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Jerga de El Salvador

The 20 words and phrases you’ll hear in El Salvador, with friendly pronunciation, 3 examples each, games and dialogues to practice.

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Paso 1

Las 20 · The 20 words and phrases

Salvadorans call themselves 'guanacos', and the RAE records the word as a Central American name for people from El Salvador. Friends talk with 'vos' (sos, sentate, tenés), and much of the slang is shared with Guatemala and Honduras.

Tap any word to see its meaning, 3 examples and a cultural note. Pronunciation: the CAPITAL syllable is stressed. 🔊 uses your device’s Spanish voice, so the accent may not match El Salvador exactly.

guanaco, guanaca/gwah-NAH-koh/Salvadoran (person or thing)

wordcasual, proud [gua-na-co]

Literally: guanaco (a llama-like animal)

3 examples

  • Soy guanaca y orgullosa de mi país.I'm Salvadoran and proud of my country.
  • Las pupusas son comida guanaca.Pupusas are Salvadoran food.
  • Mi vecino es guanaco, de San Miguel.My neighbor is Salvadoran, from San Miguel.

Salvadorans often use it with pride, but in several countries 'guanaco' can also mean 'simpleton', so let Salvadorans set the tone.

cipote, cipota/see-POH-teh/kid, child

wordcasual, affectionate [ci-po-te]

3 examples

  • Los cipotes juegan en el parque.The kids are playing in the park.
  • Cuando era cipota, vivía en Santa Ana.When I was a little girl, I lived in Santa Ana.
  • ¿Cuántos cipotes tenés?How many kids do you have?

Warning: in Spain this word is vulgar. Use it only in a Central American context (El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua).

bicho, bicha/BEE-choh/kid, young person

wordcasual [bi-cho]

Literally: bug, critter

3 examples

  • Los bichos salen de la escuela a las doce.The kids get out of school at noon.
  • Esa bicha es mi sobrina.That girl is my niece.
  • Cuando era bicho, jugaba fútbol en la calle.When I was a kid, I played soccer in the street.

Warning: in Puerto Rico and some other countries 'bicho' is vulgar. In El Salvador it is an everyday word for kids.

chivo, chiva/CHEE-boh/cool, great, nice

wordcasual [chi-vo]

Literally: young goat

3 examples

  • ¡Qué chivo tu celular nuevo!Your new phone is so cool!
  • La playa El Tunco está bien chiva.El Tunco beach is really nice.
  • Estuvo chivo el partido de la Selecta.The national team's game was great.

Iconic Salvadoran slang ('¡Qué chivo!' = 'How cool!'), also heard in Costa Rica. In other countries 'chivo' can mean very different things.

pisto/PEES-toh/money

wordcasual [pis-to]

3 examples

  • Ando sin pisto, ¿me prestás para el bus?I'm broke, can you lend me money for the bus?
  • Ese carro cuesta mucho pisto.That car costs a lot of money.
  • Estoy ahorrando pisto para las vacaciones.I'm saving money for the vacation.

Also Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. False friend: in Mexico 'pisto' is an alcoholic drink, and in Spain a vegetable stew.

chero, chera/CHEH-roh/buddy, friend

wordcasual, affectionate [che-ro]

3 examples

  • Vos sos mi chero desde el colegio.You've been my buddy since school.
  • Voy al cine con mis cheros.I'm going to the movies with my friends.
  • Mi chera me ayudó con la mudanza.My friend helped me with the move.

Often said with voseo: 'Sos mi chero' (You're my buddy).

cachimbón, cachimbona/kah-cheem-BOHN/awesome, top quality; (of a person) cool, easygoing

wordvery casual [ca-chim-bón]

3 examples

  • El concierto estuvo cachimbón.The concert was awesome.
  • Tu tía es bien cachimbona.Your aunt is really cool.
  • ¡Qué cachimbón te quedó el dibujo!Your drawing turned out awesome!

Very informal: great with friends, not for school essays or work emails.

chambre/CHAHM-breh/gossip

wordcasual [cham-bre]

3 examples

  • No me contés chambres de la vecina.Don't tell me gossip about the neighbor.
  • En la oficina siempre hay chambre.There's always gossip at the office.
  • Eso es puro chambre, no es cierto.That's just gossip, it's not true.

Also used in Guatemala and Honduras.

chucho/CHOO-choh/stingy, cheap (person)

wordcasual, teasing [chu-cho]

3 examples

  • No seás chucho, compartí tus papas.Don't be stingy, share your fries.
  • Mi primo es bien chucho, nunca invita.My cousin is really stingy, he never treats anyone.
  • Solo dejó un dólar de propina; es medio chucho.He only left a one-dollar tip; he's kind of cheap.

In Guatemala and much of Latin America 'chucho' means 'dog'. Avoid the feminine form outside Central America: it is vulgar in parts of South America.

chumpa/CHOOM-pah/jacket

wordcasual [chum-pa]

3 examples

  • Llevá la chumpa, va a llover.Take your jacket, it's going to rain.
  • Me regalaron una chumpa de la Selecta.They gave me a national team jacket.
  • Dejé mi chumpa en el bus.I left my jacket on the bus.

Usually traced to English 'jumper'. Also used in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

shuco, shuca/SHOO-koh/dirty

wordcasual [shu-co]

3 examples

  • Tus tenis están bien shucos.Your sneakers are really dirty.
  • No te sentés ahí, la silla está shuca.Don't sit there, the chair is dirty.
  • El perro regresó shuco del río.The dog came back dirty from the river.

Also Guatemala, where 'shuco' is also a popular street hot dog.

colocho, colocha/koh-LOH-choh/curly-haired; (noun) a curl

wordcasual, affectionate [co-lo-cho]

3 examples

  • Mi hija es colocha como su papá.My daughter has curly hair like her dad.
  • Con el calor, se me pone el pelo colocho.In the heat, my hair gets curly.
  • El bebé tiene unos colochos preciosos.The baby has lovely curls.

Also used in Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica.

goma/GOH-mah/hangover

wordcasual [go-ma]

Literally: rubber, gum

3 examples

  • Mi tío amaneció de goma después de la fiesta.My uncle woke up hungover after the party.
  • Dicen que una sopa de res es buena para la goma.They say beef soup is good for a hangover.
  • No vino al partido porque andaba de goma.He didn't come to the game because he was hungover.

Common patterns: 'andar/estar de goma'. Also common in Guatemala, Honduras and other Central American countries.

muchá/moo-CHAH/guys, folks (to address friends)

wordcasual [mu-chá]

3 examples

  • ¡Muchá, ya están las pupusas!Guys, the pupusas are ready!
  • Muchá, la reunión es a las tres.Folks, the meeting is at three.
  • Apúrense, muchá, que perdemos el bus.Hurry up, guys, or we'll miss the bus.

From 'muchachos'. Also heard in Guatemala and Honduras.

¡vaya pues!/BAH-yah pwehs/OK then; alright; bye then

phrasecasual [va-ya pues]

Literally: go then

3 examples

  • —Nos vemos mañana. —¡Vaya pues!—See you tomorrow. —OK then!
  • Vaya pues, te espero en la pupusería.Alright, I'll wait for you at the pupusería.
  • —¿Me llamás más tarde? —Vaya pues.—Will you call me later? —Sure.

A Salvadoran signature, used to agree or to close a conversation. In fast speech it can sound like 'ba pue'.

¡a la púchica!/ah lah POO-chee-kah/wow!; oh my gosh!

phrasecasual [a la pú-chi-ca]

3 examples

  • ¡A la púchica, qué calor hace hoy!Oh my gosh, it's so hot today!
  • ¡A la púchica! Se me olvidó el celular.Oh no! I forgot my phone.
  • ¡A la púchica, qué grande está tu hijo!Wow, your son is so big!

A softened (euphemistic) exclamation, fine in front of family. Short form: ¡púchica!

ese es otro pisto/EH-seh ehs OH-troh PEES-toh/that's a different story / another matter

phrasecasual [e-se es o-tro pis-to]

Literally: that's other money

3 examples

  • Jugar bien, sí; ganar la copa, ese es otro pisto.Playing well, yes; winning the cup is another story.
  • Hablar inglés es fácil; escribirlo, ese es otro pisto.Speaking English is easy; writing it is a different story.
  • Comprar la casa, sí; pagarla, ese es otro pisto.Buying the house, sure; paying for it is another matter.

Recorded as Salvadoran in the Diccionario de americanismos. Uses 'pisto' (money).

¿qué onda?/KEH OHN-dah/what's up?; what's going on?

phrasecasual [qué on-da]

Literally: what wave?

3 examples

  • ¿Qué onda, chero? ¿Cómo estás?What's up, buddy? How are you?
  • ¿Qué onda con la fiesta del sábado?What's the deal with Saturday's party?
  • ¿Qué onda? ¿Vamos a la playa el domingo?What's up? Are we going to the beach on Sunday?

Shared with Mexico and the rest of Central America; often paired with 'vos'.

por si las de hule/pohr see lahs deh OO-leh/just in case

phrasecasual, playful [por si las de hu-le]

Literally: in case the rubber ones

3 examples

  • Llevá paraguas, por si las de hule.Take an umbrella, just in case.
  • Compré más tortillas, por si las de hule.I bought more tortillas, just in case.
  • Guardá el número del taxi, por si las de hule.Save the taxi number, just in case.

A playful twist on 'por si las moscas' / 'por si acaso'. Also used in Honduras.

¡aguas!/AH-gwahs/watch out!; heads up!

phrasecasual [a-guas]

Literally: waters!

3 examples

  • ¡Aguas, que viene un carro!Watch out, a car is coming!
  • ¡Aguas con el comal, está caliente!Careful with the griddle, it's hot!
  • ¡Aguas! Hay un hoyo en la calle.Heads up! There's a pothole in the street.

Also very common in Mexico and Guatemala.

Paso 2

Tarjetas · Flashcards

Say the meaning out loud, then tap the card to check.

Paso 3

Quiz · ¿Lo sabes?

10 quick questions: match each word with its meaning. You get instant feedback.

Paso 4

Diálogos · Dialogues

Three conversations, from beginner to advanced. Together they use all 20. Read and listen first, then press Practicar to fill in the blanks.

En la pupusería (Principiante · Beginner)

Friends Carlos, Karla and Andrés meet for dinner at a pupusería in San Salvador.

  1. Carlos:¿Qué onda? ¿Cómo estás, Karla?What's up? How are you, Karla?
  2. Karla:¡Bien, chero! ¿Pedimos pupusas?Good, buddy! Shall we order pupusas?
  3. Carlos:Sí. Esta pupusería es bien chiva.Yes. This pupusería is really great.
  4. Karla:¿Cuánto cuestan? Ando con poco pisto.How much are they? I don't have much money on me.
  5. Carlos:Son baratas. Hoy invito yo.They're cheap. Today it's my treat.
  6. Karla:¡Gracias! Me gusta tu chumpa nueva.Thanks! I like your new jacket.
  7. Andrés:¡Muchá, ya llegué! ¿Qué pidieron?Guys, I'm here! What did you order?
  8. Karla:Revueltas y de queso con loroco. Vaya pues, ¡a comer!Revueltas and cheese with loroco. Alright then, let's eat!

Un sábado en La Libertad (Intermedio · Intermediate)

Neighbors Doña Marta and Jorge talk in Santa Tecla about Jorge's family trip to the beach in La Libertad.

  1. Marta:¿Cómo les fue en la playa, Jorge?How was the beach, Jorge?
  2. Jorge:¡Muy bien! Llevamos a los cipotes a La Libertad el sábado.Great! We took the kids to La Libertad on Saturday.
  3. Marta:¿Y los bichos se metieron al mar?And did the kids go in the ocean?
  4. Jorge:Sí, pero las olas estaban grandes. Les grité: «¡Aguas!».Yes, but the waves were big. I yelled at them: 'Watch out!'
  5. Marta:¡A la púchica! ¿Y no pasó nada?Oh my gosh! And nothing happened?
  6. Jorge:No, todo bien. Solo regresaron bien shucos, llenos de arena.No, everything was fine. They just came back really dirty, covered in sand.
  7. Marta:¿Y la niña colocha de su hermana fue también?And did your sister's curly-haired little girl go too?
  8. Jorge:Sí. Llevamos ropa extra para todos, por si las de hule.Yes. We brought extra clothes for everyone, just in case.
  9. Marta:¡Qué bueno! La próxima vez llévenme a mí también.How nice! Next time take me too.

¿Irse o quedarse? (Avanzado · Advanced)

Coworkers Ernesto and Daniela chat over lunch at an office in San Salvador about a job offer abroad.

  1. Daniela:Ernesto, ¿es cierto que te ofrecieron trabajo en Houston?Ernesto, is it true they offered you a job in Houston?
  2. Ernesto:Sí, pero no sé. Aunque paguen más, ser guanaco lejos de casa no es fácil.Yes, but I'm not sure. Even if they pay more, being Salvadoran far from home isn't easy.
  3. Daniela:Te entiendo. Si yo me fuera, extrañaría las pupusas de mi mamá.I get it. If I left, I'd miss my mom's pupusas.
  4. Ernesto:Además, el equipo aquí es cachimbón. Bueno, menos cuando hay chambre.Besides, the team here is awesome. Well, except when there's gossip.
  5. Daniela:¿Lo decís por lo de Raúl? Dicen que es muy chucho.Are you saying that because of the Raúl thing? People say he's really stingy.
  6. Ernesto:Que sea tacaño, pase; inventar historias sobre él, ese es otro pisto.Him being stingy, fine; making up stories about him is another matter.
  7. Daniela:Tenés razón. Mejor hablemos de otra cosa.You're right. Let's talk about something else.
  8. Ernesto:Bueno, ¿y a vos qué tal te fue el fin de semana?OK, and how was your weekend?
  9. Daniela:Fui a una boda en Suchitoto. El domingo amanecí de goma y no hice nada.I went to a wedding in Suchitoto. On Sunday I woke up hungover and did nothing.
  10. Ernesto:Si yo hubiera ido, habría bailado toda la noche.If I had gone, I would have danced all night.
  11. Daniela:Bueno, ojalá que tomes la mejor decisión con lo de Houston.Well, I hope you make the best decision about Houston.

Paso 5 · Apply it

Habla y escribe: Un mensaje para un amigo

Record a voice note or write a text to a friend from El Salvador. Tell them about your weekend and make a plan to meet. Use at least 5 words or phrases from the list.

  1. Open with a greeting from the list (or a friendly ¡Hola!).
  2. Tell 2–3 things you did, using slang to describe them.
  3. Suggest a plan: where, when and what you’ll eat or do.
  4. Close the way a friend from El Salvador would.
  5. Now say it out loud, twice: once slowly, once at natural speed.

    Slang detection is a helper and may miss some forms.

    Self-check

    Need ideas? Re-read the advanced dialogue above. Want feedback on your Spanish? Book a free consultation.

    Sources and a note

    Slang changes fast and varies by region, age and social group. These are words and phrases widely used in El Salvador today, checked against the sources below. Heard something different? Tell me.