pocho
poh-chohnoun, adjective
Spanish & ChicanoStrongDifficulty 2 of 3: Regional
Definition
A Mexican-American whose Spanish is Americanized — or who lost it. In-group roast and outsider insult, sometimes reclaimed.
In simple English: A Mexican-American who speaks little Spanish, or speaks it with English mixed in.
Examples
My Spanish is pocho and my tía will not let me forget it.
He called me pocho like it was a crime to grow up here.
Usage notes
In-group California Mexican and Chicano speech. Understand it first. Repeating it if it is not your language can sound like you are playing dress-up — or picking a fight. From the outside it is a slur about not being “Mexican enough.”
At a glance
- Track
- Spanish & Chicano
- Region
- Statewide
- Part of speech
- noun, adjective