A beach sandal or flip-flop you wear around the house or to the corner store. It's the most casual footwear possible, the shoe equivalent of 'I don't care.'

To have sex. In most of Latin America "coger" is the most direct colloquial verb for the sexual act. Important cultural note: in Spain "coger" is completely innocent and just means "to grab or take," so mixing up registers between regions causes more than a few awkward moments.

To be completely broke, in total financial ruin with no money at all. When you're 'en la olla,' your bank account is at zero and payday feels like a mirage.

A party or all-night celebration with music, dancing, and drinks that has no set end time. Not just any gathering: a parranda is the kind of celebration where nobody checks the clock until the sun comes up. Deeply rooted in Caribbean and Latin American culture, especially in Venezuela, Colombia, and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean.

A sensual, provocative dance style to reggaeton where the hips take center stage. Perreo was born in Puerto Rico and spread across all of Latin America, becoming a core part of the region's party culture.

To wash the dirty dishes with water, soap, and a sponge after eating. It's the household chore absolutely nobody wants to do and that generates more family arguments than any other topic at home.

A person who talks excessively and nonstop about any topic that crosses their mind. Like the parrot the word comes from, a cotorra never shuts up and can turn a two-minute story into a two-hour monologue.

The hood of a car, the panel covering the engine. You open it when a strange noise starts or the engine overheats, hoping it is nothing serious. In Spain and the Southern Cone it is always "capó"; in Mexico the same part is called "cofre."

A person who spiritually identifies with an animal and believes they share a deep, innate connection with that creature. It's an internet subculture that blurs the line between identity and spiritual belief.

A carefree, relaxed, or shameless person who doesn't get fazed by anything. Depending on context it can be a compliment (chill person) or a criticism (someone with no shame).

To compliment or flatter someone very directly and enthusiastically, usually about their looks. In Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela, "chulear" means throwing a genuine compliment at someone with no hesitation, right in front of everyone.

To blend and crush fruits or food in a blender until smooth. It's the verb behind every smoothie, fruit juice, and salsa that requires turning solid ingredients into liquid deliciousness.

In Venezuela, a hard hit or rough fall. Taking a "vergajazo" means slamming into something or falling in a way that really hurts and makes a loud noise.

To have a good time and enjoy yourself, the basic goal of any social plan worth showing up for. Used across Latin America and Spain for trips, parties, or everyday hangouts. When someone asks "¿cómo te la pasaste?" they want to know if you actually had fun.

To exaggerate a minor problem to the point of making it seem like a catastrophic issue, often for dramatic effect.

To damage, break, or completely wreck something in Venezuela. When something gets "escoñetado" it's totally useless, destroyed, and not easily fixable.

Packed and ready to go with everything gathered. In Venezuela it also describes someone emotionally closed off, the person who keeps everything locked inside and never shares what they're really going through.

A carbonated, sweetened beverage, what Mexico calls 'refresco.' Gaseosa is the go-to word in Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and most of South America for any fizzy drink.

In Venezuela, to put up with or endure something annoying when you have no other choice. "Calarse" a situation means stomaching something heavy because there's no way around it.

To stand someone up or bail on a commitment in Venezuela. "Embarcar" means letting someone down by not showing up after you agreed to.

In Venezuela, to be stood up or left hanging because someone broke a promise or never showed up. Quedar embarcado means you were counting on someone and they failed you.

To walk a long distance on foot, usually because there is no transportation or no money for the bus in Venezuela. "Echar pierna" means resigning yourself to hoofing it home because there is no other option.

An exclamation of shock or awe, short for "God damn," that escaped TikTok and became part of Gen Z internet vocabulary across Spanish-speaking countries. You drop it when something hits you visually or just leaves you speechless.

A phrase used to describe someone who promises a lot but doesn't deliver anything, whose only action is talking. This person has a tendency to speak about what should be done without taking any action, often leaving others to do the work.

To feel embarrassed, mortified, or ashamed, often to the point of blushing or becoming visibly flustered.

In Cuba and Venezuela, a sudden fainting spell or dizzy episode, the feeling that you're about to collapse. That moment of physical weakness that precedes actually passing out.

A perfect deal where everything goes right and you profit handsomely with minimal risk or effort. It's the kind of business transaction everyone dreams of but rarely achieves.

A fermented corn drink of ancient Andean origin that existed long before colonization. Each country makes it differently, in some it's alcoholic, in others it's sweet, but it always has indigenous roots.

Food in general, any kind of grub. In Venezuela, Colombia, and Puerto Rico, jama is the most direct way of saying you need to eat something right now.

A pig in Mexico, or a dirty, unhygienic person who doesn't take care of their personal cleanliness or space. The adjective your mom would throw at you with a scolding tone if you didn't shower or clean your room.