---
title: "me cae gordo"
translation: "I can't stand (that person). They rub me the wrong way."
type: "word"
category: "expression"
url: "https://consalsa.app/words/me-cae-gordo"
canonical: "https://consalsa.app/words/me-cae-gordo"
published: "2026-08-17"
updated: "2026-08-17"
author: "Andrey the Nomad"
site: "ConSalsa.App"
license: "https://consalsa.app/about"
---

# me cae gordo
URL: https://consalsa.app/words/me-cae-gordo
Translation: I can't stand (that person). They rub me the wrong way.
Pronunciation: /me ˈka.e ˈɡor.ðo/
Category: expression
Region: Mexico, especially CDMX
Register: casual, mildly negative
Variants: me cae gordísimo, me cae gordo ese güey, me cae muy gordo
Literal meaning: Falls fat on me — the person lands heavy and indigestible, like something that sits wrong in your gut.
Tone & safety: Me cae gordo is mild enough for friends and family — just never say it to the person's face, and skip it at work where even low-key venting can get awkward.
Published: 2026-08-17

Quick answer:
- Me cae gordo means 'I can't stand that person' or 'they rub me the wrong way' in Mexican Spanish.
- It's mild and everyday — safe with friends, family, and coworkers without sounding aggressive.
- Use me cae gorda for a woman; the phrase always describes a specific person, never a thing or a situation.

What it means:
- Me cae gordo is how Mexicans say someone gets on their nerves — not in a dramatic, blow-up way, just steadily. It's that low-level dislike where the person hasn't done anything terrible, they just don't sit right with you.
- It's always about a person. You can't aim it at a place, a meeting, or a song — only at a specific human who, through some mix of personality and behavior, has managed to bug you on a regular basis.

Literal meaning:
- Word for word it's something like 'falls fat on me.' Caer (to fall) is the verb Mexicans use for how people land with you — how they register, how they sit. Caerle bien a alguien is to land well; caerle gordo is to land heavy and unwelcome, like something you can't digest.
- The gordo (fat, heavy) part is the whole image: this person presses down on you a little every time they show up. It's more stomach than heart — not hatred, just that 'ugh, not this one again' feeling.

How Mexicans use it:
- In everyday talk, me cae gordo comes out when someone explains why they're avoiding a person, why a get-together got tense, or why work is draining lately. It's the kind of thing you say at a cantina table or a family lunch — not a fight starter, just an honest read on someone.
- It thrives on WhatsApp and in group chats. Someone drops a name and two people reply 'ay no, ese güey me cae gordo' within seconds — it's a small bonding ritual over shared annoyances. In texts you'll see it stretched for emphasis as me cae gordísimo, and the feminine me cae gorda shows up just as naturally when the person is a woman.
- The phrase travels with the diaspora — you'll catch it in LA, Chicago, and Houston in the exact same casual contexts. Guadalajara and Monterrey use it too, though each region has its own extra slang for the same feeling.

Tone and safety:
- Me cae gordo sits on the mild end of the negativity scale. It won't shock your suegra, it won't blow up a work chat, and it doesn't carry the crude edge of me caga or no lo soporto. Saying it straight to the person, though, is still rude — this is something you say about someone, not to them.
- If you need a clean, no-slang version for work or a formal moment, 'no me llevo bien con esa persona' (I don't get along well with that person) covers the same ground without any edge.

Common mistake:
- The mistake learners make most is gender. The adjective agrees with the person you're describing, so a woman is me cae gorda, not me cae gordo. People will understand either way, but the wrong ending sticks out.
- The other slip is using it for things and situations — a loud bar, a long meeting, a bad commute. It only works on people. For things that bug you, me choca or no lo aguanto are the moves.

Examples:
- ¿Por qué no invitas a Rodrigo? Ay, es que me cae gordo, güey. — Why don't you invite Rodrigo? Ugh, I just can't stand the guy.
- Ese chavo del piso de arriba me cae gordo — siempre deja la puerta azotando. — The guy upstairs gets on my nerves — always slamming the door.
- La nueva jefa me cae gorda, ¿a poco a ti no? — The new boss rubs me the wrong way — doesn't she for you too?
- No sé por qué, pero ese tipo me cae gordo desde que llegó. — I don't know why, but that guy has rubbed me the wrong way since day one.

Mini dialogue:
A: Oye, ¿vas a ir a la reunión del sábado? Va a estar el Iván.
B: Ay no, ese güey me cae gordo.
A: ¿Qué te hizo?
B: Nada en específico. Siempre llega tarde y luego actúa como que llegó primero.
A: Jajaja sí, yo lo aguanto nomás por los demás.
B: Exacto. ¿Van a estar todos o nada más él?
A: Todos, no te preocupes. Y él va a llegar al final, como siempre.

FAQ:
Q: What does 'me cae gordo' mean?
A: Me cae gordo means 'I can't stand that person' or 'they rub me the wrong way' in Mexican Spanish. It describes a mild but steady dislike for a specific person.

Q: Is 'me cae gordo' rude?
A: It's mildly negative but not aggressive or vulgar. It's safe with friends, family, and coworkers when you're venting about someone — just not said directly to the person you mean.

Q: What's the difference between 'me cae gordo' and 'me cae bien'?
A: Me cae bien means you like someone or they seem cool. Me cae gordo is the opposite — that person gets on your nerves. Same construction, flipped meaning. Swapping bien for gordo flips the whole sentence.

Q: How do I use 'me cae gordo' in a sentence?
A: Put the person first, then the phrase: 'ese güey me cae gordo' (that guy gets on my nerves) or 'mi vecina me cae gorda' (my neighbor rubs me the wrong way). The adjective agrees with gender.

Q: Does 'me cae gordo' change for a woman?
A: Yes — for a woman you say me cae gorda, not gordo. The adjective agrees with the person you're describing: gordo for a man, gorda for a woman.

Q: What's a stronger version of 'me cae gordo'?
A: Me caga is the more intense, cruder version — closer to 'that person pisses me off.' Me cae gordo is mild enough for everyday talk; me caga stays in close-friend territory.

Q: Can I use 'me cae gordo' for a thing or a situation?
A: No — me cae gordo only works on people. For a thing or a situation that bugs you, Mexicans use me choca or no lo aguanto instead.

Related words: me-cae-bien, me-caga, mala-onda, me-cae