Madre is a word you will hear a lot in Mexican Spanish slang. The term means “mother”, but with time it has evolved into at least 40 colloquial expressions.
It has different meanings that can be positive or offensive depending on the context.
It can also be used to accentuate other words and make sentences more powerful. Check out the examples below to learn how to use madre properly and become a true native speaker.
The Different Uses of the Word Madre
In Mexico, the word madre means a lot more than the person who gives us life. There are different connotations depending on how and where we use the word. It can be perceived positively or negatively, so it is important to understand the implications before you start using this term. H
ere we have compiled 12 of the most popular expressions. Let’s have a look:
1. Esa/esta madre
Mexicans use this expression to replace the word “stuff”. It can be translated to “that thing”. The diminutive “esa madrecita” is also very common and translates to “that thingy”.
- ¿Has visto esa madre que usamos para servir la comida? / Have you seen that thing we use to serve food?
2. Poca madre/A toda madre/Con madre
This idiomatic phrase is used to say someone or something is “very cool”.
- El Museo Nacional de Arte está a toda madre, deberías visitarlo. / The National Museum of Art is very cool, you should visit.
3. De a madre
You can use this expression if you want to convey you have a lot of something.
- Toma un poco de mi almuerzo, traje de a madre de comida. / Have some of my lunch, I brought a lot of food.
4. A raja madre
This one means to go very fast.
- ¡Baja un poco la velocidad! Estás conduciendo a raja madre, vamos a chocar. / Slow down! You are driving too fast, we’re going to crash.
5. Madres
In Mexican slang, the plural form of the word madre is used to convey strong emotions or astonishment. It can be translated to “damn”.
- A: Papá, se me cayó el móvil y se rompió la pantalla. / Dad, I dropped my cell and the screen broke.
- B: ¡Madres, tienes que ser más cuidadosa! / Damn, you have to be more careful!
6. Me vale madre/Me vale madres
This is a very popular way to say you don’t care or you don’t give a damn about something or someone.
- A: Marina me dijo que esa camisa te queda ridícula. / Marina told me that shirt looks silly on you.
- B: Me vale madre lo que ella piense. / I couldn’t care less what she thinks.
7. Romper la madre/Partir la madre
As with the others, this expression has no literal translation. It means to beat or hit someone.
- ¿Qué me has dicho? ¡Te voy a partir la madre! / What did you just say? I’m gonna kick your ass!
8. Chinga tu madre
You may have heard this one before. It is a very popular and rude curse in Mexico and is present in many song lyrics and movie dialogues. It means “fuc* you” or “go fuc* yourself”. It is probably the mother of all insults, so don’t use it lightly.
- ¡Chinga tu madre, cabrón mentiroso! / Fuc* you, you lying bastard!
9. Chingar la madre
Although it might sound similar to the previous one, this expression means to be annoying or to bother someone.
- Ve a hacer ruido a otro lado, me estás chingando la madre. / Go make noise somewhere else, you are pissing me off.
10. Hasta la madre
This one has two different meanings. For one, you can use it to say you are fed up with something. Also, it means you have been drinking too much.
- Estoy hasta la madre de este trabajo. / I’m sick to death of this job.
- Ayer me puse hasta la madre de vino y cerveza. / Yesterday I got blind drunk of wine and beer.
11. No tener madre
The literal translation is “not having a mother”. But, this expression is not related to being an orphan. In Mexico, it is a colloquial way to refer to a shameless person.
- ¿Viste lo que hizo ayer en la fiesta? Ese cabrón no tiene madre. / Did you see what he did yesterday at the party? That bastard has no shame.
12. Huele/sabe a madres
This popular phrase is used to refer to the bad smell or taste of something.
- ¿Puedes sacar la basura de una vez? Huele a madres en esta casa. / Can you take out the garbage already? It smells like shit in this house.
Madre in other countries
No country would beat Mexico in the amount of different meanings for the word madre. However, you will find expressions containing this term in other Spanish slangs. In Cuba, for example, they use the phrase “estar de madre” to refer to someone annoying. Depending on the context it can also mean that something is unbelievable or very bad.
- Mi hermanito está de madre, ya no lo aguanto. / My little brother is so annoying, I can’t stand him anymore.
In Chile, they have the expression “conchetumadre”, which is the equivalent of “bastard”.
- ¡Cállate, conchetumadre! / Shut up, you bastard!
In Spain, if something is very good they say it is “de puta madre”.
- ¡Esta paella está de puta madre! / This paella is fucking great!
Argentinians, on the other hand, use “puta madre” as a strong way of expressing anger or exasperation. It can be translated to “God damnit”, “Holy shit” or “For fuck’s sake”.
- ¡Puta madre, me martillé el dedo! / Holy fuck, I hammered my finger!
Conclusion
In this article, we have explored some of the most popular uses of the word madre. As you have seen, it can often have a very rude connotation. Be aware of the context and use them only in informal settings and between friends.
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to curse, you can use some of these phrases too. Just pay attention to your surroundings and always be respectful.
