Spanish Profanity - Racial and Ethnic Derogatives

Racial and Ethnic Derogatives

• word endings such as aco. arro, azo, ito or (in Spain) ata are used to confer a falsely augmentative or diminutive, usually derogative quality to different racial and cultural denominations: e.g. negrata or negraco (and, with a more condescending and less aggressive demeanor, negrito) are the usual Spanish translations for a black person. Moraco would be the translation for "raghead" or "camel jockey".
• Sudaca, in spite of its etymology (sudamericano, "South American"), is a derogative term used in Spain for all Latin Americans, South American or Central American in origin. In Mexico, the term is solely used to refer to people from South America.
• Frijolero is the most commonly used Spanish word for beaner and is particularly offensive when used by a non-Mexican person towards a Mexican in the southwestern United States.
• Gabacho, in Spain, is used as a derisive term for French people—and, by extension, any French-speaking individual. Among Latin American speakers, however, it is meant as a usually offensive term for white people of Northern European heritage or people born in the USA no mattering the race of the people.
• Similarly, Musiu—A (somewhat outdated) word used in parts of Venezuela, used to denote a white foreigner. Stems from the contemporary pronunciation of the French word "Monsieur". Is now generally superseded among younger Venezuelans by the term below.
• Argentuzo, used in reference to Argentines in Chile
• Chilote, used in reference to Chileans in Argentina
• Cholo, used in reference to people of actual or perceived mestizo or indigenous background. Not always offensive. In Mexico and the United States the term is usually used to refer to a Chicano gang member.
• Gringo A word used by Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and some other South-Americans to denote a person with a Northern European phenotype. Believed to stem from the Spanish word "Griego"—literally meaning "Greek".
• Mayate (lit: june bug) is a very offensive term used in Mexico and primarily by Mexican-Americans to describe a black person or an African-American.
• Pinacate (lit.: dung beetle)-mostly used by Mexicans or Mexican-Americans referring to dark-skinned or black individuals, similar to English "blackie".
• gallego (lit.: Gallician)-mostly used in Latin America referring to all Spaniards as a synonym for dumb people.
• Panchito is used in Spain for native looking Central and South-Americans, as well as guacamole, machupichu, guachupino. They don't necessarily mean offence.
• Payoponi is a Caló word widely used in Spain referred to native looking Central and South-Americans. It is composed by payo (lit. non Romani person) and poni (lit. pony, due to their average height).
• llanta (lit.: tire)-a general prison slang used by Mexicans or Mexican-Americans referring to very dark skinned individuals.
• Prieto Used to describe dark people. Source: people from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
• Roto, in reference to Chileans in Peru and Bolivia