B1 · What changes when you cross the border
Same thing, different word
The Spanish you learned is not wrong anywhere, but every country has its own default for a handful of everyday things. Getting these right is the difference between being understood and sounding like you just landed.
Practise these
Several phrases here share one English meaning, which is the point of the pack — so matching against English is left out. Flashcards and production still work.
Getting around
el colectivoArgentina
the city bus
Argentina and Uruguay. In Peru a colectivo is a shared car or minivan on a fixed route.
la microChile
the city bus
Chile. In Peru and Argentina el micro is the long-distance coach instead.
la combiPeru
the minivan bus
Peru and Bolivia. Cheap, crowded, and it stops wherever you shout.
la busetaColombia
the small bus
Colombia and Ecuador.
el bondiArgentina
the bus
Argentine slang, very common in speech, never on a sign.
Money
la plata
money
Understood everywhere in South America and far more common than el dinero in speech.
una lucaSouthern Cone
a thousand
Chile and Argentina. Dos lucas is two thousand of the local currency.
sencilloPeru
small change
Peru. ¿Tiene sencillo? is what a shopkeeper asks you ten times a week.
sueltoSouthern Cone
small change
Argentina and Chile.
menudoColombia
small change
Colombia and Venezuela.
Saying something is great
bacánPeru
great, cool
Peru, Chile, Ecuador. Qué bacán is the standard reaction to good news.
chévereColombia
great, cool
Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and understood in Peru.
copadoArgentina
great, cool
Argentina. Also bárbaro and joya for the same job.
bacanoColombia
great, cool
Colombia.
la rajaChile
brilliant
Chile only, and informal. Fine with friends, not at a hotel desk.
Calling someone
pataPeru
mate, friend
Peru. Mi pata is my mate. Causa does the same job, more slangy.
parceColombia
mate, friend
Colombia, short for parcero. You will hear it constantly in Medellín.
panaVenezuela
mate, friend
Venezuela and Ecuador.
cheArgentina
hey, mate
Argentina and Uruguay, used to get someone's attention rather than to name them.
At the table
la paltaAndes
the avocado
Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia. Say aguacate here and you will be understood, but corrected.
el aguacateColombia
the avocado
Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador.
el chocloAndes
the corn on the cob
The whole Andes and the Southern Cone. Colombia says la mazorca.
la frutillaSouthern Cone
the strawberry
Argentina, Chile, Bolivia. Peru and Colombia say la fresa.
el maníSouth America
the peanut
All of South America. Cacahuete is Spain and Mexico.
Agreeing
yaPeru
OK, right
Peru and Chile. In Chile it often arrives as ya po.
daleArgentina
go on then, OK
Argentina and Peru, for accepting a plan.
listoColombia
done, OK
Colombia, and the most common way to close an arrangement there.
de unaColombia
absolutely, right away
Colombia. Enthusiastic agreement.
Right away, more or less
al toquePeru
right away
Peru. Genuinely soon.
al tiroChile
right away
Chile. Same meaning, same speed.
ahoritaSouth America
in a moment, or right now
The trap. In Peru and Colombia it means soon-ish and can stretch for an hour. In Mexico it means now.
un ratito
a little while
Anywhere from two minutes to the rest of the afternoon.
32 expressions in this pack