Drunk, under the influence of alcohol. A softer way to say it than "borracho," but the effect is the same: someone who has had too much and it shows. Common in Peru, Colombia, and Chile.

A total party animal who never misses a good time. First to arrive, last to leave, and if there is no party happening, a parrandero will create one. Common in Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru.

The behavior or characteristics associated with Andean working-class culture. In Peru and Ecuador, the term can be used respectfully or as a classist slur depending on tone and context. Reclaimed by many as a source of pride in indigenous and popular culture.

Someone passionate about video games who dedicates serious time to playing, whether casually or competitively. An English loanword fully integrated into young Spanish speakers' vocabulary.

A thick, hearty stew of corn, beans, squash, and meat eaten on Argentine national holidays. Locro is the most patriotic dish of May 25th, the kind that fills your soul and your stomach equally.

To spoil someone too much in Peru, especially kids, giving them everything they ask for without setting limits. Engreír is pampering with so much love that the person becomes demanding and unbearable.

An ability or effect in video games that paralyzes the enemy for a few seconds, leaving them unable to move or attack. Landing a stun at the right moment can completely turn the tide of battle.

A cheater, someone who consistently bends or breaks the rules without any guilt. Whether it's a card game, an exam, or a relationship, the "tramposo" always looks for shortcuts even at someone else's expense. It implies a pattern, not just a one-time slip.

French fries with sliced sausage on top, drowned in all kinds of sauces. It's cheap, fast, and delicious street food popular across South America as the perfect late-night snack.

Work or job in Mexico and Peru. It covers everything from a corporate office gig to a side hustle at a taco stand. If you have chamba, you have something putting food on the table.

To post a message on Twitter (now X), sharing your thoughts with the internet in 280 characters. It became an official Spanish verb because the RAE couldn't ignore that millions use it daily.

The habit of overanalyzing everything until you mentally block yourself and cannot move forward. The torturous loop of going over the same situation from every angle without reaching a useful conclusion, usually activating right when you are trying to fall asleep. Widely used across Latin America and Spain as a borrowed English term.

Someone who is always on the move, constantly wandering from place to place and unable to stay still. Used across most of the Spanish-speaking world, the andariego knows every corner of the neighborhood and is rarely found sitting at home.

Juicy, secret, or scandalous information about other people's lives, shared with excitement and nosiness. Chisme is gossip elevated to an art form in Latin culture. It's humanity's favorite entertainment since the invention of spoken language.

To understand or get something in Chile and Peru, to catch on to a situation or grasp the meaning. If you cachái something, you totally get it, and if you don't cachar anything, you're completely lost.

A neighborhood or district in a city with its own identity, culture, personality, and reputation. Your barrio is where you grew up, where people know your name, and where you always feel at home.

A moment ago, just a little while back, it just happened, used in Chile, Peru, and Bolivia. Denantes is the colloquial Andean way of saying 'a while ago' that sounds old-fashioned but is still used every day.

Completely off the deep end, unpredictable, and beyond all hope of normal behavior. Someone "rematado" has no brakes, no filter, and always does the thing that leaves everyone speechless. The word implies this person is fully beyond repair: they have been auctioned off to chaos.

A unique Amazonian soup from Brazil and Peru, made with tucupi, jambu, and dried shrimp, a culinary experience that numbs the mouth.

Keeping someone as a romantic backup option without committing but without letting them go either. Like having a player on the bench: they don't play but you don't release them just in case you need them.

A roundabout: a circular intersection where cars drive around a central island to change direction. In Argentina, Chile, Spain, Peru, and Uruguay it is the standard word for this layout. The eternal source of confusion about who actually has the right of way.

Your house or crib in Peruvian street slang. Saying 'me voy al jato' is like saying 'I'm heading home' but with that casual vibe you only use around close friends.

An ultra hardcore group of soccer fans in Argentina, similar to European football hooligans or ultras. Barrabravas are known for their extreme passion, stadium chants, massive flags, and sometimes violent clashes with rival groups. They hold serious power within clubs, controlling ticket sales and even influencing team decisions. The culture has spread to Colombia and Peru as well.

To collect payment for a service or product, or the act of having someone bring you the bill. In Mexico, the waiter cobras you at the end of the meal, and if you say 'me cobra por favor,' it's clear you want to pay and leave. It's the polite verbal cue to wrap things up.

A thick sweater or heavy knit top. In the Andean regions of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, the chompa is essential gear against the brutal highland cold that catches lowlanders completely off guard.

A spectacular soccer move where you chip the ball over a defender's head and collect it on the other side. It's the ultimate humiliation for the defender, you literally put a hat on them.

To search for something on Google, the verb born from the internet that everyone uses as if it were the only way to find information. If you haven't googled it, it doesn't exist in the modern world.

A super hard-working person who gives their all at work without complaining. In Mexico and Peru, being chambeador is a compliment, it means you're reliable and always stepping up.

A while ago, but exactly how long depends entirely on context and who's saying it. "Hace rato" can be five minutes, two hours, or three weeks, only the tone of voice gives you the clue.

The coins or smaller bills you get back when you pay with a larger denomination. Across Latin America and Spain, cambio is a daily negotiation at markets, street food stands, and small shops. Hearing "no hay cambio" when you hand over a large bill is one of the most universally frustrating experiences of daily life.