A photo you take of yourself — usually with a smartphone, often for social media. The selfie culture exploded in Latin America alongside Instagram and TikTok, becoming a ritual of self-documentation at parties, travel, and everyday moments.

In Spain, to have persistent bad luck — as if your patron saint has turned their back on you and refused to intercede. When you have el santo de espaldas, nothing goes right no matter what you do.

A front or facade — a person or business used to conceal illegal activities. Also describes someone who only acts a certain way to keep up appearances for others.

Something extraordinary that causes amazement through its size or quality. In Mexico, portentoso work is the kind that blows past every expectation anyone had — it's jaw-dropping on a whole other level.