Many of the following words have a social-historical meaning; others you will not find in the usual EnglishSpanish dictionary.
abarrotes groceries, grocery store
aguardiente Mexican white lightning: cheap distilled liquor made from sugarcane
aguas watch out!
alcalde mayor or municipal judge
alebrije fanciful wooden animal, mostly made in Arrazola and Tilcajete villages in Oaxaca
alfarera pottery
andador walkway, or strolling path
antojitos native Mexican snacks, such as tamales, chiles rellenos, tacos, and enchiladas
artesanas handicrafts
artesano, artesana craftsman, craftswoman
asuncin the assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven (as distinguished from the ascenc-in of Jesus into heaven)
atole a popular nonalcoholic drink made from corn juice
audiencia one of the royal executive-judicial panels sent to rule Mexico during the mid-16th century
autopista automobile expressway
ayuntamiento either the town council or the building where it meets
barrio a town or village district or neighborhood, usually centered around its own local plaza and church
bienes raices literally good (or strong) roots, but commonly, real estate
bola small crowd of people
boleto ticket, boarding pass
brujo, bruja male or female witch doctor or shaman
caballero literally horseman, but popularly, gentleman
cabaa ecotursticas bungalow lodging for tourists
cabercera head town of a municipal district, or headquarters in general
cabrn literally, a cuckold, but more commonly, bastard, rat, or S.O.B.; often used affectionately
cacique local chief or boss
calenda procession, usually religious, as during a festival
camionera bus station
campesino country person; farm worker
canasta basket with handle, traditionally made of woven reeds
cantera volcanic stone, widely used for colonial-era monuments
Carnaval celebration directly preceding Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the fasting period called Lent. Carnaval is called Mardi Gras in the United States.
casa de huspedes guesthouse, often operated in a family home
cascada waterfall
caudillo dictator or political chief
centro de salud local health center/clinic
charro gentleman cowboy
chingar literally, to rape, but also the universal Spanish f word, the equivalent of screw in English
Churrigueresque Spanish baroque architectural style incorporated into many Mexican colonial churches, named after Jos Churriguera (16651725)
cientficos literally, scientists, but applied to President Porfirio Dazs technocratic advisers
coa (estaca) digging stick, used for planting corn
cofradia Catholic fraternal service association, either male or female, mainly in charge of financing and organizing religious festivals
colectivo a shared public taxi or minibus that picks up and deposits passengers along a designated route
colegio preparatory school or junior college
colonia suburban subdivision/satellite of a larger city
comal a flat pottery griddle, for cooking/heating tortillas
comida casera home-cooked food
comida corrida economical afternoon set meal, usually with four courses soup, rice, entre, and dessert
compadrazgo the semi-formal web of village and barrio compadre and padrino relationships that determine a persons lifetime obligations and loyalties
compadre a semi-formalized best friend relationship that usually lasts for life
comunal refers to the traditional indigenous system of joint decision-making and land ownership and use
Conasupo government store that sells basic foods at subsidized prices
correo mail, post, or post office
criollo person of all-European, usually Spanish, descent born in the New World
Cuaresma Lent, the 40 days of pre-Easter fasting, beginning on Ash Wednesday (Miercoles de Ceniza), and ending during the week before Easter Sunday.
cuota toll, as in cuota autopista, toll expressway
curandero, curandera indigenous medicine man or woman
damas ladies, as in ladies room
Domingo de Ramos Palm Sunday, one week before Easter Sunday
ejido a constitutional, government-sponsored form of community, with shared land ownership and cooperative decision-making
encomienda colonial award of tribute from a designated indigenous district
farmacia pharmacy, or drugstore
finca a farm
finca cafetelera coffee farm
fonda food stall or small restaurant, often in a traditional market complex
fraccionamiento city sector or subdivision, abbreviated Fracc.
fuero the former right of Mexican clergy and military to be tried in separate ecclesiastical and military courts
gachupn one who wears spurs; a derogatory term for a Spanish-born colonial
gasolinera gasoline station
gente de razn people of reason; whites and mestizos in colonial Mexico
gringo once-derogatory but now commonly, even affectionately used term for North American whites
grito impassioned cry, as in Hidalgos Grito de Dolores
guero a blond person
hacienda large-landed estate; also a government treasury
hamaca hammock
hechicero a wizard who often leads native propitiatory ceremonies
hidalgo nobleman or noblewoman; called hon-orifically by Don or Doa
hojalata tinware, a popular Mexican craft
indgena indigenous or aboriginal inhabitant of all-native descent who speaks his or her native tongue; commonly, but incorrectly, an indio (Indian)
jacal native label for thatched, straw, and/or stick-and-mud country house
jaripeo bull roping and riding
jejenes no-see-um biting gnats, most common around coastal wetlands
judiciales the federal judicial, or investigative police, best known to motorists for their highway checkpoint inspections
jugera stall or small restaurant providing an array of squeezed vegetable and fruit jugos (juices)
juzgado the hoosegow, or jail
lancha launch (a small motorboat)
larga distancia long-distance telephone service, or the caseta (booth or office) where its provided
licencado academic degree (abbrev. Lic.) approximately equivalent to a bachelors degree in the United States
licuado a blended drink of ice and usually fruit, whipped with a bit of milk and sugar; like a smoothie in the United States
lonchera small lunch counter, usually serving juices, sandwiches, and antojitos
machismo; macho exaggerated sense of maleness; person who holds such a sense of himself
malecn oceanfront walkway, typically used for strolling
manaita early-morning mass
mano a hand, or the stone roller used to grind corn on the flat stone metate
mayordomo community leader responsible for staging a local Catholic religious festival
mescal alcoholic beverage distilled from the fermented hearts of maguey (century plant)
mestizo person of mixed native and European descent
metate a slightly concave, horizontal stone basin for grinding corn for tortillas
milagro literally a miracle, but also a small religious wish medal, often pinned to an altar saint by someone requesting divine intervention
milpa a small, family-owned field, traditionally planted in corn, beans, and squash
mirador viewpoint, overlook
molcajete a stone mortar and pestle, used for hand-grinding, especially chilies and seeds
mordida slang for bribe; little bite
olla a pottery jug or pot, used for stewing vegetables, meats, beans, coffee
padrino, padrina godfather or godmother, often the respective compadres of the given childs parents