Glossary

Compared to other languages, Spanish is fairly easy to read. It is a phonetic language, meaning that things are pronounced as they’re written, but keep in mind that some letters are pronounced differently in Spanish than in English. Vowels, for example, are pronounced ah, eh, ee, oh, oo (A, E, I, O, U). Try sounding out some of these words and see if you can figure out what they mean before reading the definition. (Some will be easier than others!)

A gloria:

something that tastes “delicious” tastes a gloria.

A toda fuerza:

“by force,” as in “I will separate you by force.”

Abuelo/abuela/abuelita:

grandfather, grandmother, granny.

Acento:

“accent,” as in speaking with one.

Acta de nacimiento:

birth certificate.

Acuéstate:

the order to “lie down” (go to sleep).

Adoptar:

this word means both “to adopt” and “to foster.”

Ahora:

now.

Alé, alé:

a phrase probably taken from French (allez, allez), it means “go, go” or “hurry.”

Alegre:

happy.

Alegría:

a woman’s name that also means “joy.”

Alegría, te quiero. Tu hermano, Santiago:

Alegría, I love you. Your brother, Santiago.

Almohadas:

“pillows,” which, unfortunately, most immigration centers don’t provide.

Alto:

a command to “stop.”

Arroz con pollo:

a common and easy meal, “rice with chicken.”

Ay:

a word with multiple meanings, depending on the intonation used. Similar to “oh.”

Ay, cariño:

a term of endearment, similar to “oh, sweetie.”

Ay, qué rico:

usually used to indicate something feeling or tasting nice, “ah, that’s good.”

Ay, perdóneme:

an apology, “oh, excuse me” or “sorry.”

Basta:

usually used as a command to mean “stop it,” or “enough.”

Bróder:

a Spanish attempt to say “brother” in the way people call buddies or those of the same background “brother.”

Bueno:

usually means “good” but can also mean “okay” or “well then” before continuing with what one was saying.

Buenos días, chicos:

Good morning, kids.

Burro:

“donkey,” which can also be used in English!

Caballo:

horse.

Café con leche:

coffee with milk.

Cállate ya:

a command to be quiet, “shut up now.”

Calle:

road, street.

Cállense:

a command to tell a group to “shut up” or “be quiet.”

Cantina:

a place that serves food and drinks.

Capaz:

A fictional village on the Mexican border with New Mexico. Literally meaning “capable,” but it can easily become incapaz, making it “incapable.”

Caramelos:

literally means “caramels” but can also be “candy.”

Catorce:

fourteen.

Centavos:

Mexican “cents,” which are virtually worthless, and many vendors will round up to the nearest peso instead of giving you that change.

Chicharrones:

“pork rinds,” often sold in bags, like potato chips.

Chicos, vamos:

Kids, let’s go.

Chiquitin/chiquitines:

little one, young ’uns.

Chismoso:

someone who gossips.

Chulo malcriado:

the word chulo has different meanings depending where you’re from. In this case it means a “moocher” (someone who lives off other peoples’ money). Malcriado literally means “poorly raised” or “ill bred.”

Cien:

one hundred.

Claro:

“sure” or “of course.”

Claro que no:

of course not.

Claro que sí:

a more emphatic “of course.”

Claro, hijo:

Sure, son.

Como dicen en inglés:

As they say in English.

Compañeros:

literally means “companions” but more often used for “schoolmates” or, as in Santiago’s case, “fellow detainees.”

Con permiso:

“excuse me,” whether interrupting, asking for permission, or apologizing.

Coyote:

technically it’s an animal, cousin to dogs and foxes, but it’s also the term for the people who smuggle immigrants into the U.S.

Creo que sí:

I think so.

¿Cuáles otros?:

Which others?

Cuatro:

four.

Dale, caballito:

the equivalent of “giddyup,” literally means “c’mon, horsey.”

De lo más bien:

in this book’s context it’s “just fine,” but in other settings it can be “really good.”

De nada:

reply to gracias, “you’re welcome.”

Desgraciado:

literally means “disgraceful,” as in someone people are ashamed of.

Dije que no:

I said no.

Don:

a word of respect for a man.

¿Dónde está?:

Where is she/he/it?

¿Dónde estoy?:

Where am I?

El caballo entero:

literally means “the whole horse” but is also a word for “stallion.”

El campo:

“the country” or “the countryside.”

El cocinero:

the cook.

El conejo corre / En su hueco se esconde / Así el coyote / No se lo come:

a poem I made up to be recited while tying shoes. The literal translation is: “The rabbit runs / In his hole he hides / That way the coyote / Doesn’t eat him.” In Spanish it does kind of rhyme!

El Norte:

literally means “the north” but used as a nickname for the U.S.

El otro lado:

literally means “the other side” but is used in Mexico to signify the U.S. (the other side of the border).

El viejo:

the old man.

En español:

in Spanish.

Entren ahora:

an order to a group to “enter now” or “come in now.”

Está bien:

“it’s okay” or “it’s all right.”

Está… se:

the start of two questions, “Is… did.”

Estado de Chihuahua:

did you know Mexico has states (estados) just like the U.S.? Chihuahua is both a city and a state in northern Mexico.

Este tipo:

“this guy” or “this dude.”

Ey:

a slang word for “yes,” similar to “yeah.”

Favor:

in this instance it’s short for por favor, “please.”

Frambuesa:

raspberry.

Fuego:

fire.

Fulano:

a word that means “somebody” or “anybody,” often used when you don’t know the specific person’s name.

Gacho:

a person who is “worthless” or a “lowlife.”

Gracias:

if you learn only one word in Spanish, learn this one! “Thank you.”

Guanaco:

an offensive word to call someone from El Salvador. Santiago’s friend chose not to let the word hurt him but to own it.

Guardia:

a female “guard.”

Hermano/hermana/hermanito:

“brother,” “sister,” and “little brother,” usually reserved for people who are related (not just a buddy).

Hija:

daughter.

Hijos:

could be “sons” or “sons and daughters.” Some people will also use “hijo” or “hija” as a term of endearment even if they’re not related.

Hola:

pronounced “oh-la,” it’s good to know how to say “hi.”

Hombre:

a “man,” can also be used when addressing a friend like, “Hey, man.”

Huérfano:

an “orphan,” like Santiago.

Idiota:

an “idiot,” can be used for both males and females.

Imbécil:

imbecile.

La malvada:

this is the nickname Santiago uses for his abusive grandmother, meaning “the evil one.”

La migra:

a nickname for the immigration officers who patrol near the border.

La princesa y el viento:

The Princess and the Wind, a fictional picture book that Santiago’s mami used to read to him when he was young.

Ladrones:

“thieves” or “robbers.”

Lárgate:

a command to “leave” or “get lost.”

Lentejo:

Mexican slang for someone who’s slow and stupid.

Levántate:

a command to “wake up” or “get up.”

Ley Unido:

while this is a fictional organization (meaning “Law United”), there are several pro-bono law firms and nonprofits that help youths and families in the holding centers.

Listo:

a word with multiple meanings, it can be “ready” and also “smart/sharp-witted.”

Llama al médico:

Call the doctor/medic.

Llorón:

“crier” or “crybaby,” but can also be used for someone who “whines” a lot.

Lo siento:

a sympathetic phrase you’d say if you feel bad for someone, “I’m sorry.”

Loco:

crazy.

Los azules:

literally means “the blues,” but near the border it’s a colloquial Mexican term for police officers from the U.S., due to their blue (azul) uniforms.

Madre e hija:

mother and daughter.

Madre soltera:

single mom.

Malcriado:

someone who is ill-mannered and/or poorly behaved, could also be a “brat.”

Mamis:

mommies.

Mamita:

a term of endearment, often said to a little girl, similar to “sweetie.”

Mano:

short for hermano (“brother”), and used to address a buddy or “bro.”

Manzano:

a play on words. Literally means “apple tree,” but in this case it’s “apple boy.”

Me lo prometes:

Do you promise me?

Medio mundo:

an exaggeration and expression meaning “half the world,” similar to the English expression “everyone and his uncle.”

Mentira:

a lie.

Menudo:

a Mexican stew made out of tripe. (The word also has several different meanings depending where you use it and the context.)

Mi hermana:

my sister.

Mi nombre es Santiago:

My name is Santiago.

Mi’jo:

a contraction of “mi hijo” (“my son”) and used as a form of endearment, especially by an older person to a younger person.

Mira:

literally means “look,” but can also mean “hey.”

Mosca:

“fly” or “bug.”

Muchísimas gracias:

thank you very much.

Muy bien:

“very good” or even “all right.”

Ni amor:

nor love.

Niños y bebés:

kids and babies.

No, al Polo Norte, idiota:

a sarcastic response, “no, to the North Pole, idiot.”

No es justo:

It’s not fair.

No tiene que hacer eso:

a formal way to say “you don’t have to do that.”

Noche Buena:

the word for “Christmas Eve,” which most Latin Americans celebrate instead of Christmas Day. Literally, it means “night good.”

Nombre de la madre:

mother’s name.

Nombre del padre:

father’s name.

Nombres:

names (referring to first and middle names, or full name).

Nopales:

the edible pads of some cactus plants, which can be bought in specialty stores. Do not harvest or eat them from the wild unless you know how to first get rid of the tiny glochids, or hairs, that will painfully embed into your hands and tongue!

O lo que sea:

an off-handed expression that means “or whatever.”

Ojos:

eyes.

Oye:

literally means “listen” or “hear,” but often used as “hey.”

Oye, chico:

Hey, kid.

Oye, flaco:

“Hey, slim/skinny.” In Spanish it’s common to have a nickname based on one’s physical appearance.

Paletas:

“ice cream bars” or “Popsicles.”

“Pai” de calabaza:

“pai” is not a Spanish word; it’s an attempt to say “pie,” which doesn’t have a good Spanish equivalent. So this is “pumpkin pie” (pie of pumpkin).

Pare:

a command to “stop.”

Patas flacas:

a mild insult that means “skinny legs,” though in some countries the word “patas” is reserved for animal legs, so the insult could even be “skinny animal legs.”

Pegado:

a colloquial term for sticky, burned rice at the bottom of the pot. Some kids will demand and eat this in handheld chunks!

Pero desgraciadamente:

but unfortunately.

¿Pero en inglés o en español?:

But in English or Spanish?

Perro:

normally, this is the word for “dog,” but in the context used, it’s a derogatory word for “policeman.”

Peso:

the monetary unit of Mexico, represented by the same symbol as the U.S. dollar ($). The current value is about nineteen Mexican pesos per U.S. dollar.

Pipí:

“pee-pee” or “potty.”

Pollos:

generally refers to “chicken” used in food (but sometimes also the live animal); in this case it’s the colloquial/derogatory word used to refer to the people trying to cross the border.

Por favor:

another word that will get you far, “please.”

¿Por qué?:

why?

Por persona:

per person.

Posole:

a side dish or stew made from maize (a starchy cousin of sweet corn).

Primos:

cousins.

¿Qué?:

As a question, it usually means “what?”

Qué delicia:

“what a delicacy” or “how delicious.”

Qué linda:

“how pretty” or “what a pretty thing.”

Qué locos desgraciados:

in the context used, it’s meaning is close to “what a bunch of disrespectful imbeciles/crazies.”

¿Qué más?:

What else?

Que no cumplió:

referring to someone who didn’t keep their end of a bargain.

Quiero a mi mamá:

in the context used it’s “I want my mom.” But it can also be “I love my mom.”

Rellenos:

often refers to stuffed chile peppers, which are then dipped in batter and fried.

¿Sabe usted?:

again using the formal “you,” it means “do you know?”

Sabiondo:

a “know-it-all.”

Serpiente:

serpent.

Sí:

yes (note the accent mark on the i—without it the word becomes “if”).

Sí, ahora:

yes, now.

Sí, por favor:

yes, please.

Sin apellidos:

“without last names” or “no last names.”

Sin vergüenzas:

a mild insult, people who are without shame or remorse, “shameless.”

Solo la niña:

only the girl.

Sopa de pollo:

chicken soup.

Soy:

I am.

Suizas:

“Swiss,” in the book it refers to enchiladas suizas, which tend to have a cream sauce.

’Tá bien:

an abbreviation for “está bien,” “it’s okay” or “all right.”

Tamal:

the singular form for tamales, a corn-based dough with various fillings that is wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and then steamed.

Tele:

a short word for “television,” similar to “TV.”

Telenovelas:

Spanish-language soap operas known for being overly dramatic.

Tía/tío/tíos:

“aunt,” “uncle,” and “aunt and uncle.”

Tiene movimiento:

literally this means “has movement” but refers in this case to a road with traffic.

¿Tiene usted hermanos aquí también?:

Do (formal) you have siblings here too?

Tienes razón:

You’re right.

Tome:

the formal command for “here” or “take this.”

Tremenda fiesta:

a great party.

Tú:

you (informal).

Tu madre:

your mother.

Un chile de todos los moles:

a Mexican expression indicating a “good egg,” someone who’s helpful and considerate. Literally translates to “a chile for all sauces.”

Usted:

the formal form for “you,” often used to address an older person or to show respect to someone.

Ustedes:

you all.

Ustedes dos:

you two.

Vamos:

Let’s go.

Valle Cobre:

a fictional mining village in southern New Mexico named “Copper Valley.”

Ven:

a command to “come” or “come here.”

Veo una casa:

I see a house.

Viejita:

one word to signify “little old lady.”

Vos:

an informal form of “you” used in parts of Central America and Argentina but not often heard elsewhere.

Voy a salir:

“I’m getting out” or “I’m leaving.”

Y si no puedo:

“And if I can’t” or “And if I’m unable to.”

Y yo:

and me/I.

Ya sé:

an emphasis on “I know,” similar to “Yes, I know” or “I already know.”

Ya vengo:

I’m coming.

Zanate:

a “grackle,” a songbird common in Mexico.