‹ Monarca: all episodes
Season 1 · Episode 1
The Pruning
B2MexicanFast dialogueFast: quicker, harder to follow· 43 min
on Netflix
Mexicanon NetflixWhen Ana María returns to Mexico from Los Angeles, her father offers to grant her control of the family tequila empire, to the dismay of her brothers.
29 words and expressions12 free to read and keep
Keep one and it comes back tomorrow, then 3 days, then a week, until you know it.
Worth remembering from this episode
Ordered by what we think matters most.
centenario
centennial, hundredth anniversarynoun/adjective (m)La universidad celebró su centenario con un gran evento cultural.The university celebrated its centennial with a major cultural event.carretera
highway, roadnoun (f)El gobierno invertirá millones en construir una nueva carretera al norte.The government will invest millions in building a new highway to the north.legado
legacy, heritagenoun (m)El empresario quería dejarle un buen legado a sus hijos.The businessman wanted to leave a good legacy for his children.infarto
heart attacknoun (m)Después del infarto, el doctor le recomendó hacer ejercicio todos los días.After the heart attack, the doctor recommended he exercise every day.andale
come on / hurry up / alright then / go aheadexpressioncolloquialOne of the most versatile Mexican colloquialisms, derived from the imperative of 'andar'. Depending on intonation it can urge speed, express agreement, grant permission, or acknowledge something just said. A drawn-out 'ándale' conveys warmth or encouragement; a clipped one signals impatience. It functions almost as a discourse particle, filling the role of several English expressions at once.
¿Ya estás listo? Ándale, que se nos va el camión.Are you ready yet? Come on, we're going to miss the bus.manta
banner / threatening message hung in public (cartel usage)noun (f)Aparecieron mantas con amenazas en varios puentes de la ciudad.Banners with threats appeared on several bridges in the city.fianza
bail (legal)noun (f)Su familia tuvo que pagar la fianza para sacarlo de la cárcel.His family had to pay bail to get him out of jail.sexenio
six-year presidential term (Mexico-specific)noun (m)Muchos proyectos de infraestructura deben terminarse dentro del sexenio.Many infrastructure projects must be completed within the six-year term.cártel
drug cartel, criminal organizationnoun (m)Las autoridades desmantelaron parte de la estructura del cártel.The authorities dismantled part of the cartel's structure.
vulgar3 more entries, marked strong language because the episode uses them.Show themHide them
chingar (a su madre / a la chingada)
to go to hell / get lost / screw off (intensified dismissal)expressionvulgarThe verb 'chingar' is the backbone of a vast family of Mexican expletive expressions. In dismissal phrases it signals total rejection or extreme anger. The directional phrase 'a la chingada' implies sending someone or something far away and irreversibly. Its force ranges from heated argument speech to street insults; it is rarely neutral and always marks strong emotional charge.
Ya me hartaste, ¡vete a la chingada y no regreses!I've had it with you, go to hell and don't come back!no mames
no way / are you serious / you've got to be kiddingexpressionvulgarExtremely common exclamation expressing disbelief, shock, or exasperation. The literal meaning is discarded entirely; it functions purely as an intensified reaction. Used freely between friends and family of all ages in informal settings. Softened variants like 'no manches' exist for contexts where full vulgarity is inappropriate.
¿Que te robaron la cartera en el metro? ¡No mames, qué mala suerte!They stole your wallet on the subway? No way, what terrible luck!qué pedo
what's going on / what the hell / what's upexpressionvulgarMultipurpose expression. As a greeting among close peers it is equivalent to '¿qué pasó?' or '¿qué onda?' As an exclamation it expresses confusion or indignation. The noun 'pedo' in Mexican slang carries the sense of a problem, a situation, or a commotion, far removed from its literal meaning. Its vulgarity level is felt more in formal or mixed company than among friends.
Llegué a la oficina y todos se veían raros. ¿Qué pedo pasó aquí?I got to the office and everyone looked strange. What the hell happened here?
12 worth keeping from this episode. Free to read and keep.
An account is all it takes to keep them.
What Pro opens
- 10 more words and 7 more expressions here, and every entry in every other pack.
- Examples spoken in the show’s own dialect, not a browser voice.
Get Pro ›$59 $29.50 a year, or $8 $4 a month in USD. Early bird, 50% off for life. Cancel anytime.