List of Chicano Caló words and expressions

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The following is a list of words and expressions found in the Chicano slang language known as Caló, also spelled "Calo" and "Kalo" by modern Chicano youth. It does not list words and expressions of the language of the Spanish Roma people, which is also called Caló, except where these have been incorporated into Chicano Caló. Nor does it list Mexican slang words and expressions unless they have originated in Pachuco Caló or have been incorporated into it with altered meaning.

It is also worthy of note that several of these expressions are altered by members of a particular neighborhood or in a whim. so, the expression: 'chafa' (low quality) can be heard as 'chafaldrana', 'chafoso', 'chafarrafa', or other varoations.

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a ponemos chancla: (from chancla, Nahuatl for sandal) "Let's dance". The grammar is deliberately incorrect.
águila: (lit. "eagle") "Be alert"
Araisas: Arizona
bomba: (also "bomb") a lowrider car or truck from the 1930s - mid-1950s
bote: (literally
Burque: a contraction of the old spelling of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Originally spelled "Alburquerque"
cabulear: to "bullshit"; to "chew the fat with"
Cali: (also "Kali") California
Califas: California
calcos: shoes
Caló: a language used by Chicanos or Mexican-Americans, derived from the name of the Spanish Gypsy (gitano) dialect, Caló
canicas: (lit. marbles) love
cantón: home; house; apartment
carnal: brother; close friend; homeboy
catos: fistfight, fisticuffs
chale: (from Échale, "Throw it out") "No"; "No way" (this expression is much more complicated, it could also be used as the interjection
chafa: low quality
chanate (also zanate): derogatory term for African-Americans, it is also a word for magpies.
chante: home; place of origin
chavala: (from Gypsy/Gitano Calo) little girl; also used as an insult for a man that lacks courage
chavalo: (from Gypsy/Gitano Calo) little boy
chino: curly-haired person and also any Asian
chichiriscuís: spiffy; fancy
chingadazos: (lit. "big fucks") arguments; fights
chiva: (lit. "goat") heroin
choclos: dress shoes
cholo: (from Spanish word meaning mestizo or Hispanicized indian) gang banger; gangster; street tough
chorizo: thief
La Chota: police
chuk: abbreviation of "Pachuco"
chucho: dog
clica: (also spelled "clika" and "clique") gang
cojones: testicles; bravery
con safos: (frequently abbreviated as "c/s") "Nobody can mess with this" (possibly from Arabic derived Spanish zafo = unobstructed, clear, safe, intact)
cuervo: (lit. "crow") street slang for African Americans
cuete: gun (corruption of Sp. "cohete" = rocket)
de aquellas: (lit. "from those over there") "the best"
drapes: orig. 1930s Harlem African American for stylish clothing; syn. for "zoot suit" (see below)
East Los: East Los Angeles, California
El Pasiente: El Paso
el territorio: Mexico
empanzonar: impregnate
enjaular: to lock up
entacucharse: to dress up
escamado: scared
ésa: chola
ése: (lit. "that one", "that guy") cholo; dude; guy; man
feria: (lit. "fair", as in "county fair") but directly references the homonym "fare") money
filero: knife
firme: cool (as in "hip"); good
frajo: cigarette
fusca: gun
gavacho: (also "gabacho") white person
grifa: marijuana (whence the US slang word "reefer"; derived from "grifo")
grifo: (lit. "faucet") marijuana addict; someone who is always "prendido", or "lit"
guacha: (also "wacha") "Look"; "Watch"
guaino: Wino
güero: (also "huero" or "weddo") white person; light skinned, blue eyed/blond person
güisa: (also "wisa" and "weesa") woman; girlfriend
homeboy: (also "homie") 1) a very close associate usually identified as someone from one's own barrio or neighborhood; 2) a person with whom one identifies closely with implying a strong loyalty toward
homes: (also "holmes") variation on the word "homeboy", used to identify a friend
jaina: (also spelled "hayna", "heina", and "hayna") woman; girlfriend
jefa/jefecita: mother
jefe/jefecito: (lit. "boss") father
jura: police
lana: (lit. "wool") money
leño: marijuana cigarette
leva: coward
llanta: (lit. "tire") a slightly derogatory term for African Americans
litro: cigarette lighter
lisa: shirt
loc: (pronounced "loke") short for "loco"; a street crazy; hardcore street tough
Los: Los Angeles, CA
loquiar: to lock
máscara: face
mayate: a highly derogatory term for African Americans; derived from Nahuatl mayatl (a beetle);, also homosexual man
melena del padrote: a pimp's ducktail haircut
mono: movie
mono: the devil; demon
mota: slang for marijuana
naranjas: no
narices: no
negro: (lit. "black") a somewhat affectionate term for blacks or African Americans
nel: no
no hay pedo: no problem; no sweat
Órale: "Right on"; "Alright!"
Pachuco: a native or resident of El Paso, Texas, later extended to mean all Mexicans and Mexican Americans adopting aspects of Pachuco culture such as dressing in zoot suits and speaking Caló.
paisa (from 'Paisano'): (also "border brother") a somewhat affectionate term for recent imigrants from Mexico
panzón: fat man
panzona: fat woman; pregnant woman
pásame las tres: "Let me have a drag" (of a cigarette)
pedo: (literally "fart") intoxicated; 'estar pedo'
pedo: problem; 'no hay pedo'
pestaña (pestañear): (lit. eyelash) to sleep
pinta: jail; prison (more specifically)
pisto: beer; can of beer (more specifically); also general term for alcoholic beverage
placa¹: tattoo
placa²: (literally "badge") police
placa³: a person's grafitti tag
ponerse al alba: to get with it
ponerse zafado: to get high on marijuana
putazo: a big punch.
prendido: high on drugs; high on marijuana (most common)
¿Qué onda?: (lit. "What wave?") meaning, "Whats up?"
¿Quiubo? (Quíhubo, Qiobo. quióboles): (from "Qué hubo" meaning "What was there?"} "What's going on?"; "What's up?"
ranfla: car; lowrider car (more specifically)
rifamos: "We rule"
rola: song
ruca: (literally
ruco: Old man
Sanjo: (pronounced "San Ho") San Jose, California
San Pancho: San Francisco
escrapa: bitch
sentirse aviador: to feel high or drunk
simón: "Yeah", most commonly used in combined form Simónese, "Yeah man!"
soda: slang for cocaine
songas: songs
Estéicis: (from shoe manufacturer "Stacey Adams") a brand of dress shoes favored by pachucos and swingers; a generic term for polished dress shoes
tacuche: (literally
talonear: to walk
tecato: heroin addict
Lanzar chingadazos: throw blows
tira: police
tirar la masa: (lit. "to throw corn dough") to defecate
tirar tripa: (lit. "to throw guts") to vommit
torcido: (lit. "twisted") jail time; locked up in prison (most specifically)
torta: (lit. "cake") derogatory slang for a fat female
tostacho: (from "tostado" mean. "toasted") derogatory slang for African Americans
traer cola: to be on parole
tragazón: food
tramos: pants
trinquetiar: to cheat; to mess (someone) up
trola: cigarette lighter
trucha: (lit. "trout") "Watch out"; smart; wise
tubos: socks
turiquear: to get along; to communicate
un Abril: (also "un abro") a year's jail sentence
vaisa: grip (possibly derived from vise grip)
varrio: neighborhood or 'hood (variation of barrio)
vato: dude; guy; man
volar: (lit. "to fly") to hurry
wilo, güilo: skinny
yesca: (also "yeska") marijuana
¿Y qué?: "And what?"; "So?" (used to question, add emphasis, or challenge someone)
Zafo: I'm out, I bail out. (used when asking for volunteers)
zoot suit: an outfit of male clothing consisting of oversized trousers, jacket and characteristic hat; perhaps an exaggerated imitation of gangster clothing of the 1930s; clothing originated in Harlem as "drapes", but name "zoot suit" of unsettled origin, possibly Caló

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