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"Pachuco" is an adjective which is often translated as "flashy", and "catrín" is an adjective which is often translated as "well-dressed". Learn more about the difference between "pachuco" and "catrín" below.
pachuco, el pachuco, la pachuca(
pah
-
choo
-
koh
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (colloquial) (showy) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. flashy
Los participantes del carnaval vestían disfraces pachucos.The participants of the carnival were wearing flashy costumes.
a. tight
Estos vaqueros son muy pachucos; no me los puedo poner.These jeans are too tight; I can't put them on.
b. tight-fitting
En invierno, los atletas se ponen pantalones de correr largos y pachucos.Runners wear long, tight-fitting running pants in winter.
a. vulgar
El entrevistado era un hombre pachuco. Tuvimos que censurar algunas de las palabras que dijo.The interviewee was a vulgar man. We had to censor some of the words he used.
4. (old-fashioned) (belonging to a Mexican-American subculture of the early twentieth century)
A word or phrase that is seldom used in contemporary language and is recognized as being from another decade, (e.g., cat, groovy).
a. Chicano
El joven pachuco no iba a ningún lugar sin su sombrero de fieltro.The young Chicano man wouldn't go anywhere without his fedora.
b. Mexican-American
Todavía se utilizan algunos términos del argot pachuco de mediados del siglo XX en español.Some terms from the Mexican-American slang of the mid-20th century are still used in Spanish.
This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
a. boor
Rodrigo pretende ser un caballero refinado, pero no es nada más que un pachuco.Rodrigo pretends to be a refined gentleman, but he's nothing but a boor.
a. zoot suiter
Los dos pachucos que llegaron usaban zapatos bicolor.The two zoot suiters who arrived wore two-toned shoes.
7. (old-fashioned) (member of Mexican-American subculture of the early twentieth century)
A word or phrase that is seldom used in contemporary language and is recognized as being from another decade, (e.g., cat, groovy).
a. Chicano
Mi abuela fue una pachuca, quien junto con otras mujeres, desafió las tendencias de la época.My grandma was a Chicana, who, together with other women, challenged the trends of the time.
b. Mexican-American
No todos los pachucos pertenecían a una pandilla.Not all Mexican-Americans were members of a gang.
catrín, el catrín(
kah
-
treen
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (dressed up)
a. well-dressed
Ese joven es muy catrín, siempre va muy elegante a todos lados.That young man's very well-dressed. He always looks smart wherever he goes.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
a. dandy (masculine)
Un grupo de catrines estaba llegando a la gala.A group of dandies were arriving at the gala.
This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
a. skeleton gentleman (masculine)
El Catrín y la Catrina son íconos de la cultura mexicana que deben su origen a un grabado de José Guadalupe Posada.The skeleton lady and skeleton gentleman are icons of Mexican culture that owe their origins to an etching by Jose Guadalupe Posada.
b. skeleton lady (feminine)
Quiero disfrazarme de Catrina para el día de Muertos.I want to dress up as a skeleton lady for the Day of the Dead.
