Brief Dictionary of Argentine Words

The expression “che” deserves a special chapter in our Brief Dictionary of Argentine Words (BDAW), for a couple of reasons: first, because of its tricky meanings and usage, and second, because it is almost a trademark of argentine culture.

What does che mean in Argentina?

If you spend some time in Argentina, you will notice that che is mostly used to call someone’s attention. Just as you use hey in english. But you will not say che to just anyone. You need to be really familiar with the person to call him or her che. Otherwise it can be taken as a lack of respect.

You also use che followed by the name of the person, as in these examples:

Che, Gerardo, escuchame una cosa…
Meaning: Hey, Gerardo, listen to me...
Che, María, convidame un mate por favor.
Meaning: Hey, María, give me a mate, please.

Click on the link below to listen to the examples:


As a vocative, che is frequently followed by an imperative, an order, as in the previous examples.

Che can also be used to call the attention of a bunch of people. For example:

Che, escúchenme, que tengo algo importante que decirles.
Meaning: Hey, guys, listen to me, I have something important to tell you.

Click on the link below to listen to the example: