pinche
Pinche (adjective) means In Mexican Spanish slang, a vulgar intensifier placed before a noun to express contempt or annoyance, roughly equivalent to 'damn' or 'fucking'. Example: “Quita tu pinche coche — move your damn car.”
How to use pinche
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rude Mexican Spanish word used before a noun, like saying 'damn' or 'fucking'.
Vulgar; regionally Mexican. Avoid in formal or mixed company.
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Quita tu _____ coche — move your damn car.
Etymology
A Spanish word whose oldest recorded sense is 'kitchen boy'; the intensifier use is a later Mexican development.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
How offensive is pinche?
It is genuinely vulgar in Mexico, on a par with 'fucking' as an intensifier, though among friends it is thrown around casually. It is much milder or simply unfamiliar in some other Spanish-speaking countries.
What is the difference between pinche and pendejo?
Pinche is an intensifier attached to a noun — pinche coche, pinche día. Pendejo is a noun insult aimed at a person, meaning idiot or arsehole. They are often stacked together as 'pinche pendejo'.
Does pinche have a literal meaning?
Yes. In standard Spanish a pinche is a kitchen hand or commis, and the word is still used that way in professional kitchens.
What is the meaning of pinche?
"pinche" (adjective) means in Mexican Spanish slang, a vulgar intensifier placed before a noun to express contempt or annoyance, roughly equivalent to 'damn' or 'fucking'.