Chilean Slang phrases and words in English
Chilean Spanish has a reputation across Latin America for being the hardest to understand — and that's exactly what makes it so fun to crack. It's fast, packed with filler words, and bends grammar in ways no textbook teaches (wait until you meet 'cachái'). Learn these ten and you'll unlock a dialect that even other Spanish speakers struggle with — and sound like you've actually spent time in Santiago.
10 phrases · meanings & example sentences
“Po”
A worn-down version of 'pues', tacked onto the end of sentences for emphasis — 'sí po', 'no po', 'ya po'. It means almost nothing on its own but is everywhere in Chilean speech, like a verbal full stop. Master this one tiny syllable and your Spanish instantly gets a Chilean accent.
- Sí po, vamos ahora. — Yeah, let's go now.
- No po, no me gusta. — Nope, I don't like it.
- Ya po, apúrate. — Come on, hurry up.
“Cachái”
From the English 'to catch', this means 'you get it?' or 'you know?' and Chileans sprinkle it through every conversation. It also shows off the Chilean 'voseo' verb endings (-ái instead of -as), so this single word teaches you both a slang habit and a whole grammar quirk at once.
- Es como caro, pero vale la pena, ¿cachái? — It's kind of expensive, but worth it, you know?
- No cachái nada de fútbol. — You don't know anything about football.
- ¿Cachái lo que te digo? — Do you get what I'm saying?
“Weón / weona”
The most Chilean word of all — it can mean 'dude', 'idiot', 'guy', or just be empty filler, depending entirely on tone. The same 'weón' can be an insult or a term of deep affection between friends. Learning to read which is which is basically a rite of passage into Chilean Spanish.
- Oye weón, ¿vamos a comer? — Hey dude, shall we go eat?
- No seái weón, eso no se hace. — Don't be an idiot, you don't do that.
- Ese weón es mi mejor amigo. — That guy is my best friend.
“Al tiro”
Means 'right away', 'immediately', 'in a sec' — one of the most useful everyday expressions in Chile. The funny part is that 'al tiro' is famously flexible: it can mean 'this very second' or 'sometime soon-ish', and only context tells you which. A small phrase with very Chilean timing.
- Voy al tiro. — I'm coming right away.
- Lo hago al tiro, no te preocupís. — I'll do it right now, don't worry.
- Llegamos al tiro. — We'll be there in a sec.
“Carrete / carretear”
A 'carrete' is a party or night out, and 'carretear' is the verb — to go out partying. 'Buen carrete' means a great night. It's the heart of Chilean social life and the word you'll need the moment anyone invites you out on a Friday.
- ¿Hay carrete el sábado? — Is there a party on Saturday?
- Anoche carreteamos hasta tarde. — Last night we partied until late.
- Estuvo bueno el carrete. — The party was great.
“Pololear (pololo / polola)”
A 'pololo' or 'polola' is a boyfriend or girlfriend, and 'pololear' means to date or go steady — uniquely Chilean words you won't hear elsewhere. They sit perfectly between 'just talking' and 'engaged', filling a relationship stage that English handles awkwardly. Genuinely useful for talking about love, Chilean-style.
- ¿Tienes polola? — Do you have a girlfriend?
- Llevamos seis meses pololeando. — We've been dating for six months.
- Su pololo es súper buena onda. — Her boyfriend is really cool.
“Fome”
Means boring, dull, or lame — the go-to word when something is a letdown. 'Qué fome' is the Chilean sigh of disappointment. It's short, expressive, and so common that you'll find yourself reaching for it instead of the textbook 'aburrido' almost immediately.
- La película estuvo súper fome. — The movie was really boring.
- Qué fome que no puedas venir. — What a bummer you can't come.
- No seái fome, ven al carrete. — Don't be lame, come to the party.
“Cuático”
Describes anything intense, crazy, over-the-top, or hard to believe — good or bad. A wild story, a dramatic person, a shocking situation: all 'cuático'. Its sheer flexibility makes it a favorite, and reaching for it at the right moment is a quick way to sound naturally Chilean.
- Fue cuático lo que pasó ayer. — What happened yesterday was crazy.
- Esa persona es muy cuática. — That person is really intense.
- Qué cuático el accidente, menos mal nadie salió herido. — The accident was wild, thank goodness nobody got hurt.
“Filo”
A perfectly dismissive little word meaning 'whatever', 'forget it', or 'never mind'. When you've decided to let something go, you just say 'filo'. It captures a whole shrug in two syllables — the kind of effortless slang that makes you sound relaxed rather than rehearsed.
- No me invitaron, pero filo. — They didn't invite me, but whatever.
- Filo, ya no importa. — Forget it, it doesn't matter anymore.
- Si no quiere venir, filo. — If he doesn't want to come, never mind.
“Bacán”
The all-purpose Chilean word for 'cool', 'awesome', or 'great'. A plan, a person, a piece of news — if you like it, it's 'bacán'. It's positive, easy to drop into any sentence, and the natural reply when someone shares good news with you.
- ¡Qué bacán que te dieron el trabajo! — How awesome that you got the job!
- Esa canción está bacán. — That song is great.
- Lo pasamos bacán en la playa. — We had an awesome time at the beach.
