Mexican Phrases to Know Before You Go

20 Mexican Slang Words Y'all Need to Know Before You Travel

Allow'due south say that you've been studying Castilian for a while. At present y'all're prepare to visit a Spanish-speaking country to put all that knowledge into practice and measure your progress.

Mexico is a great selection. It'south close to the States, information technology's cheap and information technology has keen nutrient and a lot of fiestas! All you need to know are a few Mexican slang words and you'll be ready to mingle with the locals.

In this post, nosotros'll learn about the origins of Spanish in Mexico, why it has and then many words that don't be in other Castilian-speaking countries, and some of the most widely used Mexican slang words.

Traveling to México

Traveling is one of the most enriching activities you tin appoint in. It opens your optics and mind like nothing else does, except for books maybe. Just it comes with its own share of challenges, the language barrier beingness the near obvious one. Then, information technology's always a adept thought to learn some basic words and phrases of the language spoken in your destination.

Nevertheless, the Mexican version of Spanish has some particularities to take into business relationship.

Mexican Spanish Overview

In the 500-year history of the Spanish language in México, its development is securely intertwined with its relationship to the indigenous languages that existed earlier the arrival of the Spanish.

That'south why you see so many words using the ch sound, which is a legacy from the Nahuatl, the Aztec language. This characteristic is besides strongly reflected on Mexican slang words such equally chido, chafa, chamba and many others. For a quick journey through Mexican slang listen to the famous Café Tacvba vocal Chilanga Banda.

xx Mexican Slang Words

ane. Chido

Chido ways absurd, awesome. It'due south not a bad give-and-take, but it virtually surely comes from a bad word. Everybody understands information technology in México. You can also say padre instead, both words mean the same.

¡Están chidos tus tenis! – Your tennis shoes are cool!

ii. Chavo/chava

These words mean boy and girl, and are understood in most Latin American countries, thanks to the popular Mexican Telly show El Chavo del 8.

Aquel chavo de allá trajo la pelota. – That boy over in that location brought the ball.

iii. Güey

In the by, güey used to be a bad word, just not anymore. Nowadays, you lot tin can hear it on the radio, on Tv ads, and pretty much everywhere. It means "dude," "buddy," "mate," and information technology's also widely used equally a filler word throughout México.

Oye güey , ¿hiciste la tarea? – Hey dude, did yous do your homework?

four. La neta

La neta is the truth, merely as explained in the Mexican moving picture Y tu mamá también directed by Alfonso Cuarón, is much more than than that. That picture is a crash course on Mexican slang and in information technology, la neta achieves catholic significance.

La neta es chida pero inalcanzable. – The truth is cool simply unattainable.

5. Chafa

Chafa refers to something of low quality. Information technology can be an object similar a automobile or a phone but also places or events. Something non nice. A vacation, a government, or a concert tin all be chafas. A similar word in English would be "crappy."

Está muy chafa la película, mejor vamos por un helado. – This movie is very crappy; we should become for an water ice cream instead.

6. Gacho

Gacho has a like pregnant to chafa, but they are non exactly the aforementioned. It can mean ugly, bad, ho-hum, or not absurd. Even though objects can be gachos, the term is ordinarily practical to situations or people.

El profesor de español es muy gacho . – The Spanish teacher is not absurd.

7. ¡No manches!

This is the kid-friendly version of another expression that's not suitable for all audiences. Information technology expresses surprise, disgust, and rejection. Depending on the state of affairs it can hateful "really?," "no way!," or only "damn!"

¡No manches! Estuvo muy difícil el examen. – Damn! The test was actually difficult.

viii. Carnal

Literally means "brother," simply as with "bro" in English, information technology'due south used to refer to proficient friends, too.

María, te presento a mi carnal . – María, this is my bro.

9. Compa

Compa comes from compadre, which is what a kid's begetter and godfather are to each other. It means "friend."

Dejen a mi compa en paz. – Get out my friend lonely.

10. ¡Aguas!

Agua means h2o, simply in this instance it'due south a alert. In the past, sewage waters used to be thrown out of the window and people would shout ¡Aguas! to warning other people who were passing past. Now, it'southward used as a more full general warning in Mexico. Interesting how languages evolve.

¡Aguas! Viene united nations coche. – Watch out! A motorcar is coming.

11. Buena onda

Buena onda is a phrase coined in the sixties and it embodies the spirit of that decade. It ways "adept vibes," "peachy," or "absurd."

No te preocupes, mi papá es buena onda . – Don't worry, my dad is keen.

12. ¿Qué onda?

The onda brought a whole vocabulary with it, and there was even a cultural and literary motion based on it. ¿Qué onda? means "What's up?"

¿Qué onda? ¿Cómo estás? – What'due south up? How are you?

thirteen. ¡Órale!

¡Órale! tin mean "wow!" or "awesome!" It expresses undefined admiration.

¡Órale! ¡Qué grande está este avión! – Wow! This aeroplane is huge!

xiv. Pachanga

A pachanga is a party or a elementary gathering with friends.

¿Estuvo buena la pachanga anoche? – Was the party concluding night expert?

fifteen. Chamba

A chamba is a chore. You tin go to la chamba, which is going to piece of work. And it'southward as well a verb—chambear means working.

¡Me encanta mi chamba ! – I love my job!

16. Un chorro

To have united nations chorro of something is to have a lot of it. Remember that the double r in Castilian is a potent sound.

Tengo un chorro de chamba. – I accept a lot of work.

17. Un choro

Simply past getting rid of an r, the word completely changes its pregnant. Un choro is an alibi, a prevarication, the stuff people say when they didn't do what they were supposed to do and are now trying to talk themselves out of trouble.

¡Que buen choro te inventaste! – What a nifty story you just came up with!

eighteen. Hueva

Hueva is a term that expresses laziness, a state of existence unwilling to do anything. It can exist translated as sloth.

¡Qué hueva tengo! – I'yard so lazy!

19. Codo

Codo literally means elbow, simply in Mexican slang it means stingy.

Préstame 100 pesos, no seas codo . – Lend me 100 pesos, don't be stingy.

xx. Lana, feria, varo

All these words mean "money" in Mexican slang. Think of the American "bucks" or British "quid."

Se me acabó la feria . – I ran out of money.

La Neta del Planeta

"The truth of the planet" is that now you are prepare to visit Mexico and testify off your Spanish skills and Mexican slang mastery. If y'all know any other Mexican slang word that you consider should be included on the listing, leave a comment and start a conversation!

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Luis F. Domínguez is a freelance writer and contained journalist interested in travel, languages, art, books, history, philosophy, politics and sports. He has written for Fodor'southward, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated, Telemundo, and Villa Experience, amid other brands of print and digital media in Europe and North America.

Mexican Phrases to Know Before You Go

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