Chilean Vocabulary Dictionary

According to Middlebury programs. Take with grain of salt.

A pata

To walk a long distance without using a vehicle, i.e., on foot.

Achuntar

To hit the mark, to get to the point.

Al lote

Disordered, relaxed.

Al tiro

Immediately.

Amarrete

Selfish, stingy.

Apechugar

To contend with adverse situations, face problems responsibly.

Aperrar

To have a good disposition, be a fighter, do things despite adverse conditions.

Apestarse

To get angry, upset, or bored.

Apitutado

Someone who has good contacts and achieves objectives through them.

Apretar cachete

To flee, to escape.

Arrugar

To back down, repent, desist.

Bacán

Good, incredible, excellent, spectacular.

Barsa

Fresh, shameless.

Botado (alguien)

To be alone, abandoned, or tired.

Brígido

Complicated, difficult, very complex situation.

Cabra/o

Girl/boy, young person.

Cabritas

Popcorn.

Cachar

To look, understand, grasp. ‘¿Cachai?’: Did you understand?

Cacharro

An old or damaged car.

Cacho/ito

A problem, something difficult to resolve or unattractive.

Caleta

A lot, quite a bit.

Canchero

A person with a lot of personality, very daring.

Caradura

Shameless, bold, out of place.

Carrete

Party, fun.

Chato

Annoyed or exhausted.

Chela

Beer.

Copete

Portion of alcoholic drink.

Cuático

Exaggerated, overly dramatic.

Cuico

A person who is upper-class and it shows.

Dar pelota

To pay attention to someone.

Dónde la viste

No, impossible, how could you think!

Embarrarla

To ruin something or a situation.

Encachado

Used to describe something top, good, or novel.

Enrollado

Involved, very sensitive. Entangled.

Estirar la pata

To die.

Flaite

A derogatory term for people from street culture with vulgar tastes.

Filete

Very good, excellent.

Filo

Does not matter.

Fome

Boring.

Funado

Lacking motivation, demotivated, down.

Gallo/a

Used to refer to a young person.

Gamba

100 pesos.

Ganso(a)

Dumb, naive.

Gil

Dumb, foolish.

Guata

Belly, stomach.

Hinchar

To annoy, insist.

Huaso

Chilean peasant.

Huevón o weón

Idiot, stupid / Person / Friend.

Inflar (a alguien)

To pay attention, take into account.

Jote

Someone who shamelessly tries to hit on women to the point of being annoying.

Usar al chancho

To exceed, overstep, abuse.

La papa

The best, a good lead, a good deal.

Lata

Boredom, demotivation.

Lenteja

Slow, calm, laid-back.

Lesear

To bother, entertain oneself, goof off.

Luca

One thousand pesos.

Lolo(a)

Young man/woman.

Manso

Tremendous, large, immense.

Marraqueta

A type of bread.

Mina

Woman, attractive girl.

Ni ahí

I don't care.

Nos cachamos

See you.

Once

A meal corresponding to tea time.

Onda

Vibe, energy (negative or positive).

Pato malo

A person with bad intentions.

Patudo

Someone who is very bold, a bit of an abuser.

Pavo

Foolish, slow, not agile.

Peinar la muñeca

To be slightly crazy.

Pelar

To criticize or speak badly of someone in their absence.

Pelusón

Annoying, messy. Poor child.

Penca

Something bad, boring, dull, of poor quality.

Picado

To be offended, resentful, or envious of another person.

Pichanga

Casual, non-professional soccer game.

Piola

Unnoticed.

Pituto

Someone who has good contacts and gets objectives through them.

Po

A term that accompanies an affirmation or negation.

Pololo/a

A formal partner when not married.

Pucho

Cigarette.

Rasca

Of poor quality, not refined, vulgar.

Rayado

Crazy, extravagant.

Rayar la papa

To do or say meaningless things, to be repetitive, to be slightly crazy.

Roto

Someone with poor manners.

Sacar la cresta

To hit someone, to injure oneself.

Tata

Grandfather.

¿Te tinca?

Does that sound good to you?

Tuto

To sleep. ‘Tener tuto’ = to be sleepy.

Tóxico

A term for something bad, unpleasant, terrible.

Vaca

Collective money contribution. Also used derogatorily for clumsy or foolish.

Vale Callampa

Without value, unimportant.

Volado

Distracted, unaware, forgetful. A person under the influence of drugs.