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Quick Answer
Crudo means hungover in Mexican Spanish slang, though it literally translates to raw or uncooked. Estar crudo (or cruda, if you're a woman) describes that rough, undercooked feeling the morning after drinking too much. It's casual and common with friends - for neutral or formal Spanish, use resaca instead.
- Crudo means hungover in Mexican Spanish.
- Literally it means raw, which is exactly how a bad morning can feel.
- It is casual and common, but resaca is more neutral.
What it means
Crudo means hungover. Estoy crudo means I am hungover, and la cruda is the hangover itself.
It is vivid because it makes the morning after sound physical, exposed, and a little tragic.
Literal meaning
Literally, crudo means raw or uncooked. The metaphor is painfully accurate.
A crudo person is not functioning at full temperature yet.
How Mexicans use it
Mexicans use crudo after nights involving chelas, antros, or heroic overconfidence.
You will also hear curar la cruda, meaning to cure the hangover, often with food, soda, or questionable confidence.
In texts and group chats it shows up constantly the morning after: ando crudo, sigo crudo, crudísimo. It is the standard way friends report damage on WhatsApp.
Examples
- Estoy bien crudo, no me hables fuerte.I am super hungover, do not talk loud.
- La cruda me duró todo el día.The hangover lasted me all day.
- Necesito unos chilaquiles para curarme la cruda.I need chilaquiles to cure this hangover.
Mini dialogue
Common mistake
The common mistake is translating crudo only as raw. In context, estoy crudo almost always means hungover.
Another mistake is using it for ordinary tiredness. Crudo has a very specific morning-after flavor.
Don't sound gringo
crudo is the everyday mexican word for hungover. resaca is the textbook one you will barely hear in cdmx.
Watch the gender: a man says estoy crudo, a woman says estoy cruda.
The hangover itself is always la cruda, whoever has it.
Where you'll hear it
- dragging yourself to the taquería de la esquina for chilaquiles because everyone swears they cure la cruda
- your friend handing you a Coca-Cola at noon and saying 'tómatela, es lo único que te va a quitar lo crudo'
- in the Monday office WhatsApp: 'compa, llego tarde, ando bien crudo del cumple de Memo'
- the group already planning to be crudos tomorrow before the first round of chelas even arrives
- sunglasses indoors at a Sunday family comida, hoping nobody asks why you're so quiet
FAQ
What does crudo mean?
Crudo means hungover in Mexican Spanish slang. It literally translates to raw, which is a pretty accurate description of how a bad morning after feels.
What is the meaning of crudo in Mexican Spanish?
In Mexican Spanish, crudo's meaning shifts with context. Literally it means raw or uncooked, but applied to a person, it means hungover - wrecked from the night before.
What does estar crudo mean?
Estar crudo means to be hungover. A man says estoy crudo, a woman says estoy cruda, and the hangover itself is la cruda.
What's the difference between crudo and resaca?
Resaca is the standard, neutral Spanish word for hangover, fine anywhere including formal settings. Crudo is the casual, everyday Mexican version of the same feeling - use it with friends, not in a work email.
Is crudo rude?
Crudo is not rude, but it is casual and about drinking. Use resaca in more neutral or formal Spanish.
Where is crudo used?
Crudo is used in Mexico.
What is a natural example of crudo?
A natural example is: Estoy bien crudo, no me hables fuerte. That means: "I am super hungover, do not talk loud."
What is a similar word to crudo?
A similar word is chela. Check the related words below for more nearby Mexican Spanish expressions.
Don't confuse with
- pedaLa peda is the drunk night out; la cruda is the price you pay the next morning. One leads straight into the other.
- chelaChela is the beer that gets you there. Crudo is what you call yourself after too many chelas.
- resacaResaca is the standard, neutral Spanish word for hangover - fine anywhere, including formal settings. Crudo is the casual Mexican everyday version. Same feeling, different register.
Related words
Test yourself
tap an answer.
Your friend says 'estoy bien crudo.' What's going on with them?
You're in a formal work email to a client and want to explain you're hungover (somehow). Which word fits the setting?
A friend texts: 'no manches, ando crudísimo, ¿unos chilaquiles?' What are they really saying?
The one thing
crudo is the mexican everyday word for hungover - literally 'raw,' which is exactly how the morning after feels.
Sources
- Dictionarycrudo, crudaDiccionario breve de mexicanismos, Academia Mexicana de la LenguaThe academy's entry - and note it is filed under both genders, which is the thing learners get wrong.
- Press¿Cruda? Aquí te explicamos por quéEl Sol de León (OEM)The Merced market story about té por ocho, told as anecdote rather than record.
- ContextCruda: mexicanismo popular para referirse a la resacaMéxico ChuloOn cruda displacing resaca in Mexican usage almost completely.
- PressDe dónde surgió la palabra teporochoInfobae MéxicoThe té por ocho story from the other end - it is the origin account for teporocho, and the same anecdote gets attached to cruda.
Mentioned in
longer reads where this word shows up.
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