GUATEMALANS are not as given to hot, spicy foods as their Mexican neighbors. It is no surprise, then, that in Guatemalan Spanish chilero usually has nothing to do with mouth-burning of any kind. Rather, here it takes on the meaning of nice, good, or beautiful, depending on the context.
“¡Qué chilera tu chumpa!”
Translation: “Boy, that’s a really beautiful jacket!”
“Vos, que chilera está tu playera ¿dónde la compraste?”
Translation: “Hey, what a beautiful T-shirt! Where did you buy it?”
Check out the use of chilero in the tweet below:
Feliz 17 amorcito mío, todo este tiempo juntos ha sido muy chilero. Muchas gracias por tanto 💕💕
Te amo intensamente 😍 @Andriius96
— ` ${displayName} ` (@DiganLuispa) November 18, 2017
Translation: “Happy 17th, my love; all this time together has been awesome. Thanks so much for all your love. I love you intensely.”
Here’s one more example:
Dedicarse canciones a uno mismo también es chilero
— caritaempapada (@CPezzarossi) November 16, 2017
Translation: “Dedicating songs to yourself is also pretty cool.”
In fact, in Guatemala a popular children’s show is known also as ¡Qué chilero! So don’t get burned! Remember that this hot and spicy term in Guatemalan Spanish is actually quite cool!
