A strong seismic event that shakes the earth and everything on it. In countries like Chile and Mexico, earthquakes are a part of life — everyone knows the drill and has a story to tell.

A universal Latin American greeting that works for any time of day without having to specify morning, afternoon, or evening. One word covers all your bases — efficient and friendly.

An exclamation of pain when you touch something really hot or burn yourself in Ecuador and Peru. It comes from Quechua and is the instinctive reaction that escapes you when coffee, soup, or an iron catches you off guard.

Very, super, completely, maxed out — the English loanword that Latin America adopted as the ultimate intensifier. Full busy, full tired, full everything — it means you're at capacity and can't take any more.