Street words and phrases used in Chile, with definitions and examples written by their people.
In Chilean slang, this term refers to a horse, specifically a fast and well-trained racehorse. It is widely used among horse racing enthusiasts and in rural settings.
Look at how that pingo runs: I am sure he will cross the finish line first by several lengths.
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Someone obsessed with cumbia villera music who usually comes from working-class or marginalized areas, often linked to the flaite identity. They are seen as the cultural successors of the former fans of sound music in Chile. (Cumbia villera is a subgenre of cumbia originating in Argentine slums, flaite is a Chilean term for a street-oriented subculture, and sound is a local 1990s style of cumbia).
That kid went totally Villero, now he never takes off his soccer jersey and spends all day listening to Pibes Chorros.
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Used to describe an extremely bold and determined guy who does not back down from anything. It highlights the bravery of a man who faces difficult situations with a lot of guts.
He did not care that it was three against one and he stood his ground anyway, the kid turned out to be really mampo.
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An old, beat-up car in terrible mechanical condition that barely functions. It is the typical word for a jalopy or clunker that looks like it is going to fall apart on the road.
I do not think we will get very far in that cacharro, better call a taxi to get to the party.
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A label for people with tacky tastes or little education, also used for mixed-breed mutts without a pedigree. It can also describe a place as being seedy, low-rent, or a total dump.
Even if the dog is chusco and does not have papers, he is the most loyal of all the ones we have had out in the country.
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Refers to any kind of flat elastic or flexible strip. It is most commonly used to describe the elastic waistband of underwear.
You need to buy new underwear because the chicote on those is worn out and they are falling down.
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Used to describe a person who is broke or has completely run out of money. It is a very common Chilean expression for being short on cash.
I would love to go to that concert with you, but I am super pato because I have not been paid my salary yet.
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To be screwed, in deep trouble, or in a very difficult situation.
I lost my job (pega is a common Chilean term for work) and I owe two months of rent, I am jodido.
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Used to describe a thin person or as a friendly way to address a man, whether a friend or a stranger, regardless of his actual weight. It is a very common way to get someone's attention in daily conversation (in Chile, physical traits are frequently used as neutral nicknames).
Hey, flaco, could you tell me what time the bus passes by on this street?
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A generic term for clothing or a specific garment, similar to threads or duds. (The term originates from the Mapuche word pulcha, meaning wrinkled, and is also associated with leather scraps historically used to mark livestock.)
Hand me that pilcha I left on the bed because I want to try it on.
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A slang term for cash, specifically referring to a stack or large amount of banknotes. It is used in informal settings as a synonym for dough or moolah. (Derived from the Spanish word billete, meaning bill or banknote).
I had to save up a lot of billullo for months to be able to buy the bike.
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Describes someone who is savvy, smooth, and highly self-assured. It refers to a person with plenty of life experience who knows how to handle any situation with effortless confidence (the term comes from having 'cancha', referring to experience on a playing field).
The event host is super canchero, you can tell he has years of experience and knows how to win the crowd over instantly (the original Spanish uses a phrase comparing experience to time spent in a circus).
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Used to describe a person who lacks class or manners, acting in a vulgar and unrefined way. It refers to someone who stands out for being tacky or crude in their behavior or appearance.
That guy is super chusco when he eats, you can tell he has zero manners.
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A very Chilean way of saying money or cash, originating as a playful variation of the word 'billete' (banknote). It refers to the cash needed to buy goods, though it is often used with the understanding that material wealth does not buy essentials like respect or sleep. (In Chile, the term 'lucas' is also a common slang for money).
Damn, I would love to go to Torres del Paine this summer, but first I have to save up a lot of billullo for the tickets. (Torres del Paine is a famous national park in southern Chile).
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The groundskeeper or caretaker of a sports field or facility. Their main job is to maintain the playing surface, such as mowing the grass or marking the lines, so matches can be played properly. (In Chile, the word cancha refers to a sports court or field).
We need to ask the canchero to lend us the pump because the ball is a bit flat for training.
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A person in charge of keeping score during a competition, a youth who works moving luggage, or a priest who tries to get money from his congregation. (The term comes from cancha, meaning a sports field or court).
Ask the canchero to update the scoreboard because we already scored another goal.
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Describes someone who is alone or doing an activity by themselves. It is a slang way to say a person is flying solo or is without company at a particular moment.
Since all my friends had plans, I went solapa to the theater to see the movie I wanted.
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A treacherous person who betrays the trust of friends or acquaintances to steal from them. It is a derogatory term for someone who takes advantage of hospitality or personal ties to walk off with other people's belongings.
Watch out for Nacho's cousin because he is such a RATA, the other time he took a cell phone in the middle of the party.
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A woman hired to care for and raise children in a household not her own, acting as a nanny or governess. Historically, the term specifically referred to a wet nurse who breastfed the family's children, often resulting in a deep, lifelong emotional bond (in Chile, this was common on large rural estates known as haciendas).
My uncles still hold a lot of affection for the mama who cared for them when they were little on the hacienda.
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A term used to address a rival to assert absolute dominance over them. It is very common in competitive settings to indicate that the opponent always loses and is essentially owned by the speaker. (In sports and gaming, being someone's hijo implies they have a significant psychological and competitive edge over you).
You can't say anything if I beat you ten times in a row, you are totally hijo mío already.
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A large and solid piece of excrement. It is a vulgar, direct way to describe a hefty turd.
Someone did not flush and left a massive mojon floating in the toilet.
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An adjective used to describe a place that is totally jammed or packed with people. It is used when a physical space is at its maximum capacity and no one else fits.
We went to the concert but it was so colado that we could barely move through the crowd.
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A prolonged blowjob that lasts for a significant amount of time, usually over ten minutes, intended to maintain high levels of arousal by delaying climax.
The other day my girlfriend (polola, as they say in Chile) gave me one of those long petes just to enjoy the moment before going to sleep.
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A sudden and violent bout of the shits or diarrhea accompanied by intense stomach cramps, forcing someone to rush to the bathroom to avoid an embarrassing accident. (In Chile, this is often blamed on street food like the completo, a loaded hot dog).
Good thing I made it home in time, because I got a sudden case of explosive cagadera after that hot dog I ate on the street.
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A vulgar term used to describe sexual intercourse between men, commonly used with a pejorative or aggressive tone toward gay people. It is a frequent expression in Chilean profanity for these encounters (the word derives from culo, meaning ass).
Those guys spend all their time culeando each other because they are nothing but faggots.
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Chilean nickname for the Volkswagen Beetle, which is the focus of a popular street game. When someone spots one, they punch their friend's shoulder while yelling the word, then say pasó (passed) to stay safe and prevent a counter-strike (this is the Chilean version of the game Punch Buggy).
Poncho, passed! I beat you, so don't even think about hitting me back for that green Beetle driving by.
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A gatecrasher or party crasher who sneaks into an event or venue without an invitation or without paying. This is the typical opportunist who pushes their way into a gathering where they are not welcome by taking advantage of any oversight.
We had to kick out a colado from the baptism because he was drinking all the booze and nobody knew who he was.
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A vulgar term for a large, solid piece of shit. It refers to a bowel movement that is particularly notable for its size or firmness.
I almost clogged the toilet because the mojon I dropped was the size of a ship (a common Chilean expression used to describe something massive).
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Used to describe someone with a great attitude who is always ready to lend a hand or do a selfless favor. It is synonymous with being a helpful, kind, and accommodating person.
Hey, the neighbor was super paleta and helped me change the tire when my car broke down.
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A term used for a best friend or inseparable companion with whom one shares total trust. (It originates from agricultural labor, comparing the loyalty of two people to a pair of oxen yoked together).
I am going to the stadium tomorrow with my lifelong yunta, so save us two seats.
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A vulgar Chilean term meaning to fuck. It is the most common and blunt way to refer to the sexual act in everyday slang.
That dude won't stop bragging about how he culió some girl he met at the party last night.
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A text-speak abbreviation for te quiero mucho (I love you or I like you a lot) used to express affection. It is common in digital communication, social media, and chats to end a conversation or say goodbye to a loved one.
Thanks for the gift, you really outdid yourself, t.k.m.
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A vulgar term for a piece of solid excrement, similar to the word turd. It describes poop when it comes out in a single, compact, and defined shape.
Someone left a giant mojon in the bathroom and did not even flush the toilet.
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A vulgar verb meaning to fuck, referring explicitly to penetration. It is a very common expression in informal Chilean speech to describe intercourse in a crude manner.
They say that guy was caught culeando in the nightclub parking lot.
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A lowlife of little intelligence and no class who is constantly trying to screw others over to get ahead, but plays dumb or vanishes the moment they are caught. It describes the behavior of street criminals or corrupt figures who think they are slick for being bottom-feeders.
That pillo spent months scamming the neighbors and now that they publicly exposed him, he is playing dumb like he would not even hurt a fly.
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To go out partying, hit up an event, or just get together with friends to have a good time. It is a very common term in Chilean party culture (carrete refers to a party or night out) that describes any nighttime social activity.
What are we doing today, are we staying home bored or heading downtown to vacilar for a while?
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In Chile, a term for gay men who are very effeminate and flamboyant, adopting feminine gestures or identity. It refers to someone who acts overtly feminine without restraint.
The party was super boring until that loca cousin of mine arrived in heels and started putting on a show.
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A vulgar and very informal way to refer to the anus in everyday Chilean speech. It is commonly used to describe physical pain or in aggressive insults.
Hey, be careful when you sit down, I took a hard hit and my ojete still hurts!
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Used to describe a woman who is unable to have children or one whose appearance and behavior are considered masculine. It is a common term that usually carries a derogatory or mocking tone toward those who do not follow traditional standards of femininity.
Everyone in the neighborhood always called Josefa a machorra because she spent all day playing pick-up soccer matches (pichangas) with the men and was not interested in dressing up.
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Refers to a gatecrasher or someone who sneaks into an event, public transport, or private property, either by skipping the fare or without an invitation. It is the person who shows up at a party (carrete is the Chilean slang for party) where nobody knows them.
Look at that guy having a beer, nobody knows him and he got into the party as a total colado.
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A very common Chilean slang term for wanking or jerking off. It refers to the act of manual masturbation, primarily used in reference to men.
Stop doing the MANFINFLA and focus on finishing your homework for tomorrow instead.
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In the context of pool, this describes being snookered or stuck, where the target ball is blocked by other balls, leaving no direct line for a shot. This position forces the player to try an indirect move to make contact.
I already lost my turn because you left me pillo and there was no way to hit the eight ball without hitting yours.
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A very common Chilean slang term for masturbation, used primarily by and about men. It is a vulgar and informal way to refer to wanking or jerking off.
That kid spends all his time locked in his room just jerking the MANFINFLA.
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A vulgar Chilean slang term for the act of masturbating, specifically referring to manual self-stimulation.
That guy spends all day locked in his room jerking it to the MANFINFLA.
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A vulgar and derogatory term for a female sex worker, used to refer to a prostitute or someone who charges for sexual services.
They had to close that place down because it was operating as a brothel and was full of pirujas.
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A person with a scruffy appearance or low-class manners who causes others to feel suspicious or uneasy. It refers to someone who looks sketchy or trashy.
Let's watch our backpacks, some pirujas are coming this way looking like trouble.
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In Chilean slang, this refers to a person's buttocks or backside. It is a common, informal way to say butt or rear end (literally, the word refers to a type of sponge cake).
That skirt looks really good on you because it highlights your queque a lot.
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Used to describe someone who is clumsy, slow on the uptake, or acts like a dummy. It is a common insult for a person who makes basic mistakes or lacks common sense (in Chile, the term suggests the person is as empty or useless as a sack).
You are such a bolsa, how could you think of leaving the refrigerator door open all night!
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