Mande - Please clarify the meaning
I hear the word 'mande' used frequently among the Spanish speakers here in the US and a LOT down in Mexico. It must be slang because it's not in the dictionary.
The brief description I got is that it means "what do you want from me'" Or another way of saying "tell me what you're thinking." I haven't quite been able to nail down the context.
Gracias!
9 Answers
I know this question is quite old but I still wanted to answer anyway. My mom is from Mexico city and used to scold me if I said "Que?" when talking to her. She rathered I use "Mande?". I think it's more respectful and I hear it quite often. Think of it kind of like the difference of saying "What?" and "Pardon?"
While "world-otmu" has said may be true, When a Mexican says, "¿Mande? it's just the polite way that Mexicans use to way, "What", "I beg your pardon" and things of this nature.
I am Spanish (from Rota, near Cádiz) and never heard "mande" used as Mexicans use it. One just has to accept it as a regionalism at this point. Mexicans do not feel inferior when employing this word. As I live among Mexicans and as my late husband was Mexican, I use it all the time myself.
Just because the expression has "humble" origins doesn't mean you degrade yourself when using it.
"Ojalá" comes from an Arabic expression "May Allah grant" or something of that order.
I don't feel that I'm praying to Allah when I use that expression. It has found its way into the Spanish language as meaning "I hope," "I wish" or similar expressions. That's all!
It is in the dictionary: it is the 3rd person of the present subjunctive of "mandar" (to tell what to do), used as a polite request. It roughly translates as "Tell me'", but a better translation would be "Pardon'", "What did you say'". It is also used in Spain, and it is considered quite polite.
Is it okay to say "Como?" to mean "Pardon?" If so, is it polite, so-so, or rude?
Also take a look at this:
It's a video about the use of the "mande" in Mexico https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRvojJbhlrs
(Mande)= While me master, send me master.( vulgar Latin), proper response from servant to (Master) kinda like saying yessum!. A word brought to the Americas by the Spanish colonizers. To separate the Elite in charge government and church. After the fall of Nevo Espania, the church supported the continual use passing it down generation after generation until the modern Latino interprets this word as simple respectful response. The Spaniards do not use this word it is below there form of communication they also know it was only meant for servants of the Americas I lived in spain for 5 year never once did I hear them use that word. To speek to each other.
(Mande)= While me master, send me master.( vulgar Latin), proper response from servant to (Master). A word brought to the Americas by the Spanish colonizers. To separate the Elite in charge government and church. After the fall of Nevo Espania, the church supported the continual use passing it down generation after generation until the modern Latino interprets this word as simple respectful response. The Spaniards do not use this word it is below there form of communication they also know it was only meant for servants of the Americas I lived in spain for 5 year never once did I hear them use that word. To speek to each other.
Ah.. thank you. I now I understand a little better. I've heard it used when speaking to a whining child, and also talking to a colleague when some information had been requested and various other ways too. I've heard it used in irritation but mostly polite and professional.
As always, thank you all for your answers.
We also use it jokingly, difster, nice seeing you around.
It is rather old fashioned and now frequetly used only in small villages. so if you say "mande" you sound very much "pueblerino".
