adjective
pinche
PEEN-chay
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.”
adjective
1
vulgar slang In Mexican Spanish slang, a vulgar intensifier placed before a noun to express contempt or annoyance, roughly equivalent to 'damn' or 'fucking'.
"Quita tu pinche coche — move your damn car."
"He called it a pinche mess and walked out."
2
slang Stingy, mean or contemptible when applied to a person.
"No seas pinche — don't be such a cheapskate."
noun
1
dated A kitchen assistant or scullion, the original and now largely historical sense in Spanish.
"Empezó de pinche en un restaurante de Puebla."
How to use pinche
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rude Mexican Spanish word used before a noun, like saying 'damn' or 'fucking'.
When to use it
Vulgar; regionally Mexican. Avoid in formal or mixed company.
Common pairings
pinche güey
pinche vieja
pinche trabajo
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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'.
