Regardless of how many languages you study, you´ll almost never learn the slang terms unless you spend time in a specific location. Luckily, we got in touch with some native Peruvians to teach us everything we need to know before a trip to Machu Picchu. Read on to familiarize yourself with the top 10 Peruvian Slang Terms You Need to Know.
Soroche
Especially if you plan to visit the high altitude, mountainous areas of Peru, and you will (Hello, Machu Picchu), you’ll definitely learn the term soroche. Not exactly slang, but it´s a word often used by locals to imply altitude sickness. Some visitors get dizzy or nauseous just from being thousands of feet above sea-level, so a trek further up can be a cause for concern.
No worries. Locals have just the remedy for your soroche–¨mate de coca¨ (coca leaf tea). Locals swear by this remedy, which is said to regulate oxygen in the bloodstream so you can function in the high altitude.
Calabaza
If you´ve made it to the fruits and vegetables portion of your Spanish language course, you’ve probably learned that calabaza means ¨pumpkin¨. However, in Lima, calabaza is also used to describe someone who is slow or dim-witted. Like a carved pumpkin, a ¨calabaza¨ has a hollow head.
Bacán
In Peru, Bacan is one of the most common forms of agreeable opinion of something or someone. The word roughly translates to ¨cool¨.
Luca
Less common than the other terms, the luca sometimes refers to the currency. In Peru, the
currency is officially called the ¨sol¨. Using luca in its place is like using ¨buck¨instead of ¨dollar¨.
Bamba
Keep an ear open for this word when browsing for sales at the local markets. ¨Bamba¨ refers to a fake product — a knock off. Be careful where you shop or you might end up with a ¨bufanda de alpaca bamba¨.
Hacer chancha
Not too fast. If a Peruvian suggests ¨hagamos chancha¨ they don’t mean the literal translation ¨let’s make a pig¨. Instead, they’re only suggesting everyone ¨chip in” for something. Usually, alcohol. So save a couple lucas. Chancha is the way to go.
Chelas
Almost every Latin American country has their own slang term for beer, and Peru is no different. Instead of the widely accepted ¨cerveza¨, help yourself to a chela. Make it a verb, and the word becomes ¨chelar¨. ¨Vamos a chelar esta noche!¨
Huasca
High altitude sure messes with a lot of things, and drinking is one of them. You’ll soon notice you need less chelas to start feeling drunk, but careful not to get ¨huasca¨–Peru´s word for ¨wasted¨ or ¨hammered¨.
Tono
Party=fiesta! Easy, right? But the local Peruvian word is a ¨tono¨. ¨Tonear¨means ¨to go party¨. So, chug a couple of ¨chelas¨, head out to the ¨tono¨, and don’t get too ¨huasca¨!
Pata
The official translation for ¨pata¨ means “animal leg or paw”.
But just like your ¨right hand¨, Peruvians consider their ¨pata¨ to be a very close friend. Another version is ¨causa¨, however, this term is such hardcore slang that it would be strange to hear a foreigner use it.