The Chilean Slang
Chilean Spanish has a multitude of words and expressions that are only used inside the country, or only a few of the neighboring countries. Many go back to the influence of the Quechua and Mapudungun languages spoken by the native population of the area.
The following list can only present a selection of the most common words and expressions. We have tried to limit this list to true Chilenisms and regionalisms that are hard or impossible to find in common dictionaries.
In general, we would advise you not to use those words actively - it's too easy to put your foot in your mouth. Often, the meaning of a word can depend greatly on tone or context, and it's almost impossible to get those right without much practice.
The favorite Chilean swearword, huevón, can be intended to sound like a put-down, buddy-buddy, or a term of endearment, depending on the situation. The majority of words and expressions listed are only used in informal communication. Extremely vulgar expressions have additionally been marked *.
Remember, if you need accommodation in Santiago de Chile visit our Furnished Apartments section. We have several apartments available for rent in the main areas of the Chilean capital.
A
achuntar den the nail on the head, guess
agarrar literally: grip
agarrar onda get into (the swing of things)
agarrar papa be keen on sth.; also: take advantage of
agarrar para el fideo/hueveo* pull one's leg
ahí literally: there
¡No estoy ni ahí! I don't give a rip, I don't care
ahuevonado/a*, el/la idiot (see 'huevón')
al lote low key, casual
al tiro immediately
apretado/a stingy
apretar cachete* beat it
arrugar* bail/flake out
atado, el problem, difficult situation; argument
atadoso/a complicated (people and things); quarrelsome
atinar do the right thing; get it
B
bacán great, terrific (people and things)
bajón, el bummer, crisis
El está bajoneado He's bummed
bomba, la gas station
pasarlo bomba see 'pasarlo chancho'
bueno OK
Bueno, ¡ya! Alright!
bueno para… something very often, be good at something
El es bueno para la pelea. He likes to argue/to fight
C
cabro/a, el/la boy/girl; young man/woman; guy
¿cabro/a chico/a little boy/girl, kid
cachar understand (from 'catch')
¿Cachai? Get it?
Me pegué la cachada. I got it.
cachetón/a, el/la show-off
cacho, el difficult situation
Espérate un cachito. Just a second!
cachureo, el stuff, junk
caerse el cassette spill the beans
Se le cayó el cassette. He tattled on sth. (confidential)
cagada*, la misfortune, mishap; disaster (see also, 'crema')
El dejó la cagada. He wrecked everything.
cagado/a* stingy; very; "fucked"
Estoy cagada de calor.* I'm [very] hot.
El está cagado.* He's in a fix.
cagar* screw somebody, screw up
La cagaste.* You screwed up.
ni cagando* not under any circumstances, no way, never
cahuín, el mess (caused by misunderstandings or scheming)
caleta quite a lot, very
caleta de veces very often
callampa, la slum
Esto vale callampa. It isn't worth diddly squat.
cana, la jail
caña, la hangover (see also, 'hacha')
Ando con la caña. I'm hung over.
capo, el expert; clever guy
cara de raja* / careraja* impudent, rude
cara de palo / carepalo impudent, rude
carrete, el bash, party
combo, el wallop
Le pegué un combo. II shot him one.
compadre, el / comadre, la buddy
concha, la* vagina (literally: shell)
concha de tu madre* / conchetumadre* son of a bitch, asshole; also: general expression of anger
concho, el leftover, dregs (esp. in a bottle)
condoro, el mistake
Se mandó un condoro grande. He messed up big time.
coñete stingy
copete, el alcoholic beverage, liquor
copucha, la rumor, gossip
correr mano (a alguien) feel somebody up (sexually motivated)
cortar wliterally: cut (off)
cortar el queque have the say, decide (literally, divide the cake up)
¡Córtala! Cut it out! Quit!
creerse la muerte / la raja be stuck-up
crema, la mess (literally: cream)
Quedó la crema. It was a disaster. (see also, 'escoba')
cuero figure (of a man/woman)
Ella tiene buen cuero. She looks great.
cuete, el Joint
cuico/a snob, upper class person (derogatory)
culeado/a* fucker (big insult)
culear* fuck
culo, el* butt, ass (see also, 'poto')
curado/a drunk
chacotero/a, el/la joker, person who tries to be funny
chamullo, el fib, lie (see also, chiva)
chancho, el literally: pig
irse al chancho exaggerate
pasarlo chancho have a good time, enjoy
chapa, la (door)lock; code name
chape, el head
enfermo del chape crazy (see also, 'mate')
chato/a full
Estoy chato. I've had it.
chiva, la white lie, excuse (see also, 'chamullo')
chocho/a content, proud, happy
choreado/a angry, upset
Estoy choreado. I'm ticked off.
choro/a cool, neat (people or things)
chueco/a dishonest, false
chucha* vagina; also: general expression of anger, see 'chuta'
mandar a la chucha* (a alguien) tell someone to go to hell
¡Andate a la chucha!* Go to hell!
chupar drink; steal
¡Chuta!* Shit! Also, expression of surprise
D
dar bola* / dar pelota* (a alguien) take sb. seriously, pay attention to sb.
descueve, el excellent, hot, great
despelote, el mess
desubicado/a, el/la clueless; someone who flaunts social rules or behaves improperly
¡dónde la viste! You're kidding! (expression of disbelief)
E
embarrarla mess something up
La embarraste con el Pepe. You've really ticked off Pepe.
encachado/a great, interesting (people or things)
ene lots (from math symbol 'n')
enfermo/a de… totally … (literally: sick)
El está enfermo de enamorado. He's totally in love.
engrupir (a alguien) smoothtalk, talk someone into something (with lies)
escoba, la disaster, mess (literally: broom)
Ella dejó la escoba. She messed up royally. (see also, 'crema')
estar en otra be disinterested
El está en otra. His head is someplace else.
F
facha, la looks, appearance (see also, 'pinta')
filo get lost; over
firme, la truth
fome boring
fregado/a difficult; exhausted
frito/a stuck, done for (literally: fried)
G
gallo/a, el/la guy (man or woman)
gamba, la 100 pesos
ganso/a stupid, naive, slow
¡No seai ganso! Don't be such an idiot!
gil, el idiot
grado uno/dos/tres "bases" of sexual relations: First base = Kissing; Second base = Petting; Third base = Coitus
gringo/a, el/la (blond/e) foreigner
grosso great, sweet
guagua, la baby
guata, la belly
guatón/a fatso
H
hacer dedo hitch-hike
hacer el quite (a alguien) javoid someone
hacerse el leso pretend
hacer tira destroy
hacer tuto see, 'tuto'
hacer una vaca go in on (buying sth.) (literally: vaca = cow)
hacha, el hangover (alcohol-induced; literally: axe; see also, 'caña')
hinchar get on s.o.'s nerves
huevada*, la anything, usually unpleasant
hueveo*, el practical joke
huevear* get on s.o.'s nerves
huevón/a*, el/la depending on tone and context, can be friendly ("buddy") to vicious ("Idiot"); often at end of sentence indicating familiarity
I
inflar boast, get on s.o.'s nerves; take sb. into accountn
J
jalar do drugs (usually cocaine)
jodido/a* complicated
Estoy jodido. I'm in trouble.
junior, el gofer (in an office)
L
lanza, el pickpocket
lata, la boredom
¡Qué lata! ! What a shame!!
lesera, la garbage
lolo/a, el/la teen-ager
luca, la 1000 Pesos
M
macanudo super (archaic)
maestro chasquilla Handiman who repairs everything, but nothing right
mandar a la chucha* see, 'chucha'
mate, el head
enfermo del mate mentally ill
medio/a great, huge (literally: half)
¡La media mina! A hot chick!
meter la pata see, 'pata'
micro, la city bus
miedo literally: feart
de miedo excellent, great
mijito/a Dear (from: 'mi hijito/a' = my little son/daughter)
milico, el Military personnel (derogatory)
mino/a, el/la man / woman (with erotic connotations)
mino rico hot guy
monono/a dolled-up, chic, cute
mortal to kill; great (see, 'muerte')
mostrar la hilacha reveal one's real self (negative)
movida, la move, robbery; illegal deal; party
muerte, la to die for; great
La comida era la muerte! The food was to die for!
N
nana, la cleaning woman, nanny, cook (usually all in one)
nana puertas adentro live-in maid
O
once, la "elevenses", tea time
onda, la attitude; mood; kind of person; style (see also, 'agarrar onda')
Ella es buena onda. She's nice.
¡Qué mala onda el tipo! That guy is being such an idiot!
P
paco, el pig (derogatory for: policeman)
papa, la baby food; simple and lucrative deal
parranda, la boozing
pasarse outdo oneself; help (appreciative)
¡Te pasaste! Great job (thank you)! (see also, 'siete')
pasarse rollo/película imagine sth., make sth. up; dream of sth. (literally: roll a movie)
pata, la literally: foot, leg
a pata on foot
a pata pelada barefoot
meter la pata put your foot in (your mouth), mess up
mala pata bad luck
patota, la group of friends, followers
patudo/a impudent, rude
pega, la job, position
pelambre, el gossip
pelar (a alguien) gossip about a person, badmouth a person
pelar cable lose it, act crazy; be mentally ill
pelotudo/a* idiot
penca cheap, boring
pendejo/a, el/la childish person
picada, la la cheap (but good) place to eat
picarse be mad, upset
pichanga, la ipick-up soccer game
pichintún a little bit
pila a lot of
pilas, las literally: batteries
¡Ponte las pilas! Go for it! Try harder!
pilucho/a (half) naked (see also, 'en pelota')
pillar (a alguien) catch someone
pillo/a clever, sharp; rude
pinta, la looks, appearance (see also, 'facha')
Ella tiene buena pinta. She's goodlooking.
pintar monos ato show off, to act exaggeratedly (in order to call attention to oneself)
piola perfect; satisfied, full (from eating); quiet, relaxed
Quédate piola. Stay calm.
pasar piola not call attention to oneself
pito, el joint
pituto, el (to receive special treatment or privileges)
plop expression of surprise or perplexity (from the Chilean comic strip 'Condorito')
¡Quedé plop! I was speechless.
po emphasis; usually placed at the end of a sentence (from: 'pues')
¡Ya po! Get going already!
pololo/a, el/la boyfriend / girlfriend
pololear go steady, to have a serious relationship with someone
ponerle color exaggerate, embellish
ponerle pino/empeño make one's best effort with something
ponerse las pilas see, 'pilas'
porfa please (abbreviation of 'por favor')
por las puras in vain, for nothing
porsiaca just in case; by the way (from: 'por si acaso')
poto, el butt, bottom (see also, 'queque'))
pucha, puta* oops!, shucks!; sympathy or regret for a bad turn of events (e.g., 'Pucha, Ricardo!')
pucho, el cigarette
putear* (alguien) somebody out, insult, yell at someone
Q
queque, el butt (funny)
cortar el queque see, 'cortar'
R
raja* beat, very tired
la raja amazing, excellent
rajado/a very fast
rayado/a crazy, insane
rasca of bad quality, poorly made (things); of bad taste or with lacking manners (people)
re- very (emphatic prefix)
Ella es re-simpática. She's totally nice.
regio/a great, excellent (upper-class slang)
regalonear pamper someone; pet
requete svery (see also, 're')
rico/a sexy, attractive (literally: delicious)
rollo, el difficult situation (see also, 'pasarse rollo')
Se metió en un rollo. He's in a fix.
roto/a clumsy or vulgar or low class person (upper class slang)
S
sacarse la mugre/cresta slave, work very hard
Me saqué la cresta. I worked my fingers to the bone. Also: I took a beating. (e.g. in an accident)
Le sacaron la cresta. They beat him up.
sepa Moya Who knows!
siete, un a 10; expression of highest appreciation (from the Chilean school system, 7 = highest grade/mark)
Eres un siete. Great job, thanks! (see also, 'pasarse')
siútico/a stuck-up; in bad taste
sonar fail, be very unsuccessful
Sonó nuestro plan. Our plan failed / was nixed.
soplado/a a very fast; very simple; very clean
subirse por el chorro (try to) take advantage of someone or something
T
taco, el traffic jam
talla, la joke
Le echamos una talla. We pulled his leg.
tincar guess, have a hunch; like
Me tinca que esto no va a funcionar. I think that won't work.
¿Te tinca? Do you like that? Do you agree?
tira, el plainclothes policeman (derogatory)
tirar literally: throw, pull; also: fuck
tirar a la chuña be up for grabs, give away a lot of sth. (e.g., money)
tirar para arriba overcome a difficult situation (professional or social life, health)
Está tirando p' arriba. He's doing better.
tirar para la cola bail/flake out
tiro al aire, un loose cannon; unpredictable or aimless person
tomar el pelo (a alguien) pull someone's leg
tuto, el sleepiness (cute)
¿Vamos a hacer tuto? Shall we go to sleep?
Todavía tengo tuto. I'm still tired.
