Words and definitions Guanaco Trucha has contributed to the street dictionary.
A Salvadoran street slang term for marijuana, used as a coded way to refer to weed (literally, it means lard or shortening).
Did you bring the manteca so we can roll a couple of joints before we go into the concert?
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Used to turn on an electrical appliance or start a fire. It is the everyday term for switching on the lights, the television, or even a bonfire.
Do me the favor of prender the television to watch the news, they are almost about to start.
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A Salvadoran expression used to tell someone to shut up or stop talking immediately. It is an informal and blunt way to demand silence or tell someone to cut it out during a conversation.
CHALE you, I am already fed up with the same old story!
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Used for a young male, from childhood through his teens. It is a common way to refer to a boy or a kid (in El Salvador, it is often used interchangeably with the term cipote).
Watch out for that chamaco because he is really mischievous and is always running all over the market.
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A common, informal way to refer to a partner's child from a previous relationship. In El Salvador, people use this word much more often than the formal term for stepchild (hijastro).
My entenado likes it when I take him to the stadium on Sundays because his biological dad almost never visits him.
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A vulgar slur used to attack a man's masculinity or to label him as a lowlife, a coward, or a backstabber. It is a very offensive synonym for an asshole or a weakling.
Because he was being a cacorro and talking behind his friends' backs, nobody wants to hang out with that guy anymore.
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Used to describe someone who is overly affectionate, mushy, or nauseatingly sweet. It refers to couples whose constant public displays of affection feel suffocating or cheesy to others. (Melcocha is a type of thick, sticky taffy candy.)
Good grief, you two! Stop being so melcochas already, you are going to make us all sick from the sweetness.
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The everyday term used in El Salvador for the yellow fruit known elsewhere as a banana. It is a staple food eaten raw or used in smoothies and desserts. (In El Salvador, guineo is the standard word for the sweet variety, whereas the word banana is rarely used).
Pass me a GUINEO from that bunch you bought at the market to eat with my lunch.
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Specifically refers to the cashew nut. Children commonly use these seeds as tokens or marbles in traditional games during the harvest season (cashews are a common local fruit).
Yesterday I got a bag full of pepas and went to play with my cousins in the backyard.
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Refers to a solid piece of feces left visible in the street or in the brush. It is a vulgar term for a turd that a person or animal leaves lying on the ground.
Watch where you are walking, you almost stepped on that big mojon left in the middle of the sidewalk!
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A very vulgar and direct term for having sex. It is a common slang word used to describe intercourse without using euphemisms.
That guy says he wants to culiar the new girl who started working at the workshop.
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The damp night air or morning dew that forms outdoors. (Local tradition holds that exposure to this chilly air or the moisture it carries causes illness).
Cover up that food you left outside so the night sereno doesn't get on it.
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Used to describe a woman who is infertile or who, for biological reasons, cannot bear children. It is a colloquial term that is often heard as harsh or insensitive.
They say Juan's wife is machorra because they have been married for ten years and were never able to start a family.
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A colloquial and somewhat vulgar term for intense diarrhea or the runs. It refers to frequent liquid bowel movements caused by infection or eating spoiled food.
Damn, man! Those pupusas (thick corn tortillas stuffed with savory fillings) from the corner gave me such a bad case of churria that I have been stuck in the bathroom since early this morning.
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A derogatory term used in El Salvador for a crack cocaine addict. The name comes from their use of homemade pipes to smoke the drug, typically in marginalized areas.
We better find another way to get to the market, because there is always a group of piperos on that corner looking for someone to ask for pisto (a local term for money).
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In El Salvador, this word refers specifically to lunch. It represents the main meal of the day, typically eaten at midday, and is usually the largest and most filling.
Hurry up and finish that report because it is almost time for Comida and I am starving.
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A poya is a loogie or thick glob of phlegm hacked up from the throat or lungs. It is a very common, blunt, and somewhat vulgar term used in El Salvador for mucus.
That man has such a nasty hacking cough that he is constantly spitting out a huge poya in the street.
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A vulgar and very common term for sexual intercourse. It refers to a single session or act of sex, whether casual or with a partner.
That guy was bragging that last night he had a good Polvo with the girl he met at the dance.
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A popular slang term for the one-colon coin, the currency used in El Salvador before the country adopted the US dollar in 2001. It was used as a humorous nickname in everyday speech (the word literally means mother-in-law).
Lend me a suegra to make up my fare, the bus is pulling up now.
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A term used in El Salvador for someone who is extremely stuck-up or has a massive ego. It describes a person who acts arrogant and feels superior to those in their social circle (in standard Spanish, this word usually refers to someone with a large backside).
Ever since he got promoted at work he turned really culón and does not even want to have lunch with us anymore.
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Used to tell someone to cut or break off a piece of something, typically food, to share it. It is a direct command to cut a slice or portion for the person asking.
Look, that piece of meat is huge, you better móchate a bit so there is enough for both of us.
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A pickpocket who targets passengers on public transportation. These thieves exploit the crowded conditions on buses by leaning or pressing against victims to swipe wallets and valuables from their pockets unnoticed (the name comes from the act of leaning or resting against someone in a crowd).
You better hide your wallet inside your backpack because a POSERO always gets on this bus route to see what he can snatch.
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Describes someone gutsy who jumps into any situation without fear. It refers to a person who acts with determination and is not stopped by risks or what people might say (literally, someone who throws themselves into a situation).
Carlos is really aventado when it comes to business: he already set up his own stall even though everyone told him it was dangerous.
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A musician who plays the traditional whistle or flute, typically seen in village bands and during local festivals. (The pito is a small wooden flute often played alongside a drum to accompany ancestral dances).
Go get the pitero so he can start playing, the dance of the deer is about to start in front of the church.
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Used to describe any sudden difficulty, snag, or setback that stalls a process. It is that annoying hurdle that prevents you from moving forward with what you are doing.
I had everything ready for the trip, but at the last minute they put a traba in my way at work and did not give me the time off.
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Used to describe something that is awesome, top-notch, or turned out great. It is a positive slang term used when something is very well executed or looks fantastic.
That drawing turned out so arrecho, it looks like a real photo!
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A vulgar noun used in El Salvador to refer to the penis. It is a crude and direct way to mention male genitals in informal, street-level talk (the word literally means sledgehammer).
Did you see how that guy's mandarria was showing through those tight pants?
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A common slang term used in El Salvador to refer to the police or security forces. It is frequently used in street contexts to alert others that the cops are nearby.
Hurry up and hide that, I can see the chota circling the corner already.
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To smudge, stain, or smear a surface or clothing, usually by accident or with dirty hands. It describes ruining a clean item by leaving a visible blotch of grime.
Watch out with that grease, you are going to parchar my whole new uniform!
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A nickname or descriptor for someone with red or bright orange hair. The term refers to the colored tip of a match (fosforito literally means little match).
In my grade there was a fosforito kid who we all called Curly just as a joke.
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A vulgar slang term used in El Salvador for the penis. It is a crude and direct way to refer to the male organ.
Be careful when you zip up, don't go catching your pico.
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The fibrous husk that covers an ear of corn. In Salvadoran cuisine, it is widely used to wrap and cook tamales de elote (fresh corn tamales), giving them a specific shape and flavor.
Peel the tusa off those ears of corn carefully because we are going to use them for the tamales this afternoon.
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A small plate or saucer used as a base for coffee cups or to hold small portions of food, like afternoon pastries. It is a staple item in Salvadoran homes for coffee service.
Look, I left a piece of quesadilla on the paila for you to eat with your coffee (in El Salvador, a quesadilla is a sweet, dense cake made with cheese).
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A colloquial and vulgar term for the female genitals. It is a common slang word used to refer to the vagina in informal or crude contexts.
That girl has no shame, she started changing in front of everyone and you could see her cuca.
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A vulgar slang term for the clitoris or the labia minora. It is a crude, informal way to refer to external female genitalia.
Be careful when you zip up your pants, or you might pinch your gallo in the zipper.
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An adjective describing a bullshitter or a liar who tells tall tales. It is also used vulgarly to refer to someone who masturbates frequently, a wanker.
Don't listen to that guy because he is a real pajero, he is always saying he has a great car and he doesn't even own a bike. (In El Salvador, bicho is a common term for a kid or young man).
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A vulgar and colloquial term used to describe a woman's breasts when they are very large. It is the augmentative form of the word chichas (tits) and is typically used in informal conversations between men.
That girl got some really exaggerated implants and today she is walking around with huge Chichotas.
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A popular and vulgar Salvadoran slang term used to refer to the female genitals. It is common in informal speech as a synonym for pussy or vulva.
That swimsuit is so tight that her whole Cuca is showing.
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Used to describe someone who shows great courage or to refer to something that is excellent, cool, or very fun.
The house decoration for tonight's party turned out so arrecha!
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The standard term Salvadorans use for ice cream in any form. Whether it is handmade from a street cart or a commercial brand, it is always called this (in most other Spanish-speaking countries, this word specifically refers to dairy-free sorbet, but in El Salvador it covers all ice cream).
With this heat, I really feel like buying a cold sorbete from a street cart.
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To compliment or shower someone with praise regarding a physical object, garment, or anything aesthetically pleasing. It is the act of pointing out how nice or cool something looks.
Look how nice those shoes you bought are, everyone is going to chuliar them at the party.
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A colloquial term for a guy or male individual. It is frequently used to refer to someone whose name is unknown or just some random dude.
Yesterday some chamaco was asking for you at the entrance of the neighborhood.
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A slang term for a debt or the obligation to pay back money you borrowed. It is usually used when someone has outstanding balances to settle with another person.
Better not ask that guy for anything, because later on it is a huge hassle to get out of the jarana.
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A trick, scam, or dirty play used to take advantage of someone. It is typically applied to cheating in gambling or using sleight of hand to steal money while counting it.
That guy always wins at poker because he likes to pull a jarana when he deals the cards.
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A term used for a young child or a little boy. It is the everyday word Salvadorans use to refer to their kids, sons, or any minor.
You need to look after that chamaco of yours better because he is very mischievous and could get hurt.
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An informal and humorous way to refer to a shark in Salvadoran coastal areas. It is used primarily by seafarers to talk about the predator in a lighthearted manner (the term is a traditional male name that sounds similar to tiburon, the Spanish word for shark).
Be careful surfing today because I heard there was a Tiburcio lurking around the river mouth yesterday.
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Used in everyday speech to refer to knocking a woman up, usually when the pregnancy was unplanned. It is a very informal and blunt term suggesting that someone messed up or got themselves into a jam.
That guy is really scared because he says that since he did not use protection, he already embaló his girlfriend.
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Physical discomfort and lethargy experienced the day after consuming too much alcohol. This is the colloquial way Salvadorans refer to a hangover.
Bring me a couple of pupusas (thick corn tortillas stuffed with savory fillings) and a sports drink, because with this Goma I am carrying, I feel like I am going to die.
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El Salvador