a la tela: elegantemente vestido - elegant dress or formal wear
achorado: persona de carácter desafiante – an individual with a defiant character.
al polo: muy frío. Particularmente referido a las bebidas - very cold (in particular to drinks)
altiplano: The high flatlands which surround Lake Titicaca.
ambrosio: hambre – hungry
aprista: A member of the Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana. Founded in 1924 by Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre. (Center-left political organization)
apu: In Andean culture, a god of the mountains.
arpa: A harp
arranchar: arrebatar – to enrapture.
arruga: deuda – debt
audiencia: This is the colonial high court which was established in Lima during the viceroyalty of Peru.
auqui: The heir to the Inca throne.
ayllu: A system whereby a group of related people and families exchange labor during the Inca empire. (Still in practice to some degree today)
bamba: falsificado, imitación – a fake or imitation
barriadas – squatter settlement (Lima)
blanquita: cocaine - cocaine
botánica: botella - bottle
cabro/cabrilla: hombre afeminado – a male with feminine characteristics
cachar: tener relaciones sexuales. – to have sexual relations.
cachuelo: trabajo temporal, informal – a temporary job.
cajón: A box made of wood which uses a sound hole and is used in music of Afro-Peruvian origins.
calabacita: cabeza vacía, persona vacua
calato: 1) ) desnudo; 2) bebé – nude, baby
caldero: malestar físico después de una borrachera
campesino: Peasant
cáncer: cigarrillo, tabaco – cigarette or tobacco product
caña: automóvil - automobile
cañacero: borracho que toma licor barato – A drunk who consumes inexpensive liquor.
carabina: cara, rostro - face
causa: amigo (usado entre hombres) – the term for friend which is used between men.
cholo: Referring to a person who is mestizo.
coca cola: loco - crazy
cocho: padre (madre: cocha) father/mother
cofla: flaco, delgado – thin/skinny
coima: comisión que se da para obtener algo en forma illegal - bribe.
coimero: quien da o recibe coima/ a person who receives a bribe
corredgidor: This was the crown envoy during colonial times who was the administrator of Indian labor.
cojudo: palabra usada como insulto fuerte. – a strong insult.
como cancha: mucho, bastante – a lot
corvina: corbata - tie
costilla: novia - girlfriend
criollada: estafa, engaño – deceit, fraud, trick.
chaira: cuchillo, puñal – knife, dagger
chancay: acto sexual – to have sex.
chancar: estudiar - study
chancón: persona que estudia mucho; estudiante – a studious person
chancha: colecta, cooperación – charity, cooperation.
chancho: 1) eructo; 2) nalgas, trasero. – belch , rear end, butt.
chao : adiós, hasta luego. – goodbye, see you later.
chapar: 1)atrapar; 2) besar – to trap or overtake in a sexual manner, to kiss.
chape: beso en la boca – kiss on the mouth.
characato: persona oriunda de Arequipa – A person from Arequipa.
charlie: temerario, atrevido – reckless, hasty, bold, daring.
chato: persona de baja estatura – a short person.
chaufa: saludo de despedida – saying goodbye in a quick manner- when you have to leave quickly.
chepi: pausa, descanso – to pause or take a break.
chibolo: niño - child
chibolero: persona que prefiere la compañía de personas más jóvenes – someone who likes being around people who are much younger.
chica de su casa – a young woman who is considered by men to be of the quality to form a long term relationship.
chifa: 1) comida china; 2) restaurante chino – Chinese restaurant.
chifar: tener relaciones sexuales – To have sexual relations.
chinear: mirar, ver – to look or see.
chingana: bar o establecimiento sórdido y barato – a type of low class bar or drinking establishment which is often dirty and cheap.
choborra: borracho - drunk.
choche: amigo - friend.
chocho: feliz - happy.
cholo: indio, especialmente el que habita en la costa – an Indian usually on the coast.
chonguear: divertirse – to have a good time.
chongo: confusion, chaos , brothel
chungo: tacaño - tightwad.
chupado: tímido, cobarde – shy, coward
chuparse: arrepentirse, echarse atrás to repent or regret.
churre: niño de edad entre 4 y 7 años aproximadamente - a child between the age of four and seven from the northern coast (Piura).
churro: hombre guapo – handsome man.
chuzo: cicatriz o corte en la piel – scar or cut on the skin.
coya: The primary wife of the Inca.
criollo: A person born in Peru of Spanish parents.
dar bola: hacer caso – to make a case or point.
dar sajiro: excitar, provocar to excite, incite or provoke excitement.
de la patada: fuerte, tremendo, impactante (en sentido positivo) – To have a strong or tremendous impact – usually in the positive.
departamento: The political and geographic divisons in Peru which are similar to indivicual states in the United
States.diquera: mujer provocadora – a provocative woman with exhibitionist qualities.
duro: tacaño - tightwad.
enyucar: engañar, timar, contraer alguna responsabilidad pesada, tarea engorrosa, deuda. – to cheat or swindle, not responsible, to make a nuisance of or debt.
estar en algo/algodón: estar bueno, a cumplir los mínimos requerimientos para ser tomado por bueno, sin llegar a destacable o extraordinario. A product or something that is ok – not great but ok. Also a person that is ok or just meets the requirements.
faite: matón, buscavidas. Individuo que toma actitudes matonescas. A bully or browbeater.
fallo: cigarrillo, tabaco – cigarette, tobacco.
festejo: Afro-Peruvian dance originating on the coast of Peru.
fintero: que aparenta algo que no es. – appearing to be something that is not.
florear: adular, alabar – to praise or flatter.
frío: muerto – dead (literally cold).
fumón: que fuma marihuana – a person who smokes marijuana.
funar: mirar – to look at
gringo: rubio – blonde person.
grone: persona de color, Negro – a black person.
guano: Natural fertilizer derived from bird manure.
hacer gol: empreñar, poner encinta a una mujer – to make a goal( referring to impregnating a woman).
helena: helado. Particularmente referido a las bebidas - referring to a cold drink.
huachafo: persona de malos gustos, mal vestida – a person who has bad manners or who dressed poorly.
huachimán: agente uniformado de seguridad particular, guardián (del inglés "watchman") – a guard.
huasca: borrachera, borracho – a drunken state or drunk.
huayno: A dance between couples used during celebrations in the Andes.
huevo: fácil - easy.
inti: The Quechua term referring to the sun, which was the primary god of the Inca. This was also the name of the currency during the 1980’s.
jalar: reprobar – to flunk.
jarana - party
jatear: (también tirar jato) dormir – to sleep
jato: casa - house.
jeringa: jerga - slang.
jerma: enamorada, novia – sweetheart, girlfriend.
jetear: besar - kiss.
jugadora: mujer promiscua – a promiscuous woman.
ladrillo: trabajador - worker.
tirar lata; later: caminar – to walk.
lechero: suertudo, afortunado – a fortunate or lucky person - from the work leche (milk).
lenteja: tonto - fool.
limeño(a): a Lima native.
lisura: grosería – grossness, rudeness, crudeness.
lompas: pantaloon – pants.
lorear: hablar – to speak.
lorna: tonto – fool (used for both feminine and masculine forms.
luca: moneda, equivalente a un Sol peruano – referring to the slang word for money and is equivalent to one Peruvian Sol(national currency).
luquear: vigilar, cuidar – To watch over or take care of.
machucafuerte: marido, esposo - husband.
maguey: A type of wood used by indigenous groups for sculptures.
maldito: muy bueno, excelente – very good or excellent.
mamey: tonto – fool..
mancar: caer en desgracia, morir – to fall in disgrace or to die.
mancha: multitud, grupo de individuos – a group of people or small crowd.
mandado – a man who is a seducer.(from the verb mandar – command or order)
manyar: captar, entender – attract, win, understand.
marciano: persona anticonformista, que no sigue modas ni tendencies – literally referring to a Martian and in this meaning a person who is not a conformist or his has normal tendencies..
mariachi: marido, esposo - husband
marinera: A type of festive music from the coast of Peru.
mataburro: diccionario - dictionary.
mataperro: parachoques – literally referring to dog killer – is the bumper on a vehicle.
mestizaje: The mixture of cultures in Peru.
mestizo: A person whose is born of parents from different ethnic orgins.
meter floro: Usar el mejor léxico para impresionar a alguien – using correct language especially in a situation to impress someone.
mica: camisa - shirt
micro: microbus – a small bus for transport.
misio: sin dinero – broke, without money.
mita: Collective cooperation from the ayllu. When the Spanish ruled Peru, it was a type of tax system in collections from Indians.
mitra: cabeza head
mitrazo: golpe con la cabeza – injury to the head.
monse: tonto, ingenuo – fool, naive.
moquear: llorar – to cry.
mosca: alerta, despierto – word for fly but, refers to being awake or alert.
mosaico: mozo, camarero, mesero - waiter
nancy: nada - nothing.
ni michi: nada (eufemismo de "ni mierda") – nothing ,but is derived from the word mierda (shit).
ñoba: baño – bathroom.
ñorsa: mujer, esposa – woman,wife.
pacharaco (a): persona de mal gusto en vestir o en maquillarse – a person dressed poorly or who is poorly made up.
paja: bueno, bonito, excelente – good, pretty, excellent.
palangana:. Fanfaron- a braggart or boaster.
palta: vergüenza – shame, embarrassment, timidity, bashfulness
palteo: equivocación - error, mistake.
panudear: presumir, pavonear (adj. panudo) – to presume, strut, swagger.
papear: comer – to eat.
pata: amigo - friend.
estar parado: tener buena posición económica – Economically sound or successful.
parsero: amigo íntimo – an intimate friend.
pendejada – refers to talking with a person or group (bullshitting)
pendejo: persona astuta, taimadoa, sobre todo con las mujeres, implica libertinaje sexual o engaño conyugal. – an astute, sly cunning man and one who has many sexual conquests.
perra: mal olor de pies – smelly feat.
perromuertero – estafador – swindler, cheat.
pichanga: partido de futbol amistoso, espontáneo, informal - labor hecha como entretenimiento o, despectivamente, labor sin seriedad o provecho real - tener una relación amorosa momentánea – a pickup game of soccer – a labor of love or work for fun – a short love relationship.
piña – bad luck or misfortune (literally pineapple).
pituco: persona adinerada, rico – a rich person.
plomear: disparar, tirotear – to throw out or get rid of.
pollada: fiesta popular de barrio donde el platillo principal es el pollo a la parrilla – a chicken barbecue.
ponja: persona de origen oriental – a person of Asian descent.
por las puras alverjas,por las puras,por las puras huevas: sin motivo, sin lógica - something happening without reason or logic.
pulenta: maravilloso, muy positivo, estimulante, agradable. – Refers to both objects or situations and not individuals – marvelous, positive, stimulating.
punta: cuchillo, navaja – knife.
quedado – a man who has not mastered the art of seduction – from the verb quedar – to remain or stay behind.
quena: Andean flute.
quina: - fifty centimeters.
quino: fiesta de quince años de una senorita. – a girl’s fifteenth birthday.
quinsearse: equivocarse, confundirse – a mistake or confusion.
ranear: espiar – to spy
recursear: robar, obtener algo, ya sea un objeto o un servicio, por maneras alternas o irregulars – to rob or steal.
recurso: botín, producto de un robo – stolen booty or objects.
roca: 1) automóvil, incoherencia evidente (también rocón, rocaza) – car, incoherent or garble.
roche: vergüenza – shyness, embarrassment, timid, bashful.
rondas: defense groups made up of peasants.
rubia: cerveza – beer.
sapo: individuo listo, alerta – literally a frog but, refers to an alert or intelligent person.
soga: corbata – tie.
suzuki: sucio - dirty.
taba: zapato, persona torpe, con falta de habilidad – shoe, a person who is slow or without skills.
taypá: opíparo, abundante – great food or a lot of food.
teclo:) Viejo, padre (tecla - madre) – an old person, father or mother.
tela: débil, frágil – week, feeble – derived from.terruco: terrorista - terrorist.
tira detective
tirar cabeza: no devolver algo prestado – not to return something that was lent.
tirar lente ver, mirar – to look or see.
tombería: policía en general – police.
tono: fiesta - party
toque: momento, rato – moment or second.
toyo: dentón – a person with large teeth – derived from a name for a fish.
trampa: mujer promiscua – a promiscuous woman.
tranca: drunk, difficult
trapecio : trapo, tela para limpiar. – a rag or cloth for cleaning
tuco: terrorista. – terrorist.
tugrio – slum in Lima (not squatter towns)
tutuma: cabeza - head.
vacilar: gustar – to like
verraco: persona grosera, tosca – a gross or rude person.
villegas: billetes, dinero – paper money.
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