A Spanish phrase meaning "yes, ma'am"

Question

I work with several people from Mexico. When one person calls another by name, the person being called will often answer with something that sounds like "mondé". I asked what this meant and was told it was similiar to "yes, ma'am" or a polite what of saying "what do you want?" rather than just "what?". They didn't know how to spell it. I have tried to find it in the dictionary and can't. Does anyone know the word and how it is spelled?

See mandar - albert-fabrik-, Apr 20, 2013

Answer 1

It's Mande. = what did you say or repeat yourself.

gracias - joeblaine, Apr 20, 2013

Thank you mate , help like this is hard to come by, good on you. - ray76, Apr 21, 2013

Answer 2

Mande literally means "at your disposal', and is used as such or as "excuse me" like RyanGox states when people didn't hear or understand.

EDIT: Thank you Sheily for that comment...

Mande doesn't have an accent, as far as I know? - Sheily, Apr 20, 2013

Tienes razón.... :) - chileno, Apr 21, 2013

Answer 3

The word is "mánde." It is most commonly used when the person did not hear you. Like you said, a polite way of saying, "what!?" Also, commonly used as "what do you want?" like you said. I have never heard it used in the context of "yes, ma'am." I'm living in northern México maybe it's just not used that way here.

the people I work with do not speak a lot of English. i have limited Spanish. I may have misunderstood "yes, ma'am". I think they were trying to express it as "yes ma'am, what do you want?" - joeblaine, Apr 20, 2013

thank you. I am a visual person, and remember words much better if I see them. - joeblaine, Apr 20, 2013

Answer 4

Actually, Mande is a short version of the imperative Mándeme, from the verb mandar. This expression is closer to Command me. It started during La Conquista when the enslaved indians would respond to their Spanish "masters". It is widely used today in Mexico, but people who understand it´s history prefer other responses, such as ¿Cómo?

At your disposal is closer to A sus ordenes, which does not have the same "slave / master" conotation that Mándeme does.

I am so grateful to you my friend , putting flesh like this on the bones of a question is so helpful and brings more meaning to a word or phrase, your a little ripper ! - ray76, Apr 21, 2013

Hello mate, your choice of words tells me you´re feeling a bit carnivorous today, ha ha - 005faa61, Apr 21, 2013

Answer 5

Sí mi carino