cuate
Náhuatl Words You Use as Mexican Slang Without Realizing It
/Sounds like "ee-tah-KAH-teh"/
The food someone packs up for you to take home after a party, family meal, or visit, wrapped in aluminum foil or tupperware. The word comes from Náhuatl "itacatl" (travel provisions), and in Mexico it is almost a ritual: when you leave grandma's house or any family gathering, you never leave empty-handed. The itacate is love in the form of leftovers.
Example
"Llévate itacate, sobró mucha comida. → Take some itacate home, there's a lot of food left over."
"Mi mamá siempre me manda itacate cuando la visito. → My mom always sends me home with leftovers when I visit."
Word family
Regional synonyms:
Ver en español →
/Sounds like "ee-tah-KAH-teh"/
The food someone packs up for you to take home after a party, family meal, or visit, wrapped in aluminum foil or tupperware. The word comes from Náhuatl "itacatl" (travel provisions), and in Mexico it is almost a ritual: when you leave grandma's house or any family gathering, you never leave empty-handed. The itacate is love in the form of leftovers.
Example
"Llévate itacate, sobró mucha comida. → Take some itacate home, there's a lot of food left over."
"Mi mamá siempre me manda itacate cuando la visito. → My mom always sends me home with leftovers when I visit."
Word family
Regional synonyms:
Articles featuring this word
Frenar
To shut someone down, reject a romantic advance, or stop a situation cold that you're not comfortable with. It's putting up a wall when someone crosses a line.