Close friend, buddy.
Lima's word for a real friend, warmer than "amigo" and used mainly among men and younger speakers. "Causita" is the affectionate diminutive.
Shares its name with the classic Peruvian potato dish, though the slang likely comes from a separate root meaning a companion in a shared cause.
It is also a famous cold potato dish. Context makes it obvious, but the overlap catches learners.
Colombia says parce, Mexico says güey, Venezuela says pana, Cuba says asere.
Reading a definition isn't the same as saying it to someone. Lingo Kaiava is a voice tutor set to Peruvian Spanish — it uses causa the way locals do, corrects you in the moment, and never "fixes" the way real people actually talk into textbook Peruvian Spanish.
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