Flaite
Chile's loaded label for a streetwise, rough-edged young person — or anything trashy. Roughly the British 'chav'.
Related lesson: Chilean Spanish: A Survival Guide.
Hear it in context
Había unos flaites en la esquina, así que nos fuimos por la otra calle.
There were some dodgy-looking guys on the corner, so we went the other way.
Qué flaite tirar la basura por la ventana del auto.
How trashy to throw rubbish out of the car window.
Ya po, no hablís tan flaite delante de mi abuela.
Come on, don't talk so rough in front of my grandma.
What It Actually Means
Flaite is a Chilean label for a young person, usually a man, from a poor urban area, associated with petty crime, heavy street slang, flashy sportswear and an aggressive manner. It’s both a stereotype and a slur. As an adjective, flaite stretches to anything considered trashy, tacky or rough: a song, a car, a way of talking.
The Cultural Note
The word is everywhere in Chilean conversation, comedy and media, and it’s revealing about class. Calling someone flaite rarely describes what they’ve done. It sorts people by neighbourhood, clothes and accent, and Chilean commentators regularly criticise it as classist. The nearest English equivalent is the British chav, which carries the same mix of fear and snobbery. Spain’s version is cani or choni.
Where It Comes From
Nobody knows for sure. The most common explanations trace it to English (flight, or a slang sense of fly), but none of them is well documented. Treat any confident etymology you read with suspicion.
Common Pitfall
You’ll hear Chileans use flaite jokingly among friends, and that can make it seem harmless. It isn’t. Aimed at a stranger, it’s a class insult. Use the adjective about behaviour if you need to, and leave the noun alone.