Is this a colloquialism: "patos"

Question

Hi everybody- hoping to clarify something I've wondered about for a long time. I come from an area with a lot of Spanish speakers (S Texas) and have always heard the word "pato" used to mean a foot. There was also a restaurant called "los patos" where their tacos were called patos. Now a friend sent me an email with the phrase, "los patos son verde" which seems to translate as "the ducks are green"!!

I am so confused....what is a pato, besides a duck, and what does it mean that the ducks are green?

Thanks you guys!

Answer 1

Welcome to the forum!

Are you sure you are not hearing "pata"? "Pata" means the paw of an animal, but it it also used in casual conversation to refer to a human foot.

Answer 2

You are right mountaingirl, it was pata that was a foot. Thanks for the welcome. =)

To everyone else...?? I'm just as confused as you are...hoping my friend will enlighten me soon!

Answer 3

Well this is bad but are your friends from Puerto Rico because patos is translated as a curse word. I don't think that's what they mean but it's just a thought. I'm sorry if i offend somebody.

hm... well, it's not *exactly* a curse word, but rather a mean epithet to refer to a certain group of people. :-( However, without further context, I have no idea what "green ducks" refers to. - Gekkosan, Apr 29, 2010

Yeah me either. I just know some of my Puerto Rican friends like to insult others using this. They keep me "socially aware" haha - mamasita_s, Apr 29, 2010

I haven't got a clue, means nothing in Spain. - 00494d19, Apr 29, 2010

haha...hope i'm not offending anyone! 0.o - rosesandhello, Apr 29, 2010

Answer 4

Se refiere a los homosexuales, es decir, a los hombres que les gustan las mujeres.

I am a little confused by this but might be reading it wrong- the men who like the married women? I thought maricon was the offensive equivalent of calling someone gay in English? - rosesandhello, Apr 29, 2010

...hombres que *no* les gustan.... - --Mariana--, Apr 29, 2010

Perdona que te edite, Evelyn, pero de verdad tratamos de evitar el lenguaje ofensivo en este foro. :-/ - Gekkosan, Apr 29, 2010

Yes, you are right, Rosesandhell. That's what it means, and it is offensive. - Gekkosan, Apr 29, 2010