Welcome to Chilangolandia: Mexico City Slang Guide (Part 1)

To me, nothing reflects the vivacity and color of daily life in Mexico City more than language. Locals have invented countless slang words over the course of the city’s long history. Some of them date back to Aztec times, while others are hilarious Mexican-izations of American phrases. All of these words reveal the creativity, cultural blending, and constant changes that drive this city.

Here, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite “chilangüismos”: slang words used mostly in Mexico City, though some phrases are used in other parts of Mexico.* I hope they help you communicate, relate to locals, and give you insight into the city’s unique culture! There are simply too many phrases for one post, so I’ll explore this topic more in the future!

Chilango:

If you’re going to learn one bit of Mexico City slang, let it be the word “Chilango.” This refers to Mexico City residents themselves, whether they were born here or not. Locals often dispute its origin, possibly linking it back to the Nahuatl (language of the Aztecs and many other Central Mexican peoples) word “chilan-co,” which once referred to people from Central Mexico. The phrase became popular in other states around Mexico, where, ahem, Mexico City residents aren’t always beloved. Folks say “Haz patria y mata a un chilango”: literally “be patriotic and kill a chilango,” but more an insult than a real threat. Chilangos took the insult in stride, and reclaimed it as a word of pride. These days, the city’s magazine is called Chilango, and is a great resource for local information.

Defeño:

Many Mexico City residents, whether they were born here or not, consider themselves chilangos. Defeños, on the other hand, are a more rarified group — they were born in Mexico City, and some view chilangos as outsiders or interlopers. The term comes from D.F., Distrito Federal (Federal District), which is what Mexico City used to be called. This designation, similar to Washington D.C., came with issues of representation, and so a few years they officially transformed Mexico City into its own state. The Federal District is no more.

De provincia:

This is one of the snootiest Mexico City slang phrases out there. “De provincia,” literally “provincial” is almost always used in a derogatory way to imply that people from outside the capital are less sophisticated simpletons or rubes. Not one of my favorite local phrases, but an important one to understand attitudes that some in the city do have.

Edomex:

This is the last term I’ll discuss that deals with location and residency. “Edomex” simply shortens “Estado de México,” Mexico State. This is the state that surrounds Mexico City, and makes up the Metro Area of the huge capital, over doubling its size.

Colonia:

In much of Latin America, and even Latino areas in the U.S., you’ll hear “barrio” all the time to refer to “neighborhood.” Here in Mexico City, the city is split up into huge delegaciones, or districts, and each district has dozens of colonias, or neighborhoods. The other common word you’ll hear for neighborhood is zona, which is more general.

Qué padre:

When you think of Mexico City slang, you most likely think of “Qué padre,” one of Mexico’s most famous phrases. Literally meaning “How daddy,” locals use this to say things are cool or awesome. For example, if a local Chilango shows you their favorite taco stand or city sight, say “Qué padre!” to express your admiration.

Guëy:

“Güey” is probably the second most well-known phrase for foreigners in the Mexican lexicon, with “Ay güey!” as its stereotypical use. Güey basically works just like “dude” or “man” in the U.S. — you use it with friends, tacking it onto phrases like “What’s up, man?” The word came from “buey,” meaning ox or bull, to refer insultingly to men, but now it’s lost that meaning. In the internet age, lots of people spell it “wey,” too.

Chavo:

“Chavo” is similar to güey, used as a catch-all, casual term for a person, usually young. You would describe that “chavo” who was creepy to you on the subway, or a couple of “chavas” you’re going to hang out with after work. Some linguists think the term, used in different spots in Latin America, came from the gypsy word “chaval,” which meant boy.

No mames:

If you’ve watched a lot of Mexican movies or TV, from the classic “Y Tu Mamá También” to new hit “Narcos México,” you’ve probably heard characters groan “No mames, güey” to complain. In unpleasant or awful situations, Mexicans often turn to this phrase to say “You’re kidding me”… albeit in a more vulgar way. “No mames” is like the “Screw this” of Mexico, but literally, it refers to, ahem, sucking — either related to a baby breastfeeding, or oral sex. Literally, it doesn’t make a ton of sense. Anyways, because of the graphic nature of the phrase, the Televisa TV network started using “No manches,” basically a more polite way to express dissatisfaction.

La neta:

“La neta” is one of the most common phrases I hear every day in Mexico City. It means “the truth,” but people use it as “honestly” or “on the DL” too, to represent the Absolute Truth. So you’d say “La neta, no me cae bien”: “To be completely honest, I just don’t like him.” You can also use it as a question, as in “¿Es neta?”: “Seriously/Really?” Young Chilangos love the word, and it most likely comes from the French word “net,” which means “clear/pure.”

Godín:

No one wants to be a Godín, but most of us are. This word basically means a white collar office worker, what Americans used to call a pencil-pusher, and the Japanese call a Salaryman. A Godín has a boring but stable office job, commutes on crowded public transport, and brings a “tupper” (tupperware) with their lunch every day. It’s impossible to track a precise origin of the term, though some say it came from jokes on the popular “El Chavo del 8” comedy show years ago. Regardless, the Godinez (the plural of Godín) are here to stay. As much as we make fun of them, we also identify with them…they’re a reflection of modern city life and Mexican workaholism. So much so, that even Pepsi made a popular ad laughing knowingly at the Godín lifestyle.

Al chile:

“Al chile” is a somewhat lewder way to say “la neta,” as in “the truth” or “really?” While technically it refers to the chili pepper, it really has a more phallic connotation…no, I can’t really explain why. Sometimes it’s better to just accept Mexico City slang. Don’t question it. Amusingly, people wanting to be polite will say “al children” as a weird, nonsensical substitute.

Chafa:

Chafa means cheap or shoddy, and it’s use all the time in Mexico City. That presentation was chafa, your disappointed professor might say. That girl looks so chafa. That store was super chafa. It has endless uses — there’s plenty of chafa stuff in this giant, crazy city, after all.

Cabrón:

This word is used all over Mexico…but that doesn’t mean you should use it lightly. It is the Mexican equivalent of asshole, as in jerk or idiot. But unlike those English words, friends also use it amongst themselves, as a fake-insulting term of endearment just like “güey.” Cabrón comes from cabra, meaning goat. Be careful using it, as it will be taken as an insult by strangers.

Chido:

If you listen to a conversation between young people in Mexico City, you’ll probably hear “chido” every other sentence before long. This catch-all term expresses admiration; you use it to say something’s cool, awesome, great. It’s used similarly to “padre,” as in “¡Qué chido!” (Cool!) or “Está bien chido” (It’s pretty awesome). The term came from the Asturian word “xidu,” meaning great or beautiful, then on to the Gypsy word “chiro.” Finally in Mexico the “r” rounded out to a “d.”

Pedo:

Like aloha in Hawaii, in Mexican Spanish “pedo” has endless meanings and connotations. Unlike aloha, “pedo” literally means fart. A few of its most common uses are “Qué pedo,” basically “What’s up,” and “Está bien pedo,” as in “He’s wasted.” But there are a LOT of ways to use this term; I could literally dedicate an entire post to it. Instead, I will let beautiful actor and intelligent man Diego Luna explain it to you: his great explanation to Conan O’Brien is here!

Apapachar:

This is one of my personal favorite Mexican slang phrases. Coming from a Nahuatl indigenous root word, this verb basically means “to show care for.” If you look like you need a little TLC, someone might tell you that you need an apapacho, maybe a hug. But this word has a lovelier, deeper meaning. Many Mexicans consider the original Aztec word to truly mean “embrace someone with your soul.”

Chamba:

Mexico City is a metropolis of hustlers, in the best sense of the word. Chilangos work hard, with long hours and higher cost-of-living than the rest of the country. Many of my friends and coworkers do freelance in addition to their day job. This is all part of “chamba,” which means work, but connotes much more. Mexico City residents are always chambeando, hustling for work and opportunities. It’s part of the fabric of this “work hard, play hard” city.

¡Híjole!:

This expression is usually used when someone is surprised or shocked. If a pedestrian steps out in front of a car and narrowly misses getting hit, most likely both the driver and the pedestrian will exclaim “¡Híjole!”…before shouting something nastier along the lines of “¡Cabrón!” at each other. The phrase actually began as a euphemism for the vulgar expression “hijo de la chingada,” which is kinda the Spanish version of, ahem, motherf**ker. The phrase shortened (also trying to make it less vulgar) to hijo-e-la and morphed into “Híjole.” Use it when you’re surprised, disapproving, or just don’t know what to say or how to react.

¡Órale!:

As similar as it sounds to the above phrase, “¡Órale!” can mean almost the exact opposite. It basically means what Matthew McConaughey means when he says “Alright alright alright!” You use it to express affirmation, like when the food comes at the restaurant, or someone invites you to a party. ¡Órale! On the flip side, it can be used similarly to híjole sometimes, to express surprise or shock. Just say it whenever.

Qué fancy la Nancy:

I use this phrase. All. The. Time. It’s not, erm, traditional, but it’s hilarious. It literally means “How fancy the Nancy,” as in “Well isn’t this fancy.” You basically use it whenever someone comes in to work looking nice, or goes on an expensive vacation, or you go to a chic restaurant. You can genuinely use it to express you’re impressed, or ironically: with something that’s really chafa (cheap), roll your eyes and say “Qué fancy la Nancy.” It’s inspired lots of copycat phrases, including “Qué sexy la Ceci,” all of which combine an adjective and a woman’s name/nickname. I invented my own, “Qué económica la Mónica”© (Copyright Merin McD 2019), which makes fun of how cheap I am. People really get a kick out of it.

Adiós popo:

I’ll end this glossary with one of the most colorful phrases that Chilango youth currently use to say goodbye. “Popó,” like in some parts of the US, is a nickname for the police, but this has nothing to do with them. Just say “Adiós popó” to be a little silly and ridiculous.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this glossary of popular Mexico City slang! Toss in a phrase or two with local chilangos, and they will be very impressed. I could never put together a comprehensive list, so let me know what you think I missed!

*On a final note, I haven’t included most Mexico City slang that refers to a certain class or social group. I’m working on a future post about class in Mexico City, so those will appear there!