# What is “Tu madre” short for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2000, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645 "2000-10-20T11:44:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/1 "2000-10-20T11:44:15Z")
I feel kind of square for not knowing what “Tu madre” is short for. Obviously it’s a very strong insult. I remember reading somewhere that they are the first two words of multi-word sentence, but I don’t know if that’s true. I found several Spanish insults on the web, of which only the last fits the description I read. (I’ve cleaned up the English translations a bit, hoping to avoid a move to the Pit.) [ol] [li]Chinga tu madre. - Copulate with your mother.[/li][li]Me cago en tu madre - I defecate on your mother.[/li][li]la cachon tu madre - your mother’s birth canal (possibly limited to Argentina)[/li][li]Tu madre tiene un pene - Your mother has a male generative organ.[/ol][/li]Is number 4 the one? Or is it something else? ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/2 "2000-10-20T12:31:39Z")
My understanding, based on the Spanish-speaking people I know, is that it is #1. ---
**Author:** ![Nixon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@Nixon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nixon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/3 "2000-10-20T13:19:26Z")
# 1 is correct. (You may also whistle the words’ sounds.) btw: my alltime favorite is the Italian (forgive spelling) Tu madre te fa cornuto - in English - Your mother makes you a cuckold. Thus, not only do you sleep with your mama - she cheats on you! ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/4 "2000-10-20T13:21:41Z")
In the movie Major League there is a time when Pedro Cerrano says something that sounds like “Chinga Te, Capron!” What’s he saying? …and What does it mean? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/5 "2000-10-20T13:35:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enright3 \* > \*\*In the movie Major League there is a time when Pedro Cerrano says something that sounds like “Chinga Te, Capron!” > > What’s he saying? …and What does it mean? \*\* In the course of my research for this question, I learned that **chinga te** or **chingate** means “fuck you” and **cabrón** literally means goat, but figuratively means a man who knows his woman sleeps with other men and he doesn’t do anything to stop her. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/6 "2000-10-20T13:50:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enright3 \* > \*\*In the movie Major League there is a time when Pedro Cerrano says something that sounds like “Chinga Te, Capron!” > > What’s he saying? …and What does it mean? \*\* I don’t speak **“spanich”** , is it similar to “carrot”??? 😃 ( oh relax, \*\* somebody \*\* had to do it) ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/7 "2000-10-20T14:54:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enright3 \* > \*\*In the movie Major League there is a time when Pedro Cerrano says something that sounds like “Chinga Te, Capron!” > > What’s he saying? …and What does it mean? \*\* **"Fuck you, No Nuts!"** [sub]hey, just trying to help!!![/sub] I couldn’t find a translation or my copy of _The Peoples Guide to Mexico_ (which I know discusses this), but I’m pretty sure that caprón means an emasculated rooster. Cabra means goat; think of the Chupacabra. On a related note, cabrito means good barbecue. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/8 "2000-10-20T14:58:14Z")
“You are in the wrong neighborhood.” ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/9 "2000-10-20T15:45:13Z")
Well, I’ve looked around and haven’t found any sites to support the cabrón=capon idea. Moreover, cabrón does sound like a form of cabra. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \* > \*\*“You are in the wrong neighborhood.” \*\* Hey, I didn’t claim to be an an expert. ---
**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/10 "2000-10-20T16:03:36Z")
Cabrón = Billy Goat. A big ol’ male goat. Cabra = Female Goat ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/11 "2000-10-20T16:13:31Z")
A couple of spanish speaking guys at the restaurant I used ot work at told our boss that “Tu Madre” meant, “Yes, sir.” WAHAHAHAHAHAHAH ---
**Author:** ![Myndephuquer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@Myndephuquer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myndephuquer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/12 "2000-10-20T16:55:33Z")
Some of my friends (and I) use the ‘tu madre’ insult as a response to an insult. It usually makes me laugh. I don’t think that it’s short for anything specific. Here’s our usual volley… **1: You dumbshit!** **2: Tu madre!** (your mother (is a dumbshit)!) **1: Ta mere!** (_ **your** _ mother (is a dumbshit)!) We’re talking about casting out insults, not anything really definable. I think your question is reading a bit into it. (For some reason, this remind me of when people say that ‘FUCK’ is short for “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge,” which is not the true etymology of the word.) Don’t read too much into it. And I don’t think your mother’s honor is really at stake. ---
**Author:** ![Estrella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Estrella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estrella)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/13 "2000-10-20T17:25:46Z")
Some of y’alls are missing the bigger picture. “Tu madre” is not short for anything. It just is. Yes, it can be used as a reply when given an insult. It can also be exclaimed with any combination of other curse words. The closest English correlation is “Yo mama”. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/14 "2000-10-20T17:39:25Z")
Those damn goats are getting into EVERYTHING lately. ---
**Author:** ![dragonfly98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@dragonfly98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragonfly98)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/15 "2000-10-21T19:13:53Z")
¿Que es eso, cabrón? It’s not half as hairy as it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/16 "2000-10-21T19:54:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Estrella \* > \*\*The closest English correlation is “Yo mama”. \*\* Actually, that’s pretty much a direct translation. (tu=your, madre=mother) ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/17 "2000-10-21T21:38:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dragonfly98 \* > \*\*¿Que es eso, cabrón? > > It’s not half as hairy as it seems. > > \*\* ¡No se! ¿Que tu piensas el es, chico? I’m in Mexico studying Spanish right now, so I find this thread very interesting. Some of what I’ve learned: ¡Chin! = Shit! Chingar = Fuck, in unconjugated form. I’m not sure if it is refexive or not, but I think it is. So therefore: chingame = fuck me chingate = fuck you Irse al diablo = Fuck off, or literally, “Go to hell.” Vese mi culo = Kiss my ass ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/18 "2000-10-21T21:51:32Z")
Ok, guys, here’s the deal, from someone who has lived and traveled in Latin America for 11 years: 1. Yes, “tu madre” is basically just “yo mama,” but even more offensive. There is an infinity of extremely gross insults that can start off with or include the phrase. Just use your imagination. One of the more colorful “madre” insults is Hemingway’s “Me cago en la leche de tu puta madre.” (I shit in the milk of your whore mother.) 2. Cabron (accent on the “o”) technically means a male goat, and figuratively a cuckold (one who wears “the horns” of infidelity). But more typically it just translates as “bastard,” or “asshole.” But it’s a very strong word, not to be used unless you really want to start a fight. So “Chingate, cabron,” is the “familiar imperative” form for “Fuck you, asshole.”(“Capon” is English for a castrated rooster, and has absolutely nothing to do with “cabron.”) 3. “Chingar” is just one of an infinity of Spanish words for screwing. They vary from country to country, and chingar is just one of the more popular ones in Mexico. The most widespread one is “joder” (to fuck, but usually figurative, not literal); others include “jalar” (to pull), “coger” (to catch or cover), “tirar” (to shoot), and so on and on and on. Coger is fairly harmless here in Panama, but will get you into a LOT of trouble elsewhere. 4. Related to the last, there are lots of words that are innocuous in one country but suspect elsewhere, such as “chucha,” which means “armpit odor” in Colombia but “twat” in Panama. (Don’t blame me, I’m just reporting here). I have personally seen a Colombian visiting Panama really embarass herself on this one. (“Creo que tengo chucha!”) 5. On the “tu madre” = “yes, sir” one, I am reminded of the Cheech and Chong movie where Cheech tells a newcomer to Los Angeles, “One word you want to learn right away, and use a lot, is ‘pendejo.’ It means ‘friend’.” Pendejo = pubic hair (literal) = jerk, idiot, moron (figurative). 6. I am also reminded about the time an American friend of mine inadvertently told a bus full of people that he had to get off because he had an erection (“Tengo parada!” instead of just “Parada!”). They let him off real quick. “Con paciencia y saliva, un elefante chingo una hormiga.” ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/19 "2000-10-22T01:02:59Z")
> [@](#): > > “Con paciencia y saliva, un elefante chingo una hormiga.” Don’t you know that ant and elephant DNA just don’t mix? ---
**Author:** ![Jorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@Jorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645/20 "2000-10-22T07:53:35Z")
OP answered there pretty well by Colibri. I’d add that #1 is the usual sense in most dialects, #2 is more typically Catalan… [Although it can also be an elided form of the phrase “your mama is a whore”.] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tu-madre-short-for/37645.md?page=2)