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Abogángster – A corrupt lawyer; the word derives from abogado (lawyer) and gangster

Abuelita – Granny;  Little grandmother

Adelitas, Las (Las Soldaderas) - Women soldiers who participated in the Mexican Revolution.

¡Aguas! – Watch out; head’s up; Waters; historically, women in Mexico would holler the word before tossing dirty water from their window to warn passing people. Today, it's used when police or in-laws are spotted.

Aguas fresca – Translates to “freshwater” or “cool water.” Beverages are made by blending fruit, seeds, grains, or flowers with water and sugar.

Albóndigas – Meatballs; a traditional Mexican meatball soup; can be traced back to the Moors from the Arab invasion in 711 AD.

Amá/Apá – Mom/dad; an informal and affectionate reference to one's mother. Abbreviated versions of mamá and papa. Primarily used in Mexico and Central America.

Ándale pues – OK then; go on

Apúrate – Hurry up; hustle

Ay, mamí! Deja ver tus tetas – Oh mommy! Let me see your tits

Ay te huacho/ay te watcho – See you later

Ay mija – Oh, my daughter/honey/dear

Babosa – Slug; dribbler; fool; simpleton

Barrida – Sweeping; a ritual cleansing for purification. An object (egg, rosemary brush, lemon, crucifix, etc.) is used to sweep away negative energies.

Barrio – Neighborhood;  In medieval times, the Arabic word barrī, "of the land," was applied to villages and hamlets that lay in the territory surrounding a town or city. As medieval towns outgrew their original walls and overflowed into the surrounding countryside, these villages or barrios were enveloped by the expansion and became neighborhoods of the town itself.

Bebé – The most common word for baby. Always masculine, even when referring to a girl.

Birria – A spicy Mexican meat stew usually made with goat, lamb, or mutton

Bote, el – Can; jail

Caca – Poop; a term meaning fecal matter used by Latina mothers to deter their children from touching something

Cacahuates – Peanuts; an expletive kids use when grownups are within earshot, and vice versa; the loophole that turns crude profanity into benign food, like saying, son-of-a-biscuit, or kiss my ass-paragus

Caliente – Hot, sexy

Cantinflas – Mario Moreno Reyes (1911 - 1993) Actor; Charlie Chaplin of Mexico; Cantinflas made 49 films, but is best known for his role as Passepartout in the 1956 film Around the World in 80 Days.

Casa de Cabello – House of Hair

Chale – From échale, means throw it out; no way

Chanclas – House slippers; flip flops worn by Latina mothers. Can be easily removed and used like Chinese throw stars; the scariest weapon known to Latino kids.

Chicharrónes – A popular Mexican snack that can be made from wheat or fried pork skin

China/os – Slang for a person with curly hair; Asian; trousers

Chingona –  Badass woman; a form of chingar (fuck); historically used to describe women who are “too aggressive,” while the masculine version of the word “chingon” is used as a way to compliment men.

Chispas – Sparks

Chistes – Jokes

Chonies – Spanish slang for underwear; derived from the Spanish word for calzones; "Don't get your chonies in a bunch!"

Chota, La – Police, the

Chucha – Female dog; bitch; nickname for females named "Jesusa"

Claro que sí – Of course

Comida – Food; the principal meal taken in the mid or late-afternoon

Concha – Sea shell; a traditional Mexican sweet bread roll (pan dulce). The name derives from their round shape and seashell-like appearance; an offensive word for a woman's vulva

Criaturas – Kids; a cognate of the creature; sometimes used as an affectionate term. Criatura is always feminine, even if it refers to a boy

Crudo – Raw; hungover

Cuco Sanchez – Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor; composer of nearly 200 songs, including songs for some of the movies he acted in.

Culo – Ass; booty; buttocks

Curandera – A healer; A woman who practices folk medicine; healer; a person who cures by using medicinal plants, charms, massage, and faith healing. She believes that for every physical ailment, there is both a physical and spiritual cure.

Deja de trabajar –  Stop working

Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe – The patron and symbol of Mexico

Dicho  – A saying; an adage

Doña – Mrs.; used as a courtesy title before the name of a woman

Dueña - The owner

¿Entiendes? – Do you understand?​

Espanto – Terror; a more severe and potentially fatal form of susto

Exactamundo – Fonzie's catchphrase, which Anglos mistake for Spanish

Feria – Money; literally a fair or festival

Flaco – Skinny

Fútbol – Soccer; a highly respected sport in all countries except the US

Gabacha/o – Pejorative term for an Anglo person

Gordo – Fat

Gringa – An Anglo woman

Guácala – Ew!; Yuck!

Guacamole – Avocado-based dip. The name derives from the Nahuatl word ‘ahuacamolli,’ which translates to testicle sauce or testicle soup

Guadalupe is said to have appeared to Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill

Güera/o – Blonde; a term used for Latinos who have a fairer complexion and lighter hair/eyes.

Güey – Dude; bastard; fool; demeaning but often used with affection; from the term for a castrated bull

Hijo de la chingada – Son of a bitch

Híjole – Jeez; a general expression of surprise, annoyance, or exasperation

Hoja Santa – Holy/saintly leaf

Huevón/a – An extremely lazy person; someone with large huevos (eggs/testicles)

Ja, ja – Ha, ha

Jamburger – Bastardized word for hamburger

Jamón – Ham; the bacon; money

Jefa – Mother or wife; chief

La señora que hace los cakes – The cake lady; is usually hired because she is less expensive than the bakery and for her relation to the community.

Lechuza – A witch that turns into an owl in Latino folklore

Limones – Lemons

Limpia – Ritual cleansing; a cleansing of the body, emotions, mind, and soul from negative energies. Some people believe that it removes curses and hexes.

Llorona, La – Weeping Woman or The Wailer; a ghost who roams waterfront areas searching for the two children she drowned if a fit of rage after her husband cheated on her. She then drowned herself and was denied entrance to heaven. She was banished back to earth to search for her dead children for eternity. At night, she can be heard crying out, “Ay, mis hijos!”  

Malinche – Captain’s woman. Before she was Malinche, she was Malinali was sold into slavery by her mother. This indigenous woman accompanied Hernán Cortés and played an active role in the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Seen by some as the traitor of the race; others see La Malinche as the founding figure of the Mexican race.

Mantilla – A veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders

Menudo - Tripe stew seasoned with chili peppers; Puerto Rican boy predating  Backstreet Boys

Michelada – Beer-based cocktail made with lime, hot sauce, Worcestershire, Clamato, or tomato juice. Yum!

Mientras más invitados, más alegria la fiesta – The more people are invited, the more festive the party.

Mija – Term of affection; short from ‘mi hija’ meaning my daughter

Milagro - Miracle

Mojado – Spanish for wet; a racial slur for an illegal Mexican immigrant who crossed the US/Mexican border by swimming across the Rio Grande

Mota – Speck; slang for marijuana

Naranjas – Oranges; nope

Niño envuelto – Mexican jelly roll made with strawberry jam and grated coconut

No mames – Derives from the word mamar meaning ‘suck’; a vulgar or informal way to say you’re kidding; stop messing around; no way

Novelas - Mexican soap operas

Novia, La – Bride; girlfriend

Ojalá que sí – I hope so; traced back from the Arabic expression: ‘ma sha Allah’ which means ‘should God will it.’

Orale – A greeting; right on; an expression used to encourage someone to do something

Otra vaga – Another loose one; another vagabond

Otros, Los – The others; a derogatory way of referring to all non-Latinos

Panadería – Bakery    

Papaya – A tropical fruit; slang for pussy

Pedo – Fart; intoxicated; pedophile; problem; ¿Que pedo? also means, what’s up?;  

Pendejas/os – Pubic hair, or anal hair; asshole; carries an extra implication of willful incompetence

Piedra, papel o tijera –  Rock, paper, scissors

Piñata – A decorated container, usually made of papier-mâché, filled with candy. Blindfolded children take turns beating the shit out of it during birthday parties.

Pinche – An adjective to describe something as insignificant, lousy, miserable, or worthless; tight, stingy, ungenerous

¿Qué noticia? – What news?

¿Qué onda? – What’s happening?

¿Qué tienes para colateral? – What do you have for collateral?

Quetzalcoatl – Feathered Snake. One of the major deities of the Aztecs, Toltecs, and other Middle American peoples. He is the creator of the sky, and creator of the original cosmos, and participated in the creation and destruction of various world periods.

Quihubo /quihúbole – Greeting; "How’s it going?"

Recuerdo – Memento, memory

Remedios – Remedies; cure; woman’s name

Rosario – Rosary; wake; woman’s name

Ruca – Old woman; girlfriend

Saluda a tu esposa y niños por mí - Say hello to your wife and children for me

San Pancho – San Francisco

Se va al carajo – Goes to hell; going down the drain

Sebeneleben – 7-Eleven; English word that has worked its way into Spanish (sort of)

Sesos – Delicacy tacos made from beef brains. Some people believe eating sesos will make you smarter.

Simón – Qlteration of the Spanish word 'sí' (yes)

Sinvergüenzo – A shameless person

Suave – Smoothly agreeable; pleasant

Suavitel – Cheap fabric softener marketed by Colgate- Palmolive

Suéter – Sweater; English word that has worked its way into Spanish

Susto – Scare; a loss of the soul due to a sudden frightening experience such as an accident, a fall, or witnessing a horrible event.

Tapado – Covered; constipated; uptight

Tía/Tío – Aunt/uncle

Tierra – Earth; home

Tin-Tan – Germán Valdés (1915 - 1973) Mexican actor, singer and comedian

Tonta – Dumb; foolish, silly

Torta – Cake; derogatory slang for a fat female

Tortas de jamón – Ham sandwiches

Trampa, La – The tramp

Tripas – Intestines

Vaga – Vague; slang for vagabond; a partier; a night owl

Vato – Dude; pal; brother; can also be used to refer to a fellow gang member

Vieja – Old woman; girlfriend; wife

Virgen, La – The Virgin Mary; the patron saint of Mexico, La Virgen de Guadalupe is also a symbol for Mexico 's independence from Spain in 1810. 

Yerbera – An herbalist; and healer who uses medicinal herbs in her remedies. Like the curandera, she believes that for every physical ailment, there is both a physical and spiritual cure.