Che! / Hey!

Question

I have an acquaintance from Peru who speaks excellent English, and he has been teaching me some of the finer nuances of Spanish.

He was telling me last night that you will hear people say to each other, "¡Che!" to get someone's attention or to say "hello." However, he warned me not to say this to a superior or someone who you don't know well because it means, in other contexts, a castrated bull or someone who is slow and dull.

I asked if this was comparable to young people calling each other, "dawg," and he said that this was true. (in terms of the mixed meanings)

Now, I think the word was "che," I may have this wrong because of his strong Peruvian accent... but my question is if he's right, does "che" have this other meaning? I didn't see it in the dictionaries. Or maybe this is something from Peruvian culture?

(Also, if it was a different word, what is it? Phoneticall¡y, I would spell what he said, "Hay")

Thanks!

Answer 1

I have no idea of the Spanish degree of insults here but: . In English, for our learnerson the site : A castrated bull is called a STEER or a BULLOCK. I've never, ever, heard either used as an insult. They are agricultural terms, in daily use amongst farmers, at markets etc. A castrated horse is a GELDING, also a totally inoffensive word. Dogs and cats are refered to as having been NEUTERED. Inoffensive. Over to you Spanish speakers...

Thanks Annie... to clarify one point for our English learners: we "neutrer" MALE cats and dogs, and "spay" FEMALE cats and dogs. - Netjert, Dec 29, 2011

True. - annierats, Dec 30, 2011

Answer 2

He might well have ment 'guey', which is pronounced (sort of) like 'waay'.

A casual form of greeting, it is usually translated as 'dude'.

In the dictionary, it also translates this as "jerk." So maybe this is what he was saying? Does it also mean, literally, a castrated bull? (kind how people use b***h now, but it originally meant a female dog) - Netjert, Dec 29, 2011