Slang
Words you will hear on a Lima street and not in a course book. Each entry gives the register too, because knowing a word is only half of it — knowing when not to say it is the other half.
| Term | Means | Standard Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| al toque | right away, immediately | de inmediato |
| arroz con mango | a confused mess | un lío, un enredo |
| asu | wow — surprise, good or bad | ¡vaya!, ¡caramba! |
| bacán | great, cool | genial, estupendo |
| bamba | fake, counterfeit | falso, de imitación |
| cachina | second-hand goods, or the market that sells them | mercado de segunda mano |
| cachuelo | a side job, a bit of extra work | trabajo temporal |
| calato | naked | desnudo |
| causa | a close friend, mate | amigo |
| chamba | work, a job | trabajo, empleo |
| chancar | to cram, to study hard — literally, to crush | estudiar intensamente |
| chancón | a swot, someone who studies relentlessly | estudioso, empollón |
| chapa | a nickname | apodo |
| chapar | to grab or catch — and, between people, to kiss | agarrar, atrapar |
| chela | a beer | cerveza |
| chibolo | a kid or a young person | niño, joven |
| chifa | a Peruvian-Chinese restaurant, or the cuisine itself | restaurante chino |
| choborra | drunk | borracho |
| choche | mate, buddy | amigo |
| chompa | a jumper or sweater | suéter, jersey |
| cobrador | the fare collector who hangs out of the combi door | cobrador de pasajes |
| combi | a minibus, the cheapest way across Lima | microbús, furgoneta |
| de cajón | obviously, a given | por supuesto, evidentemente |
| florear | to sweet-talk, to embellish | adular, exagerar |
| grifo | a petrol station | gasolinera |
| hacer chancha | to pool money together | hacer una colecta |
| hacer hora | to kill time until something starts | matar el tiempo |
| huachafo | tacky — trying to look classier than it is | cursi, de mal gusto |
| jalarse | to fail a course or exam | suspender, reprobar |
| jato | someone's house or place | casa |
| lorna | gullible, easily taken in | ingenuo |
| luca | one sol | un sol |
| mancha | a group of friends, a crew | pandilla, grupo de amigos |
| manyar | to get it, to understand | entender |
| misio | broke, with no money | sin dinero |
| monse | dull, slow, a bit hopeless | soso, torpe |
| movilidad | a ride or vehicle for getting somewhere | transporte, vehículo |
| paja | great, brilliant — in Peru only | genial, buenísimo |
| palta | embarrassment — literally, an avocado | vergüenza |
| paltearse | to get flustered or worried | avergonzarse, preocuparse |
| paradero | a bus stop | parada |
| pata | a friend, a mate | amigo |
| pata de perro | someone always out and about | callejero |
| piña | bad luck — literally, a pineapple | mala suerte |
| pituco | posh, upper-class, often said with an edge | de clase alta |
| polo | a t-shirt | camiseta |
| roche | embarrassment, awkwardness | vergüenza |
| sacar la vuelta | to cheat on a partner; also to dodge work | ser infiel; escurrir el bulto |
| táper | a plastic food container | recipiente, fiambrera |
| tombo | a police officer | policía |
| tono | a party | fiesta |
| yapa | a little extra thrown in free | añadido, extra |