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Question

Continuing with the subject of weird and wonderful variations of the Spanish language and, of course, Mexicans, I came across this article about something I wanted to bring up a long time ago: Mexican albures

Albures arguably comprise the most bewildering and infuriating mix of Mexican language, wit, and culture. It is a highly refined and specialized arte of the innuendo, or the double (triple or quadruple, in fact) entendre.

After you read the article and watch the video, you may want to try reading through this list of albures, and see how many you can catch. I get some, but certainly not all of them.

What can make albures infuriating is that Mexicans can be really merciless about them, and they will use them even if they can see that you, as a non-Mexican, are totally lost. That can make the game even more fun as you, as a foreigner, can suddenly have several people around you having a wonderful time saying all kinds of things that make absolutely no sense to you, but somehow you know it's all teasing at your expense.

I know it; I've been there!!

Saqué 6 de 10.. Conclusión, las letras populares son poesía. - Polenta, Sep 18, 2017

De los 100, muchos no los entiendo para nada. - Polenta, Sep 18, 2017

Gracias Gekko :) - ian-hill, Sep 18, 2017

Thanks, Gekko. Now I'm really confused. lol - rac1, Sep 18, 2017

Answer 1

Aw mate ! My geriatric brain has just mastered -Buenos días ,¿Te gustaría tomar un café conmigo?

And now you throw this up , fair suck of the sav mate I'm now ready for the knackers yard.

---

But I suppose you will tell me to -"have a go ya mug!".

Ya have to be in it to win it.

Take your time. :-) - Gekkosan, Sep 18, 2017

Aussies are masters of the Australian Albur. I know a few, I bet you could give a list of several hundred with meanings of course. - Daniela2041, Sep 18, 2017

Gekko , time is one thing that I no longer have mate. - ray76, Sep 18, 2017

Danni mi amor, if I knew what it was all about I may be able to oblige. - ray76, Sep 18, 2017

@ Daniela , you may have now noticed that Gekkosan is the nearest thing to a weirdo from O Z . - ray76, Sep 18, 2017

@Ray: It's phrases like "Richard Cranium.' jejeje. - Daniela2041, Sep 18, 2017

Aha ! Or " Merchant Bankers " - ray76, Sep 18, 2017

Or Micky takers. :) = Urine extractors. - ian-hill, Sep 18, 2017

And yet, here you -still- are, Mr. Raymond, here you are. - Gekkosan, Sep 18, 2017

The thing with Mexican albures is that they're, quite literally, a national sport, with formal competitions and all. - Gekkosan, Sep 18, 2017

Ray, I think you mean "...has just mastered buENOS días" (typos) I hope this helps :) - FELIZ77, Sep 18, 2017

Answer 2

Of course this Is not an albur but what are we talking about?
Volkswagen Is the name of a car It sounds German The ending -en seems very German. Also when we listen to Germán words they seem to be, very ,very long words.

The question Is what common Spanish word are we Spanish speakers trying to imitate in German ( it isn't) when we say subanestrujenbajen

Imagine a sentence

Yo estaba en el subanestrujenbajen y empecé a pensar en lo que haría de comer.

It Is quite a challenge - Polenta, Sep 18, 2017

This is a play on words that, unlike "championship albures" is fairly obvious to most native speakers. Non-native speakers may get lost until they gain more experience. - Gekkosan, Sep 18, 2017

To decipher it, you need to consider that it most likely has some sort of sexual innuendo, and that bedrooms are usually upstairs. Then you take it apart: Suban, estrujen y (cuando hayan terminado), bajen. Silly :-) - Gekkosan, Sep 18, 2017

No - Polenta, Sep 18, 2017

¿Eh? ¿Cómo que no? ¿Y entonces? - Gekkosan, Sep 18, 2017

Voy a abrir un thread - Polenta, Sep 19, 2017

Answer 3

¿ Nadie se anima a decir qué es un subanestrujenbajen?

Yo tampoco sabía lo que eran albures. Al principio lo confundí con albores.

Respondí en el otro comentario. :-) - Gekkosan, Sep 18, 2017

No - Polenta, Sep 18, 2017

Answer 4

Frases

1. Donde pongo el ojo, pongo la vara

2. No sacudan tanto el chile, que se riega la semilla

3. No importa lo grueso, sino lo travieso

4. Más vale prevenir que la mentársela

5. No sacudas la cuna, que despiertas al niño

6. Atrás se pide pero por delante se despacha

En Madrid tenemos un argot muy similar...no es exactamente lo mismo, pero de estas frases entiendo muchas.

No conocía la expresión albur...y que de hecho haya incluso competiciones. Interesante , pero no creo que un extranjero sea capaz de descifrar el sentido.

Right. Most languages and cultures have the concept of innuendo and word play. What sets the Mexicans apart is that they really take this seriously, and can be merciless about it. - Gekkosan, Sep 18, 2017

Answer 5

Yo pillé siete de 10!!!! whohooooooooooo, los milagros existen

Outstanding! - rac1, Sep 18, 2017