abrazo
an embrace
absolution
a release from the consquences of a sin
acequia
an irrigation ditch or gutter
adobe
sun-dried bricks made of mud and straw
Agua Negra
a Spanish phrase meaning "black water"
Ah la veca!
a Spanish slang phrase referring to the penis
alfalfa
a small plant with purple flowers, often used as hay for cattle
amigo
a male friend
Arrimense vivos y difuntos, aqui estamos todos juntos
"They approach alive and deceased here we are all together"
atole
a porridge made from cornmeal and milk or water
audacity
boldness, often with an arrogant element
Ay Dios, otro dia!
"Oh God, another day!"
Benas dias te de Dios, a ti y a tu familia
"Good day to God, to you, and to your family"
bile
a yellowish-green liquid used in the process of digestion
bizcochitos
little biscuits
bosque
a grove of cottonwood trees
bruja
a witch who practices black magic
bulto
a bulk or shape
cabritos, cabroncitos
kids, or small goats; used in this case as a term of endearment
cabrón
a Spanish slang word meaning "bastard" or "cuckold"
campana
a church bell
campo santo
burial grounds
catechism
a form of instruction in Catholic doctrine based on the fundamental principles of Christianity
chango
a Spanish term of endearment meaning "little monkey" or "little child"
chicos
dried corn
chile
a type of red pepper used commonly in Southwestern cooking
chingada
a Spanish slang word meaning "sexual intercourse" or "what a nuisance!"
comanchero
an Indian trader
Como te llamas?
"What is your name?"
compadre
an associate or friend
conquistador
a conqueror or an adventurer
contrivance
a scheme or plan
corral
a fenced-in area for horses
crudo
hung over from drinking too much alcohol
cuento
a story based on folklore
cuidado
a Spanish word meaning "care" as in "take care!"
culvert
a drain that crosses under a road
curandera
a female folk healer who uses herbal remedies
desgraciado
a Spanish word meaning "miserable" or "unhappy"
diablo
a devil
diente
a Spanish word meaning "tooth"
disquietude
uneasiness
Donde esta?
"Where is he?"
dulce
sweet
eddie
a small whirlpool
el policia
a policeman
el Rito
the Bito Creek
empanadita
a pastry or turnover filled with ground meat, vegetables, or fruit
En el nombre del Padre, del Hijo, y el Espiritu Santo
"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit"
encanto
a charm or spell
entremetido
a Spanish word meaning "busybody"
Es una mujer que no ha pecado
"It is a woman who has not sinned"
Es verdad
"It is true"
Espiritu de mi alma
"Spirit of my soul"
Esta sola, ya no queda gente en el pueblito de Las Pasturas
"She is alone, there are not people in the village of Las Pasturas"
farol
a lantern
gabacha
a white woman
Gracias a Dios que venites
"Thanks to God who comes"
Gracias por mi vida
Thank you for my life
grillo
a cricket
hechicera
a Spanish word meaning "enchantress"
heresy
a belief that is contrary to accepted religious doctrine
hermano
a Spanish word meaning "brother"
hi-jo-la
a reference to "hijo de la chingada," which means "son of the screwed one"
hijo
a Spanish word meaning "son"
hombre
a Spanish word meaning "a man"
huevos
balls or testicles
iglesia
a Spanish word meaning "church"
Jason no esta aqui
"Jason is not here"
jodido
a Spanish slang word meaning "shitty"
kerosene
a type of thin oil used as fuel for heat or cooking
la llorona
"the crying woman"; in New Mexican folklore, the ghost of a woman who is weeping for her drowned children
la muerte
a Spanish word meaning "death"
la tristesa de la vida
a Spanish phrase meaning "the sadness of life"
las putas
a Spanish slang phrase meaning "the whores"
lazo
a long rope with a loop, used for catching horses and cattle
llama
a Spanish word meaning "flame"
llano
an open plain with few trees; common in the Southwestern United States
Lo mató!
"He killed him!"
Madre de Dios
a Spanish phrase meaning "Mother of God"
maiz
Indian corn
maldito
a Spanish word meaning "cursed"
manta
shawl
manzanilla
chamomile, a type of plant with medicinal purposes, often used to make tea
melancholy
depressed or gloomy
mesquite bush
a type of tree or shrub common to New Mexico; characterized by spiny leaves and resistance to drought
mira
a Spanish word meaning "Look!"
mitote
a riot or an uproar
molino
a mill
mollera
the top of the head
monotonous
boring or tedious
muchacho
a Spanish word meaning "boy" or "chap"
mujer
a Spanish word meaning "a woman"
muy sabrosos
a Spanish phrase meaning "very tasty"
nopal
a prickly pear from a cactus
novena
a series of Catholic prayers that take place over the course of nine days
ominous
dark foreshadowing or foreboding
oregano
a type of herb used in cooking; also used by Ultima to cure cough and fever
oshá
a medicinal plant
partitioned
divided into parts
Pase, Grande, pase. Nuestra casa es su casa
"Come in, Grande. Our house is your house"
penance
a punishment undergone to show sorrow for a sin or wrong-doing
perdón
a Spanish word meaning "I'm sorry"
Pero qué dices?
"What are you saying?"
pesadilla
a nightmare
pinon
a type of pine tree common in the Southwestern United States
Por la sangre de Lupito, todos debemos de rogar, que Dioes la saque de pena y la lleve a descansar
"For the blood of Lupito, all must pray that God remove the sorrow and take him to rest"
posole
a thick hominy stew with pork or chicken, chile peppers, and coriander
precarious
unstable or insecure
puto
a Spanish slang word meaning "a male prostitute"
Que Dios te bendiga
"May God bless you"
Que pasa aqui?
"What is going on here?
Que pasa?
What happened?
que suerte
a Spanish phrase meaning "what luck!"
Quien es?
"Who is it?"
ranchero
a rancher
ristra
a rope, usually made from chile
sala
a living room
sangre
a Spanish word meaning "blood"
satchel
a small bag
scapular
a small object made up of two squares of cloth attached to one another; worn underneath the clothes, the devotional scapular is said to provide spiritual benefit to the wearer
shellack
a thin varnish
spectral
ghostly
stupor
a daze
Te voy a matar, cabron!
"I am going to kill you, goat!"
tejano
a native of Texas
tenacious
to be persistent and stubborn
tio
a Spanish word meaning "uncle"
tortilla
a thin pancake made from cornmeal or wheat flour
treacherous
dangerous; also untrustworthy
tripas
intestines
turgid
swollen or distended
un momento
a Spanish phrase meaning "one moment"
Una mujer con un deinte, que llama a toda la gente
"A woman with a tooth, who calls all the people"
vagabond
an unsettled nomad who wanders from place to place
vaquero
a cowboy
velorio
a wake for the dead
ven aca
a Spanish phrase meaning "come here"
vieja
a Spanish word meaning "an old woman"
Voy a tirar tripas!
"I am going to throw up!"
war sickness
post-traumatic stress or trauma related to war
Y las companas de la iglesia estan doblando
"And the church bells were tolling"
Ya vengo
"I'm coming"
yucca
a type of plant with sword-shaped leaves and white flowers; the yucca flower is the state flower of New Mexico
