A carbonated, sweetened beverage — what Mexico calls 'refresco.' Gaseosa is the go-to word in Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and most of South America for any fizzy drink.

Vehicle congestion that paralyzes streets and steals hours of your life. Traffic in Latin American megacities is legendary — what should take 20 minutes can easily become two hours.

A person who loves talking about other people's lives and spreading information that isn't theirs to share. The chismoso knows everything about everyone and can't keep a secret for more than five minutes.

To park your car in a fixed spot while you're not using it. In Mexico, finding estacionamiento in the city center is harder than finding buried treasure.