to take, to catch (coger)
- coger
- fine in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Spain
- tomar, agarrar
- use these in Mexico, Argentina and much of Central America
Coger is a vulgar word for sex in Mexico, Argentina and parts of Central America.
bug (bicho)
- bicho
- fine in most countries
- insecto
- safe everywhere
Bicho is vulgar in Puerto Rico.
seashell (concha)
- concha
- fine in most countries
- caracol
- safe everywhere
Concha is vulgar slang in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Peru, so say caracol there.
mixed Black and white heritage (mulato)
- mulato, mulata
- heard in the Caribbean, Brazil and Colombia
It's usually traced to mula (mule) and comes from colonial racial categories, which is why many people find it offensive. Some people in the Caribbean use it neutrally or for themselves. Don't use it for someone else unless you know they're fine with it.
Indian, Indigenous person (indio)
- indio, india
- often an insult
- indígena
- safe everywhere
In much of Latin America, indio has been used to call someone uneducated or backward, so it can really sting. Say indígena. In the Dominican Republic it has long described skin color, and usually isn't meant as an insult.
Black, as a nickname (negro, negrita)
- negro, negra
- fine for the color; nickname use varies
- mi negra, negrito
- affectionate in the Caribbean and elsewhere
Between family and partners these can be terms of endearment, whatever the person's color. Said by a stranger or a foreigner, they can land very differently. Understand them when you hear them, and don't copy them.
fat, as a nickname (gordo, gordita)
- gordo, gorda
- direct, can be rude
- gordito, mi gorda
- often affectionate
People may call a partner or child gordita with real affection, whatever their size. That doesn't carry over to strangers, where it comments on someone's body.
Asian people (chino)
- chino, china
- used across Latin America
- asiático
- safe everywhere
People of any East Asian background often get called chino. It's not always meant badly, but many find it dismissive, so use the person's actual nationality or asiático. In Mexico, chino also means curly-haired.
right now (ahorita)
- ahorita
- means different things by country
In Mexico it can mean right now or in a while. In the Caribbean it often means later, sometimes much later, so ask if timing matters.