
The Ultimate Latin American Spanish Vocabulary List: 50+ Phrases for Getting Around
If you’re going on one of those classic tours of Latin America, you need the linguistic tools to make friends fast, flirt and have fun.
The good news: you don’t need to be completely fluent in Spanish.
In this post, you’ll get the ultimate Latin American Spanish vocabulary list so you can chat with locals, get around the country and fit in.
Plus, some grammatical differences with European Spanish.
Contents
- Basic Latin American Spanish Vocabulary Words
- Spanish Words from Argentina
- Spanish Words from Bolivia
- Spanish Words from the Caribbean
- Spanish Words from Central America
- Spanish Words from Chile
- Spanish Words from Colombia
- Spanish Words from Ecuador
- Spanish Words from Mexico
- Spanish Words from Peru
- Spanish Words from Uruguay
- Spanish Words from Venezuela
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Basic Latin American Spanish Vocabulary Words
- Hola — Hello
- ¿Cómo estás? (Informal) / ¿Cómo está? (Formal) — How are you?
- ¿Qué tal? — What’s up?
- ¿Cómo vas? — How’s it going? (Informal)
- Buenos días / Buenas tardes / Buenas noches — Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening, goodnight
- Buenas — Can be used as a greeting in any part of the day.
- ¿Cómo te llamas? (Informal) / ¿Cómo se llama? (Formal) — What’s your name?
- Me llamo… / Mi nombre es… — My name is…
- Mucho gusto — Nice to meet you
- Igualmente — Likewise
- ¿De dónde eres? (Informal) / ¿De dónde es? (Formal) — Where are you from?
- Soy de… — I’m from…
- ¿Cuántos años tienes? (Informal) / ¿Cuántos años tiene? (Formal) — How old are you?
- ¿Dónde está…? — Where is…?
- Disculpe, una pregunta… — Excuse me, one question…
- Por favor — Please
- Gracias — Thanks
- De nada — You’re welcome
- Adiós — Goodbye
- Sí — Yes
- No — No
- Claro / Claro que sí — Of course
- Lo siento — I’m sorry
Spanish Words from Argentina
- Vos — Replaces tú as the informal “you” in Argentina, Uruguay, parts of Bolivia and Paraguay (It’s also used in places like Chile but is considered substandard there)
- Con vos — With you (used instead of contigo)
- Para vos — For you (used instead of para ti)
- Pronunciation of Y and LL — Argentinians move their tongue up a bit and voice these letters so that they sound like the middle consonant in “pleasure”
- Che — Dude (it can also be used for emphasis)
- Macana — Nonsense, lies
- Chango — Young guy
It’s important to note that vos has its own conjugations. Here’s an in-depth guide to them:
Voseo: The Use of “Vos” in Spanish | FluentU Spanish Blog
Understanding voseo, the use of vos, is very important for Spanish learners. Tú isn’t the only informal “you” in Spanish—you’ll also hear vos used in many countries…
Check out these posts to learn more Argentinian Spanish:
Learn Argentinian Spanish and Converse Like a True Argentine (Essential Words, Phrases and More!) | FluentU Spanish Blog
Want to learn Argentinian Spanish? Heading to Argentina soon, or have you met an Argentine friend? If so, we’ve got you covered! Here you’ll find essential words to help…
10 Argentinian Slang Words You’ll Hear Every Day [with Examples] | FluentU Spanish Blog
Argentinian slang could be the culprit behind you still not understanding your Argentine friends like you do your Spanish textbook. Click here to learn 10 commonly used…
7 Must-know Uses of the Word “Boludo” in Argentina | FluentU Spanish Blog
If you’re heading to Argentina, there’s one word you’ve absolutely got to know: “boludo”. Read this guide to find out everything you need to know about using this word!…
Spanish Words from Bolivia
- Cuate — Friend
- Chupar — To drink (alcohol)
- Chaqui — Hangover
- Tombo — Police
- Opa — Idiot
- Imilla — Girl, young woman (may come off as rude, use with caution)
- Llocalla / Yocalla — Boy, young man (may come off as rude, use with caution)
Learn more Bolivian Spanish here:
Bolivian Spanish: What Makes It Unique, Plus 50 Essential Phrases and Slang | FluentU Spanish Blog
Bolivian Spanish is the most common language in Bolivia, which is a diverse country with more than 60 languages. It’s significantly influenced by Quechua, an indigenous…
Spanish Words from the Caribbean
- Mixing of R and L — Feel free to invert these consonants, as many Caribbeans do. Some say, for example, puelta instead of puerta (door).
- Disappearing S’s — As in many other parts (particularly coastal parts) of Latin America, the S’s for most speakers are replaced by aspirated H’s.
- Una fría — Beer (informal) (literally it means “a cold one”)
- Tumba eso — Forget about it / Let the subject drop
- Te pasaste de maquillaje — You’ve gone too far (literally, “you’ve overused your makeup”)
- ¿Qué bolá? — What’s up?
- Acere — Friendly
- Jamar — To eat
Learn some more Caribbean Spanish vocabulary with these guides:
Dominican Spanish: 6 Linguistic Twists You’ve Got to Know | FluentU Spanish Blog
Dominican Spanish is different from other Spanish dialects, from its slang to pronunciation. This dialect has its linguistic twists on Spanish vocabulary, grammar and…
Cuban Spanish: All About Cuba’s Unique Language Variety | FluentU Spanish Blog
Interested in Cuban Spanish? Read this post to learn all about this fascinating variety of island Spanish. We cover history, pronunciation and of course all that fun and…
Puerto Rican Spanish: What Makes It Unique, Plus 14 Colorful Phrases | FluentU Spanish Blog
Puerto Rican Spanish has its own distinct qualities, including sometimes removing consonants like R and D sometimes and even shortening common words. Learn about them in…
31 Dominican Slang Terms for Your Next Caribbean Getaway | FluentU Spanish Blog
Dominican slang terms—also known as dominicanismos—are among the funniest and most creative you’ll find in the Spanish language. In this post, you’ll find 31 cool…
Spanish Words from Central America
- Drop your S’s, and sometimes D’s — At the end of words, these consonants usually disappear in Central American pronunciation. The S’s can become just a puff of air, pronounced like H’s.
- Chero — Friend
- Chepe — Nickname for the city of San José
- ¡Pura vida! — Cheers!, Hello!, Doing great! (Costa Rican)
- Mae — Dude, Man (it’s now sometimes used for women too)
- Jalar — To go (informal)
- Ir jalando — To get going
- ¡Upe! — What you shout outside someone’s gate to get their attention if they don’t have a doorbell
Here are more guides to Central American Spanish:
37 Costa Rican Slang Words and Phrases from the World’s Happiest Country | FluentU Spanish Blog
Learning Costa Rican slang will help you understand conversations and the culture in Costa Rica! Click here to see 37 Costa Rican slang words to sound like a native, like…
8 Nicaraguan Slang Words and Phrases to Give Your Spanish Local Flavor | FluentU Spanish Blog
Need some cool Nicaraguan slang? Then check out this post, where we explain this unique variety of Spanish and tell you where to learn and practice Nicaraguan Spanish…
Honduran Spanish: Common Words and Phrases and Why You Should Learn More | FluentU Spanish Blog
Honduran Spanish is useful for anyone traveling to Honduras, but there’s plenty to learn even if you’re staying home! In this post, you’ll get an overview of the Spanish…
Guide to Panamanian Spanish: 25 Common Phrases and “Spanglish” Words | FluentU Spanish Blog
Panamanian Spanish has a few unique features that you should learn if you’re planning to visit Panama. Check out our guide to this regional dialect, with 25 words and…
10 Key Panamanian Slang Words to Impress Your Panamanian Friends | FluentU Spanish Blog
Knowing Panamanian slang is a great way for you to learn more about the culture and fit in better with the people that live there! This post will show you 10 of the most…
Spanish Words from Chile
- ¿Qué onda? — How are you?
- ¿Qué onda, microonda? — A very cheesy and childish version that literally means: “What wave, microwave?”
- Huevón — Guy / Dude (some Chileans insert it into most of their sentences as a meaningless interjection)
- The –ái and –í endings — In the informal second-person forms of the verbs you’ll often hear (but not see written, except possibly in text messages and the like) different endings than what you were taught in school
Verbs ending in –ar will often get –ái endings, as in bailar (to dance) → Bailái (you dance).
Verbs ending in -er and -ir will get an –í ending, as with poder (to be able to) → Podí (you can).
Notice how, even though it’s informal speech, it follows a standard rule of Spanish. Since these endings take the stress on the last syllable, the spelling changes that normally “corrupt” certain stressed vowels don’t happen here (it’s not puedí).
Check out this guide to learn more Chilean Spanish:
22 Top Chilean Slang Words to Chat Like a Chileno | FluentU Spanish Blog
Chilean slang might be the missing step in your quest for Spanish fluency. If you’ve ever felt lost watching Chilean TV, talking to your language partner or listening to…
Spanish Words from Colombia
- Sardina — A very young woman (specific to Bogotá)
- Estar enguayabado — To have a hangover
- Parce — Friend (informal)
- Berraquera — Energy, enthusiasm (can also mean “a good thing”)
- Hacer algo con berraquera — To do something with spunk or pizzazz
Learn more Colombian Spanish here:
25 Common Colombian Spanish Phrases With a Guide to Regional Accents | FluentU Spanish Blog
What sets Colombian Spanish apart from other types of Spanish? Read this post to learn 25 unique phrases common in Colombian Spanish, from “¿Quihubo parce?” (What’s up,…
Spanish Words from Ecuador
Explore more words and phrases from Ecuador with these posts:
Ecuadorian Spanish 101: Speak Like Locals in the Amazon, the Galapagos Islands and More | FluentU Spanish Blog
Ecuadorian Spanish is essential to learn if you’re traveling to Ecuador or frequently chat with Ecuadorian friends or family. Click here to learn everything you need to…
103 Ecuadorian Slang Words to Give Vim and Vigor to Your Spanish | FluentU Spanish Blog
Ecuadorian slang is extremely colorful and diverse and the more of it you know, the better you’ll be able to communicate. Whether it’s in the city, on the coast, or in the…
Spanish Words from Mexico
- Chido — Cool
- Lana — Money
- Wey / Güey — Dude / Guy (used in greetings and as a meaningless interjection)
- Chela — Beer
- Chones — Underwear
- Fuchi — Yuck
- Carnal — Friend, brother
- Compa — Friend
- Pedo — Problem, thing (as an adjective, it means “drunk”)
- ¿Qué pedo? — What’s up?
You can find tons more Mexican Spanish vocabulary in this guide:
Mexican Slang: 50 Spanish Words and Expressions to Sound Like a Local | FluentU Spanish Blog
Mexican slang is both important to know and fun to use. This guide will show you 50 of the most common Mexican slang terms and how they are used. We will also cover why…
Spanish Words from Peru
- Pe — Well, then (shortened version of “pues“)
- Pitrimitri — Awesome
- Pata — Friend, guy
Master more Peruvian slang words here:
46 Peruvian Slang Words That’ll Help You Fit in With the Locals | FluentU Spanish Blog
Peruvian slang is a must-know if you visit the country. Being able to understand colloquialisms that the Peruvian people use can make the difference between making a…
Spanish Words from Uruguay
Check out this post for more Uruguayan phrases:
Speak Uruguayan Spanish Like a Native with 10 Common Expressions
Planning a visit to Uruguay? Here are 10 uniquely Uruguayan Spanish Expressions and some insight on what you might expect to hear on the streets of this Latin American…
Spanish Words from Venezuela
- ¡De pinga! — Awesome! (informal)
- Vaina — Thing (very informal)
- ¡Qué vaina! — What a drag!
- Guayoyo — Large, weak black coffee
- Chivo — Boss
Learn how to sound even more Venezuelan when speaking Spanish with this guide:
50 Venezuelan Slang Terms to Help You Fit in With the Locals | FluentU Spanish Blog
Venezuelan slang is sure to come in handy whenever you’re in the country or with people from there. By learning these terms, you’ll be able to understand Venezuelans…
Of course, there are so many more fun and ultra-local words and phrases (not to mention languages!) to discover in Latin America.
This post is meant to get your foot in the door and spark some interesting conversations with your new panas/compas/parces/cheros/aceres…
Go meet them!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)