In Paraguay, a term of deep affection for a close sister or female best friend, rooted in the Guarani language. You use it for someone in your innermost circle, the kind of bond where you can say anything and no explanation is needed.

In Paraguay, a Guaraní word meaning old or ancient, used to describe people, objects, or things from another era. The tone shifts depending on context: "ese tuja" can be an affectionate nickname for a grandfather or a lighthearted jab at a beat-up old car. Much like "viejo" in Mexican Spanish, the warmth or mockery lives in how you say it.

A Guaraní expression meaning "my friend" or "my buddy," used in Paraguay as a warm, familiar way to address someone close. It combines "che" (my) and "ra'a" (friend or companion). You hear it on soccer fields, at barbecues, in WhatsApp voice notes, and between coworkers. "Ey chera'a" is the Paraguayan equivalent of "hey bro" or "hey man" in English.

A Guaraní word literally meaning "hairy foot," used in Paraguay for a snitch, informant, or gossip. The term comes from the Stroessner dictatorship era, when regime informants moved silently to avoid detection. Today it describes the office tattletale, the nosy neighbor who knows everyone's business, or anyone who reports to authority. The word carries heavy political history in Paraguay.

A traditional clay or earth oven from Paraguay, built by hand and heated with wood, a living legacy of indigenous and colonial cooking. The tatakuá gives bread and meats a smoky, irreplaceable flavor.

A Guarani-origin expression used in Paraguay to urge someone to move, start, or get going right now. "Cuembe" is pure kinetic energy compressed into one word: affectionate but insistent. When someone says cuembe, they mean immediately.

A long, yellow fruit in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, what most of the Spanish-speaking world calls 'plátano.' The great banana vs. plátano debate is a classic Latin American vocabulary difference.

The everyday Paraguayan mix of Spanish and Guaraní, switching between both languages mid-sentence. Jopará isn't bad Spanish, it's how Paraguayans actually talk, reflecting a country where two languages share equal space in daily life and neither one wins completely.

A Paraguayan insult that comes from Guaraní "akã" (head) plus "raku" (hot), literally "hot head." It's used to describe a foolish, poorly thought-out person, or someone constantly doing reckless things without thinking about consequences. It's a common insult in arguments, scoldings, and everyday complaints. Not as strong as a curse word, but not affectionate either: it's delivered with real frustration.

To flirt or hit on someone in Paraguay and parts of Argentina. When you're chameando, you're pulling out your best lines and smiles to win someone over.

A Guaraní particle that Paraguayans add to their Spanish as emphasis or filler, giving sentences a uniquely Paraguayan flavor. It doesn't translate directly, it just makes everything sound more Paraguayan.

A close, deeply trusted friend and companion in Paraguay and northern Argentina. A chamigo is more than just a buddy: the bond has roots in Guarani culture and implies unconditional loyalty and unspoken understanding. A chamigo shows up before you even have to explain the situation.

A rude, ill-mannered, coarse person with zero social grace. In Paraguay and Argentina, a guarango is actively disrespectful: the type who makes everyone uncomfortable and doesn't even notice the damage they cause.

Guava: the tropical fruit and tree, known by its Guaraní name in Paraguay. The arasa tree is common throughout the country, bearing fruit year-round and widely used for jams, sweets, juices, and eating fresh. Since Guaraní is a co-official language alongside Spanish in Paraguay, words like arasa are part of everyday speech for most Paraguayans.

From Paraguayan Guarani, meaning strength, power, and determination. In Paraguay, mbareté describes anything with real force behind it: a person who never gives up, a truck that handles any terrain, a team that fights until the final whistle. It is a word of deep pride.