Regional idioms from various Spanish-speaking countries, highlighting local expressions and their meanings across Latin America and Spain.

Spain

1. Estar en las nubes – To be daydreaming (literally, “to be in the clouds”).
2. Tirar la casa por la ventana – To spare no expense (literally, “to throw the house out the window”).
3. Ser la leche – To be amazing or incredible (can be positive or negative depending on context).
4. Me importa un pepino – I don’t care at all (literally, “it matters as much as a cucumber”).
5. Poner los puntos sobre las íes – To be very clear or precise (literally, “to put the dots on the i’s”).
6. Costar un ojo de la cara – To be very expensive (literally, “to cost an eye from the face”).
7. Buscarle tres pies al gato – To complicate things unnecessarily (literally, “to look for three feet on the cat”).
8. No tener pelos en la lengua – To speak bluntly or honestly (literally, “to have no hairs on the tongue”).
9. Estar hecho polvo – To be exhausted or very tired (literally, “to be made dust”).
10. Salir rana – To go wrong or be a disappointment (literally, “to come out a frog”).

Mexico

1. ¡Órale! – Wow, okay, let’s go! (a versatile exclamation expressing surprise, encouragement, or agreement).
2. Estar cañón – To be really difficult or intense.
3. Echarle ganas – To put in effort or try hard (literally, “throw desire at it”).
4. No hay pedo – No problem (literally, “there’s no fart”).
5. Aguas – Watch out! (a warning to be careful).
6. Ponerse las pilas – To get moving or get one’s act together (literally, “put in the batteries”).
7. Estar al cien – To be at 100%, fully ready or in top condition.
8. Tener fiaca – To be lazy or not want to do anything (common in some regions).
9. Dar el avión – To pretend to listen or agree just to end a conversation (literally, “give the plane”).
10. Ser un chilang@ – To be someone from Mexico City (Colloquial/self-identification).

Argentina

1. Che – Hey (a common way to get someone’s attention).
2. Está al horno – It’s a mess or situation is bad (literally, “it’s in the oven”).
3. Mandar fruta – To talk nonsense or exaggerate (literally, “send fruit”).
4. Ni en pedo – No way (literally, “not even drunk”).
5. Quedarse en offside – To be left out or miss an opportunity (from football/soccer).
6. Ser un quilombo – To be a big mess or chaos.
7. Mango – Slang for peso or money.
8. Hacer la gamba – To stand in or help out.
9. Estar podrido – To be fed up or disgusted.
10. Ponerle onda – To put good energy or enthusiasm into something.

Colombia

1. ¡Qué chévere! – How cool! / Awesome!
2. Estar pelao – To be broke or out of money.
3. Hacer una vaca – To pool money together (literally, “make a cow”).
4. Tener la ñapa – To get a little extra (a bonus or tip).
5. No dar papaya – Don’t give an opportunity to be taken advantage of.
6. Parcero/a – Friend or buddy.
7. Echar cuento – To tell a story or exaggerate.
8. Sacar la piedra – To annoy or irritate someone (literally, “take out the stone”).
9. Estar en la olla – To be in trouble or a tough situation.
10. Hacerla corta – To get to the point quickly.

Chile

1. ¡Cachai? – Do you understand? / You know?
2. Estar pato/a – To be broke (literally, “to be a duck”).
3. Tirar la talla – To joke or tease someone.
4. Andar chancho – To be dirty or messy.
5. Fome – Boring or dull.
6. Luca – Slang for 1,000 pesos.
7. Pololear – To date someone (be in a relationship).
8. Quedó pelúa – It was close or almost happened.
9. Al tiro – Right away / immediately.
10. Tener mala cuea – To have bad luck (literally, “bad tail”).