Basic Dictionary of Mexican Swear Words & Mexican Spanish

After more than 2 years of living in Mexico my Spanish was not only fluent but also contained a strong Mexican accent. Practically speaking Mexico was the first place I’ve learned Spanish in [not counting Argentina, because apart fromlanguage courseI didn’t interact with people that much].

我感觉很有信心对我的语言技能……till I started hanging out with Spanish people. I discovered that Spanish I’ve learned is a specific type of language that can be distinguished not only by a very fast speaking manner but also words.

Here is a list of words (only the most popular ones, but there are way more of them) that aredifferent in Mexicoand other countries, Mexican slang and Mexican swear words.

Top Mexican Swear Words & Phrases

Mexicans have a huge vocabulary of swear words, which many are different from Spanish swear words when Spaniards use them.

1. Chinga tu madre!

It’s sort of fuck your mother, but means ‘go fuck yourself’. A verb ‘chingar’ is also commonly used in expressions like ‘¡No me chingues!’, or ‘Vete a la chingada.’= ‘Don’t fuck with me! Go fuck yourself.’

2. Puta madre

Direct meaning is ‘fucking mother’, but this can be used as in the same way as English ‘damn it’. It could also be used in a positive sense, for example: This party was fucking great! (Esta fiesta está de puta madre!)

3. Pinche

Most commonly used as a substitute for ‘fucking’ as an adjective.

4. No mames!

‘Stop fucking around’, or ‘Stop shitting me’. It’s not too vulgar, more treated as slang to express surprise and shock.

5. Puto / hijo de puta

Son of a bitch. It’s being used in the exact same way as English

6. Pendejo

Literally means ‘pubic hair, but it translates to ‘fucking idiot’. You can usually hear this when Mexicans describe other drivers.

7. ¡A la verga!

A generic slang term for ‘penis’. This more or less translates to ‘you’re useless’ (or more literally, ‘you’re worth dick’) and it’s most commonly used as ‘

8. Son unas mamadas.

‘Mamadas’ means ‘blowjob’, but it’s also used in this phrase to say ‘It’s bullshit’.

Words with a Different Meaning in Mexican Spanish:

antier – the day before yesterday
ahorita – right now
alberca – it’s a swimming pool, not a water tank
aretes – earrings
camión – a regular bus
carro – car
chabacano – apricot
chamarra – jacket
chaparro – short
chavo – kid
chela – beer
comida corrida – daily menu (YES, some of you might argue that’s fast food, evening meal etc.)
computadora / compu – computer
fresa – strawberry
huevos – balls (genitals)
jitomate – tomato
jugo – juice
llanta – car tire
popote – straw
refri (refrigeradora) – fridge

Mexican Slang:

a huevo – hell yeah
a poco – no way!
a toda madre – great
ándale – c’mon
apachurrar – to crush, squeeze
cagar – to shit oneself from something (eg. laugh, fear) eg. esta bien cagado – it’s funny,
chafa – low-quality
chido – great
chilango – a citizen of Mexico City
chingar / no me chinges – harass
chingon – cool
chupe / chupar – drink alcohol
chueco – crooked
cruda – hangover
dar un avión – ignore someone
desmadre – mess (in a bad sense or good – eg. party)
echando la gueva – doing nothing
estar bien parado – to have connections
fresa – uncultured person with fake-branded items, someone snobby
gorda – fat (but meaning cute)
gringo – American
guácala – yuck!
güero – blond
güey – dude
huevón – lazy
jetón – asleep
jodido – fucked up, poor
judia – bean
mandar a la chingada – send to the worst
maricon – gay
mirey (mi rey) – person to make fun of
mota – marihuana
naco – blue-collar, low-class person
neta – for real?!
órale – right! (yes)
peda – drinking party
pedo – problem, drunk
sin broncas – without troubles
que asco – horrible
que onda – what’s up?
que padre – super cool
que poca madre / sin madre – shameless [most of the phrases that contain the word ‘madre’-mother is negative in Mexican – exception: que poca madre – great!]