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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 Calo.
- a ponemos chancla
- (from chancla, Nahuatl for sandal) "Let's dance". The grammar is deliberately incorrect.
- aguas
- (lit. "waters") to watch out!, look out!, beware, be wary
- águila
- (lit. "eagle") "Be alert"
- agüitado
- pissed off
- Araisas
- Arizona
- bomba
- (also "bomb") a lowrider car or truck from the 1930s - mid-1950s
- Bote
- (can) Meaning jail or prison.
- Burque
- a contraction of the old spelling of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Originally spelled "Alburquerque"
- cabulear
- to "bullshit"; to "chew the fat with"
- cagüama
- (lit. "sea turtle", known for its large size) large bottle of beer; i.e. 40oz
- 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
- fisfight, fisticuffs
- chale
- (from Échale, "throw it out") "No"; "No way"
- 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
- chi-chis
- breasts
- chinga té
- also "chingaté" ; equivalent of English "fuck you"
- chingazos
- (lit. "big fucks") arguments; fights
- chingón
- (lit. "fucker") important person; tough guy; derived from Mexican Spanish
- chiva
- (lit. "goat") heroin
- choclos
- dress shoes.
- cholo
- (from Spanish word meaning mestizo or Hispanicized indian) gang banger; gangster; street tough
- chones
- (corruption of the word "calzones") underwear
- chota
- police
- chunty
- (also: "chúntaro") a slightly derogatory term for recent immigrants from south of the border
- clica
- (also spelled "clika" and "clique") gang
- cochino
- "filthy" ; used affectionately amongst groups of friends
- 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 [1]); "zoot suit" is probably a Pachuco-originated term for "drapes" although both terms were used
- East Los
- East Los Angeles, California
- el pasiente
- El Paso
- el territorio
- Mexico
- enjaular
- to lock up
- entacucharse
- to dress up
- escamado
- scared
- escuincle
- (from Nahuatl "Itzquintli" mean. a small dog) child
- 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
- gavacho
- white person
- grifa
- marijuana (whence the US slang word "reefer"; derived from "grifo" - see below)
- grifo
- (lit. "faucet") marijuana addict; someone who is always "prendido", or "lit"
- güacha
- (alt. spelling: "wacha") "Look"; "Watch"
- güaino
- Wino
- güero
- (also "huero" or "weddo") white person; light skinned, blue eyed / blond person
- güisa
- (also "wisa") woman; girlfriend
- heina
- (also spelled "hayna" and "jaina") "ole lady"; woman (as in "My heina")
- holmes
- (also "homes") shortening of 'homeboy' most often used to identify a casual acquaintance or friend - as in "Ey holmes"
- 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 (possibly derived from hombre = man, as in "ay hombre = hey man!)
- jaina
- (also spelled "hayna" or "heina") "old lady"; woman (as in "mi jaina")
- jefa/jefecita
- mother
- jefe/jefecito
- (lit. "boss") father
- joto
- homosexual man; derogatory connotation
- jura
- police
- lana
- (lit. "wool") money
- leño
- marijuana cigarette
- leva
- describes a coward; somoeone lacking courage (syn. bitch; pussy)
- llanta
- (lit. "tire") a slightly derogatory term for African Americans
- lisa
- shirt
- loc
- (pronounced "loke") short for "loco"; a street crazy; hardcore street tough
- Los
- Los Angeles, CA
- máscara
- face
- mayate
- a highly derogatory term for African Americans; derived from Nahuatl mayatl, a beetle
- meco(s)
- semen
- melena del padrote
- a pimp's ducktail haircut
- mono
- movie
- mono
- the devil; demon
- mota
- slang for marijuana
- naranjas
- 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
- (also "border brother") a somewhat affectionate term for recent imigrants from Mexico
- pásame las tres
- lemme have a drag (of a cigarette)
- pedo
- (literally "fart") intoxicated
- 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 safado
- to get high on marijuana
- prendido
- high on drugs; high on marijuana (most common)
- Que Onda
- (what wave)meaning, Whats up?
- ¿Q-Vo?
- (from "Que Hubo" mean. "what was there?"} "What's going on?"; "What's up?"
- ranfla
- car; lowrider car (more specifically)
- rascuache
- dirty, unkempt
- refín
- food
- rifamos
- "We rule"
- rola
- song
- ruca
- girlfriend (most common); woman
- Sanjo
- (pronounced "San Ho") San Jose, California
- San Pancho
- San Francisco
- sentirse aviador
- to feel high or drunk
- simón
- "Yeah", most commonly used in combined form simónese, "yeah man!"
- soda
- slang for cocaine
- songas
- songs
- Staceys
- (from shoe manufacturer "Stacey Adams") a brand of dress shoes favored by pachucos and swingers; a generic term for polished dress shoes
- tacuche
- zoot suit; fancy clothing
- talonear
- to walk
- tecato
- heroin addict
- throw chingazos
- throw blows
- tira
- (lit. strand) meaning Police.
- tirar la masa
- (lit. "to throw corn dough") to defecate
- tirar tripa
- (lit. "to throw guts") to vomit
- 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
- 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 (derived from barrio)
- vato
- dude; guy; man (derived from Gypsy/Gitano Calo)
- volar
- (lit. "to fly") to hurry
- wachar
- (also spelled "guachar") to look at; to see; used as a warning or farewell: "ay te guacho" "take care"
- wilo
- skinny
- wey
- Equivalent to "bro" or "dude". Originates from slurring the Spanish word buey = ox or steer.
- yeska (yesca)
- marijuana
- ¿Y-Que?
- "And what?"; "So?" (used to question, add emphasis, or challenge someone)