A Peruvian emphasis particle tacked onto the end of sentences to add insistence or emotion. It's a trademark of Lima street talk and shows up in every casual conversation.

To air someone's dirty laundry, exposing their private secrets or embarrassing past, usually mid-argument or when there is nothing left to lose. Once it's all out in the open, there is no putting it back.

A lazy person who refuses to do absolutely anything and would rather lie around staring at the ceiling than be productive. The flojo is a master at coming up with creative excuses to not lift a finger.

A cheap, stingy person who refuses to spend money on absolutely anything under any circumstance. The one who always goes to the bathroom when the check arrives, forgot their wallet, or asks to split the bill to the exact cent.

The person in charge at work who makes the decisions. Also used informally to respectfully address any stranger on the street, the taco guy, the taxi driver, or the mechanic.

An ambiguous relationship with no label where two people act like a couple without actually being one. It's modern romantic limbo where you're not dating, not just friends, and nobody knows what to say when asked.

To dance reggaeton with full intensity and zero inhibitions. Perrear duro is not casual dancing: it means throwing yourself completely into the rhythm, body and soul, without caring who is watching. The pinnacle of urban Caribbean dance culture.

A clingy person who doesn't know how to respect personal space: always hovering, impossible to shake off, and completely blind to social hints. The pegajoso shows up everywhere uninvited and somehow never gets the message.

A bribe or illegal payment made to officials or authorities to get things done or make problems disappear. Corruption's favorite currency, sadly common in many Latin American countries.

A baby or newborn, the most tender and ancestral way to refer to a little one in the Andes. It comes from Quechua and is used with pure love in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Chile.

A Peruvian, Mexican, and Latin American verb for drinking beer, going out for chelas with friends. Comes from "chela" (beer) turned into a verb with full conjugation. "Vamos a chelear" means let's go drink beers, "estamos cheleando" means we're in a round. A youthful word, universal in the region, heard in any weekend conversation among friends.

In Peru, to thoroughly enjoy a party or celebration, dancing, eating, and drinking without stopping. A person who loves to party will take any opportunity to start the celebration and have a great time.

A lazy person who has zero motivation to do anything. It's one of the most universal insults in Spanish, used across nearly every Latin American country to describe someone who just won't get off the couch or put in any effort. Think of it as calling someone a total slacker or bum.

A Peruvian dish of stir-fried beef with french fries, tomato, onion, and soy sauce served over rice. It's chifa cuisine that represents Peru's cultural blend of Chinese and Andean traditions like no other dish.

A raw fish dish marinated in lime juice that's Peru's national pride, though half the continent makes their own version. Peru and Ecuador have been fighting forever over who invented it.

The very Latin American skill of making your biweekly paycheck stretch all the way to the next one. It means budgeting carefully, prioritizing every expense, and hoping nothing unexpected comes up. The most practiced sport of the average salaried worker.

Natural charisma for flirting, attracting, or winning someone over with seemingly zero effort. A social media anglicism describing that irresistible charm some people just naturally have.

Psychological manipulation where someone systematically makes you doubt your own perception, memory, and sanity. It's the most subtle and damaging form of emotional abuse because it convinces you that you're the problem, not the manipulator.

In Peru and Ecuador, a thief, especially one who pickpockets or steals in public spaces like markets or streets. Comes from the verb "chorear," which means to steal in local slang.

A modern relationship nickname that comes from the English 'baby,' massively adopted by millennials and Gen Z. Used in texts, social media, and in person as the cheesiest yet fully accepted way to call your crush or partner.

A private security guard or watchman, especially one stationed at a building entrance, parking lot, or private property. Borrowed from the English "watchman" and widely used across Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, and Paraguay as the everyday term for this job.

The nighttime moisture in the air that Latin American folk belief says can make you sick if you go outside with wet hair. Whether it's real or not, generations of abuelas swear by it.

A person who does absolutely anything for someone who doesn't reciprocate, humiliating themselves without dignity. The arrastrado loses all self-respect for a crumb of attention or affection, and everyone sees it except them.

An expression to say that someone has failed spectacularly or was defeated in a humiliating way. Biting the dust leaves no dignity intact.

A Peruvian, Venezuelan, and Caribbean verb meaning to eat with gusto, devour a good meal. "Vamos a jamear" means let's go eat seriously. Comes from "jama" (food) turned into a verb. Used without ceremony, casually: when someone proposes jamear, it's understood as a full meal with pleasure, not a snack. A word that survives across several generations of Peruvians and Caribbeans.

Infidelity, cheating on a romantic partner. "Poner los cuernos" means to be unfaithful, while "cargar los cuernos" means to be the one getting cheated on. A universal concept across the Spanish-speaking world: when it all comes out, everyone usually knew except the person being cheated on.

A song that's an absolute hit, that lights up any party and everyone recognizes from the first notes. A banger is that track that never fails, you play it and people automatically get hyped.

A street greeting used between close friends in Peru, especially in Lima. "Causa" is your ride-or-die friend, and "habla causa" is basically saying "talk to me, buddy" or "what is up, man." You will hear it among young guys when they run into each other.

A person with bad habits, dishonest, or annoyingly picky and demanding. In Ecuador and Colombia, a 'mañoso' is either the vendor who sneaks extra charges into your bill, or the child who refuses every food on the plate. Both are equally exhausting.

An earthquake or ground tremor that in Mexico, Chile, and Peru is just part of daily life. People in seismic zones learn to tell the difference between a minor shake and a serious one.