One fun (and challenging) aspect of learning Spanish is that every country has its own unique words. I have enjoyed learning about the unique “guatemaltequismos” of this country. Some are more like slang, used primarily by younger generations, but others are perfectly normal words that are used by everyone. Here are a few of the words I have learned (most of them start with “c” for whatever reason):
casero/a: this word normally roughly means “domestic” or “homemade”, but in Guatemala it can also mean “dear” or “lover”. This word is recognized by the Spanish language institution in Spain.
shute: nosy
cinco: in addition to meaning “five”, in Guatemala this can also mean “marble”, as in the round, glass toy. This is also an official word.
chulo/a: around the world, this means everything from “cool” to “arrogant”, but in Guatemala it means “pretty”.
cerote: in other countries this word means “wax” or simply “turd”, but in Guatemala it is used as a name for close friends that means something like “dude”. This is primarily used by younger generations.
mango/a: a very attractive person
cusha: this isn’t a slang word per se, but it is basically Guatemala’s version of moonshine. I have not tried this, nor do I want to.
chilero/a: my favorite Guatemalan word! It means “cool” and can be used to describe basically anything: people, places, objects, etc. ¡Qué chilero!