The Words — Slang, Page 2

naco - a man in loud gold clothes posing in a doorway while a friend on the sofa points and laughs

naco: Class anxiety, compressed into four letters Aug 12, 2026

aventón - a woman leaning into a car window before getting in for a lift

aventón: You did not pay for it and you did not hitch for it Aug 9, 2026

cortar - a couple sitting apart on a curb at night, one hand still on the other's shoulder

cortar: The same verb for hair, cake, and a five-year relationship Aug 8, 2026

cuate - two older men playing dominoes at a folding table outside a shop

cuate: From the Nahuatl for 'twin'. You do not get called it early Aug 1, 2026

chingar - a woman rolling her eyes and covering her ears at the drilling coming through the ceiling

chingar: One verb that can mean work, fail, steal, break, or worse Jul 28, 2026

jefa - a young man caught taking a pan off the stove while his mother stands in the doorway

jefa: Literally 'boss lady'. Mexicans mean their mother Jul 26, 2026

pedo - a young man walking off fast while a woman whispers to a friend behind him

pedo: Fart, problem, drunk, and party. Same four letters Jul 22, 2026

quemado - a young man backing away from a jar he has just smashed on a shop floor

quemado: Caught out, in front of exactly the wrong people Jul 20, 2026

broder - two friends high-fiving over a skateboard on a Condesa corner

broder: An English word, and you are still saying it wrong Jul 18, 2026

relajo - a woman laughing off a kitchen argument while a man gestures over a burnt quesadilla

relajo: Chaos, but the kind everyone enjoyed Jul 15, 2026

raite - two friends pulling on helmets beside a motorbike outside a taco stand

raite: It is the English word 'ride', wearing a Mexican spelling Jul 13, 2026

pinche - a man with a briefcase glaring up at the floor counter of an elevator

pinche: Perfectly normal with friends. Career-limiting at work Jul 12, 2026

cotorrear - three friends leaning on a wall with coffees, all talking at once

cotorrear: Three hours of talking and nothing was decided Jul 11, 2026

morro - two older men on a bench pointing out a teenager on a skateboard

morro: Called across a field at somebody's little brother Jul 10, 2026

menso - a woman pulling a man back from tipping cereal into a mug

menso: Closer to a hair-ruffle than an insult Jul 6, 2026

tronar - two women on a park bench, one crying while the other holds her

tronar: What do a relationship and a failed exam have in common? Jul 5, 2026

jefe - a young man leaning into an office doorway while the man at the desk waves him in

jefe: Said to your father, your boss, and the guy fixing your car Jul 3, 2026

cabrón - two friends shoving each other around laughing outside an Oxxo

cabrón: An insult and a compliment. Your face decides which Jun 27, 2026

desmadre - a young man opening a door onto a wrecked living room the morning after a party

desmadre: Somebody's living room, and nobody remembers agreeing to it Jun 24, 2026

vato - two women on a bench, one nodding across the street at a man standing there

vato: Caló, Chicano, and border Spanish all claim it Jun 21, 2026

ligar - two young men leaning on a bar, one nodding across the room

ligar: From 'to tie'. Nobody is tying anything yet Jun 20, 2026

flojera - a man at a cafe table pushing his laptop shut with one finger

flojera: Nobody has moved from the sofa and nobody minds Jun 18, 2026

peda - four friends clinking shot glasses at an outdoor table

peda: Pedo is the state. This is the whole evening Jun 17, 2026

compa - two delivery riders sitting on their bikes sharing tortas and sodas

compa: Short for compadre, and it carries the same debt Jun 14, 2026