





Some time ago, we were severely chastised over our lack of familiarity with a certain Latino slang word. A quick poll around the office revealed that almost none of us had ever heard of it. Which made us wonder if there aren’t many words that we can all share with one another. After all, Latino culture is a diverse thing. And so, it is to that end that we present the Guanabee Glossary.
chévére
A popular expression of Venezuelan origin used as an affirmative acclamation of approval.
¿Monti de “Making Menudo” está bailando en tu corte? ¡Que chévére!
Translation: Monti from “Making Menudo” is dancing at your quinces? Sweet!

I thought this word was used by Argentinians before it was used by Venezuelans.
Posted by carnitas | October 30, 2007
nah im prettyyyy sure its puerto rican
Posted by piruli | October 30, 2007
def Puerto Rican.
Posted by intheBronx | October 30, 2007
And here I thought it was Mexican. Guess I am just waaay out of the loop.
At least there’s no comments (so far) like: OMG HOW DID YOU NOT KNOW THIS?!?
Posted by Marco | October 30, 2007
That word is as Venezuelan as my dear President Chavez
Posted by Leo | October 30, 2007
sorry dudes, the word originated in Colombia though it’s mostly associated with Venezuela. definitely not PR though.
On the other hand, who cares? Just like that whole other thing on where reggaeton came from. Does it matter? We still love/hate it…and at it’s best dance to it (which, in keeping with all good Latin American traditions, is what it was meant for)
Posted by chachalaca2000 | October 30, 2007
It’s Chévere NOT Chévére. ONE tilde my dear wanabee spanish speakers.
And yeah, definitely Venezuelan. Puerto Ricans seem to think they created everything.
Posted by tamanaco | October 30, 2007
This is the term Latina mothers sometimes use to ingratiate themselves and sound cool to their fucked up and freaked out adolescent changos of kids.
Could very well be considered a rompetimpano.
Posted by pocho_guey_al_norte | October 30, 2007
definitly Colombian. Definitly NOT puerto rican. but yeah, who cares!
Posted by mm | October 30, 2007
some more colombian slang http://ourlatinamericaspanish.blogspot.com/2005/10/colombia.html
Posted by mm | October 30, 2007
This is a pan-Latino term, sucky, colorless and lacking in local or national flavor.
It’s used mostly by fresas in their 50s and their sheepish non-inventive spawn who like to pepper their Spanish with ‘O sea…’.
Posted by pocho_guey_al_norte | October 30, 2007
My vote is TOTALLY COLOMBIA, Venezuela, AND PR (lived there, and yes shocking but they use it) But I agree with most, who the hell cares?! We all use it. It’s a great word.
GASP! Here is one very Colombian word fo’sho:
q’vo. It’s the shorter version of a formal “how are you”
Q’vo pues hombre, como esta la familia? (Totally Paisa)
jejejeje
Posted by gatita79 | October 30, 2007
@mm: I think Venezuelan. But who cares?
Here’s wikipedia’s take on chevere
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuelan_Spanish
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevere
Posted by Tamanaco | October 30, 2007
Don’t know about the other, but the Puerto Ricans I know are definitely full of “Ay, que chevere!”s
Posted by fulanita | October 30, 2007
el Q’vo is just another shorthand…for Que huvo? Sort of like “Ta To” for Dominicans!
Posted by ColoRican | October 30, 2007
Let’s not be greedy, peeples. “Chevere” (only one accent, on the first “e”) is widely, commonly used in Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico, DR, and not just by “fresas,” Pocho. It may be old slang, but it’s hanging on!
Posted by Caro | October 30, 2007
@ tamanaco
I believe it’s actually an acento, not tilde - tilde is the ~ over the n.
Posted by L | October 30, 2007
@Caro: nel…not feeling the positivity on this one. It’s datedness isn’t my issue with it. It’s just bland and overused (chido might not be too far behind…but Chico Che’s song is a proud homage). It’s the Spanish equivalent of ‘groovy’. Few can get away with using it well.
Posted by pocho_guey_al_norte | October 30, 2007
I first heard this in Ecuador myself :)
Posted by Me | October 30, 2007
Quihubo and quihubole are Mexican.
Posted by Diego | October 30, 2007
burritos are mexican
Posted by mm | October 31, 2007
¿Chévere? It’s a very common word. I’m Cuban, and even though it’s not part of common Cuban speech, I’ve heard of it.
@ L: In Spanish, the acento can also be called the tilde. I was under the same impression as you, though.
Posted by c12p5 | October 31, 2007
Chévere is a very common word in several Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries. I don’t understand the whole pissing contest of claiming ownership of the word.
Unless any of the commenters is an expert on etymology, none of us know squat about where the word originated.
Posted by Ingrid | November 01, 2007
this post is chévere and a whole bag of chidos.
Posted by ella | November 02, 2007