November 16, 2017 #ChileDiverse

Chilean idioms... from A to Z

Many times we hear that Chileans are hard to understand, either because "we speak too fast" or because we use very complicated idioms. That is why we leave you an alphabetical list of the most used idioms of our country.

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A
Achacarse: To become sad, to become discouraged.
Achuntar: To hit the mark, to aim, to get to the point.
Alapa: To ride on the shoulders of another person. In the north, "a tota". In the south, "a chique" or "al acha"
Al lote: Disorderly, without rules.
Al tiro: Immediately.
Al toque: To do something immediately.
Andar pato: To have no money
Apañar: To accompany a friend, physically or psychologically.
Apestarse: To get angry, upset, bored.
Aperrar: To be brave, to insist in spite of difficulties.
Apitutado: Someone who has good contacts and achieves goals through them.
Apreciado: To be selfish, stingy, greedy.
Arrugar: To take a step back, to regret, to give up.
Atao: Trouble
Avispado: Audacious, agile, intelligent.

B
Bacán: Good, incredible, excellent, spectacular.
Barsa: Fresh, shameless.
Buena leche: Good person, honest, transparent, with good intentions.
Bronca: Anger, disgust, anger.
Buche: Stomach.

C
Cabra/o: Niña/o.
Cabritas: Popcorn.
Cachar: To look at, see something, understand, grasp.
Cachureos: Various things that are kept, but are of little use.
Cahuín: Lie, mess, invention that deceives and confuses.
Calato: Naked
Caleta: Quite a lot, in great quantity
Carrete: Party
Colarse: To enter without permission.
Condoro: Error, mistake, slip.
Copete: Alcoholic drink
Curao: Under the effects of alcohol.

CH
Chapa: Alias, false name.
Choro: Envalentonado. Choro is also something that is funny.
Chorearse: to get angry, to get into a rage.

D
Dar pelota: To pay attention to someone.
Dar jugo: To waste time, not to be productive; to say incoherent things.
Denso: A serious, almost moody person who tends to take things very rigidly and not lightly.
Doblado: Very drunk, drugged, unconscious.

E
Echarla foca: To challenge, rebuke someone.
Embarrarla: To ruin something or a situation.
Engrupir: To seduce, flirt. Also to lie, to deceive.
Enrollado: Very involved, very sensitive, very reflexive. Enredado.
Estirar la pata: To die.

F
Fiambre: qualifier for stinking, rotten.
Filo: it doesn't matter.
Fome: Boring, unfunny.
Fonda: place or party where the Fiestas Patrias are celebrated.
Fresco: Bold.

G
Gallo/a: Used to designate a young person.
Gancho: Friend, neighbor (used in the countryside)
Ganso (a): Foolish, naive.
Gauchada: Favor.
Gil: Foolish, dull.
Guacho: Son not recognized by his father, orphan.
Guagua: Baby
Guanaco: Vehicle belonging to the Police that throws water to stop riots.
Guata: Belly, belly.
Guater: Toilet, WC.

H
Hachazo: Morning sickness produced by the excess of alcohol from the previous day.
Hallulla: A type of bread.
Huaso: Chilean peasant.
Huevón: It is used to describe someone as stupid or stupid; however, it can also mean friend. It has multiple derivations.

I
Inflar (someone): To pay attention, to take into account.
Inflated: Something that has been given more value than it really deserves.
Irse al chancho: To go overboard, to exceed, to exceed, to abuse.

J
Jarana: Party, Fun.
Jote: Insistent when approaching a person romantically
Julepe: Fear, fear.

K
Kilterrier/Kiltro: Dog without a specific breed, product of a not very fine mixture. Qualifier for street dog.

L
La firme: The truth, the real thing.
La dura: The truth.
Lanza: Delinquent, thief, mafioso.
Lata: Boredom, unmotivated.
Latero: Bored.
La raja: A very good situation or thing.
Lesear: To bother, entertain, fool around.
Leseras: Nonsense, banalities.
Liz Taylor: Ready
LJ: We left.
Lolo(a): Boy, young man.
Longi: Crazy, hippie.
Luca: Thousand peso bill.

M
Machucado: Beaten, mistreated.
Mano de guagua: Greedy, selfish, mean.
Micro: Public transport bus.
Mina: Woman, girl, girl. In addition to the generic, it is used to refer to attractive girls.
Mino: Man, boy, young man. In addition to the generic, it is used to refer to attractive boys.

N
Ene: A lot, a lot, a great deal.
Nanai: Honey, cuddle.
Ni ahí: I don't care.
Ni un brillo: Something or someone without grace, unattractive.

Or
Ojo: Attention!
Onda: Vibra, negative or positive energy.
Once: Tea time in the afternoon.

P
Pal Gato (estar): To feel bad, sick.
Pagar el piso: Expression used when a person who is working for the first time invites his co-workers and/or relatives to a meal or a round of drinks with his first salary.
Paracaidista: Qualifier for someone who attends a place or party to which he/she has not been invited.
Pasarlo chancho: To have a good time, to entertain oneself.
Patas negras: Lover.
Patiperro: One who travels a lot.
Patudo: Fresh, shameless
Pavear: To distract oneself
Pega: Work
Peludo: Difficult, complicated. Someone hairy, someone old, mature.
Picada: Low profile place to buy quality products (food, objects, gifts)
Piola: Inadvertent. Tranquilo.
Pololeo: Loving relationship, a couple when not married.
Previa: Meeting of friends before a party.

Q
Queque: Used to designate a person's buttocks or buttocks.
Quina: Five hundred peso coin
Quiubo: A greeting that alludes to what happened or what happened?

R
Rajado: Very fast, very generous, very good for the party.
Rasca: Of poor quality, ordinary, vulgar.
Rico: pleasant, entertaining.

S
Sacar la cresta: To hit someone, give a beating, a blow.
Sacar pica: To provoke jealousy or envy in someone.
Sapo: Snitch, someone curious, enjoys gossip.
Seco (someone): Someone who has talent, who is successful in an area.
Socio: Friend, compadre.

T
Taco: Slow traffic, traffic jam
Talla: A joke, a joke. In the north: Popsicle
Tata: Grandfather.
Tirar a la chuña: To throw something into the air and let everyone pick up what they can.
Tocarel violín: To be the third one accompanying a couple.
Tollo: Lie, exaggeration.
Tuto(hacer): To sleep. Tener tuto, to be sleepy.

U
Last: The worst, bad, lousy.

V
Vaca(make one): Collection of money among several. In the south, "hacer una cucha".
Viejo Verde: Older man who tends to flirt with women much younger than him.
Virarse: To leave, to withdraw from a place.

And
Yapa: Something you get for free, extra, as a gift.
Yunta: Best friend, companion, compadre.

Z
Zombie(walk like): Asleep, sleepy, half unconscious.

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