10 Latin American Expressions That Will Make You Giggle

Image of a Latina woman smiling

If you’re learning Latin American Spanish, whether it’s to advance your career, to connect with your Latino heritage, or just because you love languages, colorful slang is one of the first things you’ll stumble upon. And boy do we have a lot of those! Slang is a unique part of every language in the world and it’s deeply tied to culture, so it’s one of the ultimate expressions of it. If you want to tap into that rich heritage and also have a few giggles, here are a few slang expressions you should learn:


Echando la hueva = Throwing the egg

Egg on red backgroundPhoto by Domino Studio on Unsplash

This phrase is most common in Mexico and it’s a way of telling someone they’re being particularly lazy. “Hey man, I see you echando la hueva, stop procrastinating!” Just make sure you don’t say any of this stuff to people like, say, your boss or your parents. This is reserved for mates and informal situations only. Who knew the word egg could be used in such a creative way?

Hazme un fa = Do me a favor

a wooden block that says favor next to a bouquet of flowersPhoto by Alex Shute on Unsplash

In Colombia, they use “Hazme un fa” all the time and it’s just a shortened version of “Hazme un favor,” which translates to “Do me a favor.” The same is done with “Por favor” (please), which is shortened to “Porfa” all around Latin America, especially if you want to be sweet about it. “Ay porfaaa” or “Porfitas” is like saying “Pretty please,” which is much more effective than a dry “Please,” wouldn’t you say?

Guácala = Ew

woman with an expression of disgustPhoto by OSPAN ALI on Unsplash

We love throwing around the word “guácala” because, let’s face it, it sounds pretty funny. This particular slang word can be found from Mexico to South America and is a great way to express your disgust for something. For example, someone shows you a picture of a cockroach, the only natural response would be “Guácalaaa, porfa get that out of my face.” It’s so much better than saying “Ewwww,” don’t you agree?

Buena onda = Good vibe

Good Vibes Only sand textPhoto by Ashley Whitlatch on Unsplash

This expression can also be found across Latin America and has a particularly 60s vibe to it because it means “good vibes.” Nowadays, it’s all about the vibes, so we figured this would be a good slang phrase to show you because you can use it often and in many different scenarios. Do keep in mind that someone’s or something’s onda can be good (buena) or bad (mala), so adjust accordingly depending on the situation.

Qué padre = How father

person showing thumbPhoto by Katya Ross on Unsplash

Okay, the literal translation of this one is pretty funny because “How father” just sounds like gibberish. However, “Qué padre” means “How cool” or “How awesome,” as in, “Qué padre que te guste surfear,” which means “How cool that you like to surf.” This is Mexican slang at its best and you’ll hear it from them quite a lot. Literally anything can be “padre,” just remember it doesn’t mean “father.”

Vivir en una nube de pedos = Living on a cloud of farts

white and gray cloudsPhoto by Wolf Zimmermann on Unsplash

This is yet another funny expression and it’s very popular in Argentina. It indicates when someone is out of touch with reality, so it’s the equivalent of having one’s head on the clouds. The reason they added “pedos” or “farts” in there is because Argentinians love to use fart analogies in their slang. For example, another phrase they use a lot is “En pedo” which means “To be drunk.” They also have “Ni en pedo” which means “Not a chance” or “No way in hell.” It’s one of the many things that make Argentinians wonderful people!

Me vale madre = It’s worth a mother to me

Woman with annoy expression and gesture

Photo by Keira Burton on Pexels

Here we have another terrible literal translation that’s just very funny to read out loud. “It’s worth a mother to me” seems nonsensical, but it makes perfect sense in Spanish. “Me vale madre” is a phrase Mexicans use to say “I don’t care” or “It doesn’t matter to me.” The most accurate translation of this expression is “I don’t give a f***,” but let’s keep it PG.

No manches = Don’t stain

Woman with surprised expression

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

Literal translations are on a roll here! Once again “Don’t stain” makes no sense, but “No manches” is another Mexican expression that means “No way” or “Get out of here” or “Come on.” As you can see, it has many different uses. It’s one of those things that Mexicans see very often and you may hear it in other Latin American countries, but it’s always a Mexican reference.

Comiendo moscas = Eating flies

Macro image of a fly

Photo by the name is karupu on Pexels

Sorry for the disgusting visual, no one wants to think about eating flies. “Comiendo moscas” is not literal, though, thank God! It’s a slang phrase that’s meant to express boredom. If you’ve ever drifted off during a meeting that has run for too long, you’ve eaten flies. Sorry to be the one to break it to you! In all seriousness, it’s a fun slang phrase that you can whip up in all kinds of boring situations.

Más loco que una cabra con pollitos = Crazier than a goat with chicks

selective focus photography of white goatPhoto by Nandhu Kumar on Unsplash

Let’s finish off our list of Latin American slang expressions with a real banger! “Más loco que una cabra con pollitos” is pretty straightforward and it means exactly what it conveys. That friend of yours who always gets the craziest ideas at 2 am when everyone’s had enough to drink and is ready to go home is “crazier than a goat with chicks.” Let them know! It will certainly get a laugh out of them. Do keep in mind this expression is used in good fun, not as a mental health insult.

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).