Want this as a printable cheat sheet?
Download the Ecuadorian Slang PDF here 🇪🇨

Want to practice learning the words?
You can learn the list of Ecuadorian Slang Here


Ecuadorian Spanish is clear, expressive and surprisingly varied for such a small country 🇪🇨

The accent changes quite a bit depending on the region.

In the:

You’ll also hear a lot of words influenced by:

the local Quechua dialect spoken in Ecuador.

Here are some of the most common Ecuadorian slang words and expressions 👇

A very common positive slang word.

You’ll also hear:

in a few other Latin American countries.

e.j Tu camisa está bacán
Your shirt is cool

One of the most useful Latin American phrases.

e.j ¿Vamos al cine? — ¡De una!
Shall we go to the cinema? — For sure!

Very affectionate.

Can refer to:

e.j Mi naño vive en Quito
My brother lives in Quito

Very common across Latin America.

e.j Qué chévere tu idea
Your idea’s cool

Common in:

e.j Estoy camellando todo el día
I’m working all day

Common Andean word with indigenous roots.

e.j La guagua está durmiendo
The baby is sleeping

Used politely when asking someone to repeat themselves.

e.j ¿Qué dijiste? — Mande
What did you say? — Sorry?

Borrowed from English.

Very common in Ecuador.

e.j Había full gente
There were loads of people

Important warning 😂

In some Latin American countries:

can mean:

depending on context 😭

e.j Llego ya mismo
I’ll be there soon

Used to soften sentences.

A bit like:

e.j Pásame no más
Just pass it to me

One of the coolest things about Ecuadorian Spanish is the indigenous influence.

You’ll hear lots of expressions derived from:

e.j ¡Achachay, qué frío!
Brrr, it’s cold!

e.j ¡Arrarray, qué calor!
Wow, it’s hot!

e.j ¡Atatay, qué feo!
Ew, that’s gross!

A mild exclamation.

e.j ¡Chuta, me olvidé las llaves!
Damn, I forgot my keys!

Very common in lots of Latin American countries.

e.j Vamos a vacilar en la playa
Let’s chill at the beach

e.j Hay una farra esta noche
There’s a party tonight

Usually playful rather than aggressive.

e.j ¡Eres una bestia!
You’re such a goof!

I’ve never been to Ecuador, but the Galapagos Islands is a stones throw away.

So probably worth the visit.

Message me if you have any questions.

Check out more Spanish resources here.

Un abrazo,
Harrison

Language for living, not just learning.