
The main reasoning for this is a lack of clear pronunciation and speed of speech. In addition, ‘- po ’ is added to the end of pretty much anything, either for emphasis, or because Chileans just feel like it: sipo, nopo, yapo, Miercoles’po, you name it! People have elevenses in the evening
Why do Chileans put Po at the end of everything?
In addition, ‘- po ’ is added to the end of pretty much anything, either for emphasis, or because Chileans just feel like it: sipo, nopo, yapo, Miercoles’po, you name it!
Why do Chileans pronounce “Po” as “-Po” when you say “Pino”?
The main reasoning for this is a lack of clear pronunciation and speed of speech. In addition, ‘- po ’ is added to the end of pretty much anything, either for emphasis, or because Chileans just feel like it: sipo, nopo, yapo, Miercoles’po, you name it!
What do Chileans say when they drink?
The Chileans love to drink, so this is an essential part of their vocabulary. Tengo caña! means, “I have a hangover!” This is very likely if you’ve been curado/curada or borracho/borracha, which means “drunk.” This simply means “trashy” or “chavvy.”
What are the most common slang words in Chile?
18 Chilean Slang Phrases You'll Need on Your Trip. 1 Wéon (spelt huevón) This is probably the most commonly used word in the Chilean language. It can be intended as a rude term, especially if used with ... 2 Bacán/la raja/filete. 3 Cachai? 4 El copete. 5 Carrete. More items

Why do Chileans say WEON?
weon: this is another very common word to hear, sometimes almost as often as every other word in a sentence. (If only that were an exaggeration.) Its meaning changes depending on tone and context, ranging from “dude” or “man” as a term of endearment, greeting, or familiar emphasis between friends (hola, weon!
How do you say girlfriend in Chile?
6. Pololo / Polola – Boyfriend or Girlfriend.
How do Chileans say cool?
Bacán. Bacán is a common expression for saying something is cool, brilliant or awesome. For instance, you could say esa carrete estuvo bacán, which means “that party was cool.”
Why is Chilean Spanish different?
Chilean Spanish dialects have distinctive pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and slang usages that differ from those of standard Spanish. The Royal Spanish Academy recognizes 2,214 words and idioms exclusively or mainly produced in Chilean Spanish, in addition to many still unrecognized slang expressions.
What is considered rude in Chile?
Point or beckon with your hand or even just your finger. It is considered very rude. Hit your left palm with your right fist. This is an offensive gesture in Chile.
What does pucha mean in Chile?
pity, disappointment, sympathyInterjection. pucha. (Argentina, Chile, Peru, colloquial) expresses pity, disappointment, sympathy quotations ▼synonyms ▲
What do you call a girl from Chile?
Chileans (Spanish: Chilenos) are people identified with the country of Chile, whose connection may be residential, legal, historical, ethnic, or cultural. For most Chileans, several or all of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their Chilean identity.
How do you say drunk in Chile?
Caña. The Chileans love to drink, so this is an essential part of their vocabulary. Tengo caña! means, “I have a hangover!” This is very likely if you've been curado/curada or borracho/borracha, which means “drunk.”
How do you say baby in Chilean?
GuaguaBebé → Guagua Some people say that we use the word guagua in Chile for “baby”, because it means “baby” in the Mapuche language, mapundungun. Others say that guagua is an onomatopoeia for the sound that babies make when they cry “guaaaaa guaaaa”.
Are Chileans Latino?
Chileans are mostly diverse, their ancestry can be fully South European as well as mixed with Indigenous and other European heritage. They commonly identify themselves as both Latino and white. Some Chilean-owned stores and restaurants advertise as French and Italian.
What is Chile slang?
CHILE is an Expression of Shock, Relief, or Humor. Here is more information about the definition of CHILE, with examples of use. CHILE (pronounced the same as "child" without the letter "d") is a slang term used to express shock, relief, or humor.
Why is the Chilean accent so hard to understand?
The aspiration of the 's' often makes it hard for those learning Spanish to distinguish where one word ends and another begins. Language learners are caught listening for a sound that they were taught in a traditional Spanish classroom that is not actually “pronounced” in the Chilean dialect.
Why do Chileans use "ay" at the end of their verbs?
When listening to a Chilean speaking, you will no doubt hear the sound 'ay' quite frequently. The reason for this is because Chileans often conjugate the second person singular (tú/you) with an 'i' instead of the usual 'as' at the end of their verbs.
What is the most used slang word in Chile?
The most used slang word in the entirity of Chile is 'weón' . This can be used to call someone dude, mate, fool, idiot, jerk, or even more offensive terms! The only way to really understand the meaning is to listen to the context in which it is said.
What does "estar más tonto que una puerta" mean?
Estar más tonto que una puerta = to be an idiot (literally means to be more stupid than a door !)
What does "estar pato" mean?
Estar pato = to be out of money (literally means to be a duck!)
Is political correctness in Chile?
But before you graduate from our one stop school of Chilean Spanish I should mention that the concept of political correctness doesn't really exist in Chile, so you may hear something that you find a bit offensive. A Chilean, however, is most likely not intending to insult anyone, so try and take things said with a pinch of salt.
What does "po" mean in Spanish?
“Po” is a derivative of the Spanish “pues” that is often used as a link between sentences or phrases in speaking. “Po” gets thrown on the end of many things. For example:
How many idioms are there in Chile?
This dictionary and phrasebook collects more than 1,500 terms and idioms, known as chilenismos, and expresses them in simple English. The book also explores the roots of chilenismos and explains the grammatical constructions and idiosyncratic speech patterns particular to Chileans.
What is the vo form in Chile?
However, Chileans like to use a customized version of the tú form. This is “vo.” This form is created by conjugating the verb in vosotros and then dropping the final ‘s’. The aforementioned examples become the following when using “vo”:
What is the official language of Chile?
Chilean Spanish. Chile’s official language is Spanish. If you want to be able to speak with a Chilean, use Spanish. Chileans, like many Latin Americans, speak Spanish as their primary language. When asked what language they speak, Chileans will often respond “Castellano” or Castilian instead of “Español.”. Chileans have adapted Spanish ...
Where are the indigenous people of Chile?
These people are found in the extreme north and southern parts of the country as well as on Easter Island.
What is the Spanish word for addressing a person?
The familiar form of addressing a person in Spanish is “tú.” This is usually conjugated like this:

Verb Endings
- First up: verbs. When listening to a Chilean speaking, you will no doubt hear the sound 'ay' quite frequently. The reason for this is because Chileans often conjugate the second person singular (tú/you) with an 'i' instead of the usual 'as' at the end of their verbs. For example, instead of asking ""¿Cómo estás?"" (How are you?), they will say ""¿C...
Slang Words
- Next on the cards: slang words. There's a ridiculous amount of Chilean slang words in existence (they even have a slang word for a Chilean slang word!) and remembering them all can feel like a bit of a losing battle at times. As such here's a handy list of some of the most common slang words used: 1. ¿Cachai?= get it? / do you understand? 2. Po= from the word 'pues' (well) and is ju…
Most Used Slang Word
Phrases
- Lesson number four: phrases. Once you've wrapped your head around the slang words the next conundrum is the weird but wonderful array of Chilean phrases. Here are a few of my personal favourites: 1. Estar más tonto que una puerta= to be an idiot (literally means to be more stupid than a door!) 2. Pellizcar la uva= to take someone's partner (literally means to steal someone's g…
School's Out
- Finally: graduation. But before you graduate from our one stop school of Chilean Spanish I should mention that the concept of political correctness doesn't really exist in Chile, so you may hear something that you find a bit offensive. A Chilean, however, is most likely not intending to insult anyone, so try and take things said with a pinch of salt. So with these (not so) wise words, go an…