To talk trash about someone behind their back, the Argentine art of criticizing people when they're not around to defend themselves. Everyone does it but nobody admits to it.

An instant evaluation of the energy or vibe a person, place, or situation gives off at a given moment. Does it feel right or is something off? That's a vibe check, Gen Z's social thermometer.

A cigarette in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile, the most Rioplatense way to refer to a smoke. Asking for a pucho is the universal icebreaker among smokers across the Southern Cone.

A split chorizo in bread with chimichurri that's the ultimate Argentine sandwich. It's the mandatory starter before any asado, eaten standing up right next to the grill.

Scrolling through TikTok for hours without realizing time has completely disappeared. It's the modern black hole of entertainment that swallows entire evenings without warning.

An apartment or flat inside a building in Mexico and Argentina. It's what Spain calls a 'piso', a living space stacked above or below other people's living spaces.

The greatest of all time in any given category. It's an acronym for 'Greatest Of All Time,' used for athletes, artists, or anyone exceptionally talented.

A traffic jam where cars get trapped and can barely inch forward. It's the daily torture of living in any major Latin American city during rush hour.

A romantic female partner in a committed relationship. In most Latin American countries, calling someone your novia implies exclusivity and seriousness, it's several steps beyond just dating.

A positive sign in a person that shows they're worth getting to know and things are going well. The opposite of a red flag: those details that make you fall for someone and confirm you found a good one.

Being at your peak, full of energy, and doing everything right with no apparent effort. When you're unstoppable and everything you touch turns to pure success, nobody can beat you.

To have an absolutely amazing time in Chile, when you enjoy something so much it couldn't possibly get any better. It's the Chilean way of saying you had the time of your life.

When someone did something amazing, absolutely crushed it, or exceeded all expectations with their own style. From 'ate that up,' it's Gen Z approval for someone who totally owned the situation beyond any doubt.

A penalty kick in soccer, awarded when a foul happens inside the box. The most nerve-wracking moment in any match, where the entire stadium goes dead silent before the kicker steps up.

Red wine in Spain and the Southern Cone. Careful: ordering a tinto in a Spanish restaurant gets you a glass of wine, not coffee like in Colombia, one of the most common mix-ups between countries.

A filler word Chilean girls use with each other for everything: surprise, affection, scolding, or just to fill the conversation. It shows up in literally every sentence between Chilean girlfriends.

To carry your team to victory practically by yourself when your teammates are useless and you're shouldering all the weight. The carry is the unsung hero of every match.

To send text messages or chat with someone constantly. An anglicism from the English 'text' that became a verb in Spanish and is used all across Latin America.

Intense, extreme, or over-the-top, in either direction. In Chile, "brígido" describes anything that hits hard: a spice that burns your mouth, a person who gets in your face, or a party situation that escalated fast. If something is brígido, it is not subtle and it is definitely not forgettable.

To obsess, overthink, or lose your mind over something or someone. When you 'te rayas' with a topic, you can't stop spiraling and end up giving it way more thought than it deserves.

A speed bump in Chile, literally 'bull's back', the most creative name for those raised humps in the road that force you to brake hard. If you hit a lomo de toro too fast, your car and your spine will both suffer.

Your workspace with your computer, monitor, keyboard, and all the gear arranged for maximum productivity or gaming glory. A good setup is a source of pride and endless Reddit posts.

The energy, feeling, or atmosphere a person, place, or situation gives off immediately. When something has good vibes you feel great without knowing why; when it has bad vibes you want to run.

A person who seems to have no personality of their own, just repeats what everyone says and acts like a background character in a video game. Zero originality, zero opinions, they just exist to fill space.

Gossip or trash-talk about someone behind their back in Chile. The pelambre is the conversation that tears apart someone's reputation or behavior while they are nowhere around to defend themselves. It thrives in closed environments like offices or tight social circles.

A completely positive, clean energy with no toxicity or negativity, the best possible energy.

A turn or twist when walking or driving, the movement you make at a corner to change direction. In Mexican directions you'll hear 'dale vuelta a la derecha' (give it a turn to the right) to mean 'turn right.' It's the verb you'll hear most when someone tries to guide you somewhere.

To laugh uncontrollably, unable to stop cracking up. This is a vulgar but universally understood Spanish expression used to describe an extreme fit of laughter, where you just can't contain your amusement no matter how hard you try.

An own goal in soccer, when a player accidentally scores against their own team, the worst possible moment in a match. Beyond the field, autogol is used figuratively to describe any situation where someone sabotages themselves, like sending an angry text to the wrong person or accidentally CC'ing your boss on gossip.

A girlfriend or female romantic partner in Chile. 'Pololear' is the verb for being in a formal relationship, and it's a uniquely Chilean word not used in other countries.