111 Spanish Slangs From The Streets Of Peru

The Spanish language takes a whole new dimension in the pueblos of Peru where the indigenous tongues, such as Quechua, have had a profound impact on this tongue thereby creating the rich novelty that is Peruvian Spanish. The flavor of Spanish spoken in Peru, just like those spoken in any other culture, is an intricate assortment of jergas (slangs) and regional usage, often a far cry from the Spanish taught in schools, colleges, and other language institutions. Here, we have listed out some of the most common words and expressions of this dialect that we have gathered from our many Peruvian friends and the mighty Internet.

Slangs add interesting colors to the Spanish of Peru
Photo credit: Stefanie Schwarz licensed CC BY-SA 2.0

If the flavor of Spanish you wish to master in the long run is Peruvian, it would strongly be suggested that you familiarize yourself with these words and expressions that are commonplace in the streets of Peru. Please note that this list is far from complete and just in case you happen to be from Peru, your contribution will go a long way in enriching this post.

Incidentally, the language itself is better known as Castellano in this country as an expression of identity independent of Spain.

Careful with these words!

a su madre – an extremely Peruvian expression of surprise or shock, often shortened to “asu”

achorado – a low-life when used for a person and a despicable slum otherwise

al toque – right away

alacran – a foul smell typically from the armpit or feet

arrecho – horny

asado – furious (literally, “roasting”)

bacán/chévere/paja – cool, awesome

bamba – fake or counterfeit

blanca – cocaine

brichero – someone who woos a gringa in order to migrate to Europe or to get rich (reference to the English word, “bridge”)

brócoli/cabro/cabrócoli/chimbombo/brócoli/mostacero/mapero – a gay or effeminate man

bróder – friend, buddy (comes from the English word, “brother”)

caido del palto – a dork

calabaza/cojudo/corcho/huevon/monse – a stupid man, a dumbass, a dimwit

calato – naked

causa – a very close friend

cocho – an old man

cochudo – shameless

costilla – girlfriend (literally means “rib”, hence, a reference to the Biblical Eve coming from one of Adam’s ribs)

chancha – a whipround, usually toward beer, amongst friends

chato – a short man, used in a similar fashion to the English word, “shorty”

charapa – usually, a derogatory reference to a Peruvian from the jungle (literally, a species of turtle inhabiting the Peruvian Amazon)

chongo – brothel, whorehouse

chela – beer

chelear – to drink beer

chibolo – a teenage boy

chibolero – a man who dates a much younger girl

choche/chochera – friend, buddy

chucha/chicha/papaya – vagina (extremely vulgar)

chuta – a less vulgar alternative to chucha but used as a standalone interjection

cocho – an old man

cholo – a mestizo guy of the coast whose ancestors were serranos (people from the highlands)

combi/micro – a Peruvian bus

crudo – a gringo

chancho – a burp

choro – thief, robber

churro – a handsome man

estar pateando latas – to be jobless

fercho – driver, chauffeur

fetuccini – aweful

figureti – poser, show-off

flaco – boyfriend

floro – a lie, exaggeration, or flattery, usually, purposeful

florear – the verb for floro

frito – a negro

fumón – a dopehead

germa – girlfriend

grone – a negro (mostly found in neighborhood graffiti)

huachimán – a private watchman

jale – a person’s sex-appeal

jama – food

jamear – to eat

jato – house (from the Quechua word for house, “hatuchay”)

jugador – a promiscuous man

lechero – a lucky man (literally, a milkman or “full of milk”)

luca – one Nuevo Sol (the official currency of Peru)

mamacita – hot/sexy girl (a lecherous usage)

mamerto – a silly guy

mañoso – a lecherous man

mi viejo/viejita – my father/mother

misio/lacio – penniless, broke

¡Ni cagando! – No fuckin’ way!

pajear – to masturbate

pajero – someone who masturbates

pata – guy

pendejo – an cunning, untrustworthy man

pichanga – a casual game of kick-the-ball amongst friends

piña – ill-fate

pirañas – a bunch of thieving kids

pituco – a rich and snobbish man

por las puras – to kill time

por si las moscas – just in case

precioso/en canada – imprisoned

profe – a friendly term used by street vendors while calling out to well-dressed yuppies passing by

pucha – a softer alternative of puta used as an expression of sudden emotion, both negative and positive (disgust, surprise, relief, etc.); usage similar to the way “shoot” is used for “shit” in English

pucha maquina – a less vulgar alternative for puta madre

quitarse – to leave, to take off

rata – thief (literally, “a rat”)

recién bajando – someone who just came down from the highlands

roba foco – a tall guy

¡Roche! – What a shame!

ruca – a promiscuous girl

sherete – a fuck-buddy, a friend-with-benefit

sopa – cunnilingus (literally, “soup”)

sopero – someone who performs cunnilingus

terruco – terrorist

tombo – a cop

tonear/juergear – to party

tono/juerga – a party

¡Ya fuiste! – That ship has sailed!

¡Yara! – Watch out!

This was a glimpse of the slang words most commonly heard in the streets of Lima but there are many, many more. As always, It is only advisable that you exercise extreme caution while incorporating them in your conversations, especially the ones with particularly vulgar connotations. It will only help to hold your horses until you have heard enough first-hand examples from native speakers and thoroughly understand their severity in various contexts before you start producing them. And once again, we request you to contribute freely using the comments box below this post. Your contribution is critical to enriching our Spanish and that of all our readers.