Mexican Slang : "No manches güey" | Paragliding in Mexico

Last update : 12/11/2021

Diving into Mexican slang

Mexican Spanish is relatively easy to understand, perhaps even easier than Spanish, but it has its own particularities (Mexicanisms). Here is a selection of typical mexican slang that you will come across during your paragliding trip.

Güey

Güey means friend, dude. It is widely used in Mexican slang and not necessarily only with your friends. It has even become a filler word. Often replaced by wey.
Que pedo güey : What's going on (dude) ?

Güero

When a Mexican addresses a person with a pale complexion (Caucasian type), this is what he will use. Even more so if the person is blond. It's not a derogatory term.

Pinche

Very useful! In any case very used. This slang expression qualifies a word. Especially when you are (a little) pissed off.
Pinche turista : Damn tourist / Fucking tourist.

Let's review what we've just learnt :
Este pinche güey This moron / idiot

Pendejo

If pinche güey seems a bit long, you can use pendejo, which originally means "pubic hair".

Eres bien pendejo! You are really stupid
No seas pendejo : Don't be a jerk

Culero

It's used less in everyday situations. Now you're really pissed off. It means "asshole" in Mexican slang.

Vale madre

Me (te/le) vale madre : I don't give a fuck

And its watered down version:
Me vale un pinche cacahuate : I don't give a shit

Note that this expression is so widely used that it has given rise to terms that are in the Mexican Spanish dictionary :

el valemadrismo : the could-not-care-less attitude. Almost a way of life.
el valemadrista : a careless guy

Derivatives exist :
A desmadre : a mess
A madrazo : a big blow

Now that we have seen the mother, let's see the father:

Padre

Padre means "cool, groovy". And not just "father".
And when it's super cool: padrísimo sure !

Let's review :
Son dos madres padrísimas : These two mothers are really cool.
You feel me ?

Chido

see Padre.
¡Están chidos tus tenis! What cool sneakers you have here !

Joven

Out of respect, people will probably say "joven" in the street, if they don't know you, even if you are not young anymore.
On the other hand, your girlfriend or your wife will be called "tu vieja" (your old lady). Surprising, isn't it?

Mande?

Allo ? (on the phone)
Pardon ? What can I do for you ?

(la) neta !?

It could be translated as "No shit".
La neta es chida pero no : Truth is that's great, but hell no.

¡ No manches !

Expresses surprise / astonishment / revolt
Related : the neta.

and its variant :
¡No mames! , a little more gross. Literally, don't suck me!

Carnal

Brother. But since in Mexico we are all brothers, it means buddy, or "bro".

Hola, you presento a mi carnal : Hello, I present to you my friend.

Compa

Short for compadre (colleague)
see Carnal.

Pedo

Literally a "fart".
Qué pedo? What's going on ? How are you ?

Buena Onda

Buena onda : Cool, friendly, groovy, and so on…
Qué onda? What's up ? (more polite than ¿Qué pedo?, and more Mexican than the classic Que tal?)

¡Órale!

Denotes admiration, surprise.

Fresa

Literally means "strawberry".
fresa refers to Mexican posh people, their accent, etc... The antonym is naco : redneck

Chamba

Here in Mexico we don't say trabajoso often, but chamba, especially in the sense of "chore".
It is also a verb: chambear.

Hueva / huevón

the Hueva : the laziness.
¡Qué hueva tienes! How lazy you are !
Huevón : lazy / wanker.

Lana

la lana : dough (as in money)
We also say féria.

Chela

chela : beer
If you go to Mexico, and come back without knowing it, you did not really mingle with the locals.

the cruda

If you drink too many beers (or tequila), the "morning after" comes the cruda : the hangover.
Estar cruda : To be hangover.

Chingar (the star of slang in Mexico)

Very typical of Mexico, but very vulgar, you have been warned. This word has several meanings (polyseme), Here are some of them :
No (me) chingas : Give a break
At the chingada : In the middle of nowhere.
Irse a la chingada : Get the hell out of it, Break it up, Go f#ck yourself.
Chingón : Great. Cool !
Esta chingadera de carro : This fucking car.
Chinga a tu madre: #@&!§%£¿ !

Vocho

The Beetle still very quite common, also has its own nickname in Mexico.

Study Mexican slang with hollywood stars

Come on, let's review themexican slang with Eva Longoria and Michael Peña:

And with Salma Hayek:

Conclusion

So that we do not call you gringo !anymore , addressing you in English because of your complexion (guëro), you can now snap in Mexican slang:
¡ No manches guëy ! ¡ No me hablas en Inglès como si fuera un gringo ¡
Seriously dude ! Don't talk to me in English like I'm a foreigner.
Excellent for breaking the ice. And to be taken seriously… or not.