¿Cachái?

Skiing in Chile is about more than skiing.  Chilean culture is endearing and the language exemplifies this perfectly.  Every Friday I will share "dichos" or expressions that make Chile one of the most colorful, fun nations in the world.  

Within your first minute in Chile you will likely hear the expression "cachái?" about fifteen-times.  It is one of the most common expressions in the country.  Cachái? basically means 'Get it?'  It comes from the verb cachar, which means 'to catch.'  So if some asks, "Cachái?" they are asking "Did you catch it?" Or, "Get my drift?"

There's another interesting lesson here, which is the use of the 'ái' ending.  This is essentially the Chilean version of the familiar form 'as.'  For example, the rest of the Spanish speaking world would ask "Como estás?" to a friend or family member; but in Chile, they will ask, "Como estái? – much more like Italian.  This is strange to me because, unlike Argentines, Chileans have no desire to 'be' Italian.  

It is possible to respond to 'cachái?' with 'cacho,' but as a gringo I have never been able to pull this off gracefully.  I find it easier to simply respond 'sí.' or 'sí, lo entiendo.' 
 
So when you get to the airport, and are completely lost in a dreary stupor, looking for the bathroom, the person helping you will probably say, "Ahead, on the left, cachái?"  Don't be thrown off by this word.  It's essentially a way to check that you understand, which I think is a really fantastic part of Chilean culture.  They want you to 'get it.'