TWO
¡Qué milanesas! Introductions, Friends, and Family
When it comes to family members, Hispanics in general and Mexicans in particular have a complex relationship with their mothers. This can likely be traced to the influence of Catholicism in the país, where Mary and Mary Magdalene represent the two main visions of mujeres. With the choice of either virgin mother or whore, it's no surprise Hispanics have a complicated relationship with the women who bore them. El padre, on the other hand, enjoys a classic role as provider, ruling the roost. At least with large families, Mexican children have the opportunity to share both the blame and acclaim with their hermanos and hermanas.
agarrar la onda
to get someone, lit. to grab the wave
Yo creo que voy a cambiar de maestro de inglés; a éste no le agarro la onda.
I think I'll change English teachers; I just don't get this one.
¡Qué hongo!
What's up?, lit. What mushroom!
¡Qué hongo! Hace mucho que no sé nada de ti.
What's up? I haven't heard from you in a while.
¡Qué acelga!
What's happening? What's up?, lit. What chard!
¡Qué acelga! ¿Vamos al cine en la noche o qué?
What's up? Are we going to the movies or what?
¿Qué hubo? (also quihubo, quiubas, quiúbole, quihúbole, qué húbole)
What's new? What's up?, lit. What was there?
¿Quihubo? Hace mucho que no te veía por aquí.
What's up? I haven't seen you around in ages.
Other variations include:
¿Qué haciendo?
What's up?, lit. What's doing?
¿Qué hay?
What's cooking?, lit. What is there?
¡Qué milagro!
Long time, no see! lit. What a miracle!
¡Qué milanesas!
What's up?, lit. What pounded veal cutlets!
¿Qué onda?
What's up?, lit. What wave?
¿Qué pedo?
What is going on? What's up? What's happening?, lit. What fart?
¿Qué pez?
What's going on?, lit. What fish?
cuate, cuata (cuatacho, cuatacha) (Mexico)
friend, from Náhuatl (cuatl)
Con ese tipo ni te metas; es mi cuate.
Don't even mess with that guy; he's a friend.
chavo (Mexico)
guy, from Náhuatl
Ese chavo que trabaja en el banco me encanta, ¡pero no me pela!
I really like guy who works at the bank but he won't even look at me!
lit. I really like the guy who works at the bank but he doesn't peel me.
carnal, m
friend, lit. carnal
No hables mal de Pedro; es mi carnal.
Don't talk badly about Pedro; he's my friend.
hablando del Rey de Roma …
speak of the devil, lit. speak of the King of Rome
Hablando del Rey de Roma, ahí viene mi suegra …
Speak of the devil, here comes my mother-in-law …
hijo, hija
buddy/gal, lit. son/daughter
¡Qué onda, hijo! Vamos al hipódromo esta noche, ¿no?
What's up buddy! Let's go to the track tonight, okay?
mano, mana (manito, manita) (Mexico)
friend, buddy, lit. hand (little hand)
¡Vámonos de aquí mano, aquí nadie nos quiere!
Let's get outta here, buddy; nobody wants us around.
mina, f (Argentina)
girl, lit. mine (metal)
¡Qué mina más buena!
What a hot girl!
pana (Caribbean)
friend
Carrie tiene muchos conocidos, pero no son panas.
Carrie has lots of acquaintances, but they're not close friends.
pava, f (Spain)
girl, lit. female turkey
¡La pava ésa está buenísima!
That girl's gorgeous!
partir el turrón
to get to know someone better, lit. to cut the nougat candy
Vamos a tutearnos para partir el turrón
Let's use “tú” instead of “usted” to get to know each other better.
tío, tía (Spain)
mate, dude, lit. uncle, aunt
¿Qué hay tío?
Hey, dude, what's up?
viejo, vieja
pop, mom, lit. old man, old woman
Voy a pasar la navidad con los viejos.
I will spend Christmas with my folks.
La madre can be a lovely and affectionate person or a real pain it the neck. Madrazo, “big mother,” refers to a big blow. Caerle dea madre, “to fall of the mother,” is directed to an unbearable person. The mother is also a kind of reference or system of measurement: un madral, “a big mother,” means a lot, while una madrecita, “a little mother,” is something very small. In another field, partirse la madre, “to cut one's mother,” means to work very hard. While no tener madre, “to have no mother,” refers to individuals who are shameless, ¡qué poca madre!, “what little mother,” is given to people who have no consideration for others.
Mom is also connected with feelings and emotions. When happiness occurs or when something is cool, a toda madre, “to the whole mother” and de puta madre, “of the prostitute mother” are appropriate expressions. Emotions can also be negative and the expression quite rude, such as ¡Pa´ su madre!, “for his/her mother” and also ¡puta madre!, “prostitute mother”; both mean “f**k/ damn!” “No f**king way” is translated into ¡Ni madres!, “not even mothers.”
Even when flirting in a pub, looking for chicas, you'll be facing mamacitas, “little mothers” or “hotties.” If you feel your Oedipal complex is coming back, don't even think of drinking to forget who gave birth to you — it won't work. There will always be someone who'll say estás mamado, “you're breast fed,” and another one who'll claim estás hasta la madre, “you're up to the mother,” both meaning “you're drunk.” Just give it up — la madre is here to stay.