Wacha

ORIGIN OF Wacha

Colloquial slang can be defined as a language used by a certain social group to understand each other due to their social status.

The same happens with Anglicisms which are a consequence of how English has influenced Latin American languages. Certain English terms, expressions or words adapt and become part of everyday vocabulary, in this case in Mexican Spanish.

These are words that anyone, including those who have never studied English, can understand given their frequent use. Examples of widely accepted Anglicisms in Spanish are email, chat, aerobic, coach, marketing, boom, casting, or blog.

This slang represents a set of words used by people of the same rank in a neighborhood or community, and due to the influence of the United States, in Spanish-speaking countries. Wacha, derived from “to watch” or “to look”, means “pay attention” or as a derivative of “see” or “look”, especially in the language used in large cities. So “Wacha men”, means something like “observe, buddy”.

CURIOSITIES OF Wacha

It is said that Tin Tán, or Germán Valdés, the famous comedian from the mid-twentieth century, used it a lot. There are other Anglicisms used by Mexicans such as “voy al yonque” (I’m going to the junkyard for some parts I need).

It means going to the scrap yard, or wrecked cars, that have useful parts at a much lower price. It comes from junk, trash. “Ve a parquearte en otro sitio” means park your car in another place and comes from the verb “to park” or the word parking.