cuate
KWAH-tehnounInformal
A Mexican Spanish slang term. Browse all Mexican slang.
What it means
Friend, mate. Slightly older-sounding than güey and warmer than a neutral amigo.
Literally: Twin.
Examples with translations
Es mi cuate desde la primaria.
He's been my mate since primary school.
Pregúntale a un cuate mío que trabaja ahí.
Ask a friend of mine who works there.
Where it comes from
From Nahuatl cōātl, 'snake' and, by extension, 'twin' — the same root behind the god-name Quetzalcóatl. Twinship as a metaphor for close friendship is the semantic bridge.
Other forms
- Similar terms:
- compa, carnal, amigo