| Chilean Word | Mapudungún Origin | Meaning | |--------------|-------------------|---------| | | pichi (small) + tun (amount) | A little bit | | Pololo/a | pulu (fly) → pololo (type of insect) | Boyfriend/girlfriend (originally a flying insect that stays near light) | | Chanchito | Not from pig, but from chancho (a type of lizard) | Pig (semantic shift) | | Guata | huata | Belly | | Chucha | chucha (a type of weasel-like animal) | Mild swear word / also "armpit" | | Cahuin | cahuin (mischief, party) | Intrigue, gossip | | Pichanga | pichi (small) + anga (party) | Small gathering; also "pick-up soccer game" | B. Quechua (via Inca influence) Although the Inca didn't fully conquer Chile, Quechua words entered through trade and later colonial routes.
| Chilean Word | Quechua Origin | Meaning | |--------------|----------------|---------| | | choccllo | Corn on the cob | | Palta | paltu | Avocado | | Poroto | purutu | Bean | | Cancha | kancha | Field, court (e.g., soccer field) | | Chala | ch'alla | Corn husk (also used for shoes) | C. Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Less common but present in everyday Chilean Spanish. etimología chilena
| Chilean Word | Rapa Nui Origin | Meaning | |--------------|-----------------|---------| | | moa | Extinct bird; also a surname | | Ahu | ahu | Ceremonial platform | | Tapati | tapati | Festival (used for the Rapa Nui cultural festival) | 3. Chilean Spanish Innovations (Unique Evolutions) Many words evolved differently in Chile than in other Spanish-speaking countries. | Chilean Word | Mapudungún Origin | Meaning