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When traveling in Spanish speaking countries, one of the best ways to befriend a native Spanish speaker is to have some knowledge of their local slang, which is why today we’re going to teach you the very best Mexican slang.
Of course, it’s a good idea to first know some basic Spanish words, or even better, learn the most common Spanish phrases for traveling.
Once you cover these, you’ll want to make local friends and what better way to do so than to speak the local lingo.
Since our post on Colombia slang proved to be so popular, we figured that it was time to dedicate a post on teaching the most commonly used Mexican slang.
(Some of the following language is a little “colorful”, and so we advise the easily offended to stop reading right now)
What are Mexican slang words you need to know?
1. Güey
This word is at the forefront of Mexican slang. Similar to “dude” in English, “güey” is commonly used for friends or acquaintances, and in some unpleasant situations, refers to strangers in a sarcastic way. Pronounced like “whey” in English.
- Mira güey, ¿salimos hoy o que? – Hey dude, wanna go out today?
2. Neta
This is another one of those words that you will hear in movies, tv shows, or from some Mexican friends. It usually means “the truth”, but when used interrogatively, it’s understood as:
- ¿Neta? – For real?
You can also refer to someone great by saying:
- ¡Eres la neta! – You rock!
3. No manches
When a friend tells you about some amazing event, or something that you don’t know if it’s real or not, you would say No manches! (Really? or Are you kidding?).
You can also use ¡No mames! which means the same thing, but is a little more colourful (similar to damn!).
4. ¡Órale!
This word has many different purposes: amazement, approval, enthusiasm and even to complement orders.
- ¡Órale! ¿Y tu desde cuando trabajas tanto? – Wow, since when do you work so much?
5. ¡Aguas!
As odd as this expression may seem, it has no relation to water. This expression refers to being alert or aware of your surroundings.
- ¡Aguas! – Watch out!
6. Pinche
Typically used as an adjective to label something as ugly, terrible or of bad quality. Can also be used as a curse word to enhance an insult and its characteristics (the same way “fucking” in English is used.
- ¡Jajaja! pinche Ricardo, siempre sales con esas cosas – Hahahah, fucking Ricardo, you always come up with stuff like this
- Eres un pinche idiota, Ricardo – You’re a fucking idiot, Ricardo
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7. Chido
Mexicans love to use “chido” to describe something cool, or with good vibes. It can be used with people, objects or situations.
- Esta bien chido ese regalo, gracias wey – That gift is really cool, thanks man
8. No Hay Bronca
Let’s start with “bronca”, commonly used to refer to a problem or discomfort. So as you can imagine “no hay bronca”, means that there is no problem – everything is fine.
- Claro, yo te puedo prestar algo de dinero, no hay bronca – Sure, I can lend you some money, no problem
9. Chavo or Chava
The most commonly used words to describe children, adolescents and young people in general. Similar to “kid” in English.
- El chavo sigue en el colegio, debería buscarlo – The boy is still in school, I should pick him up
10. Naco
Mexican slang for someone with a tacky, or poor attitude, and is considered less sophisticated than your regular member of society. Most of the time, a naco acts unpleasantly, is not well-educated and uses certain colorful slang. Close equivalent to “ghetto” in English.
- Naaah, te ves muy naco con eso, mejor cambiate – Nah, you look really trashy on that, go change
11. Fresa
You probably recognize this word as “strawberry”, but in Mexican slang, “fresa” is used to describe a person who is a snob, stuck-up and basically, thinks that they are better than everyone else. They’ll likely speak with a distinct accent – which may or may not be fake.
- Sabes que no me gusta salir con hombres como él, es demasiado fresa – You know I don’t like going out with men like him, he’s way too stuck up
12. Chicano
Natives use this word to describe people of Mexican origin born in the United States, or people who were born in Mexico but emigrated to the US at an early age.
- Hay una población bastante grande de Chicanos en Los Angeles – There is a very important Chicano population in Los Angeles
13. Cholo
Commonly heard in the southwest of the United States, “cholo” is a somewhat loosely defined term, but it generally refers to Mexican gangsters, with a very specific look – big white shirts, black baggy shorts, shaved heads, religious black ink tattoos, black shades, etc.
- Tengo algunos primos cholos, pero prefiero no meterme en eso – I have a few cholo cousins, but I’d rather not get involved with that
14. Metiche
That person who always has his/her nose in other people’s business. Not guaranteed to spread rumors, but still likes to keep tabs on everyone’s business.
- Hay demasiados metiches en mi trabajo, no los soporto – There are too many nosy people on my job, I can’t stand them
15. Tocayo
Nickname given to anyone who shares your first name.
- Ahí va el tocayo – There goes my tocayo
16. Prieto
While this may seem a little racist to an English speaker, in Mexico this word is seen as non-offensive slang to describe someone with darker skin.
- ¿Recuerdas quién es Daniel? Mi amigo prieto, estuvo acá el otro día – Remember who Daniel is? My black friend, he was there the other day
17. Vieja
Although this directly translates to “old lady”, in Spanish and particularly Mexican slang, this word is used as an affectionate word for your mom.
- Tengo que visitar a la vieja de vez en cuando, y darle algún regalito – I have to visit my mother from time to time, and give her some little present
18. Padre
Similarly, this literally translates as “father”, but in Mexican slang means cool. You’ll hear common phrases such as “que padre!” (“How cool!”) or ‘más padre’ (‘very cool’). Just like “chido”, it can be used when talking about people, things or situations.
- Está bien padre ese juego, ¿como se llama? – That videogame looks really cool, how’s it called?
19. Chela
Chelas, or cheves are beers, and the word comes from a beer cocktail (michelada) that mixes beer with lime, chili and tomato juice.
- Dame dos chelas para mi y mi compadre – Give me two chelas for me and my compadre.
20. Pomo
A rather short name for a bottle of any liquor that you might find, from vodka to some fine tequila.
- Las chelas no van a alcanzar para todo el mundo, hay que abrir un pomo – Beers aren’t going to be enough for everyone, we have to open a bottle
21. Malacopa
The lightweight person who gets drunk extremely easy or extremely fast – we all know someone like that.
- Creo que el pomo no hacía falta, estos son muy malacopa – I think the bottle wasn’t even necessary, these guys are extreme lightweights
22. Crudo
The imminent future of a “malacopa” is to have a hangover.
- Esta mañana amaneci crudo – I woke up with a hangover today
23. Cantina
Sounds similar to a canteen, and they serve a similar purpose, since this term means “bar” for Mexican folk.
(A naco will probably describe a nightclub as “antros”)
- Hoy no tengo ganas de ir a la cantina, vayan ustedes – I don’t want to go to the bar tonight, but you guys can go
24. Pedo
This word has 3 uses a) a fart b) being buzzed/drunk c) being a problem.
- No pensé que fuesen a volver tan pedos wey – I didn’t think you’d come home so drunk, man.
25. Chamba
A difficult and demanding job, or an unpleasant situation i.e. something you don’t want to get stuck in for too long.
- Mañana tengo que volver a mi chamba wey, o me despiden – I have to go back to my job tomorrow man, or I’ll get fired
26. Changarro
The name given to small, wholesome family businesses – like the bodega (mom and pop store) on the corner of the street.
- Ve al changarro ese y ve si tienen algunos dulces – Go to the store and see if they have any kind of candy
27. Chafa
Something that is of very low quality, disappointing or prone to causing frustration and have you screaming “¡Que chafa!” which means “what crap!”.
- Esa camisa está chafa – This t-shirt is bad quality (or fake)
28. Varos
Slang word for money, capable of replacing the word “pesos” since it can hold a numerical value, like “bucks”.
- Me pagaron esta semana, puedo poner unos cuantos varos más para la pizza – I got paid this week, I can help with a few more bucks for the pizza
29. Refresco
Commonly used slang term for sodas of any kind.
- ¿Quieres beber refresco o te sirvo algo más? – Do you want to drink some soda or do you want me to serve you something else?
30. Paro
This simply means favor, and will replace the word in most occasions.
- ¿Me puedes hacer un paro y recordarme eso? – Can you do me a favor and remind me of that?
31. Gacho
This is a substitute for “feo” (ugly), though both words are used in a much wider sense than for physical ugliness i.e. just general badness.
- No seas gacho, déjalos ir al parque – Don’t be so boring, let them go to the park
32. Jalada
A word for something that is completely unbelievable or overdone, like “The Fast and Furious” movie franchise.
- No puede ser, que jalada toda esa historia, ¿como quieres que te crea? – That’s a ridiculous story, how do you want anyone to believe you?
33. Chorro
When you have a stream of something, meaning you have large quantities of it (like “The Fast and Furious” boxset collection).
- Tenemos un chorro de películas por ver esta vacaciones, deberíamos comenzar – We have a ton of movies to watch on vacation, we should get started
34. Ratero
In Mexico, “ratero” is used instead of “ladrón”. Both words mean “thief”.
- Pues el teléfono me lo robó un ratero, así que no tengo – A thief robbed me off of my phone, so i don’t have one
25. Vocho
Nickname for the old Volkswagen Beetle, a car you will see a lot in Mexico.
- ¿Por qué hay tantos vochos en la capital? – Why are there so many beetles in the capital city?
36. Chamarra
In Mexico, this word is slang for jacket or coat, and acts as a replacement for “chaqueta” which is used in every other Spanish speaking country.
That’s because in some parts of Mexico, “chaqueta” is a slang term for masturbation or touching yourself.
So if you want to avoid an awkward (and possibly funny moment, the next time you go to buy a “jacket” in Mexico, it’s best to use the slang term.
- ¿Me prestas tu chamarra? – Can I have your jacket for a minute?
37. Chanclas
A word for sandals and flip-flops, a common sight everywhere in the country.
- Deberías ponerte algo mejor que esas chanclas para salir – You should put on something better than those flip-flops to go out
38. Camión
A slang word for both formal and informal route buses, even though it means “truck” in the rest of Latin America.
- Apúrate que no vamos a alcanzar el camión – Hurry up or we won’t catch the bus
________________________
By learning these Mexican slang terms, you’ll have a better chance of endearing yourself to the locals – or at the very least make a Spanish speaker laugh.
For some slightly more NSFW words, make sure to read our ultimate guide to Spanish curse words here.
Mexico. The most populous Spanish speaking country in the world and one of the most influential in terms of Spanish language film and literature.
If you’re going to learn the common Spanish expressions of any country, Mexico is a great one to start with.
Secondly, Mexico has some unique expressions that were probably not included in your Spanish textbook or course.
You’ll encounter them frequently in movies, tv and pop culture, as well in your conversations with Mexicans you meet!
In this post, I’m going to help by sharing 29 of the most common Mexican Spanish slang words and expressions you’re likely to hear.
But first… let’s talk about why slang words, phrases and idioms are important to learn if you want to become a confident Spanish speaker.
By the way, if you want to learn to speak like a Mexican and participate effortlessly in local conversation, why not check out my popular Mexican Spanish book?
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Why Learn Mexican Spanish Idioms & Slang?
Spanish idioms and slang are two of the things that complicate the process of transitioning from staged speaking and listening exercises to speaking Spanish comfortably with native speakers.
If you stop to think about it, you can probably come up with a whole list of words in your native language that mean something other than the literal translation or have different meanings around the world.
For example:
- An “apartment” in the United States is a “flat” in the UK or Australia.
- A “car park” in Britain would be a “parking lot” in the US and Canada.
- A “barbie” in Australia means a barbeque, whereas, in other English speaking countries, you’d probably think of a Barbie doll!
So it’s always a good idea to brush up on slang and common expressions when you are planning to travel to a new place.
Learning Mexican Spanish slang will help you understand what is being said and help you sound more like a native speaker yourself.
It will help you fit in so you sound less like a foreigner.
Imagine the surprise on your new friends’ faces when you use their common expressions with ease!
So as you can see – learning some Spanish slang is pretty useful!
Now because a lot of dictionaries, movie translations, and study guides come out of Spain, many Spanish learners pick up on Peninsular Spanish expressions before they learn Latin American slang.
That can lead to confusion when you travel to Latin America and keep you from learning the colloquial expressions and terms.
So instead of focusing on slang from Spain, in this post, we’ll look at essential slang from one of Latin America’s biggest and most influential countries: Mexico.
Key Features Of Mexican Spanish: Vocabulary & Grammar
Before I get to the list of slang phases, there are two key things you should know about Spanish in Mexico as opposed to Spain or other Spanish-speaking countries:
- Mexicans do not use the vosotros or vos conjugations for informal speech. The ustedes form is the only conjugation you’ll need for groups (whether you’re friends or not) and tú is used for all informal second person situations.
- Mexico has more words based on English than other Spanish-speaking countries, probably because of its proximity to the United States. For example, here are some Mexican words you may not hear anywhere else:
- hobby (hobby)
- marqueta (market)
Ok, we’re ready to get started!
Without further ado… here are 29 Mexican slang words and phrases that will have you sounding like a native in no time!
If you prefer to learn by watching videos, check out the video lesson from the StoryLearning® Spanish YouTube channel below. That way you can hear how these words are pronounced.
Or for the full list of 29 Mexican slang words and phrases, scroll down and keep reading!
29 Mexican Slang Words And Phrases Every Spanish Learner Needs To Know
1. ¿Mande?
Used to ask someone to repeat something if you didn’t hear or understand what was said the first time.
This is extremely helpful to know if you are travelling to Mexico as a Spanish learner, as you may often need people to repeat themselves.
It is considered more polite than ¿Qué? or ¿Cómo? in Mexico, but rarely used elsewhere.
2. Pedo
Technically, pedo translates to “fart,” but it is used in quite a few phrases in Mexico, some of the most common of which are:
- ¿Qué pedo? – What’s up?
- No hay pedo – It’s no problem
- Andar bien pedo/a – to be very drunk
- ¿Dónde es la peda? – Where is the party?
Pedo is considered quite crude in some parts of the Spanish-speaking world, so I suggest you pay attention to what the people you are speaking with are saying before trying these phrases yourself, especially if not all of your speaking companions are from Mexico.
3. ¿Qué onda?
This one is nice and simple! It’s another casual way to ask a close friend, “What’s up?” and you’ll hear Mexicans use it all the time.
4. Güey (also spelled “wey”)
Güey translates roughly to “dude” or “man” in Mexico.
Where in Spain you might ask a friend, ¿Qué pasa, tío?, you’d be much more likely to say, ¿Qué onda, güey? in Mexico.
5. Codo/a
Codo/a translates to “elbow,” but it’s is also used in Mexico to describe someone overly frugal or tightfisted with his or her money.
- Juan nunca gasta en cosas innecesarias. Es muy codo. – Juan never spends money on unncessary things. He’s very frugal.
6. Estar crudo/a
Put simply, estar crudo/a means to have a hangover.
Literally, it would be translated as “to be raw”, which is probably not a bad metaphor for feeling hungover!
- Estoy bien crudo hoy. – I’m very hungover today.
7. ¿Qué tal?
I bet you’re surprised to see this phrase make the list.
After all, ¿Qué tal? is not specific to Mexico.
However, it does have a different meaning in Mexico than in Spain and some other Spanish-speaking countries.
In Mexico, ¿Qué tal? means “What’s happening?” or “What’s up?” as opposed to “How are you?” or “How are things going?” as you may have learned in your Spanish textbook or class.
So, it’s much more casual than the same phrase would be in other dialects of Spanish.
8. Tener feria
This one means “to have money”, as in:
- ¿Tienes feria para salir este fin de semana? – Do you have money to go out this weekend?
In some parts of Mexico, feria can also refer to pocket change.
9. ¡No manches!
You will use this expression most often when listening to a story or anecdote as it’s used to express shock or surprise.
In English, it would translate roughly to “No way!” or “You’re kidding me!”
10. La neta
La neta in Mexican Spanish means the truth.
It can be used either as a way to agree with someone;
- Sí, es la neta – Yes it’s the truth
… or to express doubt in what they’re saying:
- ¿Es la neta? – Is it the truth?
If you refer to a person as neto/a, you are describing someone who can be trusted or that you can always count on.
11. Ni modo
There is no literal translation of ni modo in English but it falls somewhere between “no big deal” and “it is what it is.”
You can use ni modo to say you have no preference or also to express disappointment at something you have no control over.
12. ¡Aguas!
¡Aguas! means… Watch out!
The story goes that this expression dates back to the days when the contents of chamber pots and other wastewater were tossed out the window and into the street each morning.
These days, ¡Aguas! isn’t related to water or waste at all. Instead, it’s an expression similar to “Heads up!” still used in Mexico and some parts of the United States.
13. Estar cañón
To be difficult or hard, as in:
- El examen estuvo cañón – The exam was really hard.
You can also use cañón to add intensity to an expression, such as:
- Te extraño cañón – I miss you so much.
14. Eso que ni qué
This handy Mexican phrase means “definitely” or “without a doubt”.
Use eso que ni qué to express total agreement with what someone else is saying.
- – Chichen Itza es uno de los lugares más conocidos de México – Chichen Itza is one of the most well-known places in Mexico.
- – Eso que ni qué – Without a doubt!
15. Fresa
You probably already know that the noun fresa literally means “strawberry”.
In Mexico, though, it’s also an adjective to describe someone as stuck up or snooty.
16. Vato
Vato means “guy” or “man”, and has a measure of respect or being impressed about it.
However, in some situations, it also has a gang connotation and is more closely translated to “gangster.”
There’s some debate about whether vato is a variant of bato (fool), chivato (informant or snitch), or other indigenous words from the region.
Wherever it comes from, it is used today in Northern Mexico between friends.
It’s also been included in a number of Spanglish expressions and songs, such as in the Texas Tornados song, “Hey Baby, ¿Qué Paso?”:
17. Chido/a
Chido/a is a Mexican adjective meaning “awesome” or “cool”.
It’s used the same the way you would use guay in Spain. For example:
- Es un vato chido – He’s a cool guy!
18. Padre
Of course, padre generally means ‘father’ in Spanish, but in Mexico, it’s also another way to say, “Awesome!” or “Great!”, for example:
- ¡Qué padre! – How awesome/great!
19. Chicano/a
This term is an interesting one and you may well hear it used among latinos in the US as well as in Mexico.
It’s an adjective referring to people of Mexican origin living in the United States.
20. ¡Órale!
There’s no literal translation for órale in English.
Instead, it can mean one of a few different expressions, such as:
- “Okay”
- “Well done”
- “Come on”
- “No way!”
I know it sounds tricky but don’t worry! The context will always make it pretty clear what is being expressed.
21. Ser bien gacho/a
To be gacho means to be “lame” or “uncool”, when directed at a person.
When directed at a situation, it is another way to say mala onda or “bad vibes.”
- No me gusta esta fiesta. Está bien gacha. – I don’t like this party. It has bad vibes.
22. Carnal
Carnal means “brother”, either literally or as an expression or term of endearment between close friends.
- Oye, carnal, ¿cómo te va? – Hey brother, what’s up?
23. Te crees muy muy
This one means “You think you are such a big deal” and is used in the same way it’s translation would be in English.
It may seem simple but it can go a long way to helping you sound more natural in your conversations!
24. Chavo/a
A word used to informally refer to children, like “kids” in English.
Other words in Mexico with similar meanings include chamaco/a and morro/a.
- Los chavos están jugando al fútbol – The kids are playing football.
25. Sin broncas
Bronca roughly translates to “fight” or “row.”
So, to say something or someone is sin broncas, you are saying there’s no problem (e.g. they’re “without fight/disagreement”).
26. ¡Qué huevos!
This phrase is used to express admiration or amazement at something daring or brave.
It’s also sometimes used to express dismay or disgust. And when it is you’ll be able to tell easily from the context.
¡A huevo! is a similar expression that means “Absolutely!” or “Let’s do it!”
However, it’s a good idea to use the word huevos with care, as it’s also a common Spanish slang term for “testicles”!
As you might imagine, this means there are many vulgar innuendos and insults that include the word huevos; so much so that some foreigners fear even using the word when ordering eggs at a restaurant!
You don’t need to worry about saying a curse word when ordering huevos directly. But do be careful to avoid any unfortunate hand signs or overly specific descriptions that could lead to a round of laughter at your expense!
27. Huevón/a
Huevón literally means a “large egg” but is used colloquially as an insult to talk about an extremely lazy person. For example:
- Mario nunca hace nada. ¡Qué huevón! – Mario never does anything. What a lazy guy!
28. Sale
Just as Spaniards say vale to mean “Let’s go!” or “Okay, cool” and Argentineans use dale, Mexicans express the same thing with the word sale.
- ¿Vamos al cine a la tarde? – Sale – Shall we go to the cinema in the afternoon? Ok, cool.
29. No hay de queso, nomás de papas
This classic Mexican slang phrase is used in place of “you’re welcome” and it’s actually a play on words made famous by a popular Mexican television show!
It is a variant on the common expression no hay de qué which means “no problem.”
It’s Time To Start Using Your Mexican Slang!
There you have it!
29 Mexican slang words and expression to impress your friends while travelling in Central America and sound fluent in Spanish in no time!
By learning these essential Mexican phrases, you’ll not only learn to keep up in conversation with your Mexican friends but also be able to watch a range of fantastic Mexican movies and TV shows that use colloquial slang.
You’ll be able to speak Mexican Spanish with greater confidence without the fear of being laughed at for using “textbook phrases” or formal Spanish.
So what are you waiting for? Learn the phrases that are most relevant to you, then get out there and practice using them! ¡Suerte!
By the way, if you want to immerse yourself in the different Spanish dialects of Spain and Latin America, while pushing past the dreaded intermediate plateau, then check out the Fluent Spanish Academy.
It’s an entire library of Spanish learning material with audio and transcripts and much more to get you fluent in the language fast.
Click here to find out more about Fluent Spanish Academy and how it can help you.
Content
- Properly Mexican words
- Achicopalar
- Acocote
- Pamper
- Sidewalk
- snack
- Cantinflear
- Stroller
- ketchup
- Chatter
- Chafa
- Chalet
- Chaparro / rra
- Chavo / goes
- Check
- beer
- Chero
- Cheve
- Cool / day
- Chilango / ga
- Choco / ca
- Raw
- Friend
- Scotch tape
- Gross
- Güero / ra
- Son
- Snout / na
- Huarache
- Jaina
- Jocho
- Tire
- Bag
- Naco / ca
- Net
- Orale
- T-shirt
- Pulque
- Refri
- Ruco
- Serape
- Teto
- Tianguis
- Tlachique
- Tompiates
- Unicel
- Vato
- Kid
- Words with different meanings in Mexico
- Waters
- lunch
- Joint
- Good
- Hearty
- Truck
- Suck
- Food
- Coyotito
- Girdle
- Strawberry
- Scrub
- Beat
- often
- Bear
- Father
- Lace
- Blowout
- Cake
- Words that could be considered vulgar
- Dumbass
- Chichona
- Fuck
- Chingada
- Chingadazo
- Fucking
- Chingón / na
- Culero / ra
- Start
- Riot
- Güey
- Huevón / na
- Joto
- Mother
- Suck
- Mamón / na
- Panocha
- Fart / day
- Scullion
- Whistle
- Dunce
- Themes of interest
- References
Some say there are so many mexican words as there are Mexicans in the world. Mexico is a country with approximately 120 million inhabitants and a land area of almost 2 million square kilometers.
This makes the diversity of words originated by Mexicans surprising even themselves since, although there are words that everyone uses and understands, there are many more that are used in each region or state.
Going from the southeast to the north of the Mexican territory can bring the feeling that you have traveled from one country to another. The pronunciation, accent or tone and the difference in names that they have for each thing generates communication problems between nationals themselves, and what to say between foreigners.
The following describes Mexican words and idioms invented in this country, in addition to other existing ones that are given a different meaning in Mexico.
Properly Mexican words
The Mexicans invented their own words that were generated from the sounds of indigenous words, words in English or other languages, and even from the abbreviation of phrases in Spanish.
As a consequence of globalization, some of these words are already used in other countries, or at least understood.
Achicopalar
Discourage: «Don’t get shy.»
Acocote
Instrument used to extract mead from the maguey: “Bring me the acocote”.
Pamper
Lovingly hugging or caressing: «I need a cuddle.»
Sidewalk
Sidewalk: «He got on the sidewalk.»
snack
Sandwich, aperitif or light meal: «I brought the snacks.»
Cantinflear
Talk bluntly, incongruously and nonsensically: «Stop chanting and tell me what happened.» This term originated from a well-known character from Mexican films called Cantinflas, since speaking in that way was one of its main characteristics.
Stroller
Baby carriage: «Put the baby in the stroller.»
ketchup
Tomato sauce: «Can you pass me the ketchup?»
Chatter
Talk or converse a lot about a topic but without substance. Chattering can also mean trading or negotiating things that are not of great value.
Chafa
Something of poor quality or little value: «The design is a bit shabby.»
Chalet
Expression of surprise, usually in a negative or regretful way: «Chale, you would have told me!»
Chaparro / rra
Short person: «She is very short.»
Chavo / goes
Young person: «I used to go when I was young.»
Check
Same meaning of the Spanish verb check, revise or examine: “Check the invoices they sent”.
beer
A chela is a beer. Example: Let’s have some chelas!
Chero
Prison or jail: «They sent him to the car.»
Cheve
Beer: «Let’s go for some cheves.»
Cool / day
Something good or cute: «This restaurant is cool.»
Chilango / ga
Person or thing from the capital (Federal District): «The Chilangos don’t understand this.»
Choco / ca
Person or thing from the Tabasco state: «Choco cocoa is the best.»
Raw
Hangover: «He gave me raw.»
Friend
Very close friend, only for the male gender: «He is my friend.»
Scotch tape
Although it is a brand, in Mexico all adhesive tapes are called like this: «We glue the poster with diurex.»
Gross
Expression of disgust or disgust: «Guácala, I will not eat that!».
Güero / ra
White or blond-haired person: «My sister is a blonde.»
Son
Expression of surprise or amazement: «Hi, I didn’t know that!»
Snout / na
Boastful or indiscreet person: «He was snout to tell him what I said»
Huarache
Sandals: «He put on his huaraches.»
Jaina
Girlfriend: «I have no jaina.»
Jocho
Hot dog or hot dog: “I ate 2 jochos”.
Tire
Fat fold around the waist: «I already got tires from eating so many tacos.»
Bag
Bag or purse that is carried on the back: «Put the notebooks in your backpack.»
Naco / ca
Vulgar or rude person: «I didn’t want it for naco.»
Net
Truth or sincere person: «It is clear that it rained.»
Orale
Expression to exhort someone to hurry up or to do something: «Oh, we’re late!», Astonishment or surprise: «Oh, you’re so great!», Or just to let it be known that what the other person understood or understood person said, synonymous with the expression “OK”.
T-shirt
Short-sleeved collarless shirt: «I only have black shirts.»
Pulque
Alcoholic drink that is obtained by fermenting the juice that is extracted from the maguey: “We drink a lot of pulque”.
Refri
Coming from the word «refrigerator», it is the appliance where food is kept: «The water is in the fridge.»
Ruco
Elderly person, belonging to the third age, old.
Serape
Blanket or blanket with an opening in the center to introduce the head and use as a garment, usually in bright colors: «Take your serape just in case.»
Teto
Silly or childish person: «What a tit!»
Tianguis
Popular or informal economy market that is usually provisional: «I bought fruits at the tianguis.»
Tlachique
Maguey juice: «You have to extract the tlachique.»
Tompiates
Word used to refer to the testicles. It is also an indigenous basket made of palm to store tortillas.
Unicel
Expanded polystyrene: «They gave me a Styrofoam cup.»
Vato
Man or boy: «I saw a guy from school.»
Kid
It is a word to refer in a derogatory way to a child. The origin of this word comes from the Nahuatl language «iztcuíntli» and did not refer to children, but to a hairless dog that existed in Mexico before the arrival of the Spanish. A synonym for this word is «brat.»
Words with different meanings in Mexico
There are words in Spanish that said in Mexico can mean something totally different from its original definition, so understanding it will depend on the context in which they are said.
Waters
Expression of warning or caution, as if to say to be careful: «Waters on that street.»
lunch
Food eaten in the morning after breakfast and before the main meal: «I brought lunch and dinner.»
Joint
Leisure venue to drink alcoholic beverages, listen to music and dance, usually at night: «On Saturday we went to the club.»
Good
Greeting when answering the phone: «Good?»
Hearty
Although Campeche is the gentilicio of Campeche, a state of Mexico, this word is used in several regions of the country to refer to a food or drink formed by the combination of different foods or drinks, without being related to this state: “It gives me four hearty tacos ”.
Truck
Bus: «I got on the truck.»
Suck
Alcoholic drink or its consumption: «Where is the chupe today?».
Food
When a Mexican uses this word, he usually refers specifically to food eaten in the middle of the day: «They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner there.»
Coyotito
Siesta: «A coyotito took off.»
Girdle
Encounter or moment in which caresses or kisses are passionately given: «I knew they were in a girdle.»
Strawberry
Person who is or behaves as if he belonged to the upper social class: «She is strawberry.»
Scrub
It can refer to beating: «You don’t know the scrubs he gave him», or excessive or complicated work: «My boss brings me in scrubs.»
Beat
When you feel like something or feel like it: «It beats me to see that movie.»
often
Food with pieces of the cow’s stomach: «There was not often on the menu.»
Bear
Shame or shame: «What a bear he gave me!»
Father
Something very good, excellent or impressive: «The concert was great.»
Lace
Graphite mines: «My toes ran out.»
Blowout
Spree, party or boisterous fun: “Let’s go out on a rampage”.
Cake
Bread that is cut lengthwise and filled with other foods: «I ate a ham cake.»
Words that could be considered vulgar
Although Mexicans are people of very good treatment and good manners, they very often use words that in some moments or situations can be considered vulgar.
Even in formal, business or social settings, words or expressions are used that may be frowned upon by people with whom one does not have much confidence, while among friends none of these would be considered offensive or disrespectful.
The common use of these words means that some are not considered as vulgar as others, but they are still so.
Dumbass
It can be a person with a bad character or very experienced, it will depend on the context: «What a bastard she is!»
Chichona
Woman with very large breasts: «You like it because it is big.»
Fuck
It is one of the words most used by the Mexican because of the multiple meanings it has. As a verb it can refer to:
-Damage («The computer already screwed up»).
-Working very hard («I go on chinga»).
-Steal («I fucked my pencil»).
-Commit a sexual act, generally as an offense («I fucked your sister»).
-Being annoying or annoying («He’s fucking me»).
Some of its conjugations can mean something very different or opposite, like the four mentioned below.
Chingada
Anything very bad or complicated: «He went to hell»; or promiscuous woman: «Damn mother!»
Chingadazo
Very strong blow: «He gave his fuck.»
Fucking
Expression of surprise: «Ah, fucking!».
Chingón / na
Very good person or thing, of excellent or extraordinary quality: «Your phone is awesome.»
Culero / ra
Fearful or cowardly person: «He did not come for asshole.»
Start
Same meaning of the verb drunk: «He just came to get started.»
Riot
Disorder or mess: «Everything was a mess.»
Güey
This word has different meanings. It can refer to a man who does not know himself: «A guy I saw on the street»; to a stupid person: “I’m going güey today”; to treat a friend: «Güey, I told you not to go»; or as an expression of amazement, warning or pain: «Güey, watch out!»
Huevón / na
Lazy or lazy person: «Come up, don’t be an idiot.»
Joto
Homosexual, effeminate or cowardly man: «I think he’s joto.»
Mother
Give very strong blows: «I was all screwed up.»
Suck
Exaggerate: «You’re sucking.»
Mamón / na
Cocky, unfriendly or hateful person: «Before you were very suckers.»
Panocha
Vulva or vagina: «The dog was smelling her pussy.»
Fart / day
It can refer to a party or meeting in which alcoholic beverages are drunk in excess: “I was in that peda”, to a person who is drunk: “It got really bad”, or to a conflict or problem: “He made me fart because I’ve arrived late».
Scullion
Despicable person or thing, of poor quality or insignificant: «The fucking cup fell.»
Whistle
Penis: «The cock was being seen.»
Dunce
Although it is a word of affectionate connotation, it is used to define someone who is rough, slow, silly or clumsy to learn.
Themes of interest
100 typical words and phrases from Argentina
50 most popular Peruvian phrases and words.
Colombian words.
Mexican phrases.
References
- Mulato A. «17 Mexican phrases that do not make sense when said in English» (2016) in Verne. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from Verne: verne.elpais.com
- Cruz, M. «Discover the meaning of these 23 Mexican sayings» (2016) in Verne. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from Verne: verne.elpais.com
- Gaona, P. “Orale, how cool! The origin of these six words of daily use ”(2017) in Chilango. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from Chilango: chilango.com
- «Dictionary of Americanisms» (s.f.) in the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language: lema.rae.es
- «Dictionary of the Spanish Language» (s.f.) in the Royal Spanish Academy. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from the Royal Spanish Academy: del.rae.es
- Gómez de Silva, G. «Short Dictionary of Mexicanisms» (s.f.) in the Mexican Academy of the Spanish Language. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 from the Mexican Academy of the Spanish Language: academia.org.mx
- Moreno, M. «26 words that Mexicans use daily and that the RAE does not recognize» (2016) in Verne. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 in Verne: verne.elpais.com
- “20 Mexican words and expressions that we should all use” (2018) in Liopardo. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 in Liopardo: antena3.com
- “7 Mexican slang words from Netflix’s Club de Cuervos” (2018) in Hello Spanish. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 in Hello Spanish: hellospanish.co
- “5 More Mexican Slang Words that You Need to Know” (2017) in Hello Spanish. Retrieved on March 23, 2019 in Hello Spanish: hellospanish.co
100+ words and phrases for speaking and understanding real Mexican Spanish
It’s been more than five years since I published Top Ten Mexican Slang and its sequel Top 20 Mexican Slang. I’d never change the words on those lists, but 10 words, 20 words, heck, 100 words isn’t enough to cover the enormous amount of slang in Mexico.
So here’s my Master List of the most common, useful, and hilarious words and phrases in Mexican Spanish, which goes far beyond the top 10 or 20 (or the other articles online with the same words as my first two lists and obvious rewrites of my descriptions. You know who you are). I sincerely hope that when you hear these badass Spanish words, you’ll remember my examples of Mexican slang and laugh.
Everyday Expressions
¿Que Onda?
Along with ¿Qué pasó? and ¿Qué tal?, this is yet another way to say What’s up? A more informal version is ¿Que tranza?, or the vulgar ¿Que pedo?
Ondas are waves, but not waves in the ocean (which are olas), but sound or light waves. So perhaps a better translation for onda would be vibes.
Someone who is buena onda is cool or nice, while someone mala onda is not. Also, agarrar la onda means you understand, or get it.
Ella es buena onda — She’s cool.
¿Aggaraste la onda? — Do you get my drift?
¡Que milagro!
Literally What a miracle!, this is how Mexicans say Long time no see.
¿Mande?
Mande is the Mexican way to ask What? when you don’t understand what someone said. It can also be used like Tell me or Go ahead, to encourage someone to speak, often on the telephone. Another way to say this, which is like Huh? (not exactly a real word), is pronounced ei-oh.
¿Neta?
A highly informal Really? or For real?, neta can also mean that something is the best, as in esta fiesta es la neta — this party is the best.
Another common Mexican substitute for Really? (verdad, en serio) is ¿apoco?
¡No manches!
Instead of a question like ¿apoco?, another reaction to surprising information is to say ¡No manches! — No way! or Come on! The literal translation, Don’t stain, is ridiculous because it’s simply a euphemism for the vulgar no mames. Head down the list to Bad Words for other vulgar expressions in Mexican slang.
Ni modo
Literally no method, the common expression ni modo means it doesn’t matter, it can’t be helped, or a dismissive whatever.
¡Órale!
can be used for encouragement, like Go for it! or Right on! It can be used to agree: Let’s do it! or Let’s go! Or it can express excitement, like Wow! or My goodness!, similar to its second cousin híjole.
Ahorita
Ahora means now. The -ita or -ito (for feminine or masculine nouns) stem is a diminutive, used to show that something is small or cute. So literally ahorita means little now.
Mexicans might tell you that ahorita means right now, but really it means soon or eventually. If you ask a Mexican to do something and he or she replies with ahorita, then it could happen in five minutes, five hours, or never.
¿Puedes ayudarme con mi tarea? Ahorita. — Can you help me with my homework? Soon.
¿Ya nos vamos? Ahorita. — Let’s go now? Soon.
Luego luego
While luego means later, luego luego, unlike ahorita, actually does mean right now.
¡Aguas!
We all know that agua is water. But in Mexican slang, aguas means careful! or look out!
Aguas con los perros. — Careful with those dogs.
I was told that this expression comes from when a cleaning lady pours out a bucket of water onto the sidewalk, she warns passersby by yelling ¡Aguas!
Pinche
Not quite vulgar, pinche translates to many words in English, damn for example, but only when used to describe something or someone.
¡Pinche coche! – damn car
Pinche Juan – goddamn Juan (Also a song by Café Tacuba, good Mexican band for learning Mexican slang.)
This post contains affiliate links.
Chido
Chido means cool, usually objects and situations instead of people, for whom it’s more common to say buena onda. Another word for cool is padre (see Family below).
Cámara
No, not the Nikkon hanging around your neck, although it’s also the word for a camera and the tube inside a tire too. A general translation is chamber. But as an expression, cámara means I agree or it’s a deal. A stronger way to say this is with conste.
No Hay Bronca
This phrase of Mexican Slang has a special place in my heart — I named my blog after it. It means no problem and is an alternative to the vulgar No hay pedo. (Look for pedo under Drinking below.)
Words for People
Wey
Wey was #1 on my list of Top Ten Mexican Slang, and I stand by it. The “correct” spelling (of this “incorrect” word) is güey, which is derived from the word buey for an ox.
Ask middle-aged Mexicans, and they’ll tell you that wey didn’t exist when they were kids — at least, not like it does now. Once in the proper circles, you’ll hear wey between every other word, like how teenage American girls use like.
¡Simón wey, mira wey, chupamos veinte caguamas wey, no mames wey, estábamos bien pedos wey!
Wey (or güey) means dude, and if you haven’t already heard something like the example above, I hope that when you do you’ll recall this and laugh. (Simón is a slang substitute for sí, yes.)
When used angrily, however, wey means something like dumbass or idiot. In the north of Mexico, people say vato, which is borderline vulgar. Cabron, clearly on the vulgar side, can also be used in a friendly way with the right people.
In Baja California, people use the non-vulgar paisa, short for paisano, which means countryman. Compa is a common abreviation for compadre, used with close friends or relatives.
Carnal is used for a very close friend, often someone’s brother. And speaking of brothers, cuate (fraternal twin) is also used for a close friend.
Chavo/chava
In English we say kids, and in Mexico there are many slang words for muchachos. Chavo is perhaps the most common, but others are chamaco and morro. (Remember, end words like this with an -a instead of an -o for females, i.e. chava, chamaca, morra.)
Of course, like chick in English, these can be used for teenagers and up, as always depending on the situation. I have a friend my age who calls his girlfriend his morra.
Peques — short for pequeños — is used for little kids only. An escuincle is a spoiled brat, but it could apply to kids in general.
Ruco
A ruco is an old person, and the word can be used as a noun or an adjective. A chavoruco, therefore, is an old guy who acts (or tries to act) young.
A related word, rabo verde (literally green tail — green in the sense of not ripe), is an old guy who dates young women, or chases young tail.
Naco
Nacos are low-class folks, not necessarily because of their economic situation, but more because of attitude and behavior. The American English equivalent to this Mexican Slang would be redneck (more so than hick), and although nacos and rednecks actually have a lot in common, they would probably hate each other.
Fresa
Literally strawberry, a fresa is a picky, stuck-up person. For a woman it could translate as high maintenance. This can apply to things other than people as well; for example cheesy, lightweight rock is musica fresona, although the usual word for cheesy is cursi.
Another way to say picky, especially for food, is especial — special.
Chicano
These are Mexicans living in the United States, or Mexican-Americans. The illegal ones are mojados, which means wet, a reference to the unfortunate expression wetback.
Malinchista
A Mexican who doesn’t want to be Mexican, but loves to talk about his trip to the U.S. or Europe, is a malinchista. This comes from Malinche, Hernan Cortés’s indigenous translator (and lover) during the conquest of Mexico, widely regarded as a traitor. So a malinchista is someone who symbolically betrays Mexico.
Chilango
These are people from Mexico City, which incidentally is called D.F. (pronounced “deh-EFF-ei” in Spanish). There’s some debate about whether chilangos are people born there or who moved there later, but for our purpose it’s any of the 9 million residents of this massive metropolis.
Cholo
Cholos are Mexican hip-hop kids — big pants, big chains, and a whole other world of slang. I’m sure Mexican rappers Cartel de Santa would proudly call themselves cholos.
Chairo
Chairos are the left-leaning, save-the-world types who believe in a socialist utopia. I suppose a loose translation to English could be social justice warrior. Yes, it’s an insult to call someone a chairo.
Derechairo
The corresponding insult for people on the right is derechairo. Dere-, as in derecha, get it? Another word is mocho, especially for the overly religious.
¡Pinche mochos y chairos se odian!
Cafre
Cafres are terrible drivers, who often drive a carcacha, a beat-up car. Another Mexican slang word is cacharro, but this may apply to anything busted, not only cars.
Ñoño
Ñoños are nerds, and as an adjective it means nerdy. Apparently in Spain ñoño means cheesy, though in Mexico cheesy is cursi.
Metiche
A busybody — someone who pokes their nose into everyone’s business — is a metiche. If the person is a gossip, then he or she is chismoso, as chisme is gossip (the noun).
Mandilón
This is a guy whose wife or girlfriend is always bossing him around. It’s not vulgar, even if the English equivalent certainly is: pussy-whipped.
Tocayo
Not an exclusively Mexican word, but interesting because there’s no equivalent in English, a tocayo is someone with the same name as you. You can say somos tocayos or just call the person with the same name as you tocayo, like a nickname (apodo).
Words for Describing People
Unlike folks north of the border, Mexicans can be quite direct when describing people, with words and nicknames like gordito (fat), flaco (thin), and moreno (dark skinned). Though to describe a dark-skinned woman, for example, it is nicer to add the diminutive -ita, as in morenita.
Güera
If you’re a light-skinned woman with blonde or even light brown hair, you’ll for sure be called a güera in Mexico, which means — surprise — a light-skinned woman with blonde or light hair. For men the word is güero, and in both cases there are two little dots above the u.
Prieto
A racist, or at least bigoted, term for dark-skinned people.
Codo
Codo means elbow, but in Mexican slang it means stingy, as in a cheap or stingy person. People who are codo doesn’t want to flex their elbows by pulling out money and putting it on the table. The non-slang word for this is tacaño.
No seas codo – Don’t be cheap.
More expressions use codo, like hablar por los codos, which means talk too much, or romperse los codos, which means work too hard.
Buena
Women with a nice body are buena (hot), bien buena, or the even-more emphatic buenota.
Estas bien buena güera. — You are hot (have a nice body), white lady.
Be careful with these, as obviously they can be taken the wrong way. For example, not many women would enjoy being called a gordibuena — a hot fat chick.
Another way to say a person is hot is chula, which can also mean good in a general sense.
Cochino
A pig, in the general, metaphorical sense of the word — dirty, disgusting or rude, whatever applies. It can also be used like an adjective: Tu casa está cochina — your house is dirty. To say it in a nicer way, use cochinito.
Pelón, etc.
A common nickname, used as a noun, this refers to a bald guy, especially those who shave their head. Pelo is hair, so pelón means…well there’s some irony at work here.
This brings us to another topic: the -ón and -ona suffixes, which you can add to all kinds of adjectives, such as:
Nalgas: butt — nalgona: girl with a big butt. (And slapping someone on the butt is a nalgada)
So, you can add -ón or -ona to any body part to describe someone who has a prominent one. For example:
Nariz: nose — narizón: guy with a big nose
Cejas: eyebrows — cejón: guy with bushy eyebrows
Frente: forehead — frentona: girl with a big forehead
Bigote: mustache — bigotona: girl with a mustache
Culo: ass (vulgar) — culona: girl with a big ass, possibly complimentary (but still vulgar)
Cebolla: onion — cebollón: what my wife calls me when I eat too many onions
You also can do this with jobs: -ero or -era makes a job title.
Obra: work project — obrero: worker
Palomita: popcorn — palomero: popcorn seller, who walks the streets with his cart.
Culo: ass — culero: literally ass seller, but actually more like asshole.
Jeta
A special mention for jeta, which doesn’t have a direct English translation. (These are often the most interesting words in Mexican slang.) A jeta is a dirty look, a sour expression on your face. Maybe you’ve heard this newly-minted English expression: resting bitch-face. That’s a jeta. So a woman with a jeta is a jetona.
Words for Family Members
Jefe/Jefa
Your father is your boss: mi jefe, and your mother too: mi jefa.
Vieja
Your wife or girlfriend is your old lady: mi vieja. Sure, it’s not respectful, but it is common. Old ladies, on the other hand, are usually called viejitas, with the diminutive softening the blow.
Esta vieja — this old lady, could refer to any female, usually with a negative connotation. And viejo, old man, can be used among friends like man (if you get sick of using wey, cabrón or carnal, that is).
Mijo
Mothers talking about their sons use this combination of the two words mi hijo — my son.
Padre
Padre (father) means cool or good, not for people but things or situations. Está padre — it’s cool, great. Está padrísimo — it’s awesome.
In Mexican slang, madre (mother) is much more common than padre, although unlike padre, it’s full-on vulgar. Which brings us to…
Bad Words
Bad language, groserias in Spanish, make up some of the most diverse, prevalent and versatile types of slang in any language. Whole books and websites are devoted to bad words in Spanish — English too. It can make for a lifetime of study, and if you want to get into it, a great website to check out is run by my friend Rodney: “¡Qué boquita!” No seas pelangoche.
In the interest of your Mexican slang education, I’ve included five of the most versatile badass Spanish words, which can be twisted into many meanings. They are, in their basest form: madre, mamar, huevos, cabrón, and chingar — of course with a few bonus ones mixed in.
Madre
As I wrote above, in Mexican slang padre isn’t a bad word, but madre certainly is. Why? Well, as an anonymous commenter wrote on my article Top Ten Mexican Slang, mention mom and the fight is on.
Here are some ways to use madre:
Que pedo con esta madre — What the fuck is wrong with this fucking thing — you can use madre to refer to pretty much anything.
Me vale madres — I don’t give a fuck.
Ni madres — No fucking way.
A toda madre: This means awesome, or when about yourself it means you’re feeling great, ready for action, as in Estoy a toda madre.
Que poca madre: Something bad, wrong, not pleasing for sure. ¿Reprobaste tu clase? Que poca madre. — You failed your class? That sucks.
Desmadre: A mess, or a fucked-up situation, is a desmadre.
Partir la madre: This means kick your ass, as in te voy a partir la madre. A simple verb for this is madrear. And once you get your ass kicked, you will be covered with madrazos, or bruises, also known as putazos.
For example: Voy a madrear todos estos pinches blogueros que copian el contenido de mis artículos.
Hasta la madre: To be sick of something. Ya yo estoy hasta la madre, de que me pongan sombrero (The first line from “Frijolero” by Molotov, a great song full of Mexican slang).
Mamar
Etymologically speaking, mamar is related to mamá (mom). But there’s no good translation for mamar to English, except possibly suckle or breastfeed.
As you can imagine, this is fertile ground for slang. Mamar the verb, therefore, means give a blowjob, and the noun blowjob is a mamada. But mamadas can also mean bullshit, AKA pendejadas (from pendejo, asshole), chingadazos, and many more, including the dinner-table-acceptable tonterías.
If a guy is mamado (an adjective this time), it means he is muscular — implying he breastfed a lot and got big.
Remember fresa above? Another Mexican slang word for picky, stuck-up people is mamón, or mamona for women.
Finally, as mentioned above, the extremely common no manches (Come on! No way!) is actually a euphemism for no mames, literally don’t suck me off. Remember to conjugate your verbs, even when using Mexican slang — if you’re talking to a group of guys (don’t use it with women), say no mamen.
Cabrón
When I travel in Central America, in places like Guatemala or Honduras, and I tell people that I live in Mexico, they often say ¡Ah, cabrón! That’s how Mexican this word is, that other Latinos think of it right away when they think about Mexicans.
I always assumed it came from cabra, goat, but supposedly it has older origins, beginning with the conquistador and pirate Pedro Hernandez Cabrón, who was so horrible that his name eventually became an insult.
When used as an insult, cabron translates best to bastard, though not in the sense of someone with unmarried parents. But it can also be said to a friend — a male friend, of course. Like bastard, cabrón isn’t the right thing to say to your boss or girlfriend’s father.
Cabrón can be used in other ways, especially for something difficult — Está carbon. If you say that about a person, it means he’s tough.
If you’re angry, you’re encabronado/a. It can be used like a verb: Me encabrona (or me encabrita) este wey — this guy pisses me off.
Está cabrón has a substitute for use in mixed company: está cañon.
Chingar
Much like English’s beloved f-word, chingar has a wide range of uses, from describing something positively: está chingón (it’s fucking awesome), to negatively: está de la chingada (it’s fucked up). The euphemism for this is de la fregada.
If there’s a lot of something, traffic for example, you can say hay un chingo de…, for example hay un chingo de tráfico. The non-vulgar way to say this is un montón de… or un buen de…
In general, you can utilize chingar to express the foulest, rudest, and most aggressive sentiments, such as chinga tu madre (fuck your mother, or simply fuck you) or vete a la chingada (go fuck yourself).
This is a truly Mexican word, and to learn the origins and deep thoughts behind it read The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz. (Click the books for info.)
For everyday uses, check out the Chingonario:
Chingar as a verb typically means fuck up rather than have sex. Another good one for fuck up is joder. Estoy jodido — I’m fucked.
For actual sex, expressed vulgarly, use coger, which in other Spanish-speaking countries means grab or hold. Use it like that in Mexico and people will laugh like crazy.
¡Chale!
Here’s a bonus word, similar to chingar: ¡chale! is like shit! or fuck! when something bad happens.
Huevos
We know that huevos are eggs, but all over the Spanish-speaking world, huevos are also balls (testicles).
In Mexican slang, huevos can be used much more widely. When my Spanish was still at a pretty basic level I had a student who said huevos días to me — not a very nice thing to say.
One of my favorites, ¡A huevo! means of course! or hell yeah! — very useful. Another variation is tengo hueva, which means you are feeling lazy, and a lazy person is a huevón. If you say me da hueva, it means something bores you. Que hueva — how boring.
Drinking
Yes, bad language and drinking go together like lime and salt, and likewise words for alcohol and drinking are a source of so much great slang. Think about English: booze, a brew, getting wasted, pissed, hammered, fucked up…
Chela
Chelas are beers, also known as cheves. The word may come from micheladas, a big cup of beer mixed with tomato juice, lime, hot sauce — there’s even a place in Mexico City that puts shrimp and slices of mango in their micheladas. Perhaps an acquired taste.
Caguamas
The best deal for beer drinkers in Mexico are caguamas, big returnable 40-ounce-ish bottles. As a commenter pointed out to me, technically the biggest one is a caguamón, although this is a marketing term I’ve never heard spoken. A caguama is a type of sea turtle, by the way.
Another useful container for beer is a latón (big can), a tall boy in English.
Pomo
A pomo is a bottle of liquor. I’ve even heard the big one — what we call a half gallon in the U.S. — called an elephant foot: pata de elefante. I like that.
Pisto
This is the vulgar way to say booze, and the verb pistear is the vulgar way to say drink (the verb). You can also say chupar, suck, as in vamos a chupar — let’s drink/get drunk.
Mala copa
In Mexican slang, a mala copa is a bad drunk, you know — one who loses control, fights and cries. No seas una mala copa.
Crudo
Literally raw, crudo means hungover, as in estoy crudo or tengo cruda (I have a hangover).
Cantina, antro
A cantina is a bar and an antro is a nightclub. A rodeo is a kind of nightclub that specializes in banda music — the cowboy hat-wearing groups with loud drums and big horn sections.
Pedo
I could have put pedo under Bad Words, as it’s versatile, common and oh-so vulgar. Literally a pedo is a fart, but most often it means drunk.
Estoy pedo — I’m drunk.
Therefore un pedote is a boozer, a big drinker, although it could also mean a big fart.
The noun peda is a drinking party or binge, also known as a borrachera or a chupe. The party itself, fiesta, could be called a pachanga or parranda.
Pedo also means problem, as in ni pedo or no hay pedo, the vulgar substitute for no hay bronca, no problem. ¿Cual es tu pinche pedo? — What’s your fucking problem? A pedero is a person who causes problems.
Finally, you can use ¿Que pedo? instead of ¿Que onda? to say What the fuck is up? (in a friendly way), or with an angry tone of voice, What the fuck? The euphemism for these is pex, as in ¿Que pex? or ni pex.
Miscellaneous Useful Mexican Slang
This Mexican Slang Master List is getting a to be a little long, so long that I think I might have to write a sequel with words for crime and punishment, sports, drugs, food, and especially sex. But for now, I’ll leave you with a few good ones, necessary ones, which for sure belong on a comprehensive list of the most important slang from Mexico.
Rola
Songs are rolas, an alternative to the regular Spanish word, canción.
La banda
La banda might be the band, but it could also be a group of friends.
Chamba
A job, often a difficult or shitty job. You can say Tengo que regresar a mi chamba or ask ¿Que chamba tienes? The verb, chambear, means work, and without pride or enthusiasm.
Tengo que chambear mañana.
Changarro
It means a small business, a little store or small restaurant. So, does changarro have anything do with chango, the Mexican word for monkey?
Chafa
Chafa describes something cheap or low quality. Este coche es chafa.
Varos
Varos (sometimes spelled and always pronounced baros — remember there’s no v sound in Spanish) means money, but not in the general sense like lana (wool, money) or plata (silver, money), but in the numerical sense (pesos), like bucks.
Esta vale cien varos — It’s worth one hundred pesos.
Refresco
A refresco is a soda, like a Coke. But if a policeman asks you for a refresco, he’s asking for a bribe.
Paro
A favor is a paro, as in Hazme un paro — Do me a favor.
Chiste
A chiste is a joke (una broma) and something funny is chistoso. Chiste can also mean the trick, or the way to do something, as in el chiste es hacerlo así — the trick is to do it like this.
Albur
An albur is a vulgar pun. This fascinating aspect of Mexican culture deserves a whole other article. It can also be used as a verb, alburear.
Gacho
This is substitute for feo, ugly, though both words are used in a much wider sense than for physical ugliness. For example: Hueles feo — you smell bad (not ugly).
I originally spelled this incorrectly as gaucho (thanks for the correction), which is an Argentinian cowboy and an excellent Steely Dan album.
Jalada
Jalada means overdone, or ridiculous, as in action movies in which the hero is shot at by 100 foes but not one bullet hits him.
Chorro
Literally spill, it means diarrhea, as in tengo chorro. It can also be used to express that you have a lot of something — not necessarily diarrhea.
Ratero
A ratero, or simply rata (rat) is a thief, a criminal — worse than a rat, if you ask me.
Vocho
Remember the cafres driving their carcahas? Well, the carcacha might be a vocho (pronounced and sometimes spelled bocho), the nickname for Volkswagen Beetles, which are everywhere in Mexico.
Chamarra
In Mexico, don’t call your jacket a chaqueta, because that’s the Mexican slang word for jerking off. Use chamarra instead.
Chanclas
These are sandals, AKA huaraches, an old indigenous word that is also a kind of food (delicious). If you walk around in public with chanclas, you might be called chancludo.
D.F. and Chilangos
Meaning Federal District, and pronounced “deh-EFF-ei,” this is how most people refer to Mexico City. It may be called simply México, but almost never La Ciudad de México, except on documents or plane tickets, although the government is currently trying to change this. By the way, people from D.F. are chilangos.
Zócalo
An essential word for travel, the zócalo is the main plaza or the central square of a city, otherwise known as the parque central.
Colonia
This means neighborhood, not the English cognate colony. Residents may be called vecinos (which usually means neighbor) or colonos.
Depa
Your depa is your apartment, departamento.
Camión
A camión is a bus, whereas in other parts of Latin America it’s a truck. I remember telling people in Guatemala that I arrived by camión, and they looked at me crazy until I figured it out and explained myself. The official word for a bus in Mexico is autobús, not plain bus, unlike Spain and elsewhere.
Tope
We’ll end this list with a word that’s not just slang, but a big part of any Mexican experience, especially if you drive. Speedbumps are everywhere, often unmarked and totally hidden in the dark night. Aguas when you drive over them, because hitting them hard makes everyone in the backseat bounce up and slam their heads into the roof of the car, or worse, gives you a flat tire.
Speedbumps are topes, and only in Mexico. In other parts of Latin America and some parts of Mexico they are tumolos, reductores — which other words?
Part 2 is coming soon and will include more Mexican slang and badass Spanish words for food, sports, sex, drugs — all that fun stuff. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your comments, corrections and complaints.
(This post contains paid Amazon Associate links.)
A while ago, some of my best students had the hardest time understanding what some Mexicans were saying. Does this sound familiar to you? When struggling to understand locals, it’s highly-likely you need to improve your slang vocabulary. So, if want to take your Mexican Spanish to the next level, you must learn some Mexican slang words
Slang terms can make a huge difference when learning Spanish. For that reason, in this article, you’ll learn 51 common Mexican slang words and phrases we Mexicans use on a daily basis. I’ll include definitions and examples of how to use these terms. By the end of it, you’ll be able to understand and apply these words like a true Mexican speaker.
1. Güey
Güey or wey is a Mexican slang word for friend. However, it can also be used to say that someone is dumb, to express surprise or annoyance. So, depending on the context, it means ‘dude’, ‘mate’, ‘pal’, ‘buddy’, ‘guy’, ‘silly’, ‘dumb’ or ‘damn’.
Güey, ¿ya vienes?
Dude, are you on your way?
¡Qué wey estás!
You’re so silly!
2. Pedo
Pedo is one of the most robust Mexican slang words. Its meaning depends on the phrase you use:
- Echarse un pedo – To fart
- Estar pedo – To be drunk
- Ponerse pedo – To get drunk
- No hay pedo – No biggie / No problem
- Ni pedo – It is what it is / Oh well
- ¡Qué pedo! – Jeez! / What’s up
- Buen pedo – Nice
- Mal pedo – That’s too bad / Mean
- Traer un pedo – Have an issue
- Hacerla de pedo – Make a fuss / Look for trouble
- Ser otro pedo – Be something else
- Bajarle a tu pedo – Chill out
- Agarrar el pedo – To understand
Take Note: Pedo is a very common slang word among Mexicans. However, for some people, it’s close to a curse word. Pex is the less coarse version of ‘pedo’. So, if you want to be more cautious, you can replace ‘pedo’ with this word.
3. Chido
Chido is the Mexican slang word for ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’. Mexican speakers use this word to describe things and people or as an informal way to agree with something or say ‘thank you’.
¡Qué chido! Me da gusto por ti.
Awesome! I’m happy for you.
Tu mamá es super chida.
Your mom is super cool.
Tip: When men use chido to describe a girl, they can refer to her personality or her physical appearance. ‘Estar chida’ is a very informal way to say that a girl is hot.
4. Neta
Neta or la neta is an informal synonym of ‘truth’ or ‘to be honest’. However, we can also use it as an expression to show surprise when someone is saying something to us. In this context, it’s close to ‘really?’.
La neta no sé.
The truth is that I don’t know.
¿Neta terminaron?
Did you guys really break up?
5. Aguanta
If you need to tell someone to wait, you can use the Mexican slang word aguanta. You can also use this word to show disbelief. Aguanta means ‘wait a minute’, ‘hold on’ or ‘no way’.
¡Aguanta, ya casi acabo!
Wait, I’m almost done!
¿Es neta? ¡Aguanta!
Really? Hold on!
6. No Manches
One of the most popular Mexican slang phrases is no manches, which you’ll use to express surprise, anger, or astonishment. No manches is close in meaning to ‘no way’, ‘damn’, ‘come on’, ‘holy cow’ or ‘you are kidding’.
¡No manches! Te dije que tenía que llegar temprano.
Come on! I told you that I had to arrive early.
No manches, Axel me invitó a salir.
Holy cow, Axel asked me out.
7. Buena Onda / Mala Onda
Buena onda and mala onda describe people or situations. ‘Buena onda’ means something or someone is ‘nice’ or ‘cool’. On the other hand, mala onda means ‘uncool’, ‘disagreeable’ ‘mean’ or ‘bad’. You can use these expressions with the verb ser or the interjection ‘qué’.
¡Qué buena onda que ganaras!
It’s so nice that you won!
Tu novio es super mala onda.
Your boyfriend is so disagreeable.
Take Note: Buena onda and mala onda are popular informal expressions to describe someone’s personality in Mexican Spanish.
8. ¡Qué onda!
When greeting their friends, Mexican speakers will likely say ¡qué onda! instead of ‘hola’. On top of being an informal greeting, you can also use ‘¡qué onda!’ to show surprise or disbelief. This Mexican slang phrase can be translated as “what’s up”, ‘how are things?’, ‘how is it going?’ or ‘what is up with…?’.
¿Qué onda con tu amiga?
What’s up with your friend?
¿Ana? ¡Qué onda! ¿Cómo estás?
Ana? What’s up! How are you?
9. Morro / Morra
Morro and morra are informal words for ‘kid’, ‘lad’, ‘boy’ or ‘girl’. In informal settings, parents can use these words to refer to their kids. Additionally, morro and morra are also Mexican slang words for ‘girlfriend’ and ‘boyfriend’.
Ya duérmanse, morros.
Go to sleep, kids.
Mi morra trabaja aquí.
My girlfriend works here.
Tip: You can use the diminutive form morrito or morrita to show affection or express that the other person is slightly younger than you.
10. Güero
In Mexican slang, people use the term güero to refer to white people. Güero, and its feminine form güera, are not derogatory terms but rather an informal adjective or name. These words can be translated as ‘blonde’ or ‘blondie’.
Oye, güero, ¿ya terminaste?
Hey, blondie, did you finish?
Mi prima es güerita y de ojos azules.
My cousin is blonde and has blue eyes.
11. Chafa
To describe bad quality, you can use the informal term chafa. This word can also be used to express disappointment when a situation doesn’t turn out as expected. So, ‘chafa’ is close in meaning to ‘crappy’, ‘lame’, or ‘shoddy’.
¿No vas a venir? ¡Qué chafa!
You’re not coming? That’s lame!
La película estuvo muy chafa.
The movie was very crappy.
12. Chavo / Chava
In Mexican slang, chavo and chava are terms used to refer to young people. So, they can be translated as ‘boy’, ‘guy’, ‘girl’ or ‘gal’. Since these words refer to youth, Mexican speakers also use them to express that a person is naive or immature.
Esa chava es mi novia.
That girl is my girlfriend.
La neta estás chavo.
You’re a kid, to be honest.
Tip: ‘Chavo’ and ‘chava’ are also Mexican slang words for boyfriend and girlfriend.
13. Chela
Chela is the Mexican slang term for ‘beer’. It may also be used as a nickname for certain given names.
Se me antojan unas chelas.
I feel like having some beers.
14. Fresa
In standard Spanish fresa means ‘strawberry’. However, in Mexican slang, fresa is close in meaning to ‘posh’ or ‘preppy’, and it describes people, behaviors or places.
¡Qué fresa eres!
You’re so preppy!
Hablas muy fresa.
You speak very posh.
15. Padre
Padre is a variation of ‘chido’. As a result, it’s another Mexican slang word for ‘cool’, ‘awesome’, and ‘great’. Padre is only used to describe situations or things.
Tu casa está muy padre.
Your house is very cool.
Que padre.
How cool.
Tip: Padrísimo and padrísima are the superlative forms of ‘padre’. You can use them to emphasize the thing you’re describing. For example, tu casa está padrísima – ‘your house is super cool’ or ‘your house is the coolest’.
16. Peda
In Mexican Spanish, peda means ‘to get drunk’, but it also refers to partying or going on a binge.
Vámonos de peda.
Let’s go on a binge.
Luis y yo nos pusimos una buena peda.
Luis and I got very drunk.
17. Achis
Achis is an informal Mexican word that you can use to express surprise or admiration. It’s close in meaning to ‘oh gosh’, ‘blimey’, and ‘holy moly’.
¡Achis! ¿Dónde dejé mis llaves?
Oh, gosh! Where did I leave my keys?
Tip: ‘Achis, achis’, ‘achis piachis’, and ‘achis, achis los mariachis’ are popular variations you can use.
18. ¡Ándale!
In Mexican slang, ándale is used to tell people to hurry up. Native speakers also use this word to show surprise or agreement. Ándale is close in meaning to ‘hurry up’, ‘come on’, ‘okay’, or ‘jeez’.
¡Ándale! Se nos va a hacer tarde.
Come on! We’re going to be late.
Ah, ándale, a esa hora está bien.
Okay, that time sounds good.
19. Hueva
In Mexico, the slang word hueva refers to laziness. You can use this term to express that:
- You feel lazy – Tener hueva.
- Something is so boring that it makes you lazy – Dar hueva / Estar de hueva.
- You were being lazy – Tirar la hueva
Take Note: Huevón is an adjective that you can use to describe lazy people.
20. Gacho
Gacho is a negative adjective in Mexican Spanish. It expresses that a situation or person is ‘awful’, ‘nasty’, or ‘crappy’.
¡Qué gacha eres!
You’re awful!
21. Cámara
Cámara is a Mexican slang word that you can use to show agreement. It means ‘okay’, ‘good’ or ‘right’.
Cámara, nos vemos el lunes.
Okay, I’ll see you on Monday.
22. Arre
Like ‘cámara’, arre is a common informal term that Mexican speakers use to express agreement. It’s closer in meaning to ‘okay’.
Arre, entonces, yo te marco.
Okay, I’ll call you then.
23. Mande
Mande is a polite and informal way to say ‘what?’, ‘yes?’ or ‘come again?’ in Mexican Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Tu mamá: Oye, Daniela… | Your mom: Hey, Daniela… |
| Tú: ¡Mande! | You: Yes? |
24. Chamba
Chamba is the Mexican slang word for ‘work’ or ‘job’.
Tengo mucha chamba.
I have a lot of work.
Tip: Chambear is the equivalent of the verb ‘to work’, and chambeador is the slang adjective you can use to describe a hard-working person.
25. Gandalla
In Mexican slang, gandalla is a negative word that describes an abusive (not necessarily aggressive) person that takes advantage of a situation or others. It’s close to ‘abusive’, ‘underhanded’, ‘sketchy’, or ‘shifty’.
Ese güey es muy gandalla.
That guy is very shifty.
26. Bato / Vato
Bato or vato is a Mexican slang word for ‘guy’. People also use this term to say ‘boyfriend’.
¿Quién es ese bato?
Who is that guy?
27. Paro
In Mexico, poner paros means ‘to give excuses’. However, you can also use the slang phrase hacer el paro if you want to ask someone for help or to give you a hand.
Oye, ¿me haces un paro?
Hey, can you give me a hand?
No pongas paros, ya sé que no vas a venir.
Don’t give me excuses. I know you’re not coming.
Take Note: Do not confuse the slang phrase ‘poner paros’ with the standard idiom ‘poner peros’, which we use to express that someone is making objections to something.
28. Bañársela / Volársela
Bañársela or volársela are informal Mexican words that express that someone crossed the line or went too far. Although these translations may refer to bad behaviors, bañársela and volársela are frequently used when someone says or does something too funny.
No manches, morra, te la bañaste.
Holy cow, girl, you went too far.
‘Pasarse de lanza’ is a popular variation that you can also use.
29. Híjole
Híjole is a Mexican term for ‘jeez’, ‘goodness’, or ‘gosh’. This slang word is used to express surprise.
Híjole, el súper estaba llenísimo.
Jeez, the supermarket was very crowded.
Tip: You may also hear its variation jíjole or jíjos.
30. Sacarle
Sacarle is an informal verb that Mexicans use to say ‘to back out’ or ‘to bail’.
¡No le saques! Dijiste que íbamos a ir.
Don’t back out! You said we were going.
Notice that sacar is a stem-changing verb in Spanish.
Tip: Sacatón and sacatona are slang adjectives that you can use to express that someone is a coward.
31. Pichar
In Mexico, pichar is when you offer to pay for your friends’ drinks or food. This informal term is close in meaning to ‘to be on me’, ‘to treat to’ or ‘to be [my/your/their] treat’.
¿Se te antojan unos tacos? Yo te los picho.
Do you feel like having tacos? It’s my treat.
32. Mijo
Mijo and mija are informal terms of endearment in Mexico. People use these words to call kids or as affectionate terms to call their partners or friends. ‘Mijo’ and ‘mija’ mean ‘boy’, ‘lad’, ‘girl’, ‘son’, ‘daughter’, ‘kid’, ‘honey’, ‘dude’, or ‘pal’.
Mijo, dale esto a tu abuela.
Son, give this to your grandma.
Qué onda, mijo, ¿se va a armar la peda?
What’s up, dude, are we going to party?
33. Cargar el payaso
If a Mexican uses cargar el payaso, they mean that something went wrong for them. ‘Cargar el payaso’ is closely related to ‘to be screwed’.
No manches, ¡las llaves! Ya me cargó el payaso.
Damn! The keys! I am screwed.
34. A darle que es mole de olla
This Mexican phrase expresses that a task must be done quickly and keenly. It can also be used to say that you must take advantage of a rising opportunity. Although it doesn’t do it justice, ‘get cracking’ or “let’s hustle”.
El proyecto es para mañana, a darle que es mole de olla.
The project is due tomorrow, get cracking people.
35. Carrilla
The Mexican slang word carilla is related to ‘make fun of someone’. You can use ser carilla to describe people who like to make fun of someone. On the other hand, echar carrilla means to say something to make fun of others.
Mi morra es bien carrilla.
My girlfriend likes to make fun of other people.
Tip: Mexican speakers can use the word carreta as a synonym of ‘carrilla’.
36. Aguïtarse
When something is disappointing or makes us sad, we Mexicans use the verb agüitarse to express these feelings. This slang verb means ‘to be down in the dumps’, ‘to be saddened’ or ‘to be upset’.
Linda se aguïto conmigo.
Linda is upset with me.
Tip: Andar agüitado is a variation you can use to express that you’re currently feeling sad.
37. Estar cañón
When Mexicans use the slang phrase estar cañón they either mean that something is challenging, or that something or someone is really good at something.
El examen estuvo cañón.
The test was very hard.
Matt está cañón en matemáticas.
Matt is very good at math.
38. Pistear
In Mexican Spanish, pistear is a slang word that means ‘to drink’.
Caéle, estamos pisteando.
Come over, we’re drinking.
Tip: El pisto is another Mexican slang word to say ‘drinks’.
39. Órale
Órale is an informal term that you can use to show agreement or surprise and to ask someone to hurry up. So, depending on the context, ‘órale’ can be translated as ‘wow’, ‘oh my God’, ‘okay’, or ‘come on’.
¡Órale, ya me quiere dormir!
Come on, I want to sleep!
Órale, entonces, ahí te veo.
Okay, I’ll see you there, then.
40. Armarse
In Mexican slang, armarse is a word we use to ask or affirm that an activity is going to be done.
¿Se va a armar la peda?
Are we going to party?
41. Chale
Chale is a popular expression that people use to show surprise, disappointment, or annoyance. It’s close to ‘Jesus’, ‘oh my God’ or ‘holy moly’.
Chale, se me olvidó la cartera.
Oh my God, I forgot my wallet.
42. Compa
Compa is a Mexican slang word for ‘friend’, ‘homie’, ‘pal’, ‘mate’, or ‘buddy’. As a result, it’s more popular among men.
Deja le pregunto a mi compa.
Let me ask my buddy.
Take Note: ‘Compa’ is the shortened form of ‘compadre’, a term Mexicans use to call their children’s godfather.
43. Chin
Chin is another slang word you can use in Mexico to express surprise or annoyance. It’s close in meaning to ‘damn’, ‘jeez’, or ‘oh my Good’.
¡Chin! Se me olvidó pagar el internet.
Damn! I forgot to pay for the internet.
44. ¡Aguas!
Aguas is a slang term that people use to warn others about a potential danger, mistake, or consequence. It means ‘watch out’ or ‘be careful’.
¡Aguas! Te vas a lastimar.
Be careful! You’re going to hurt yourself.
45. A huevo
The Mexican slang phrase a huevo is used to celebrate good news, to express that something is mandatory, and as an informal way to say ‘yes’. So, ‘a huevo’ means ‘heck, yes’, ‘for sure’, ‘of course’, ‘by force’ or ‘mandatorily’.
¡A huevo, ahí te veo!
For sure, I’ll see you there!
Mi mamá a huevo quiere que vaya.
My mom wants me to go mandatorily.
46. Rifársela
When someone does something cool or funny, or they do great, Mexicans use the verb rifársela to describe those actions. So, this verb can be translated as ‘to be cool’, ‘to be amazing’, or ‘to do great’.
Se la rifaron, morros, chido.
You were amazing, boys. Thanks.
47. Sobres
As a slang word, sobres means “let’s do this” or ‘okay’.
Sobres, ahí te marco.
Okay, I’ll call you.
48. Carnal
Carnal is a common Mexican slang word for ‘brother’, ‘buddy’, or ‘pal’.
Ese morrito de allá es mi carnal.
That kid over there is my brother.
49. Simón
Simón is a common way to say ‘yes’ in Mexican slang. You can also use this word to show disbelief. In this case, it would be close in meaning to ‘yeah, right’.
Simón, yo le digo.
Yes, I’ll let her know.
Ay, simón, no creo.
Yeah, right, I don’t believe that.
50. Feria
In Mexico, feria is one of the most common ways to say ‘money’. With this meaning you can also use the variation ‘lana’.
La neta no tengo feria, güey.
The truth is that I don’t have money, dude.
51. Caer el chahuistle
Caer el chahuistle is used in Mexican slang to express displeasure because an unexpected or unwelcome person shows up unexpectedly. This phrase can also imply that something will be ruined because this person shows up.
For example, if you’re having a nice family gathering and a disagreeable relative arrives, you can say “ya nos cayó el chahuistle”. In other words, things are ruined because this person showed up.
This expression doesn’t have a translation.
Wrapping Up
Mexican slang language is its own thing. So, if you want to be able to understand and communicate with Mexican speakers, you need to learn some of their most popular terms. In this article, we covered some of the most common Mexican slang words, and you’ve learned their different meanings and variations.
You probably noticed that many of the examples included for each slang word or expression used other terms from this list. So, the more slang you learn, the more you can combine the terms in your sentences.
Cheat sheet: If you need help memorizing these terms, you can download it below.