Hola Clase!

Here I will post explainations on grammar, idioms, culture and anything else that might have to do with my clases. If needed, you can use the Translation tool at the bottom of the page. Any comments are greatly appreciated. Gracias!! Disfruten!

Monday, March 9, 2009

El Cuate

The word Cuate is used mainly amongst Mexican’s. It is a slang word that means: a good friend or buddy. Although the word is very common, it is actually a word that was derived from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs.

The Aztecs were Mexico’s most powerful Native group. One of their great gods was, Quetzalcoatl, who was represented as a feathered serpent. But coatl, the Nahuatl word for serpent, has also come to mean twin, for Quetzalcoatl was the twin brother of another god, Xolotl. The form and meaning of coatl eventually evolved into cuate, meaning a very close friend.

Here is an example on how it can be used:
Conoces a Roberto?
-Claro que sí, es mi cuate.

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