Everyday Mexican words: chamba, lana, chavo, antojitos, cruda

Explanation

Work and money: chamba is a job or work (chambear = to work), lana and varo mean money ('dough'), and no traigo varo = 'I've got no cash'. People: chavo/a and morro/a are a young person/kid, ruco/a is an old person, chaparro/a is a short person, and a compa is a buddy (from compadre).

Daily life: cruda is a hangover (andar crudo), la cruda moral is next-day regret; antojitos are the classic street snacks (tacos, quesadillas, sopes); the corner tienda is often the abarrotes; a camión is a city bus (not just a truck) and a combi/pesero a shared minivan; and chela is a beer. Padre/chido cover 'cool' (see the slang rule).

Grammar-flavored tics: bien works as 'very' before adjectives (está bien caro = 'it's really expensive'), often replacing muy in speech. Qué padre / qué chido = 'how cool'. Ándele/órale sit between vocabulary and interjection. A couple dozen of these words, plus the interjections and diminutives, unlock everyday Mexican conversation.

Examples

Related rules

• Everyday Mexican interjections: órale, güey, no manches, qué onda
• Diminutive culture and the elastic 'ahorita'
• Mexican politeness: wide usted, mande, and softened requests