Languages/Lenguajes

Languages/Lenguajes

If you are planning to travel to Peru, you can click in the buttom below to learn spanish.

Learn additional words or sentences of spanish spoken only in Peru. It is very important to talk to the natives in the jargon they speak. The slang listed in this page is spoken mostly in Lima and in the north region of Peru.

English ...... Peruvian slang

  • Friend = pata (or) carreta
  • something cool = es chevere (or) es bacan
  • police officer = tombo
  • thief = choro
  • omnibus (van) = combi
  • nice guy = gallada
  • police station = la comica
  • young woman = gila
  • brown nose = sobón
  • gay = maricón (or) ñoco
  • pretty woman = churro
  • have a lot of money = tiene bastante mosca (or) guita
  • have a party = pachanga
  • security guard = huachimán
  • tips = propinas
  • whistle blower = soplón
  • paper boy = canillita
  • jail = chirona
  • bald head = pelado
  • job = chamba
  • private eye = tira
  • succer = froilán
  • howdy = hola
  • bye = chao
  • see you later = nos vemos
  • woman = jerma
  • brawler = bochinchero
  • whiner = ayayero
  • soccer = futbol
  • handsome fellow = piedrón


  • gringo = yungay (DK)
  • bad luck = salado
  • girlfriend = flaca (DK)
  • girlfriend = costilla (DK)
  • money= plata (DK)
  • brown nose = chupa medias (DK)
  • jail = cana (DK)
  • pants = lompas (DK)
  • watch = bobo (DK)
  • tie = soga (DK)
  • shirt = mica (DK)
  • sneakers = tabas (DK)
  • child = chibolo (DK)
  • young teen = mocoso (DK)
  • to work = chambear (DK)
  • to steal = chorear (DK)
  • a pal = choche (DK)
  • circle of friends = chochera (DK)
  • to hit a slam dunk = clavar (DK)
  • two people making out in public = pulpos (DK)
  • no way = araque! (DK)
  • are you serious? = aburrrca! (DK)
  • someone from the mountains = serrano(a) (DK)
  • a Latin-American as opposed to a "gringo" = cholo(a) (DK)
  • blonde = cabeza de choclo (DK)
  • someone's house = jato (DK)
  • to hang around the house = jatear (DK)
  • an idiot = huaman (DK)
  • to get married = meter la soga (DK)
  • I have to do it, I don't have a choice = caballero, no mas! (DK)
  • to be hungry = estar con un filo (DK)
  • to have a nice body (a woman) = tener un buen chancho (DK)
  • to have luck = abrocharse (DK)
  • idiot, jerk = monse (DK)
  • fake or not real = bamba (DK)
  • bedroom = tocuar (DK)
  • pregnant woman = bolero (DK)
  • police car = burra (DK)
  • american money = cocos, gringas (DK)
  • friend = cumpa (DK)
  • beer = chela (DK)
  • soda = chela dulce, negra (DK)
  • big mouth = bocón, jetón (DK)


  • friend = pata, chochera, choche (EU)
  • something chever = maldito, paja, chevere, bacan, aluscinante (EU)
  • pretty woman, good-looking guy = cuero(EU)
  • girlfriend = hembrita (EU)
  • boyfriend, girlfriend = machuca fuerte (EU)
  • jail = cana (EU)
  • No way! = arranca! (EU)
  • sleep = jatear (EU)
  • boring = tela (EU)
  • stupid, dumb = monse (EU)
  • to party = tonear (EU)
  • drink (alcohol) = chupar (EU)
  • to eat = jamear (EU)
  • come with me = hazme la taba (EU)
  • throw up = buitrear (EU)
  • restroom = ñoba (EU)
  • thsirt = polo (EU)
  • guy = cuñado, amigo (EU)
  • mother = vieja (EU)
  • father = viejo (EU)
  • house = jato (EU)
  • truck = mionca (EU)
  • to walk = latear (EU)
  • circle of friends = collera (EU)
  • to kiss (tongue) = agarrar (EU)
  • to go out and try to score with no pretty girls = bagrear (EU)
  • person = punta (EU)

    Spanish was originated in Spain and is also officially spoken in: Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Equatorial Guinea, Ecuador, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Panamá, El Salvador, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

    Si algun lector conoce mas modismos, mucho agradeceré enviarlos para incluirlos aqui.
    Gracias.

    Acknowledgements/Reconocimientos:

    Thanks much to:
    David Kelly a Texan who lived in Peru and sent me with more slang listed above and noted (DK)

    Enrique Urena a Peruvian who sent me the "jerga" listed above and noted (EU)

    Nedstat Counter

    Updated on 04/16/00



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