Madre/Padre - Expressions

Question

A comment by Clío got me thinking that this might be fun. There are many expressions in Spanish that refer to or use the words Madre or Padre.

Let's each post one for others to see and understand.

My personal perception is that those using Padre are generally positive while those using Madre are generally negative. Go figure.

¡Qué padre! = Cool, Awesome

Now its your turn.

Yeah, when did mother become a bad word? - Daniela2041, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 1

"De padre y muy señor mío"... Se utiliza para decir que algo es muy grande, muy serio, muy importante...

"Ayer hubo en el barrio una pelea de padre y muy señor mío" (there was a huge fight)

Thanks. As I said in the comment under Julian answer. Native speaker input is great for this thread. Can "de padre" be used without the second part or is it a linked set phrase? - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

Gracias a ti por el hilo. :) Puedes decir "de padre y muy señor mío" o "de padre y señor mío", pero no solo "de padre", porque "muy señor mío" es lo que da seriedad, importancia (así es como se empiezan las cartas muy formales). - Cordobesa, Dec 15, 2014

Thank you. Especially for the additional parathetical. - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

Thanks, Bibi. This is very helpful! - sanlee, Dec 15, 2014

Answer 2

Some things sound nicer in Spanish than English.

If you stub your toe or bang your shin on the coffee table don't say M F! say "¡Que Madre!"

lol. - gringojrf, Dec 16, 2014

Hmm, maybe I'll try it... - sanlee, Dec 16, 2014

Doesn't work mate , nothing beats , " the rotten mongrel B' - ray76, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 3

¡Aquello fue la fiesta padre! ¡Aquella fiesta fue padre!

That party definitely rocked!

Mmmm. Let's hope a native comes along. But would have said: ¡Aquella fiesta fue padre! - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

BTW. I am usually wrong when I have these thoughts. - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

I got it from a friend in Spain...thanks Gringo. I will see what our native speakers say. :) - rac1, Dec 15, 2014

Well, you're in the right city for that!! ;-) - Winkfish, Dec 15, 2014

Your expression is OK if there is prior context of masculine gender, but if you say just "That party was great" then Gringo´s variant is better - 005faa61, Dec 15, 2014

Creo que depende de los sitios... En España, "la fiesta padre" o "el lío padre" se usa, pero me suena muy raro "fue padre". :) - Cordobesa, Dec 15, 2014

Cordobesa. A question. your two examples are noun phrases, ie. no verb. How would you add a verb to make a sentence using your noun phrases? - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

Igual que en la frase de Rac, por ejemplo... Normalmente, con fiesta se usan los verbos "montar" y "pegarse": "El sábado pasado montamos la fiesta padre en casa de mi amigo" o "Anoche me pegué la fiesta padre". - Cordobesa, Dec 15, 2014

Gracias Cordobesa. - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

Muchas gracias Julian y Bibi. :):) - rac1, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 4

desmadre = chaos, mess, utter confusion

I guess that's what happens when you go away "from Mama"!!! ;-) - Winkfish, Dec 15, 2014

Or so all the mother's of the world want us to think. lol - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

....that "without mother" there will be chaos. - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

Answer 5

De tal padre, tal hijo. (Puerto Rico)

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

I like that one!! - Winkfish, Dec 16, 2014

Me too. - gringojrf, Dec 16, 2014

:) - sanlee, Dec 16, 2014

Good one. Nice profile pic by the way. - rodneyp, Dec 16, 2014

Gracias mis amigos. :):):) - rac1, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 6

Here are a few I have heard from unos amigos mexicanos

• Me vale madre==I don't give a d----!

• Vale madre= it's useless

*Darle a alguien en la madre = to beat someone up.

Here's a funny one to say that something is "not bad" you use "de poca madre"

Ex. El guisado está de poca madre. This food is fabulous.

Everybody knows "tu madre" is a good way of responding to an insult.

You use "darse en la madre" when you have an accident and are injured.

But "darse en la madre con" is to get into a fistfight with someone.

There is one other positive one with "madre"

¡Esto está a toda madre! This is terrific!

There are a bunch more. In some places in Mexico you have to be careful how you use the word. Just to be safe use "mamá" Even Mother's day is called "El día de las madrecitas" using the diminutive.

I probably would not use any of these, ever, but as this is a language learning site, I put them up.

Even if you don't use them it is good to be able to recognize them whenyou hear them. Thanks. - gringojrf, Dec 16, 2014

I usually don't hang with people who use them too much. That goes for potty mouth English speakers as well. - Daniela2041, Dec 16, 2014

This is great stuff. Thanks, Dani! - sanlee, Dec 16, 2014

Gracias amiga. :) - rac1, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 7

¡Qué poca madre! ...... What a bunch of $hit!

¡Tu madre! ..... Go to hell!

Thanks Julian. This is thread that will benefit alot from native speaker input. - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

Similar in English..Your mother...sister, etc..at least in my state.. - sanlee, Dec 15, 2014

One I just rembered: Aventarle la madre a alguien (to tell someone to get screwed). It´s terrible that we have so many vulgar expressions that use "madre" - 005faa61, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 8

¡Ay mi madre! Hay sólo 8 días de compras hasta Navidad.

Oh my! There are only 8 shopping days until Christmas.

From word reference... - sanlee, Dec 15, 2014

;) A madre reference without a strong negative connotation. Thanks Sandy. - gringojrf, Dec 15, 2014

Sandy, you may have found a regionalism - in Mexico we say "¡Madre mía!" just like "¡Dios mío!" - 005faa61, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 9

Otra expresión que se usa, al menos en España:

"Ser el ciento y la madre" = "Ser muchos, más de lo normal"

"Mi amigo tiene diez hermanos, y cada uno tiene dos o tres hijos, así que cuando todos están juntos son el ciento y la madre"

"Ayer regalaban paella gratis en el bar de la esquina, así que allí estábamos el ciento y la madre"

I like it. My sife is one of seven and when the family gets together it may not be cien but it is fifty as least. - gringojrf, Dec 16, 2014

A new one to me.. - annierats, Dec 16, 2014

:)) - Cordobesa, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 10

¡ Puta madre que te parió!

The ultimate insult and never has anything to do with paternity..

Here in Mexico we stop after the first two words. - gringojrf, Dec 16, 2014

A variation is La puta que te pario. - rodneyp, Dec 16, 2014

Yes, well understod in Spain too.. - annierats, Dec 16, 2014

Answer 11

There are TONS of Mexican expression using the word madre. Keep in mind that even if I didn't reflect it in the translation, the word madre in these (and nearly all) expressions is generally considered a bad word and should be used with caution, but not all expressions are considered really strong.

These are just what immediately come to mind:

El baño huele a madres - The bathroom smells like sh..

Ni madres wey - Hell no dude

Ese wey no sabe ni madres - That guy doesn't know sh..

Estoy a toda madre - I feel great

Este nave está a todo madre - That car is really cool

Pásame esa madre - Pass me that thing

Su celular está madreado - Your cell is all screwed up

Ya valío madres wey - It's all screwed up now

I've written several blog posts on the word madre where I was able to write freely about it. And those posts just touch the tip of the iceberg. One day I plan writing something much more extensive.

http://pelangoche.blogspot.com/2010/06/chinga-tu-madre.html

http://pelangoche.blogspot.com/2011/04/estoy-hasta-la-madre-y-apenas-es-lunes.html

http://pelangoche.blogspot.com/2010/08/te-voy-romper-la-madre.html

http://pelangoche.blogspot.com/2012/04/puta-madre.html

Don't know why, but that last link will not become clickable. - rodneyp, Dec 16, 2014

Thanks Rodney. Now cover padre. - gringojrf, Dec 16, 2014