20 Venezuelan Spanish Slang Words and Expressions to Sound Local
Épale chamo, qué más? Venezuelan Spanish is warm, quick, and full of flavor. Here are 20 slang words and expressions locals use every day, with examples.
Venezuelan Spanish is loud, warm, and impossible to confuse with any other accent in Latin America. Venezuelan Spanish slang carries the country's humor, its love of exaggeration, and a talent for turning a simple hello into a whole conversation. Learn a handful of these words and any chat in Caracas, Maracaibo, or Valencia will warm up instantly.
Below are 20 Venezuelan Spanish slang words and expressions locals really use. For each one you get the meaning, an example in context, and the English translation, so you know exactly how and when to say it.
Venezuelan Slang for People and Greetings
This is how Venezuelans call out to each other and get a conversation going.
1. Épale
Meaning: Hey, hi. The default Venezuelan greeting, friendly and casual. You will also hear épa.
Example: "¡Épale, chamo! ¿Cómo estás?" ("Hey, dude! How are you?")
2. Chamo / chama
Meaning: Guy, girl, dude. The single most Venezuelan word for a young person or a friend.
Example: "Ese chamo es amigo mío." ("That guy is a friend of mine.")
3. Pana
Meaning: Close friend, buddy. Being pana with someone means you are tight.
Example: "Tranquilo, pana, yo te ayudo." ("Relax, buddy, I'll help you.")
4. Musiú
Meaning: A foreigner, usually a European or North American. It comes from the French monsieur.
Example: "El musiú habla buen español." ("The foreigner speaks good Spanish.")
5. Jeva / jevo
Meaning: Girlfriend or boyfriend, or just a girl or guy you fancy.
Example: "Salió con su jeva." ("He went out with his girlfriend.")
Venezuelan Slang for Reactions
Venezuelans react out loud, and these are the words they reach for.
6. Naguará
Meaning: Wow. A cry of surprise, admiration, or shock, especially loved in the Lara region.
Example: "¡Naguará, qué grande esa casa!" ("Wow, that house is huge!")
7. Conchale
Meaning: Aw man, come on. Mild dismay or disappointment, often stretched into conchale, vale.
Example: "Conchale, vale, se dañó el carro otra vez." ("Aw man, the car broke down again.")
8. Chévere
Meaning: Cool, great, nice. Heard across the region but deeply Venezuelan in spirit.
Example: "Esa película está chévere." ("That movie is great.")
9. Fino
Meaning: Cool, fine, all good. A quick way to say something is great or to agree.
Example: "¿Nos vemos a las ocho? Fino." ("See you at eight? Cool.")
10. Arrecho
Meaning: A do it all word. It can mean awesome and impressive, or angry, depending on tone and context.
Example: "Ese concierto estuvo arrecho." ("That concert was awesome.") / "Está arrecho porque llegaron tarde." ("He's angry because they arrived late.")
11. Vale
Meaning: Man, dude, or okay. A filler tacked onto sentences, and also plain agreement.
Example: "Vamos ya, vale." ("Let's go now, man.")
Venezuelan Slang for Everyday Life
The words that color ordinary conversation.
12. Burda (de)
Meaning: A lot, very, tons. Burda de bueno means really good.
Example: "Me gusta burda esa canción." ("I like that song a lot.")
Slang like this only clicks when you hear it inside real conversations. Our Short Stories in Venezuelan Spanish drop these words into everyday scenes, so you pick up the timing and the tone, not just a list of definitions.
13. Ladilla
Meaning: A nuisance, a pain, or an annoying person or task. Qué ladilla means how annoying.
Example: "Ese trámite es una ladilla." ("That paperwork is such a pain.")
14. Bochinche
Meaning: A commotion, a loud mess, or gossip and drama.
Example: "Se formó tremendo bochinche en la fiesta." ("A big commotion broke out at the party.")
15. Chimbo / chimba
Meaning: Fake, low quality, or bad. The opposite of fino.
Example: "Ese teléfono salió chimbo." ("That phone turned out to be junk.")
16. Coroto
Meaning: A thing, a thingamajig. Los corotos are your belongings or stuff.
Example: "Recoge tus corotos, que nos vamos." ("Grab your stuff, we're leaving.")
17. Ratón
Meaning: A hangover. Tener ratón is to be hungover the morning after.
Example: "Amanecí con un ratón horrible." ("I woke up with a terrible hangover.")
18. Rumba
Meaning: A party or a night out. Irse de rumba is to go out partying.
Example: "Anoche nos fuimos de rumba." ("Last night we went out partying.")
19. Cuaima
Meaning: A very jealous, controlling partner. A word Venezuelans use with a knowing smile.
Example: "Su novia es una cuaima." ("His girlfriend is super jealous.")
20. Echar los perros
Meaning: To flirt with someone, to hit on them, to make a move.
Example: "Le está echando los perros a la vecina." ("He's flirting with the neighbor.")
How to Use Venezuelan Slang Naturally
To go from reading these words to sounding like a real chamo:
- Start with the friendly staples. Épale, chamo, pana, and chévere are warm, safe, and instantly Venezuelan. Lead with those.
- Watch the tone on the double meanings. Arrecho can be a compliment or a warning. Let the situation and the speaker's face guide you.
- Meet the words in context. The Short Stories in Venezuelan Spanish put every expression inside a scene, which is how slang actually sticks.
Keep exploring the region: read about the wider linguistic landscape of Caribbean Spanish, compare notes with 20 Cuban Spanish slang words and expressions, and widen your ear with 30 Latin American Spanish idioms you must know.