Every Latin American country has their own slang and phrases that are unique to their people. During my time in Ecuador I learned many phrases in my Spanish class and from local friends. If you use these phrases during your time in Ecuador, you will appear a little more Ecuadorian than you first appear.
“¡De ley!” — Absolutely — This phrase can be used to respond to a question or comment.
“¡Chévere!” — Awesome! or Excellent! — This is one of the most Ecuadorian phrases that I’ve learned, you can use it to describe a person, or respond to a question, “I’ve had a super chévere day”
“Achachaí” — very cold — This word comes from the Kichwa language and can be used when it is very cold outside as an exclamation, “¡Achachaí!”
“Arraraí” — very hot — The opposite of achachaí, this word comes from the Kichwa language and can be used when it is very hot outside as an exclamation, “¡Arraraí!”
“Veci” — an abbreviated form of neighbor– This word is a good example of how Ecuadorians sometimes abbreviate words. Veci is abbreviated from “vecino” which means neighbor. You can use this word when you are talking to a friend or wanting to make a deal at the market, “How much does this cost, veci?”
“Habla serio” — Are you serious? — This phrase can be used when someone tells you something outrageous.
“Sigue no más” — no literal translation — This is probably was the most confusing phrase I encountered in Ecuador. Literally it means “continue no more” but it is used to mean the opposite, “continue or come in”. This is most commonly used when you ask to enter a store or market booth.
“De yapa” — no literal literal translation — This was a fun phrase to use in the market when trying to negotiate when buying fruit or souvenirs. It means something extra, so you can say, “I want three mangos but can I have something “de yapa” and she could give you an avacado as an extra for free.
“No seas malito” — Don’t be mean– This Ecuadorian phrase can also be used in the marketplace in negotiation. If the lady tells you something is $10 but you know that is too much you could negotiate her down and say, “no seas malito, how about $5?”