🇨🇱
Essential apps for
Chile
SpanishCLP6 apps
Santiago has excellent metro. Cabify, Uber, and DiDi all compete; Rappi is the super-app for food and groceries.
🔌
Power & Plug
TypeC / L
Voltage220V
Freq50Hz
Italian-style plugs alongside European Type C.
💬
Basic phrases
Spanish
- HelloHolaOH-lah
- Thank youGraciasGRAH-syahs
- Excuse me / SorryPerdón / Disculpepair-DOHN / dees-KOOL-peh
- YesSísee
- NoNonoh
+10 more below
🎎
Tipping
Tipping is customary in restaurants at 10%, often suggested on the bill as 'propina'; you are not required to pay it but it is expected for table service. Taxis are not tipped, though rounding up is appreciated.
🚖Rideshare & Taxi
See all →C
Cabify
Strong in Spain and Latin America. Often more reliable in mid-size cities.
Reliable in Santiago.
U
Uber
The most widely available rideshare service globally. Works in 70+ countries.
Wide coverage.
💳Payments & Wallets
See all →📱Messaging
See all →Phrases
All Spanish phrases
Hello
Hola
OH-lah
Thank you
Gracias
GRAH-syahs
Excuse me / Sorry
Perdón / Disculpe
pair-DOHN / dees-KOOL-peh
Yes
Sí
see
No
No
noh
Please
Por favor
por fah-VOR
Goodbye
Adiós / Chao
ah-DYOHS / chow
How much?
¿Cuánto cuesta?
KWAN-toh KWES-tah?
Where is the bathroom?
¿Dónde está el baño?
DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh?
The check, please
La cuenta, por favor
lah KWEN-tah, por fah-VOR
I don't understand
No entiendo
noh en-TYEN-doh
Do you speak English?
¿Habla inglés?
AH-blah een-GLESS?
Help!
¡Ayuda!
ah-YOO-dah!
Delicious
Delicioso / Rico
deh-lee-SYOH-soh / REE-koh
Cheers
Salud
sah-LOOD
Briefing
What to know before you go
✓ Do
- Greet with a single kiss on the right cheek between women and between men and women; men shake hands with each other
- Use 'usted' (formal you) with strangers and elders until invited to use the casual 'tu'
- Wait for the host to say 'salud' before drinking, and maintain eye contact when toasting
- Keep good table manners, using utensils for most foods including fries and pizza rather than hands
- Be punctual for business but expect social events to start later than stated
- Show interest in Chile's distinct identity, wine, and culture rather than lumping it with other countries
✕Don't
- Do not compare Chile unfavorably to Argentina or Peru, or assume the countries are interchangeable
- Do not eat food with your hands in formal settings, as it is considered impolite
- Do not make jokes about the Pinochet era or politics with people you do not know well, as it remains sensitive
- Do not yawn or point openly in public without covering your mouth, which is seen as rude
⚠️ Common scams to know
- Distraction thefts where someone spills liquid or mustard on you, then an accomplice grabs your bag while 'helping' clean it
- Pickpockets and bag-snatchers in crowded areas of Santiago and Valparaiso, especially on public transport and at markets
- Taxi drivers without meters or taking long routes; use official airport taxis, agreed fares, or apps like Uber and Cabify
- Counterfeit banknotes given as change; check large bills, as Chilean notes have clear security features
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