C
caballero gentleman

caballo horse

cabecera head town of a municipal district; headquarters

cacao chocolate bean or seed

cacique chief or boss

café coffee

caja box

cajón large box, drawer or trunk

calabaza squash or gourd

calavera skull; toy and candy skulls

calle street

cambio change

campesino country person; farm worker

canasta basket with handle

canasto large split bamboo ("carrizo") basket

candelero candlestick;

cantera stone

caracol snail

carne meat

caro expensive

carrizo local type of bamboo used in basket-weaving

casa house

casa de cambio money-changing office

cazuela a pottery bowl for cooking, usually glazed on the inside

cerámica ceramic ware

cerro perdido lost wax process (a jewelry making technique)

cerveza beer

chamarra jacket

chapulines grasshoppers

chaquira tiny glass beads sewn on blouses

charola tray, usually tin or metal; if lacquered, "batea"

charro showy or flashy; an expert horseman

chía seed of wild sage plant used in preparing lacquer; also placed in striated clay urns which sprout green coats

chico small

chiquihuite willow-reed baskets with square bottoms for tortillas; in Oaxaca also stiff reed market baskets with handles

chivo goat

cinturón belt of any material

cobija lightweight blanket or bedspread

cobre copper

cochinilla insect from nopal cactus used to make red dye for textiles

colectivo VW bus taxis

collar necklace

colonia suburb or subdivision of a city

comal griddle of clay or metal on which tortillas are baked

combi VW bus taxis

comprar to buy

convento cloister

copal sweet sap used as incense from copal tree

corriente cheap, low quality

criollo an all-Spanish descent person born in the New World

crúz cross

cuchillería cutlery

cuchillo knife

curandero (a) an Indian medicine man or woman

D
damas ladies, as in "ladies room"

descuento disount

deshilado pulled-thread technique; linen and cotton openwork

despintar to lose color, fade, run

diablo devil

dibujo drawing or a design

dulce candy, sweet

E
encaje lace

enredo or

posahuanco wrap-around skirt of hand-woven fabric from Pacific Coast

escuela school

escultura sculpture; "escultura en madera," wood carving

espada sword

esposa wife

esposo (marido) husband

esqueleto skeleton or image of a skeleton

estambre acrylic yarn

F
fábrica factory

fachada facade

factura document needed for shipping

falda skirt

farmacia drugstore

fiesta festival or party

filigrana filigree jewelry, made of tiny wires made into designs

finca farm

flor flower

flor inmortal dried straw flower

florero vase

fonda market food stall serving meals

fraccionamiento section or subdivision of a city

frijol bean

G
galería gallery

gato cat

gazuma suede

grabado fine art print or engraved design

gracias thanks; "muchas gracias," many thanks

grande big

greca fret or design (such as the repeated geometric patterns on the Mitla pyramids used in textiles and jewelry designs)

greta clear glaze

gringo commonly-used word for North Americans

guitarra guitar

guitarrón large fretless bass guitar

H
hacienda large landed estate; also the government treasury

hamaca hammock

helados ice cream

hermana sister

hermano brother

hermosa beautiful

hija daughter

hijo son

hojalata tinware or tinplate

hojalatería tinware production shop

hola hello

hombre man

huarache leather sandal

huipil a woman's handwoven, untailored dress (native to Mexico)

I
ídolo idol

iglesia church

indígena a country person of Indian descent

ixtle fiber and thread from the maguey plant

J
jarana small ukulele-guitar

jardín garden or plaza

jarro pitcher

jícara gourd

joven youth

joya jewelry or gem

joyería jewelry store

juguete toy

L
laca lacquer ware

lana wool; slang for money

latón brass

leche milk

lejos far

llavero key chain

lloviendo raining

lluvia rain

losa or loza popular clay dishware or ceramic tableware;

losa chorreada glazed, popular priced ceramics imitating of Talavera ware

M
maguey plant of the agave family (tequila, pulque, and mezcal)

maíz corn

majólica ceramic style imported from Spain, also called Talavera

mancuernilla cufflink

mano long, tapered round grinding stone used with metate

manta unbleached muslin; lightweight inexpensive cotton fabric

mantel tablecloth

mascaras masks

marimba keyboard instrument played with mallets

más more

matracas hollow wooden toys which, when whirled, make lats of noise

menos less

menudo tripe stew; also retail selling

mesa table

mestizo person of mixed Indian-European descent

metate concave stone of volcanic rock used for grinding corn

milagros from "miracle;" ex-voto offerings or pictures

milcajete mortar and pestle

milpa cornfield

mole Oaxaca sauce for meats, made in 5 flavors in Oaxaca: red, black, green, reddish ("coloradito") and yellow

molinillo intricately carved wooden chocolate beaters

moneda money; national currency

muchacha girl

muchacho boy

mucho a lot

muebles furniture

muerte death

mujer women

muñeca doll

muro wall

museo museum

muy very

N
nacimiento nativity or Chistmas-manger scene

nahual animal spirit

novia (o) sweetheart

O
oficina office

olán dutch linen or batiste; a term for the formal fiesta dress of the Tehuanas

olla medium and large clay jars

onix onyx

oro gold; "Oro fino", fine or fairly pure gold

P
padre father

pájaro bird

palacio palace

palapa thatched hut

pan bread

pan de huevo egg bread

pañuelo handkerchief

papel picado cut-out tissue paper decorations

papelería stationery store

pastel cake

pastillaje small bits of clay added as decoration to larger sculpture

or pots

pedido order

pensamientos pansies or "thoughts" embroidered in San Antonino

perro dog

petate large woven straw mat

petatillo criss-cross design resembling mat weaving; small mat

picante hot (as in food)

piedra stone

piedra nefrítica jade

piñata papier maché figure filled with candies

pintura painting or paint

pisacorbata tie pin

plata silver

plateria shop that sells silver

platero silversmith

plato plate

pollo chicken

por favor please

pueblo town or, collectively, people

puerco pork, pig

puerta door

puesto stall or stand in a market or elsewhere

pulido rubbed, polished, burnished: referring usually to ceramics, silver and lacquer work

pulsera bracelet

punto de cruz cross-stitching; bordado, also a term for embroidery

pura lana pure wool

Q
quesillo Oaxaca cheese of long strips rolled in to a ball

queso cheese

R
rebozo long fringed, hand-woven shawl

refresco soft drink

regatear to bargain or haggle

retablo architecturally, a carved altarpiece; small miracle painting altar or scene in a box

ropa clothing

ropa típica regional clothing

rosca (de Reyes) round, twisted cake made for "Día de los Reyes"

ruina ruin (archaeological)

S
santo saint or image of saint

sarape blanket to be worn, usually of wool

seda francés french "silk" made of polyester or rayon

serpiente snake

servilleta napkin or placemat

señor Sir (Mr.)

señora Ma'am (Mrs.)

señorita Miss

silla chair

sirena mermaid

sombrero broad-brimmed hat

T
talavera the hard-baked, glazed ceramics of Puebla

taller workshop or studio

tapete wool rug

tasajo thin-sliced beef, salted, aereated and charcoil-broiled

taza cup

tehuana woman from Tehuantepec

tejate local drink served in gourds in market places; made from dried husks and flowers of the cocoa bean

tejidos weavings

tela cloth

telar loom

teléfono telephone

tenate palm fiber basket, small or large, with or without handle

tianguis market, market day

tigre jaguar

torre tower

totomoxtle corn husk figurines and other popular forms

traje indigenous dress

tule species of cypress tree

tumba tomb

V
vaca cow

vaso glass

vecindad neighborhood

vela candle

vender to sell

ventana window

vestido dressed up; or dress

vidriado glazed (as in ceramics); glassy

vidrio soplado hand-blown glass

vino wine