51吃瓜

Spanish words you may know ...

Behind Mandarin Chinese and ahead of English, Spanish is the second-most spoken native language in the world. It has an estimated 480 million native speakers, with nearly an additional 100 million people who speak Spanish as a second or foreign language.

Which means you’re probably already familiar with everyday, Spanish 101 such as buenos 诲铆补蝉 (“good morning/day”) or听te amo (“I love you”). That’s why we’ve rounded up some less familiar Spanish terms abuzz in popular culture or conversation (you know, how people actually talk).

A quick warning: There will be some strong language and adult content ahead.

mami and papi

Literally, mami (辞谤听尘补尘铆) and papi (or 辫补辫铆) mean “mother” and “father,” but in Spanish slang, they take on a number of other meanings.

A colloquial and child鈥檚 form of the Spanish听尘补尘谩,听尘补尘颈听is 鈥渕ommy鈥� in Latin-American Spanish, especially in the Caribbean. It听has also become roughly equivalent to 鈥渉oney鈥� or 鈥渂aby,鈥� not unlike slang uses of听momma听in English, particularly for a 鈥渉ot,鈥� self-assured woman. Mami听can also be a term of听endearment for a close female friend.听Some also call themselves听mami听as a declaration of self-confidence听(e.g.,听I look like a听尘补尘铆听in this dress!).Mami听has also started showing some signs of acting as a kind of Spanish-language equivalent of听mom, a slang term of admiration, especially for famous people. But, be warned: if used of strangers,听mami听may be considered misogynistic, especially if whistled at a woman (e.g., Hey, mami!)Papi (“daddy”) also has more than one meaning: It is often used as a general term of affection for any man, whether it鈥檚 a relative or lover. Papi is also a friendly way to refer to any male associate, similar to calling a friend 鈥渄ude鈥� or 鈥渂uddy”鈥攐r, if you’re the rap artist Drake, it’s what you call yourself.

If you want to turn the terms 尘补尘颈听or papi听up a notch, you might consider 鈥�

papi chulo and mami chula

Papi chulo is a slang expression with a checkered history. Today, it is used to refer to an attractive man, but that wasn’t always the case. A more direct translation of听papi听chulo from Spanish is 鈥減imp daddy.鈥澨�Papi, as we saw in the previous slide, is a diminutive, affectionate form of 鈥渇ather鈥� (“daddy”) and听chulo听(鈥�pimp鈥�), but also 鈥渁ttractive,鈥� 鈥渃ocky,鈥� or 鈥渃ool鈥� in colloquial settings.Papi chulo听carries a variety of slang connotations depending on region. But, calling someone听papi chulo听is generally done in reference to their appearance and confidence, either with a negative (Rico Suave) or positive connotation (hunk).

The female equivalent of chulo is (mami) chula, Spanish slang for “cute” or “a beautiful woman.” An informal term,听chula听is found in Spanish and mixed Spanish-English conversations. It鈥檚 common enough, thanks to Latin-based hip-hop, for some English speakers to use听chula.Chula听can be an adjective or a noun. Calling a woman听mami chula听has a much more sexual tone, like “sexy momma.”

morrito and morrita

In Mexican and Central American Spanish,听(la)听morrita听literally means 鈥渓ittle girl,” apparently a diminutive form of the colloquial听morra. Its plural is (las)听morritas.听It can have the sense of “girlfriend, 蹿颈补苍肠茅别, or a sexy young woman,” as in the English slang听chick.Morro听and听morrito听are its male counterpart, 鈥渂oy鈥� or 鈥渓ittle boy,鈥� with the effect of 鈥渂oyfriend.鈥�

The slang, evidenced as early as the 1860s, may originate in northern Mexico. Telenovelas set in northern Mexico may have helped spread听morrita in reference to a beautiful young women, but it听appears to have been popularized in the 2010s thanks to popular听狈辞谤迟别帽辞听and Mexican hip-hop bands.

Another way to refer to a young person you care about in Spanish is 鈥�

mija and mijo

The term听mija听is a colloquial contraction of the Spanish words听mi听(鈥渕y鈥�) and听hija听(鈥渄aughter鈥�). Its male counterpart is听mijo, joining听mi听and听hijo听(son).Mija听is widely used as a familiar form of direct address.听Spanish-speaking parents, naturally, often use听mija听when getting the attention of a female child or speaking to them fondly.听It听has also become听a term of endearment among female friends or a female significant other, where it carries the sense of 鈥渕y girl鈥� or 鈥渟weetheart.鈥�

While intended to be affectionate, some young women, however, may find听mija听belittling, condescending, or sexist, particularly if coming from a male peer.

An LA-based DJ, Amber Giles, notably uses听Mija听as her stage name. She says听it was given to her as a nickname by a friend in her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.

wepa

Stoked! Awesomesauce!听隆Wepa!Wepa听is a versatile Latin-American Spanish slang exclamation used to express excitement, congratulations, and joy, similar to the English听Oh yeah!,听Wow!, or听That鈥檚 awesome!听In Puerto Rican Spanish,听wepa听is a versatile slang interjection that apparently originates as an imitation of the English听Woo-hoo!听The term rose to prominence in Puerto Rico thanks to the 1974 smash hit 鈥淓l Jogorio (Wepa Wepa Wepa)鈥� by Alfonso Velez.

The exclamation is variously used to express amazement or great happiness, often in reaction to good news. It鈥檚 particularly popular at events where people are singing or dancing, pumping up the good times. Internet users tag social-media posts with 鈥�#wepa鈥� to express the sentiment, as well.

In some instances, people will use听wepa听as an abstract noun for the joyful feelings a shout of听wepa听conveys (e.g., When my mother cooks a traditional Cuban dish, I am filled with听wepa).

If you are so overwhelmed with wepa you can’t even, you might beg 鈥�

no m谩s

The expression听no m谩s听in Spanish means “no more.” Its specific sense can vary depending on context, however, which means it can also translate to “enough,” “no longer,” or “just.”

One famous example is the No M谩s Fight听between legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and Chilean boxer Roberto 鈥淓l Cholo鈥� Dur谩n at the New Orleans Superdome in 1980. At the end of the eighth round, Dur谩n turned toward the referee and quit the match by pleading 鈥淣o m谩s,鈥� or 鈥淭hat鈥檚 enough.鈥�

But while no m谩s is a great expression to have handy, it might not be quite as useful as 鈥�

claro

Literally meaning and related to “clear,”听claro听is one of the most useful words in Spanish and Portuguese. It can express emphasis and agreement, as in听claro听que听s铆听(鈥測es, of course鈥�). It鈥檚 also used as a听filler word, such as when you鈥檙e trying to think about what to say next, not unlike sure听or well听in English.

But when听claro听is used on its own in a sentence, not as a听modifier听of a noun,听claro听usually听carries the force of 鈥渙bviously鈥� or 鈥渃learly,鈥� as in听Est谩 claro que no te gustan los perros听(鈥淚t鈥檚 clear you don鈥檛 like dogs鈥�). As a stand-alone word, it also expresses agreement, as in听隆Claro! Me gustan los perros听(鈥淥f course! I like dogs.鈥�).

OK, now that we’ve got those terms covered … let’s move on to the vulgarities, for educational purposes, claro ….听We’re going to run through a few you may have come across in popular Spanish-language songs, films, or social media.

If you don’t like unsavory language, skip to the end of this slideshow for a more wholesome sendoff.

culo

Culo听is a vulgar word in Spanish, literally meaning “butt” or “ass,” used in a range of coarse expressions.Culo听appears in many Spanish-language idioms, colloquially translating to the English sense of 鈥済etting screwed over.鈥� One expression is听dejar al alguien con el culo al听aire, literally 鈥渢o leave someone with their ass in the air鈥� but having the effect of 鈥渢o leave someone stranded.鈥�

Other notable Spanish听culo听expressions insult someone鈥檚 intelligence or appearance, like听cara de culo听(鈥渂耻迟迟-蹿补肠别鈥�).

While widely used in many idioms, the Spanish听culo听is also considered very rude.听El trasero听or听las nalgas听(鈥渂uttocks鈥�) are more polite versions.

Unfortunately, there aren’t really more polite versions of our next term 鈥�

puta and del putas

Don’t say this around听tu abuela听(“your grandma”).Puta听(plural,听putas) literally means “whore” in Spanish. The ultimate origin of听puta听is obscure, though it鈥檚 commonly thought to come from a Latin word for a 鈥済irl.鈥� Forms of the word are found across the Romance languages, not just Spanish.

In Spanish,听puta听extended as a derogatory word for 鈥渨hore鈥� to an all-purpose swear, kind of like the English fuck(ing). Puta听is often used as an exclamation of surprise, positive or negative:听Puta! I just stubbed my toe.It also appears in the colorful Colombian expression del putas, which corresponds to the English terms like “the best,” “awesome,” “excellent,” or “(it) rocks.” It鈥檚 common to see听del putas听in expressions such as听est谩s del putas, meaning听you鈥檙e the best, or听llevados del putas, meaning听best of the best. On social media, “#delputas” often appears as a hashtag to call some person, song, or thing 鈥渢he best.鈥�

The next two expressions are often used together. And while they don’t originate as literal vulgarities, they’re often used that way. Curious? Read on 鈥�

pinche and 肠补产谤贸苍

In many Spanish dialects,听pinche听is a strong swear word variously meaning “goddamned,” “shitty,” or “fucking,” among other senses. However, the term literally refers to a low-level or temporary worker, particularly one who works in a kitchen.

Similarly, the word 肠补产谤贸苍 literally means “male goat,” but it’s used in a manner roughly equivalent to the English听bastard,听badass, or听dude.听Context is indeed everything with听肠补产谤贸苍, as it can be an actual male goat, a bastard, something awesome, someone very skilled, or a term of endearment among bros.Pinche听is often used to intensify听肠补产谤贸苍. Pinche听肠补产谤贸苍听shows up in young, urban English- and Spanish-language movies, TV, and music, such as the 2014 single 鈥淐ollard Greens鈥� by LA-based hip-hop artist Schoolboy Q featuring Kendrick Lamar, who raps听el pinche听肠补产谤贸苍听to call a man 鈥渇ucking idiot.鈥�