Spanish language/culture question: How do Mexicans refer to white people?
What are the different ways (in Spanish) that Mexicans refer to white people? I'm looking for derogatory terms, polite terms, "correct" terms, anything.
More importantly, as a white female who speaks Spanish (rather, trying to become more fluent), how would I refer to myself?
And as long as everyone's stuck on being PC, I'm referring to Caucasian Americans.
I'd like to point out that I'm NOT referring to Mexicans as a race, and am asking specifically about people from Mexico. Hence, Mexicans. I mean no disrespect.
Filed under: Spanish Language
So no offense taken… there is no need to be offended at your question.
The best way would be americana. Guera just means your light skinned, maybe blonde hair. And gringa is just a more impolite way to say it but not offensive either.
So maybe that helps.. a little
take into account that mexican isn´t a race, some mexicans are actually white, and some other Latin American countries are mostly white (check Argentina or Uruguay), mexicans do have a word for white people which is "güero".
In a okay term I’m thinking Americana/o and in a bad way or disrespectful way it would be Gringa/o. That’s all I know :/
Kilroy nailed it.
You can’t refer to Mexicans as a race. It’s a nationality.
gringos, which means americans or
guerros. which means whites
you would call yourself gringa
dont be offended if mexicans call you guerra. its not a racist comment.
Gringo is what most people would call you, but it is not seen as offensive. It just means foreigner, or specifically white person. Weto (not sure about the spelling) is more like "whitey".
Well, I live in LA and most of the comparably few white people I have met are mexican. In fact, my friend, who has very fair skin, blue eyes, and blond hair, would fly into a rage if anyone dares call her white and would swear upon him on high that she is a hundred percent mexican (not too sure if she’s 100 percent indios)