# Why Would Someone Write "Puto" on My Car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 3, 2007, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648 "2007-02-03T07:33:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/1 "2007-02-03T07:33:10Z")
We had a light snowfall yesterday, and when I came home from work, I found that someone had written “Puto” in the snow on the hood. I have no idea what it means. We’ve got some latino looking folks living in the trailer park, so I assume it’s Spanish, but googling only gets me filipino references. If it’s something derogatory to me, what would be an appropriate response in the correct vernacular? (And don’t hand me this crap that I should just ignore it. I grew up in a tough neighborhood and I know that if you ignore it, you just invite **more**. The “nuclear option” in such situations is _always_ your best bet.) ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/2 "2007-02-03T07:39:24Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] We had a light snowfall yesterday, and when I came home from work, I found that someone had written “Puto” in the snow on the hood. I have no idea what it means. We’ve got some latino looking folks living in the trailer park, so I assume it’s Spanish, but googling only gets me filipino references. If it’s something derogatory to me, what would be an appropriate response in the correct vernacular? (And don’t hand me this crap that I should just ignore it. I grew up in a tough neighborhood and I know that if you ignore it, you just invite **more**. The “nuclear option” in such situations is _always_ your best bet.) [/QUOTE] Are you sure it was not puta ? Declan ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/3 "2007-02-03T07:39:52Z")
[Puto](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=puto) could either be a male prostitute or a homosexual, depending on where it’s used. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/4 "2007-02-03T07:40:31Z")
IANASS (I am not a Spanish speaker), but I think “Putar” is the verb “to copulate,” therefore Puto might possibly mean “I fuck” “I fuck” without a direct object seems incredibly strange though… even for a strange snow message. ---
**Author:** ![Crescend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Crescend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crescend)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/5 "2007-02-03T07:40:33Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] We had a light snowfall yesterday, and when I came home from work, I found that someone had written “Puto” in the snow on the hood. I have no idea what it means. We’ve got some latino looking folks living in the trailer park, so I assume it’s Spanish, but googling only gets me filipino references. If it’s something derogatory to me, what would be an appropriate response in the correct vernacular? (And don’t hand me this crap that I should just ignore it. I grew up in a tough neighborhood and I know that if you ignore it, you just invite **more**. The “nuclear option” in such situations is _always_ your best bet.) [/QUOTE] The Spanish word for “whore” is _puta_. “Puto” would be the male equivalent. [[Cite: Wikipedia, Spanish Profanity]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_profanity) ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/6 "2007-02-03T07:46:06Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] (And don’t hand me this crap that I should just ignore it. I grew up in a tough neighborhood and I know that if you ignore it, you just invite **more**. The “nuclear option” in such situations is _always_ your best bet.) [/QUOTE] Spoken like a true pubbie, there, **Tuckerfan**. Welcome to the dark side. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/7 "2007-02-03T07:51:00Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] I grew up in a tough neighborhood and I know that if you ignore it, you just invite **more**. [/QUOTE] [Gallantin, TN](http://www.gallatintn.org/). Home of hard knocks! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/8 "2007-02-03T09:01:49Z")
[QUOTE=bigbabysweets2000] [Gallantin, TN](http://www.gallatintn.org/). Home of hard knocks! [/QUOTE] Bzzt! Thank you for playing! Bob, who’s our next contestant on _Your Life as a Loser_? 😛 Gallatin, is merely my current place of exile, I grew up in what was then, a small farming town, in Ohio where if we _liked_ you, we said nasty things about yo momma! If we _didn’t_ like you, we said nasty things about your **dead** momma! (Even if she _wasn’t_ dead! :eek: ) ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/9 "2007-02-03T09:41:06Z")
Puto is basically the equivalent word for ‘fag’. Are you openly gay? Either way, they’re just being stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/10 "2007-02-03T09:47:55Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] Puto is basically the equivalent word for ‘fag’. Are you openly gay? Either way, they’re just being stupid. [/QUOTE] Actually, I’m openly straight. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/11 "2007-02-03T09:49:06Z")
Sounds like advertently or inadvertently you ticked him off. Do whatever you did again and you’ll be risking a key scratch… ---
**Author:** ![ChicanoRojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ChicanoRojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChicanoRojo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/12 "2007-02-03T09:55:45Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] Puto is basically the equivalent word for ‘fag’. Are you openly gay? Either way, they’re just being stupid. [/QUOTE] +1 They are just being stupid. \*Puto \*means both _fag_ or male slut. In Mexico, it is used to as an insult to homosexuals, but it is also used against womanizers. Also, as stated in the [Urban Dictionary.com](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=puto&defid=339023) it is used to mean some who is a coward. ---
**Author:** ![Racer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@Racer1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Racer1)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/13 "2007-02-03T11:34:06Z")
If it’s a one off, sounds more like kids being kids than a victimisation campaign. Escalations aside, save the ammo for when aliens attack. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2007, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/14 "2007-02-03T14:19:34Z")
[QUOTE=Racer1] If it’s a one off, sounds more like kids being kids than a victimisation campaign. [/QUOTE] I’d agree with this. If you do not give the appearance of being gay, or have reason to believe you have pissed some Spanish-speaker off, it is most likely some kid writing a bad word on some random car. Ignore it unless it is repeated. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/15 "2007-02-03T14:34:09Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] I’d agree with this. If you do not give the appearance of being gay, or have reason to believe you have pissed some Spanish-speaker off, it is most likely some kid writing a bad word on some random car. Ignore it unless it is repeated. [/QUOTE] Hear hear. If you’d have been in my village when I was a teenager (and the SDMB had existed), you’d instead be writing “Why would someone draw a giant ejaculating penis and testicles on my car? Are they calling me a dick?”. Or in the case of my brother’s buddy, “Why would someone burn a swastika into the cowfield? Are there neo-nazis in the village?” 99.9% likely it’s just dumb kids, and the correct response is to ignore it and hope they grow up. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/16 "2007-02-03T15:32:55Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] Actually, I’m openly straight. [/QUOTE] The appropriate response, then, is to start up an affair with the cuplrit’s female partner. That’ll show 'im! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/17 "2007-02-03T15:54:15Z")
**Pluto**? Sounds like someone meant to be a little **Goofy**! ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/18 "2007-02-03T17:06:41Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Hear hear. If you’d have been in my village when I was a teenager (and the SDMB had existed), you’d instead be writing “Why would someone draw a giant ejaculating penis and testicles on my car? Are they calling me a dick?”. Or in the case of my brother’s buddy, “Why would someone burn a swastika into the cowfield? Are there neo-nazis in the village?” 99.9% likely it’s just dumb kids, and the correct response is to ignore it and hope they grow up. [/QUOTE] heh heh, I did those. And the anarchy A. Stupid kid stuff. They will grow up and become stupid adults in due time, then you can beat them to a pulp. 🙂 As for a good response, “_me cago en la puta que te pario_” is always certain to get a reaction. Bring your own chunk of rebar. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/19 "2007-02-03T18:56:20Z")
While “puto/puta” can mean “whore,” I’ve heard it more used as a general derogatory term on par with “asshole” and such. Something people friendly with each other could say without tempers being raised. But if you’re not friendly with them, then it’s probably reason for concern. That said, if I see someone driving around with “puto” etched in snow on their car, I’ll be sure to give you a wave. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2007, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648/20 "2007-02-03T19:07:53Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] **Pluto**? Sounds like someone meant to be a little **Goofy**! [/QUOTE] No, “Goofy” is _Tonto._ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-someone-write-puto-on-my-car/390648.md?page=2)