South America
Video Chat with People from Ecuador
Ecuador takes its name from the equator, which runs right through it, and it fits Andean volcanoes, Pacific beaches, Amazon rainforest and the Galápagos Islands into one compact country. Someone you meet might live in Quito, high in the mountains, in Guayaquil on the coast, in colonial Cuenca, or in Manta, Ambato or Loja. Spanish is spoken everywhere, Kichwa (Ecuador's form of Quechua) is heard in many Andean communities, and Shuar and other languages are spoken in the Amazon. Highland and coastal Spanish sound noticeably different, and people enjoy pointing that out.
Mainland Ecuador keeps the same clock all year, five hours behind UTC, while the Galápagos run an hour behind that. If you're in Europe, try reaching Ecuador in your late evening, when it's late afternoon there. Food is regional and delicious: encebollado (a fish and yuca soup loved on the coast), Ecuadorian-style ceviche, llapingachos, bolón de verde and hornado. Football is the big sport, and ecuavóley, a three-a-side version of volleyball, is a much-loved local game. Ask about the Galápagos, the waterfalls around Baños or the market in Otavalo. Our Spanish practice page can help you prepare.
Ecuador at a glance
| Flag | 🇪🇨 |
|---|---|
| Official name | Republic of Ecuador |
| Capital | Quito |
| Region | Americas · South America |
| Official language | Spanish |
| Currency | United States dollar ($, USD) |
| Calling code | +593 |
| Time zone | Ecuador Time (America/Guayaquil) |
How to say hello
A few words of Spanish make a great first impression, even if you switch to English right after.
| Language | Phrase | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish | ¡Buenas tardes! ¿Cómo está? | BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs, KOH-moh ehs-TAH | Good afternoon! How are you? (polite) |
| Spanish (Ecuador) | ¡Hola, pana! | OH-lah, PAH-nah | Hi, buddy! |
| Quechua (Kichwa) | Imanalla? | ee-mah-NAH-yah | How are you? / Hi |
Tips for chatting with people from Ecuador
- Many Ecuadorians use "usted" even in casual chats, especially in the highlands; it's polite, not distant, so mirror whatever your partner uses.
- Ask whether they're from the sierra (highlands) or the costa (coast); the friendly rivalry between Quito and Guayaquil is a classic topic.
- Listen for "chévere" (cool), "ñaño" (buddy) and "¡achachay!" (it's cold!), an exclamation with Kichwa roots.
- Football gets people talking fast: ask whether they follow Barcelona SC or Emelec in Guayaquil, or LDU Quito in the capital.
Only meet people from Ecuador
Omlet matches you Worldwide by default. To meet only people from Ecuador, use the country filter, the only filter Omlet has:
- Open Omlet and press Country on the control panel.
- Search for Ecuador and select it.
- Press Start. Press Next to meet someone else from Ecuador, or switch back to Worldwide any time.
Your first day is free: you add a card through Stripe to start it, and nothing is charged that day. When the 24 hours end, the country filter costs $3 one time, charged to that card, unless you cancel before then in Settings (if you cancel, you can still pick a country until the day ends). It's not a subscription, and it stays unlocked on that device and browser. It doesn't carry over to other devices or browsers, and clearing your browser data removes it. There's one free day per device, home network and card. Payment goes through Stripe, so Omlet never sees your card number.
The filter works both ways, and matching can be slower when fewer people from Ecuador are online. Chatting itself is free, and Worldwide matching never costs anything.
Your own country is detected automatically and shown to the people you meet as a flag.
Neighboring countries
Ecuador borders 2 countries. Curious about the people next door? Meet them too: