When traveling to any Spanish-speaking country, there are some typical phrases everyone should know, things like “how are you,” “where is the bathroom”, “please”, and “thank you”. Or phrases such as buenos días, mucho gusto, por favor, gracias, and ¿cuánto cuesta? But when traveling to El Salvador, there are several insider phrases that are significant to Salvadoran culture and will elevate your communication!
Buen provecho pupusas! This traditional Salvadoran meal is accompanied by the communal well-wishes for a delicious experience.
1) Buen provecho - commonly said at the beginning or during any meal, meaning well wishes for the meal, a delicious meal. Wishing others an enjoyable meal!
2) Chero - friend, buddy, mate, pal… just like how chero travel is the friend showing you EL Salvador!
3) Chotear- to hang out, relax, and spend time with friends and family, and cruise around, eg, stroll, to go with friends, or just party, or to some fun place, “Trabajas manana? Si no, vamos a chotear a la playa,” “Are you working tomorrow? If not, let’s go hang out at the beach.”
Bolado! Those things! This colorful local market is filled with handmade goods and interesting little objects.
4) Bolado - commonly known as “that thing!” e.g., thingamajig
5) Híjole - superlative expression of surprise when you forget something or are startled by something, e.g., wow! man! gosh! jeez!
6) Bonche - A big problem! You are in trouble; it’s a big mess!
7) Maje - Express friendship, a way of saying friend, or not performing an assigned task, e.g., he is playing the maje with what I asked him to do
8) Cipote - An indigenous word meaning “child”, kid, boy, girl, young person. A word used by the old to feel young, e.g., “José hikes like he is still cipote”
9) Chivo - If you hear someone say “Que chivo!,” they are saying “that’s awesome!” or “how cool!”
Salvadoran Spanish is informal and expressive, with a lot of slang. Some slang is best reserved for friends rather than formal interactions.
Learning a few local expressions is one of the best ways to connect with the people and culture of El Salvador. Whether you're ordering pupusas, exploring colorful towns, or spending an afternoon at the beach, a little Spanish goes a long way. And to elevate your experience by having a chero show you around, Chero Travel is ready to take you there! Explore El Salvador with Chero Travel!
