¡Acacáu, qué feo accidente!Ouch, I hit my finger! How awful, what a bad crash!
Bajamar After-lunch shot Después del adobo, un bajamar para bajar la comida.After the pork stew, a little shot to settle the meal.
Ccala / cala Naked Los chiquitos se bañan ccala en el río Chili.The little kids swim naked in the Chili River.

Piura and the north coast

The hot, sunny north, with Máncora's beaches and a sing-song accent.

PhraseMeaningExample
¡Guá! / ¡che! Wow! / Come on! ¡Guá, qué calor hace en Piura! ¡Che, qué gracioso! Me invitas y yo pago.Wow, it's so hot in Piura! Oh, very funny! You invite me and I pay.
Churre Kid Los churres juegan en la plaza.The kids are playing in the square.
Aguaitar To look, to peek Aguaita por la ventana, creo que llegó el bus.Look out the window, I think the bus is here.
Pespito / pespita Flirty Ese pata es bien pespito con las turistas.That guy is really flirty with the tourists.
Amarrar la chiva To stall on purpose No amarres la chiva y paga lo que debes.Don't stall, pay what you owe.
Perecido Starving Llegué perecido, ¿hay algo de comer?I got here starving, is there anything to eat?
Chucaque Stomach knot from embarrassment Cantar frente a todos me dio chucaque.Singing in front of everyone gave me a knot in my stomach.

Chiclayo and Lambayeque

The big city of the north coast, where people end sentences with "¿di?" and tease a lot.

PhraseMeaningExample
¿Di? Right? Está rico el arroz con pato, ¿di?The duck rice is good, right?
De nada pues You're welcome Gracias por la ayuda. De nada pues.Thanks for the help. You're welcome.
Compa / coma Pal, from compadre and comadre Mi compa me invitó a su casa.My pal invited me to his place.
Aguadito Gossip Te gusta el aguadito, ¿di?You like gossip, right?
Mocho Wedding party Mañana hay mocho en la casa de mi tía.Tomorrow there's a party at my aunt's house.
Sopa Packed, said of a bus Esa combi está sopa.That minibus is packed.

Iquitos and the Amazon

The jungle city you can only reach by plane or boat, with its own words and a lilting tune.

PhraseMeaningExample
Charapa Person from the Amazon (proud from locals, it can sting from outsiders) Soy charapa, nací en Iquitos.I'm from the Amazon, I was born in Iquitos.
¡Aishtá! Who does he think he is? ¡Aishtá! Se coló en la fila como si nada.Who does he think he is? He cut the line like it was nothing.
¡Ah, bruto! Wow, that's huge! ¡Ah, bruto, qué tremendo paiche!Wow, what a huge paiche fish!
¿Qué ya pues? No way, really? ¿Qué ya pues? ¿Ganaste la lotería?No way, really? You won the lottery?
¡Ya, vuelta! Come on, again! ¡Ya, vuelta! Otra vez llegaste tarde.Come on, again! You're late once more.
Ashishito Just like that, a little Ponle sal ashishito nomás.Just add a pinch of salt like that.

Don't mix these up

WordIn PeruElsewhere
YaAlready, like everywhere, but also yes, OK or enoughMostly just already, in Spain and Mexico
AhoritaSoon, in a bitRight now, or maybe never, in Mexico
CocheA baby strollerA car in Spain
PajaCool, great, as in "¡qué paja!". But pajero is crude, and hacerse una paja is to masturbateStraw, and a crude word for masturbation in Spain and much of Latin America
Luca1 sol1,000 pesos in Chile and Argentina
ChuchaA crude exclamation, like "damn", and also a crude word for the vulvaBody odor or an opossum in Colombia
ConchaA shell, but also nerve, as in "¡qué concha!". It's also a crude word for the vulva, which is why concha tu madre is so strongA shell, and a crude word for the vulva in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay
CañoA tap, as in "agua del caño"A pipe, a drain or a stream
Wawa / guaguaA baby, in the AndesA city bus in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Canary Islands
CogerTo take or grab. Most Peruvians say tomar un taxi, so say tomarA crude word for sex in Mexico and Argentina
CanchaToasted corn, or a sports fieldOnly a sports field or court
PoloAny T-shirtA polo shirt with a collar
GrifoGas stationA tap in Spain
PistaThe road you drive onA track, a dance floor or a clue
ProvocarTo feel like eating or doing something, as in Colombia and VenezuelaTo provoke in Spain, Mexico and Argentina
LoncheAfternoon tea with breadA sandwich in Mexico
CholoAn identity word for people of Andean roots, and a slur in the wrong mouthA gang label in Mexico and the US
CamoteA sweet potato, and a crush, as in "estar camote"Just a sweet potato
ChoroA thiefCool in Chile
EnamoradoBoyfriend or girlfriend, though novio and novia are more commonSomeone who's in love
PendejoSly or craftyA strong insult in Mexico, a kid in Argentina
ArrechoHornyAngry in Venezuela, great in parts of Central America
BodegaA corner shopA wine cellar or a warehouse
JalarTo pull, and also to give a ride or fail an examTo pull, and to work in Mexico
CacharA very crude word for sexTo get it, or to catch someone in the act, in Chile, Ecuador and Mexico
PapayaEasy in casual talk, but on its own a crude word for the vulva. Say fácilIn Colombia, dar papaya is to leave yourself open to theft. A crude word in Cuba

Questions people ask

What is Peruvian slang called?

Peruvians call it jerga. They call the old Lima street slang replana.

What are some common Peruvian slang words and phrases?

Start with buenas, ¡habla!, ya, al toque, bacán, causa and chela. You'll hear those on your first day in Lima.

How do you say "what's up" in Peruvian slang?

Say "¡habla!" or "oe". With a friend, add causa: "¡Habla, causa!"

What is the Peruvian slang word for "cool"?

Bacán is the safest. Paja, chévere, mostro and bravazo work too.

What is the Peruvian slang for "boyfriend", "girlfriend" or "lover"?

Your partner is your novio or novia, or your enamorado or enamorada. Flaco or flaca works too. A fling is an agarre or a vacilón.

What is the Peruvian slang for "girl"?

Jerma is the classic word, and flaca works for a girl or your girlfriend. A chibola is a young girl or a teen.

What does chamba mean in Peru?

Chamba means work or a job, and chambear is to work. "La chamba es chamba" means work is work.

What does bacán mean in Peru?

Bacán means cool or great, as in "tu hostal está bacán". It's the safest slang word to start with.

What does pe mean in Peru?

Pe is short for pues. Peruvians tack it onto almost anything, as in "ya pe" (OK, fine) or "claro pe" (of course).

What does ya mean in Peru?

Ya means yes, OK or enough, and the tone tells you which. Ya pe means OK, fine, or come on.

What is the Peruvian slang for money?

Plata is money, a luca is 1 sol and a china is a 50-céntimo coin. Street money changers call US dollars cocos.

What is the Peruvian slang for beer?

A beer is a chela or a rubia, and a jaba is a crate of big bottles. Chelear is to go out for beers.

What does asu mare mean?

¡Asu mare! means wow or no way. It's a softened form of a su madre, so it's fine in casual talk.

What do Peruvians say instead of textbook Spanish?

Many everyday words differ. Peruvians say vereda for sidewalk, brevete for driver's license, carro for car, palta for avocado and chompa for sweater.

What does al toque mean?

Al toque means right away. In practice it can mean a few minutes, or a lot more.

What is vesre?

Vesre is Peruvian slang that flips a word's syllables. Jermu comes from mujer, feca from café and lleca from calle.

What does causa mean?

Causa means a close friend, as in "¿Qué tal, causa?". It's also a cold potato dish layered with chicken or tuna.

How do you say "dude" in Peru?

With close friends, Peruvians say huevón. It's crude, so with anyone else use causa, pata or bróder.

What does camote mean in Peru?

Camote is a sweet potato. "Estar camote" means you have a crush, and "encamotarse" is to fall for someone.

What is the Peruvian slang for "friend"?

Pata and causa are the big 2. Choche, yunta and bróder are common too.

Is Peruvian Spanish easy to understand?

Yes, Lima Spanish is one of the clearest accents in Latin America. People speak at a steady pace and keep their final s.

Should I use tú or usted in Peru?

Use usted with strangers, drivers, vendors and older people, since they'll use it with you. Switch to tú when they do, or when you're with people your age.

Can I use Peruvian slang as a tourist?

Yes, and locals usually love it. Start with bacán, chévere and al toque, and with older Peruvians skip anything tagged Vulgar.

What are some Peruvian slang insults?

Huevón and cojudo are the strongest everyday ones, and friends use them as jokes. Lorna, monse and lenteja are mild teasing, but leave concha tu madre and cholo alone.

What is some funny Peruvian slang?

Try "Nancy que Berta" for "nothing to do with it", "suzuki" for dirty and "más perdido que cuy en tómbola" for totally lost. Peruvians laugh when a visitor gets them right.

What are some Peruvian sayings about life?

"Bueno es culantro, pero no tanto" warns you not to overdo a good thing. Hacerse el chancho is what the friend who never pays does when the check comes.

Slang in other countries

See all 20 countries on a map

Sources

Heading to Peru? Verbamor can turn this page into flashcards you can review before the trip and while you're there.

More free tools

All 10