Güey / Wey
Güey / Wey
(nm)
A2 (¡Vas bien!)Used EVERYWHERE 🇲🇽Slang 🌶️
Meanings / Uses:
👉 dude / bro / guy
👉 dummy / idiot
I'd go as far to say this is THE most used slang word in Mexico.
Yep, you're literally going to hear it a diestra y siniestra!
And is it a “chilango” thing?
Nel pastel. 🍰
I hear it here in Oaxaca, I've got pals from Guadalajara who use it, Erika's tíos in Tlaxcala throw it around willy-nilly, and I've heard norteños galore use it in podcasts.
I will use my Voces project to research its use in other areas, but it's safe to say that it's VERY widespread.
Well, wonder no more!
In his border crossing story, Jesús recounts how he escaped from a group of nefarious coyotes and started wandering around Los Angeles.
He borrows a phone and calls his brother.
Here he quotes his worried brother telling him to keep moving (at approx. 14:41):
¿Sabes qué, wey? Que párate, wey, y empieza a caminarle, wey.
You know what, bro? Get up, bro, and start walking, bro.
The full story is also well worth checking out; parental discretion advised!
In her chat with Erika (at approx. 04:18), Isabela also discusses how people of her generation (Gen Z) still say things like:
Ah, no mames, güey.
Oh, no fucking way, dude.
And Félix the underground rapper (at approx. 10:49) uses it to refer to two guys who nearly got into a fight:
Luego, esos weyes ahí se iban a, a dar…
Then those guys were about to fight…
And before you accuse me of spelling it wrong (read your mind, didn't I 😉), both spellings are fine:
güey = official
wey = texting / memes / Internet
we = an even shorter spelling you’ll see in texts and memes
👉 dummy / idiot
I'd go as far to say this is THE most used slang word in Mexico.
Yep, you're literally going to hear it a diestra y siniestra!
And is it a “chilango” thing?
Nel pastel. 🍰
I hear it here in Oaxaca, I've got pals from Guadalajara who use it, Erika's tíos in Tlaxcala throw it around willy-nilly, and I've heard norteños galore use it in podcasts.
I will use my Voces project to research its use in other areas, but it's safe to say that it's VERY widespread.
Real examples from Voces de México
Wondering how Mexicans use it in real life?Well, wonder no more!
In his border crossing story, Jesús recounts how he escaped from a group of nefarious coyotes and started wandering around Los Angeles.
He borrows a phone and calls his brother.
Here he quotes his worried brother telling him to keep moving (at approx. 14:41):
¿Sabes qué, wey? Que párate, wey, y empieza a caminarle, wey.
You know what, bro? Get up, bro, and start walking, bro.
The full story is also well worth checking out; parental discretion advised!
In her chat with Erika (at approx. 04:18), Isabela also discusses how people of her generation (Gen Z) still say things like:
Ah, no mames, güey.
Oh, no fucking way, dude.
And Félix the underground rapper (at approx. 10:49) uses it to refer to two guys who nearly got into a fight:
Luego, esos weyes ahí se iban a, a dar…
Then those guys were about to fight…
And before you accuse me of spelling it wrong (read your mind, didn't I 😉), both spellings are fine:
güey = official
wey = texting / memes / Internet
we = an even shorter spelling you’ll see in texts and memes
Examples:
Ese güey siempre llega tarde.
That guy’s always late.
¡No seas güey!
Don’t be an idiot!
¿Cómo estás, wey?
How are you, bro?
🔁 Similar Words / Chunks:
🎥 Heard in
⚠️ Tone
✅ Very common, but also very informal.
✅ Women also use it to address their female friends (but normally only with good friends).
❌ Don’t refer to everyone as ese wey unless you want to sound barrio (Erika told me off for doing just that!).
❌ Don’t use with strangers or older people.
Useful Chunks:
- ese güey — that dude
- ¡Ya, wey! — Stop it! / Enough!
- Vas, güey. — You're up, dude. / Do it, bro.
- ¡Ay, wey! — Damn! / Whoa!
- ¿Neta, wey? — Seriously, dude?
- ¡Álzalas, wey! — Watch your step, dude!
- Órale, wey. — Alright, man.
- ¡Qué onda, güey! — What's up, dude!
- ¡No seas güey! — Don’t be dumb!
- ¡No te hagas güey! — Don't play dumb!
🦜 El Rincón del Cotorreo
I am SO GLAD I subscribed to this resource! This is invaluable!
@FutureMexicana Yay, thanks so much! And it’s only going to get better ;)