This list covers 30 Mexican words that start with the letter E, running from “Elote” to “Estirar la pata.” You’ll find street food names, slang terms, and everyday expressions that Mexicans use in casual conversation, cooking, and daily life. Many of these words come up in markets, family kitchens, and informal chats among friends.

Mexican words are terms and expressions rooted in Mexican Spanish, often blending Spanish with Indigenous languages like Nahuatl. Many carry cultural weight beyond their literal meaning, like “elote,” which names both the corn on the cob and the street vendors who sell it. Others, like “estirar la pata,” show how humor and metaphor shape everyday speech.

Below you’ll find the table with the word, its English translation, part of speech, example usage, and description.

Word: the Mexican Spanish term itself, spelled the way you’d hear or read it in everyday conversation.

English Translation: a quick English equivalent so you can grasp the word’s meaning at a glance.

Part of Speech: the word’s grammatical role, such as noun, verb, or verbal phrase, to help you use it correctly.

Example Usage: a real sentence showing the word in context, so you can see how it fits into natural speech.

Description: a fuller explanation of what the word means, where it comes from, or how it’s used in daily life.

Mexican words

WordEnglish TranslationPart of SpeechExample Usage
EloteCorn on the cobNoun“Vamos a comprar un elote en la calle.”
EsquitesCorn kernels in a cupNoun“Pide unos esquites con mucho chile.”
EscuincleKid / bratNoun“El escuincle no deja de llorar.”
EseDude / guyNoun / Interjection“¿Qué onda, ese?”
EpazoteEpazote (herb)Noun“Le echa epazote a los frijoles.”
EnfrijoladasBean-sauce tortillasNoun“Desayunamos enfrijoladas con queso.”
EntomatadasTomato-sauce tortillasNoun“Mi abuela prepara entomatadas los domingos.”
EjoteGreen beanNoun“Agrega ejotes al caldo de pollo.”
Encabronar(se)To get furiousVerb“Se encabronó cuando perdió el partido.”
EstufasCool! / Alright!Interjection“¿Nos vemos a las cinco? ¡Estufas!”
EscamolesAnt larvae (delicacy)Noun“Los escamoles se sirven en tacos.”
Elotero(a)Corn vendorNoun“El elotero pasa gritando por la calle.”
EnchiladaEnchiladaNoun“Pedimos enchiladas verdes.”
EnchilarseTo get a burning mouth / to get upsetVerb“Me enchilé con la salsa roja.”
Encajoso(a)Nosy personNoun / Adjective“No seas encajoso y deja de preguntar.”
EmpeñarTo pawnVerb“Tuvo que empeñar su reloj.”
EspantapájarosScarecrowNoun“Pusieron un espantapájaros en la milpa.”
Envidioso(a)Envious personNoun / Adjective“No seas envidioso de sus logros.”
Echar la huevaTo be lazyVerbal phrase“El domingo solo quiero echar la hueva.”
EspinazoBackbone / spineNoun“El caldo de espinazo lleva verduras.”
Encuerar(se)To strip / get nakedVerb“El niño se encueró para meterse a la alberca.”
EscamochaMixed leftovers / candy scrapsNoun“Compró una bolsa de escamocha en el mercado.”
Empalagoso(a)Overly sweet / cloyingAdjective“El pastel estaba muy empalagoso.”
Enojón(a)Grumpy personNoun / Adjective“Mi tío es bien enojón por las mañanas.”
EspantoFright / scareNoun“Se llevó un buen espanto con el ruido.”
EscupitajoGob of spitNoun“Dejó un escupitajo en la banqueta.”
EscuadraHandgun (slang)Noun“Dicen que traía una escuadra fajada.”
Estar al tiroTo be sharp / on the ballVerbal phrase“Hay que estar al tiro con los exámenes.”
Escamado(a)Suspicious / waryAdjective“Quedé escamado después de esa llamada.”
Estirar la pataTo kick the bucketVerbal phrase“El pobre perico estiró la pata anoche.”

Descriptions

Elote
A boiled or grilled ear of corn sold by street vendors in Mexico, often topped with mayonnaise, cheese, chili powder, and lime.
Esquites
A popular Mexican street snack of corn kernels served in a cup with lime, chili, mayonnaise, and cheese.
Escuincle
A colloquial, slightly cheeky word for a small child, borrowed from the Nahuatl word for a hairless dog breed.
Ese
Casual slang used mostly by men to address a friend or refer to an unnamed guy, similar to “dude” in English.
Epazote
A pungent Mexican herb used to season beans, soups, and quesadillas, prized for its distinctive earthy flavor.
Enfrijoladas
A traditional dish of tortillas dipped in a smooth bean sauce and topped with cheese, onion, and sometimes avocado.
Entomatadas
Similar to enchiladas, but the tortillas are bathed in a tomato-based sauce instead of chili sauce.
Ejote
The Mexican Spanish name for a green bean, commonly used in soups, stews, and side dishes.
Encabronar(se)
A rough-edged, widely used slang verb meaning to become extremely angry or annoyed.
Estufas
A lighthearted slang exclamation used to agree with a plan or show approval, similar to saying “cool” or “sounds good.”
Escamoles
The edible larvae of certain desert ants, considered a delicacy in central Mexico and often called “insect caviar.”
Elotero(a)
A street vendor who sells elote and esquites, usually from a cart, and is a familiar sight in Mexican neighborhoods.
Enchilada
A rolled corn tortilla filled with meat or cheese and covered in a chili-based sauce, one of Mexico’s best-known dishes.
Enchilarse
Literally means to feel the burning heat of chili in your mouth, but it’s also used figuratively to mean getting upset.
Encajoso(a)
A colloquial term for someone who meddles or pries into other people’s business.
Empeñar
To leave a valuable item at a pawnshop (“casa de empeño”) as collateral for a loan.
Espantapájaros
A human-shaped figure placed in fields to frighten birds away from crops.
Envidioso(a)
Someone who feels resentment or jealousy toward what other people have or achieve.
Echar la hueva
A relaxed slang expression for doing nothing and lounging around instead of being productive.
Espinazo
The spine of an animal, most often pork, used to make a hearty, traditional Mexican soup.
Encuerar(se)
An informal verb meaning to take off one’s clothes, often used casually or humorously.
Escamocha
A cheap mix of broken or leftover candies, or a fruit dessert made from mixed chopped fruit, sold at markets and fairs.
Empalagoso(a)
Describes food that is so sweet or rich that it becomes unpleasant, or a person who is overly saccharine or clingy.
Enojón(a)
Someone who gets angry or irritated easily, often used affectionately to tease a grumpy family member.
Espanto
A sudden fright or scare; in Mexican folk belief, “espanto” can also refer to a sickness caused by a traumatic scare.
Escupitajo
An informal, blunt word for a glob of spit on the ground, often used in casual or crude speech.
Escuadra
Beyond its literal meaning of a carpenter’s square or sports team, “escuadra” is Mexican slang for a semi-automatic pistol.
Estar al tiro
A slang expression meaning to be alert, ready, and paying close attention to what’s happening.
Escamado(a)
Describes someone who has become distrustful or on guard after a bad experience or suspicious situation.
Estirar la pata
A humorous, informal way of saying that someone (or something) has died, equivalent to the English “kick the bucket.”
If you think there is a missing term, let us know using the contact form.