A Peruvian exclamation of surprise that comes out fast when something hits you. It's short, direct, and you hear it on every corner in Lima when something unexpected happens.

To provoke an intense emotional reaction in someone, usually negative, by hitting a sensitive nerve. It's activating, intentionally or not, that internal button that sets off a strong, uncontrollable response.

Embarrassment, shame, or secondhand cringe in Peru. That full-body wave of discomfort when you have done something socially awkward or watched someone else crash and burn in public. Roche is the wish that the floor would just open up and swallow you.

The boss, the big shot, the person who holds real power in a neighborhood, group, or operation. In Peru and Colombia the bichote has genuine authority that everyone recognizes and respects, whether the context is formal or not.

To create a video or post responding in real-time to someone else's content, often in the style of a YouTube reaction video.

In football, a player who consistently scores goals, always in the right place at the right time. A dedicated finisher who can define a match in front of goal. Used universally in sports commentary and everyday conversation across all Spanish-speaking countries.

The TikTok feature that lets you respond to someone's video with your own, displayed side by side in split-screen. It is the platform's built-in format for reactions, commentary, and accidental collaborations that sometimes go more viral than the original video.

A first-year university student who doesn't yet know how college life works. In Peru, a cachimbo is the fresh-faced freshman navigating the chaos of campus for the first time, inexperienced, wide-eyed, and easy to spot.

To tell someone to get lost or get out of your life, to dismiss them firmly without much ceremony. It is the polite-ish version of telling someone where to go, but the message lands just as clearly. Used across Spain and most of Latin America.

To eat extremely well, with great quality and abundance, like royalty with nothing missing from the plate. The ultimate compliment for a meal that leaves you completely full and spoiled. Used across Latin America and Spain whenever a meal genuinely exceeds expectations.

In Peru and Bolivia, someone who acts with authority they do not actually have. A chapita plays the role of someone in charge when they are clearly not, throwing their imaginary weight around and blocking things they have no real power over. The word refers to a badge or insignia, suggesting the authority is purely decorative.

An attractive, elegant, charming man who knows how to carry himself. In Mexico, telling someone they look 'muy galán' is a strong compliment that combines physical attractiveness with style and presence, and it lands well with any guy who hears it. Closer to 'dashing' than just 'handsome.'

The sports analyst who provides opinion and context during a soccer broadcast alongside the play-by-play narrator. He explains tactics, questions the referee, and according to fans always loudly states what everyone already figured out ten seconds earlier.

A player who tries way too hard to win as if their life depends on it, even in a casual, low-stakes game. Borrowed directly from English gaming culture, this term is now widely used in Spanish-speaking gaming communities across Latin America and Spain. The tryhard is the person sweating bullets in a friendly Among Us match or playing ranked tactics in a casual lobby.

Something really good at a ridiculously low price, that deal of the century that finds you when you least expect it. When something's a ganga, you feel like a shopping genius and can't stop bragging about it.

Boiled corn or wheat eaten as a side dish or snack, an Andean staple with deep roots in Bolivian, Ecuadorian, and Peruvian food culture. Mote is comfort food at its most fundamental: filling, humble, and present at almost every traditional meal in the highlands.

A backpacker who travels with just a pack, a tight budget, and a hunger for authentic experiences over tourist traps. Especially common in Colombia and Peru as destination-side vocabulary. The mochilero sleeps in hostels, eats at the market, and gets far closer to local life than most travelers ever do.

Pretty, attractive, or pleasant to look at. One of the most versatile compliments in Spanish because it works for people, places, and things alike without sounding over the top. You can call a baby, a sunset, or your date "bonito/bonita" and it lands perfectly every time.

Window shopping with zero intention of buying anything. It's the favorite sport of anyone who's broke but still wants to get out of the house.

To cheer on, support, or encourage a soccer team or a person with chants, screams, and all your energy. In Argentina, cheering for your team from the stands is practically a religion and a sacred duty for every fan.

In Bolivia and Peru, to get lost or completely disoriented in a vast open landscape with no visible landmarks. The wide plains, high altiplano, and foggy rural stretches make it easy to lose your sense of direction entirely.

A male romantic partner in a formal, official relationship. Not a casual hookup: having a novio implies a socially recognized commitment across nearly all Spanish-speaking countries. There is a clear "we are together" label that goes beyond just dating casually.

A dark-skinned or dark-haired person, usually with a strong build. In Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, and Ecuador the word is entirely neutral and descriptive: just a straightforward way to reference someone's physical appearance with no negative connotation.

Giving minimal signs of interest to keep someone hooked without any real intention of getting serious. Emotional breadcrumbs: a like here, a random message there, just enough so they don't forget you but never enough to move forward.

To get along well with someone, to coexist without conflict or tension. It is the foundation of any relationship that actually works, whether at work, with family, or in a friendship. When you llevarse bien with someone, things just flow naturally without drama.

A heavy drinking binge that leaves you with hazy or zero memories of the night before. In Peru, a "chupada" is the party that ends with everyone on the floor and nobody quite sure how they got home.

To talk nonsense, make things up, or say things without any real knowledge or foundation. In Peru and other countries, hablar paja is what you do when you want to sound like you know something but actually have no idea.

A casual way to refer to any person, like saying "dude" or "guy" in Chile and Peru. It's not necessarily an insult at all, among friends it's a constant filler word that pops up in every sentence without anyone even noticing. The tone and context determine whether it's friendly, neutral, or offensive.

Something that is extremely easy to do, presenting no real challenge whatsoever. It is the kind of task you can handle with your eyes closed, the one you finish before others even start, and it does not even feel worth celebrating.

To repeat an activity many times in a video game to accumulate resources, experience, or rewards. The repetitive grind that can take hours but gamers do religiously to level up.