What Does the Spanish Slang "Güerita" Mean in English?

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Plus, find out if this Mexican word is a term of endearment
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If you happen to be part of a big Mexican family, the term “güerita” may not be new to you–especially if you have the lightest complexion of the bunch! Used informally in Mexican slang, “güerita” is the diminutive of “güera.” While the “ita” suffix adds a tone of affection, both generally refer to a woman with blonde hair, fair skin, and/or other caucasian features, like blue eyes. But can it apply to anyone fitting that description? And is it considered offensive? Stay tuned for an in depth guide to the meaning of the term “güerita” and how to use it in a sentence.

“Güerita” Meaning

”Güerita” is Spanish slang term for a woman with fair skin, blonde hair, and/or other caucasian features. The “ita” suffix denotes affection, separating it from it “güera.” Meant to be used as a term of endearment, “güerita” can even be used to simply refer to somebody of lighter complexion—no offense intended!

Section 1 of 3:

What does “güerita” mean?

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  1. “Güerita” is the diminutive of “güera” in Spanish and the suffix “ita” is added to the end to denote an affectionate, playful tone, especially when coupled with the possessive “mi” in front of it. In English, “mi güerita” would translate to something along the loving lines of, “my little white girl” or “my blondie.”
    • Although it’s formally spelled with the the diaeresis over the “ü” to achieve a strong vowel sound, the slang word is more commonly spelled without the double dot punctuation. [1]
    • “Güerita” is from the Spanish word, “huero” which translates to “empty.” [2] The expression, “huevo huero” means, “empty egg” and is in specific reference to women’s fertility and the loss of viable eggs for pregnancy.
    • Due to this, the word “huero” grew synonymous with appearing sickly, and therefore, pale. Despite its upsetting medical roots, “güerita” is not intended to upset or offend.
    • Being called a güerita is genuinely based on having a lack of melanin . Or, at least, less melanin than the person who is calling you a güerita.
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Section 2 of 3:

Who "Güerita" Applies To

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  1. They may or may not possess other caucasian features, like light-colored eyes. It’s not exclusive to any racial or ethnic group and is used in many Spanish-speaking countries all over the world. In Mexican slang, where it originated, some people use it to speak about blondes in particular. Others argue that it can be used to describe anyone with a fairer complexion than them, rendering the term totally subjective.
    • In Mexican culture, which includes a ton of affectionate bullying, calling someone with a dark complexion a “güerita” could also be used to poke fun at them. [3]
    • “Güerita” is typically used as a neutral descriptor or an affectionate nickname, so don’t try to use it as an actual insult or you may sound very silly.
Section 3 of 3:

How to Use "Güerita"

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  1. The term is very versatile and can be applied to a range of people, from strangers on the street to the person you wake up next to every morning. Since the word is not offensive by any means, feel free to use it interchangeably with "blonde," "fair-skinned," or "white." Here are some examples.
    • If you want to refer to a dear blonde friend, you could say:
      • "She’s the güerita, I’m the brunette– we make a great team!”
    • If you wanted to tease your younger, fair skinned cousin, you could say:
      • “Make sure you get some SPF 2000 sunscreen, güerita!”
    • To lovingly refer to your light-skinned, green-eyed girlfriend, you could say:
      • “You’re as pale as a ghost, but I’d let you haunt my dreams forever, güerita.”
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.lawlessspanish.com/pronunciation/dieresis/
      2. ↑ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/g%C3%BCero
      3. ↑ https://www.tellmeinspanish.com/mexico/mexican-slang/guera-in-spanish/

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