Translations dictionary

güey

or guey or wey or buey [wey]

What does güey mean?

Güey, pronounced “whey,” is Mexican slang for “dumbass” or “idiot,” although it is can also be used more as a slang term for “man” or “dude.”

Related words

pinche, cabrón, bato, dudebro, del putas, no mames, Papi, mija, mami

Where does güey come from?

Latina

The word güey comes from the Spanish word buey, which literally means “ox” or “steer.” As early as the 1840s, buey came to refer to a “cuckold.”

The slang insult güey, for “idiot” or “stupid person” emerges from the “cuckold” sense of buey. A man whose wife cheats on him, you see, isn’t exactly held in high esteem.

By the 1860s, buey had evolved into the form of güey in dialects of Spanish. The original buey is still sometimes used instead instead of güey in slang Spanish.

MemesHappen

Guëy spread in popular slang in central America, particularly Mexico, over the 1900s. Language is ever changing, especially slang terms, and so güey softened in tone to a more casual term (of address) among male friends or acquaintances, à la “man,” “dude,” or “bro” in English.

For example, you could ask a friend “Who’s that güey?” (“Who’s that guy?”). Or perhaps you could greet someone with “¿Qué onda, güey?” (“What’s up, man?”).

Examples of güey

Serio guey, there’s always hot papis at this coffee shop
@IsamiraSlewa, January 2019
Once they're done, Morrison intends to retire from performing live. Given how much music he's given Salt Lake City over the past 25 years, that's a bummer, güey.
Randy Harward, Salt Lake City Weekly, March 2018
Make a Meme
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Who uses güey?

The word güey is especially associated with Mexican slang, but it’s used throughout central America and their populations/descendants in the United States.

As noted, güey is informal, so it wouldn’t be appropriate in business or other formal contexts.

Between friends (both male and female), güey is a friendly term to refer to someone without using their name. But güey can also be wielded as an insult.

Güey is such a common slang term that it’s often used in Spanglish (mixed Spanish and English). It’s commonly found in the expression ¡No mames güey!, which roughly translates to “You’re kidding me!”

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Note

This is not meant to be a formal definition of güey like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of güey that will help our users expand their word mastery.