What Does Guerita Mean in Spanish?

What Does “Güerita” Mean?

“Güerita” is the diminutive of “güera.” And "güera" is the female counterpart of “güero.” In Spanish, the suffix “ita” is added to the end of adjectives to denote an affectionate, playful tone, especially when coupled with the possessive “mi” in front of it. In English, “mi güerita” would translate to something along the loving lines of, “my little white girl” or “my blondie.” Although it’s formally spelled with the the diaeresis over the “ü” to achieve a strong vowel sound , the slang word is more commonly spelled with the double dot punctuation. “Güerita” is from the Spanish word, “huero” which translates to “empty.” The expression, “huevo huero” means, “empty egg” and is in specific reference to women’s fertility and the loss of viable eggs for pregnancy. Due to this, the word “huero” grew synonymous with appearing sickly, and therefore, pale. Despite its upsetting medical roots, “güerita” is not intended to upset or offend. Being called a güerita is genuinely based on having a lack of melanin. Or, at least, less melanin than the person who is calling you a güerita.

Who It Applies To

“Güerita” can be used as an adjective for any woman with light skin and blonde hair. #*They may or may not possess other caucasian features, like blonde hair and light-colored eyes. It’s not exclusive to any racial or ethnic group and is used in many Spanish-speaking countries all over the world. In Mexican slang, where it originated, some people use it to to speak about blondes in particular. Others argue that it can be used to describe anyone with a fairer complexion than them, rendering the term totally subjective. In fact, in Mexican culture, which includes a ton of affectionate bullying, calling someone with a dark complexion a “güerita” could also be used to poke fun at them. “Güerita” is typically used as a neutral descriptor or an affectionate nickname, so don’t try to use it as an actual insult or you may sound very silly.

How to Use It

“Güerita” can be used in all sorts of fun and colorful ways. If you want to refer to a dear blonde friend, you could say: She’s the güerita, I’m the brunette– we make a great team!” If you wanted to tease your younger, fair skinned cousin before a beach day, you could say: “Make sure you get some SPF 2000 sunscreen, güerita!” If you wanted to lovingly refer to your light-skinned, green-eyed girlfriend, you could say, “You’re as pale as a ghost, but I’d let you haunt my dreams forever, güerita.” Spooky AND romantic? Well done, you!