To expand your knowledge of basic survival Spanish even further, I've compiled a list of words for you that I call “slang for gringos.” These are 10 Spanish words that every gringo living in Texas should know.
I'm not talking about simple words like cerveza (beer) and vino (wine), tortilla, taco, or baño (toilet). Nor am I talking about common words that we use every day and that are actually Spanish: patio (courtyard), plaza (square), armadillo, mosquito, and so on. I've selected 10 words that are commonly used in everyday conversations and that could be described as colloquial expressions among Spanish-speaking people of Mexican origin.
I've tried to give you a rough idea of how these words are pronounced, but you'd be better off looking up the correct pronunciation on Google Translate, for example.
If you know only a little Spanish but at least know these words, you'll have some idea of what's going on around you. Listos? Ready? Let's get started.
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Aguas (AHg-was). Pronounced sharply, in a warning tone, it means “Watch out!” or “Be careful!” My mother often uses it when children are in danger: “Aguas, aguas!” she says in a tone of impending disaster, whether they're genuinely about to fall off a cliff or merely bump lightly into the refrigerator door. This expression has its roots in old towns where wastewater or even worse things were poured from second-story windows, and pedestrians below warned their companions by shouting “Aguas!”
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Guácala (gWAH-ka-la) is a slang word popular throughout Latin America. It means “yuck” or “gross.” It's fun to say because it has an onomatopoeic quality that makes the word sound like what it describes. It livens up the moment: “Guácala” for anything that disgusts you.
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Ni modo (KNEE moh-doh). It's two words, but it always sounds like one to me. I love this expression. It means “What can you do?” or “It's beyond our control.” “Whatever will be, will be.” It can also mean “No big deal” or “Suit yourself,” depending on the speaker and context, but above all, it's an expression of fatalism. “They changed the computer system at work again.” “Ni modo.”
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N'ombre (NOME-bray). This isn't a word meaning “name,” but a contraction of “No, hombre.” N'ombre. “No way.” It has many nuances of meaning, but it usually expresses surprise, disbelief, or even shock and must be said with a suitably incredulous tone. “Did you know Lisa and Chuy eloped?” “N'ombre!”
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Güey (pronounced like “way” with a slight breathy hard g at the beginning) is similar to “buddy,” “dude,” or “bro.” “N'ombre, güey!” “No way, dude!” The Big Lebowski would be the ultimate güey. El Güey aguanta: The Dude abides.
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Chisme (CHEESE-meh) means gossip or rumors. Good, juicy stories. “Tienes chisme?” “Do you have any good gossip?” When Facebook was new, I heard people say, “Facebook es puro chisme” – pure gossip – meaning that private information could easily leak out and end up everywhere you wouldn't want it to, such as on your mother's page.
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Naca or naco (NAH-ka, NAH-koh). Don't confuse it with narcos – those are the people who work for the cartels. It means a person with tacky tastes, or at least tastes less sophisticated than yours. Such a person, much like a true redneck, is often proud of their authenticity. If Jeff Foxworthy (an American comedian and actor) spoke Spanish, he might do a routine like this: “If you think eyebrows drawn on with a marker are high fashion, you might be a naca.” And if you think mullets (a type of hairstyle) are fashionable – I hate to say it – N'ombre, que naco!
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Sinvergüenza (seen-vair-gWEN-sa). Shameless. Without embarrassment. When someone stuffs their purse with food from the buffet at a reception, we say with a pronounced tone of disapproval and indignation: “Sinvergüenza.”
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Resaca (reh-SOCK-ah). A hangover. A common word in the Rio Grande Valley, where resaca originally referred to the horseshoe-shaped lakes found there – former branches of the river that filled with silt and became separated from the main channel. Just as the lake is a remnant or “hangover” from the Rio Grande, resaca is the word for a hangover after the previous night's tequila. “Tengo una resaca horrible.” “I have a terrible hangover.” The word cruda is used more often, but it is cruder than resaca.
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Órale (OH-ra-leh, the second syllable rhymes with “bad”). Órale is famous for having about 40 different meanings, achieved through changes in intonation and context. Some linguists say it has 820 meanings depending on your tone, the time of day, your hairstyle, and the shoes you're wearing. It is used to express enthusiastic agreement. Someone says, “Vamonos por una cerveza,” and you reply, “Órale.” It means “Let's go,” “Absolutely,” “Let's do it,” “Hurry up,” “Wow,” and dozens of other things. One Texan English equivalent of órale is simply “There you go” - “That's it.”
