noun
vato
noun
1
A casual, informal way to refer to a guy or dude, especially among Mexican-American and Chicano speakers.
""What's up, vato?" he said, giving his cousin a fist bump."
"She grew up around vatos who all rode lowriders on the weekend."
How to Use Vato
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA slang word for "guy" or "dude," common in Chicano and Mexican-American speech.
When to use it
Informal and regional — most natural in Chicano English or Mexican Spanish slang contexts, not formal writing.
Common pairings
ese vato
a cool vato
my vato
Word Forms
vatos plural
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"What's up, _____?" he said, giving his cousin a fist bump.
Etymology
From Mexican Spanish slang, tracing back to chivato, and used mainly in northwestern Mexican states like Sinaloa and Sonora before spreading into Chicano English.