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100 Mexican Jokes and Puns That Will Leave Your Friends Rolling With Laughter

Last Updated on August 9, 2024

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Mexico is known for its cultural diversity, amazing cuisine, and a bustling entertainment scene. The country also teems with ancient ruins, idyllic landscapes, and enchanted beaches. No wonder it frequently features among the world’s preeminent tourist destinations.

Mexicans have also treated the world to some of the most hilarious jokes and puns. If you’re looking for a random Mexican joke to share with your family or friends, you’ve come to the right place.

Whether you prefer funny one-liners, dark humor, deplorable dad jokes, food-themed puns, or anything in between, you’ll find it in this collection. We’ve sorted the list to help you hone in on a joke that aptly fits the theme of your occasion.

Read below for the most hilarious Mexican and Mexico-inspired jokes to line up for your next social gathering.

Funny Mexican Jokes

1. A Mexican thinks his wife has an affair but she says he is the only Juan.

2. Did you hear about the Mexican train killer? He had loco motives.

3. Did you know that Mexican gigolos sometimes have specials? Two for the price of Juan.

4. How come there aren’t any Mexicans on Star Trek? They don’t work in the future , either.

5. How do Mexicans drink soda? In MexiCANS.

6. How do Mexicans pay taxes? With a piñatax.

7. How do you call a Mexican ant? Immigr-ant.

8. How do you call a Mexican spy? Agent GarCIA.

9. How do you call a relaxed Mexican? MexiCALM.

10. How do you call a spider piñata? Piñatarantula.

11. How do you pay in Mexican stores? In MexiCASH.

12. How do you teach a Mexican to swim? Put a fence in front of the pool.

13. How is a Mexican slut called? María Hoesé.

14. How many Mexicans does it take to screw in a light bulb? Juan.

15. I visited my Mexican friend but when I knocked on the door it seemed there was no Juan there.

16. I went to the game last night and saw a Mexican wave. So, I waved back at him.

17. I’m decided to visit Mexico before I die. I’ll go Juan way or another.

18. In what part of Mexico do kangaroos live? Cancunroo.

19. Mexican and Black jokes are pretty much the same. Once you heard Juan you’ve heard Jamal.

20. Reading in Mexico is hard because they don’t have any books nor instructions, just Manuels.

21. They are looking for a Mexican actor. The post says “AnyJuan interested come to the audition this Monday.”

22. Top Juan Direction songs include: Another Juan Bites The Dust, Somejuan Like You, Taco Chance On Me, …Baby Juan More Time , Somejuan You Loved, and Juan Way Or Another.

23. What did the Mexican firefighter call his sons? Hose A and Hose B.

24. What do Mexican marines say to their superiors? Sea señor.

25. What do you call a Mexican that can’t do anything? A Mexican’t.

26. What do you call a Mexican who lost his car? Carlos.

27. What do you call a Mexican with a rubber toe? Roberto.

28. What do you call two Mexicans playing basketball against one another? Juan on Juan.

29. What is the best transportation in Mexico? In MexiCAR.

30. What is the best way to pay in Mexico? With a Juan-time payment.

31. What kind of cans are there in Mexico? Mexicans.

32. What’s a Mexican’s favorite sport? Cross country.

33. Who is the richest man in Mexico? Jeff Pesos.

34. Why are Mexicans so short? They all live in basement apartments.

35. Why did the Mexican sign up for Tinder? For a Juan night stand.

36. Why did the Mexican take a Xanax? For Hispanic attacks.

37. Why do Mexicans never cross the border in groups of three? Because there is no tres-passing.

38. Why do Mexicans re-fry their beans? Have you seen a Mexican do anything right the first time?

Mean Mexican Jokes

1. At what sport are Mexicans best? Border crossing.

2. Did you hear about that one Mexican that went to college? Yeah.. me neither.

3. How do you find a Mexican in a crowd? Scream “the police is coming.”

4. How do you stop a Mexican from robbing your house? Put up a ‘help wanted’ sign.

5. How do you stop a Mexican tank? Shoot the guy pushing it.

6. How does every Mexican joke start? By looking over your shoulder.

7. How many Mexicans does it take to change a tire? It depends on how many need to get out of the trunk first.

8. Two Mexicans are in a car, who is driving? A cop.

9. What do Mexicans and vending machines have in common? They both take your money and don’t work.

10. What do Mexicans think of Trumps new wall? They’ll get over it.

11. What do you call a Mexican driving a BMW? Grand Theft Auto.

12. What do you call a Mexican in a two-story house? Adopted.

13. What do you call a Mexican in the knockout stages of the World Cup? A Referee.

14. What do you call a Mexican without a lawn mower? Unemployed.

15. What do you do when a Mexican is riding a bike? Chase after him, it’s probably yours.

16. What do you do when you see a Mexican running ? Run after him and think what he could have stolen.

17. What do you get when you cross a Chinese and a Mexican man? A car thief who can’t drive!

18. What is a Mexican doing with an iPhone? Running from the cops

19. What is the difference between a Mexican and an elevator? One can raise families.

20. What is the difference between a Mexican product and an American product? One is made by a Mexican while the other by a Mexican immigrant.

21. What’s the difference between a smart Mexican and a unicorn? Nothing, they’re both fictional characters.

22. What’s the difference between pick and choose? Pick means to select something and choose is what a Mexican wears on his feet.

23. Why are Mexicans and basketball players a like? They both run jump, shoot, and steal.

24. Why are Mexicans good in obstacle racing? They are used to run while jumping fences.

25. Why couldn’t the Mexican actor get a role in the movie? The drug dealer was already taken.

26. Why did God give Mexicans noses? So they’ll have something to pick in the winter.

27. Why did the Mexican run and hide? He probably saw the border patrol.

28. Why do Mexican kids walk around school like they own the place? Because their dads built it and their mom clean it.

29. Why don’t Mexicans pass geography? They don’t know where to draw the border between Mexico and USA.

30. Why wasn’t Jesus born in Mexico? He couldn’t find 3 wise men or a virgin.

31. You know you are Mexican when you share the same social security number with all your amigos.

32. You know you’re a Mexican when you’re mowing your own grass, then a car stops to ask you how much you charge.

Food-inspired Mexican Jokes

1. Did you hear about the Mexican astronaut? He went to spice in a MASA rocket.

2. Did you hear about the new Mexican restaurant? It’s the taco the town!

3. Did you hear about the tortilla rebellion? It was a hostile taco-ver.

4. Have a spec-taco-ular day!

5. Hey baby, taco walk on the wild side!

6. Let’s give ’em something to taco bout.

7. Let’s taco bout snacks, baby!

8. Live like every day is Taco Tuesday!

9. My favorite princess is Taco Belle!

10. Seven whole days without tacos makes one weak.

11. Taco chance on me!

12. Taco jokes can be so corny that they get a bad wrap.

13. Tacos have fillings, too!

14. This Mexican threw his wife off a cliff. When the police asked him why he did it, he replied… “Tequila! Tequila!”

15. Trying to decide what to order? There are so many delicious tacos to choose from. Taco your time.

16. We’re going to get Mexican food, whether you want to or not. Are you going taco-ooperate?

17. What do you call a Mexican drowning in mayonnaise? Sinko De Mayo.

18. What do you call a semi-aquatic reptile that loves Mexican food? A tacodile.

19. What do you say to a nosey Mexican? That’s Nacho business.

20. What is a burrito image with bad resolution? A blurrito.

21. What is a taco’s favorite musical genre? Wrap music, of course!

22. What is the Mexicans favorite 90s band? Red hot chili peppers.

23. What’s the difference between a French and a Mexican? French say Oh lá lá, Mexicans say just Hola.

24. What’s a Mexicans favorite subject? Math , because all they know how to do is multiply.

25. Why are tortillas such bad conversationalists? They always tacover you!

26. Why did the Mexican install a mousetrap? Tequila mouse.

27. Why did the Mexican keep a wheel of cheddar in his truck? In Queso emergencies.

28. Why do Mexicans make inch-iladas? Because they are too short to make anything bigger.

29. Why does no one know Taco Bell’s secret recipe? Because they keep it under wraps!

30. Why shouldn’t you trust tacos? Because they always spill the beans!

Remember…..

Even the funniest joke is bound to fall flat if it’s not matched with the right occasion and target audience. Therefore, only choose a joke from the above collection based on the nature of your upcoming event.

Also, note that the gist of any joke doesn’t only consist in the wordings. It also depends on how you tell ‘em.

Posted by: Nikola Nikolovski

Nikola is a Wordpress expert who makes sure everything runs smoothly on our website. Wordpress optimization and on-site SEO are both his bread and butter.

Funny Mexican Jokes And Puns

Mexican jokes, or jokes about any race, that perpetuate negative racial stereotypes and racial hatred aren’t funny in our opinion. That said, we’re all different and those differences should be celebrated. And it doesn’t mean we can’t find humor in those differences, or that it’s wrong to laugh at truly funny Mexican jokes, for example, as long as they’re not offensive.

Funny Mexican Jokes & Puns

“Well,” the maid explained, “I go to the library to clean it and your husband say, ‘You are in the way’. I go to the living room to clean and your son say ,’You are in my way’. So I’m in the family way and I quit.”

Fortunately, the Chief tells them that they are allowed to choose their own fruit to be shoved up them.

To the Chief’s surprise they both burst out laughing and so he cuts their heads off.

The Americans reply, “Just as he shoved the fruit up our butts we heard the Mexican pick a watermelon.”

Cuatro Cinco.

They’ll get over it.

These three men are traveling through the Amazon – a German, an American, and a Mexican, and they get captured by a tribe who tell them that they are going to be whipped on the back.

The chief of the tribe says to the German, “What do you want on your back for your whipping?”

So the tribe put oil on his back, and a large member of the tribe whips him ten times.

The Mexican bravely says, “I will take nothing!” and he stands there straight and takes his whipping without flinching.

Finally, the tribe ask the American, “And what will you take on your back?”

So one of the men ties the cord to himself, jumps off, and comes back up with scratches on his face.

The other guy that jumped replies, “It was. By the way, what the hell is a pinata?”

Because they take all the green cards.

“Quiero calcetines,” said the man.

“I still don’t know what you’re trying to say. We have some fine pants on this rack,” offered the salesgirl.

“These sweaters are top quality,” the salesgirl probed.

“Our undershirts are over here,” fumbled the salesgirl, beginning to lose patience.

As they passed the underwear counter, the man spotted a display of socks and happily grabbed a pair. Holding them up he proclaimed, “Eso sí que es!”

A young Mexican man named Jose was curious about America so he sneaked across the border one day.

He wanted to go see a baseball game so when he went home, he could tell his family all about it.

When he got to the game, it was sold out, so he decided to climb to the top of a flag pole to get a better look.

When he returned home, his family was anxious to hear about his experience. “What happened?” they asked him.

What do you call a short Mexican?

Best Mexican Puns & Jokes

If you enjoyed our collection of funny Mexican jokes and puns, why not check out the rest of LaffGaff where we have loads more really funny jokes and puns, including these:

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150+ funniest Mexican jokes that will make you burst into tears

Any thoughts of Mexico come with nachos, tacos, and the Spanish language rather than humour. However, Mexican culture is deeply rooted in laughter and familial bonds, where spending time together involves sharing laughter and jokes. This is partly why Mexican jokes have become part of what most entertainment lovers want to read.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Laughter is a universal language, and Mexican humor is rich with wit, charm, and clever wordplay that often leaves everyone in stitches. Many Mexican jokes and memes are found online in today's digital age. Some of these playfully mock their own culture and the associated clichés.

Top 150+ funniest Mexican jokes

Mexican jokes are funny and a great way to bond with friends and family. No one says no to laughter. Whether you prefer dark Mexican or dad jokes or even amusing jokes , there is always something to make you and your friends laugh.

100+ super funny dry humour jokes that will make you laugh out loud

These jokes are perfect for older kids or those more fluent in Spanish. Feel free to check them out and enjoy some great wisecracks! They make some of the best Mexican jokes you can read.

• Why did the Mexicans take Xanax? Hispanic Attacks.
• Why do some people hate Mexican jokes? They always cross the line.
• Why do Mexicans have tamales for Christmas? So they'll have something to unwrap.
• What did the Mexican fireman name his two kids? Jose and Hose-B.
• What do you call a Mexican guy whose car got stolen? Carlos.
• What do you call a Mexican with a rubber toe? Roberto.
• What do you call a fight between a Mexican and a white man with no girlfriend? Cholo vs Solo.
• Who runs the Mexican Amazon? Jeff Pesos.
• Why don't Mexicans barbecue? The beans fall through the grill.
• How many Mexicans does it take to run a computer? Dos
• What are Mexican proteins made of? Amigo-acids.
• What is a Mexican favourite bookstore? Borders.
• Why does nobody play Uno with Mexicans? They always steal the green cards.
• What do you call a Mexican bodybuilder who runs out of protein? No Whey José.
• Do you know about the phrase "Jesus loves you"? A wonderful thing to hear in church but a terrible thing to hear in a Mexican prison.
• What do you call 4 Mexicans in quicksand? Quatro Cinco.
• Has anyone ever had Mexican white wine? It's a Pinot.
• How do you know when Asians are moving into the neighbourhood? When the Mexicans start buying car insurance.
• Why did the Mexican soccer team bring string to the game? Because they wanted to tie the score!
• What do you call a Mexican who lost his car? Carlos!

65+ funny shark jokes and puns to make you fintertained

The simplicity and straightforwardness of the Spanish language make them ideal for wordplay and puns. If you're looking to learn some humour from different cultures, you should check out Mexican jokes from Spanish. They are both funny and a great way to practice the language.

• How do Mexicans slice their pizza? With little caesars.
• A Mexican magician has been killing it with his audience all night. For the finale, he tells the spectators that he will vanish on the count of three. "Uno, dos…" he says. Tueh… He disappears without a tres.
• Why don't Mexicans cross the river in groups of 4? Cuatro sink-o.
• How does every Mexican joke start? By looking over your shoulder.
• What do you call a Mexican hitchhiker? EL Paso
• A Mexican actor died while performing stunts for a movie. During the funeral, his mother walks toward the director and says, "Jesus died for your scenes."
• Why didn't the Mexican archer fire his bow? He didn't habanero.
• What does Arigato mean? A Mexican cat named Ari.
• How does a dyslexic Mexican say hello? "Aloha!"
• Why does Sherlock Holmes love Mexican restaurants? They give him good case ideas.
• What book do Mexican students read in English class? Tequila mockingbird.
• How do you get a Mexican uncle's attention? Tap-a-tio on the shoulder.
• What do you call a 70-year-old Mexican? A señor citizen.
• What do you call electrified Mexican food? Shockamole.
• A fish without eyes is commonly known as the Mexican blind cavefish.
• What do Mexicans wear to keep warm in winter? A fleece Navidad.
• What do you call a Mexican without a car? Joaquin.
• What's the most dangerous type of coffee? An ex-presso!
• Why did the burrito break up with the taco? It found someone more "a-mole"!
• What do you get when you cross a Mexican and a superhero? A "nacho" average hero!

12 Mexican urban legends and myths that are more interesting than most movies

Navigating small talk and humour in a foreign language can be challenging, but with a handful of these funniest Mexican jokes, you will sound like a native, impress others, and have a good laugh. Here is a list with hilarious jokes you can tell your dad.

• Have you ever heard about the Mexican train killer? He had locomotives.
• Why did the Mexican Army only bring 5000 soldiers to the Alamo? They only had two vans.
• What is the only reason U.S. presidents watch the Olympics or World Championships? So they can determine how high Mexican pole vaulters can jump.
• Why do some people say, "Taco Bell isn't real Mexican"? It gets the job done for less than half the cost. That's about as Mexican as it gets.
• What do you call a Mexican midget? A paragraph because it isn't a full essay.
• What did one Mexican robber say to the other when they reached the "No Trespassing" sign? "It's ok because there are only two of us."
• What's the difference between E.T. and a Mexican? E.T. learned English and wanted to go home.
• How do you keep a Mexican from stealing? Put everything on the top shelf.
• Why did the Mexican family have 20 people in their car? Because they needed to leave room for groceries.
• What do you call a Mexican space chicken? Apollo.
• What do you call a Mexican who transitions? Señor Rita.
• What do Mexicans eat when it's cold out? Brrrritos.
• What do you call an undead Mexican? A Zombré.
• What do you call a Mexican-ant? Immigr-ant.
• Did you hear about that one Mexican that went to college? Yeah...me neither.
• How do you stop a Mexican tank? Shoot the guy pushing it.
• Why did the avocado go to the gym? To get a little guac-ward!
• Why are Mexicans so short? They all live in basement apartments.
• Why do Mexicans re-fry their beans? They don't do anything right the first time.
• What is the best transportation in Mexico? In MexiCAR.

60 Hilarious nerd jokes, puns and roasts to sweeten the byte

Mexicans are fun-loving and humorous people . Sharing some of the good, dirty Mexican jokes they laugh at with friends and loved ones can add beauty to their day. With these Mexican word-of-the-day jokes , you cannot go wrong.

• How come there aren't any Mexicans on Star Trek? They don't work in the future, either.
• What do you call a Mexican in a two-story house? Adopted.
• Mexicans are in a car; who is driving? A cop.
• Two Mexicans are talking while waiting for the bus. The bus arrives, so one says to the other, "We should TACOn the bus."
• What does a Mexican say to his lover while watching Netflix? Let's Netflix and Chilli.
• How do you call a spider piñata? Piñatarantula.
• What is a burrito image with a bad resolution? A blurrito.
• Why did the Mexicans install a mousetrap? Tequila mouse.
• What Greek God exists in Mexican culture? ChilAquiles
• Why is Mexican ice cream spicy? Because it was chilli in the freezer.
• What did the Mexican doctor tell his patient? Be ready for a different Día de los Muertos this year.
• How do Mexicans pay taxes? With a piñatax.
• How do you call a Mexican spy? Agent GarCIA.
• How do Mexican scientists measure matter? In moles.
• What's a Mexican's favorite dance move? The guac and roll!
• Why can't you trust a taco chef? Because they will spill the beans.
• What is the name of the Spiderman character inspired in Mexico: Mary Jane.
• Why do Mexicans put a Justin Bieber photo in their quesadilla? Just-in queso.
• What do Mexican marines say to their superiors? Sea señor.
• What saying does a French and Mexican man have in common? French say Oh lá lá, Mexicans say just Hola.

80 taco jokes, quotes and puns to get a little extra salsa

Dad jokes have a distinct charm that sets them apart; they often revolve around puns and wordplay that some people find endearing, while others may consider them cringe-worthy. Check out these Mexican jokes to tell your dad.

• Why don't birds use Facebook? Because they already have Twitter.
• How does it feel to have such a handsome son? I don't know, son; ask your grandpa.
• What does one jaguar say to another? Jaguar you?
• Dad, can I watch T.V.? Ok, but don't turn it on.
• Dad, at school, they said I'm an orphan. And who are you again?
• What do you say to a nosey Mexican? That's Nacho's business.
• What does brigada mean? A woman wearing very warm clothes.
• How do Mexicans laugh? Hahahalapeños.
• What was there before the Big Bang? How I Met Your Mother.
• After all these years, you keep calling Mom "princess." Tell me, what's the secret? I forgot her name, and I'm scared to ask her.
• What are you doing in front of the computer with your eyes closed? Nothing, daughter, it's just that the computer told me to close all my tabs.
• How do you know when a Mexican is being nosey? When he starts getting jalapeño business.
• What would you call Cyborg if he was Mexican? Cyborge.
• What does a dyslexic Mexican smoke? Tabasco.
• Why are Mexicans the most demanding crew in school? They never turn in their essays.
• What does a bee do at the gym? Zum-ba!
• Why don't Mexicans like playing cards in the jungle? Because there are too many cheetahs!
• What did one worm say to the other worm? I'm going to take a spin around the apple.
• What did one spoon say to the other? Don't stir up trouble in my soup.
• Why don't skeletons fight each other? Because they don't have the guts.

80+ funny firefighter jokes, puns and sayings to ignite your day

Juan is the quintessential character who embodies the playful spirit and humour of Mexican culture. Jokes featuring Juan are funny and amusing. Here is a collection of hilarious jokes featuring Juan.

• What do you call a Mexican anime about pirates? Juan piece.
• What's a Mexican favourite type of joke? Juan liners
• How many Mexicans does it take to change a light bulb? Just Juan.
• What is the best way to pay in Mexico? With a Juan-time payment.
• A Mexican Jedi is also known as "padijuan."
• Name three Mexican bands: Juan Direction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and twenty Juan pilots.
• What do you call 2 Mexicans playing basketball? Juan on Juan.
• Why did Juan bring a ladder to the bar? Because he heard the drinks were on the house!
• What did Juan say when he finished building his house? "Juan, and done!"
• Why does Juan always carry a pencil? In case he needs to draw attention to himself.
• How does Juan stay cool in the summer? He stands next to his fans!
• Why did Juan get a job at the bakery? Because he knew the dough would rise!
• What's Juan's favourite type of music? Juan Direction!
• Why did Juan start gardening? He wanted to grow Juan ton of vegetables!
• What did Juan say when he saw a spaceship? "Take me to your Juan-derful leader!"
• Why did Juan bring a guitar to the campfire? To play some Juan-derwall.
• What's Juan's favorite number? Juan, of course!
• Why does Juan never get lost? Because he always takes it, Juan, step at a time!
• Why did Juan take a ruler to bed? To see how long he could sleep!
• What did Juan say when he won the race? "I guess I'm number, Juan!"

70 hilarious nurse jokes, puns, and one-liners to get better faster

Jokes about the border often reflect the light-hearted side of crossing into new territories, poking fun at the quirks and challenges that come with it. Here is a collection of amusing jokes that highlight the funny aspects of life at the border.

• Why did the tortilla cross the border? To find its "flour"-ishing future!
• What do you call a burrito that made it across the border? A wrap star!
• Why did the salsa cross the border? It wanted to spice up its life!
• Why do avocados always cross the border? They're trying to find guacamole!
• What did the piñata say when it crossed the border? "I'm ready to party!"
• Why did the cactus refuse to cross the border? It didn't want to get stuck in a prickly situation!
• What do you call a taco that crossed the border? A well-traveled snack!
• Why did the tamale cross the border? To unwrap a new adventure!
• How do Mexicans know they've crossed the border? When they stop hearing "taco" and start hearing "burrito!"
• What's the fastest way to cross the border? In a food truck loaded with tacos!
• Why do Mexicans always cross the border in twos? Because the sign says No Tres passing.
• Why don't Mexicans cross the Rio Grande in groups of four? Because cuatro cinco.
• Why did the pepper cross the border? To get to the salsa side!
• How do you know you've crossed the border? When you start hearing mariachi music on the other side!
• What did the taco say to the burrito at the border? "You're not getting through without a little salsa!"
• Why did the chicken cross the border? To prove it wasn't a chicken!
• What do you call a border patrol agent who loves Mexican food? A taco inspector!
• Why did the corn get arrested at the border? It was caught trying to sneak in some "kernels" of truth!
• Why do border crossings take so long? Because everyone is waiting for their nacho orders!
• Why did the guacamole get sent back at the border? Because it was too extra!
• What did one side of the border say to the other? "Let's taco 'bout our differences!"
• Why are border jokes so popular? Because they always bring people together for a good laugh!

Viral video of white man doing traditional dance has Mzansi busting joke: "Jesus is South African"

When it comes to humour, nothing beats a good one-liner that captures the essence of a culture with wit and charm. Mexican humour is rich with puns, playful references, and a sprinkle of spice that makes it perfect for adults looking to share a laugh. Below are some of the best one-liner Mexican jokes that celebrate the fun.

• I once dated a Mexican girl who loved tortillas. It was a wrap from the start!
• Why don't Mexicans play hide and seek? Because good luck hiding when the tequila kicks in!
• Mexican restaurants are like therapy for me. It's where I go to taco 'bout my problems.
• My Mexican friend asked if I could help him move. I said, "Sure, let's taco 'bout it."
• What's a Mexican's favourite type of party? A fiesta, because they can't resist a good "nacho" situation!
• Tried to open a Mexican bakery. But it didn't rise to the occasion.
• My Mexican friend only tells spicy jokes. Guess he's a bit of a hot tamale.
• A Mexican magician said he would disappear on the count of three. He said, "Uno, dos..." and then disappeared without a tres!
• Why don't Mexicans argue? They'd rather salsa than fight!
• I tried cooking Mexican food last night. But it was nacho best work!
• I told my Mexican friend I was afraid of running out of tacos. He said, "Don't worry; you can always taco 'bout it!"
• My friend asked why I never go to Mexican restaurants anymore. I said, "Because every time I do, I end up in a nacho situation!"
• I went to a Mexican restaurant and asked for something spicy. The waiter brought me my bill!
• Why did the tortilla get kicked out of the party? It was too wrapped up in its own drama!
• What did the margarita say to the tequila? You complete me!
• I told my dad I wanted to learn Spanish. He said, "Just taco slowly!"
• I once saw a taco running for office. It was a true "spice" of life!
• Why do Mexicans make the best comedians? Because they know how to deliver the punchline with a little salsa!
• I asked my Mexican neighbour for a loan. He said, "Only if you can prove you can pay me back with interest... in tacos!"
• When life gives you lemons, make margaritas! Just remember to add salt for the real flavour!

50+ hilarious Cowboy jokes that will make your day: quotes, sayings, captions

Mexican friends often greet each other with a warm embrace. A common greeting is "¡Hola, amigo!" or simply "¡Qué tal!" which translates to "Hey, friend!" or "How's it going?" These gestures reflect the warmth and closeness of their friendships.

Mexicans often find joy in family gatherings, celebrating cultural traditions, and sharing delicious food, especially during festive occasions like birthdays or holidays . Music and dance, such as mariachi and salsa, also bring happiness, creating vibrant atmospheres.

The slang term often used for Mexican Americans is "Chicano" for males and "Chicana" for females. This term reflects a cultural identity that emphasizes pride in Mexican heritage and American nationality.

To greet a Mexican girl, you can say "¡Hola!" (Hello) with a friendly smile. A light handshake or a cheek kiss on the right side is common among acquaintances and friends. Adding a compliment, like "¡Qué bonita eres!" (You are so beautiful!), can also make the greeting warmer and more personal!

100+ best prison jokes to send to someone in jail for a good laugh

Mexican jokes will help you light up the room with your loved ones and give you reasons to laugh. That is why browsing a list of them and sharing them with others is a wise step. Choose the ones that crack you up the most and have fun.

Briefly.co.za recently published super funny dry humour jokes that will make you laugh out loud. The best dry humour jokes are known for their subtlety, understatement, and unique ability to provoke laughter through clever wit and irony.

From witty one-liners to deadpan observations, dry humour navigates the fine line between amusement and restraint. Embracing the power of implication, these jokes often leave audiences pondering before erupting into laughter. This article delves into the art of dry humour, exploring its nuances and the timeless appeal of humour that does not need to shout to be heard.

Source: Briefly News

Favour Adeaga (Lifestyle writer) Dr. Favour Adeaga is an author, speaker, and coach. He graduated with a degree in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria. He did his internship at The Nation Newspaper and taught diploma students in Newspaper and Magazine courses at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He has curated the facts and life hacks category since 2018. Dr Favour is the author of several books available on Amazon. He currently lives in Nigeria. Email: [email protected]

Jackline Wangare (Lifestyle writer) Jackline Simwa is a content writer at Briefly.co.za, where she has worked since mid-2021. She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University. She has more than five years in writing. Jackline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (2019) and a Diploma in Marketing (2015) from Kenyatta University. In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024. Email: [email protected].

130 Funniest Mexican Jokes & Memes [All-Time Leaderboard]

There’s a saying in the comedy world: either everything can be funny, or nothing can be funny. We hope this collection of the world’s best Mexican jokes falls in line with the “everything can be funny” angle. We kept them short, kept them sweet, and kept them spicy!

“It’s ok to laugh at each other sometimes, as long as after all the ignorant jokes, we actually respect each other.”

And please, we mean these in good fun. The next group we joke about might be yours!

1. To Warm Up, A Few Funny Mexican Memes

Before looking at our funniest Mexican jokes leaderboard, we wanted to show you a few exclusive memes that we think you will love:

The Juan jokes are some of the next Mexican jokes. We have a few hilarious ones on this page. For example:

We all know who the richest man is in the US, but who is the richest Mexican?

View the rest of our Mexican memes: World’s 41 Funniest Mexican Memes or keep reading to view our best all-time Mexican jokes!

2. The Funniest Mexican Jokes (All-Time Leaderboard)

3. Other Funny Mexican Memes

Jokes are good, but we have put together for you a ton of memes. Let’s start with a couple of “Juan” jokes because we never get tired of these for some reason:

Of course, immigration is going to be a topic for a lot of good memes:

What borders on stupidity? Mexico and Canada… 🙂

We love Mexicans because they are so hard-working. But of course, you will still find a few good job-related Mexican jokes – in good fun.

We are really thankful to Jesus.

Mexican food is the best. Let’s TACO-bout it:

Click here to view our World’s 41 Funniest Mexican Memes or keep scrolling for more Mexican jokes and funny comedian videos with Mexican jokes.

Joke: A man sees a Mexican book store and decides to go inside because he’s never been to a Mexican book store before. He asks the owner “Do you have the Trump book on his foreign policies with Mexico?” The owner responds “F*ck off – you get out and you stay out”. The man responds “Yes!, that’s the one!”.

4. The Funniest Mexican Jokes VIDEOS 😂😂😂

If you enjoyed our leaderboard of Mexican jokes, you will enjoy this video selection even more.

I Love Mexicans! Loco Comedy Jam.

We also recommend this quick comedy video – “I love Mexicans!”:

Diego gets mugged

Diego gets mugged by a prejudiced thief. but Diego is just as prejudiced:

Mexican Jokes by Juan (Video)

Our own Juan is going to run you through rapid-fire Mexican jokes from his beach in Cancun. Watch this 2-minute video featuring some of the best Mexican jokes:

Comedy Time: That Mexican Look

Asian-American John Wynn, jokes about himself: “You know you have to get into a diet when you eat yourself into a new ethnicity. That is not good. I either look like a fat Asian guy. or a regular Mexican.”

The Mexican R*cist Gift Basket (Gabriel Iglesias)

Gabriel Iglesias shares his experience in Mobile, Alabama, where someone in his audience gave him… a gift basket.

5. Best Mexican Jokes Shared on Social Media

Below is a selection of the best memes and jokes shared on social media:

In English: “My mom is so fake, bro, because my dad was calling and she said “oh what the f*ck”, and then she answered: “what’s going on my love?”

Let’s End in Style with More Mexican Jokes

6. Jokes about the Mexican Wall

Joke: Over the past few years, since Trump first talked about building the wall between Mexico and the United States, there has been an increase in depression among Mexicans. Mexican psychotherapists have reported that many Mexicans will never get over it.

Trump’s wall will cost $21 billion. NASA, the US space exploration agency, only has a budget of $19 billion. But this makes sense: Mexico has more aliens.

When Trump Visited Mexico…

Mexican actress Ana Brenda recommended that Mexican president blocks Trump at the border (“Come on, Mr. President (Mexican), make the migration joke and do not let him enter, and you will be a national hero”).

Venga señor presidente, hágale la bromita en migración de que no entra a México y será héroe nacional 😂 #TrumpEnMexico — Ana Brenda (@anabreco) August 31, 2016

7. Jokes About Mexican Cartels

A Mexican cartel decides to send a blonde woman to Colombia to get a pack of coke. She comes back with Pepsi.

Keep Laughing:

Ready for more Mexican humor? Discover the “Mexican Words of The Day” Memes.

‘The “Mexican Word of the Day” meme is a humor-based meme format that plays on words to create puns. The memes present a regular everyday English word, and humorously reinterprets it in the context of a stereotypical Spanish-speaking scenario. View our Top 40 “Mexican Word of the Day” memes .

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Get our free email course, Shortcut to Conversational.

Have conversations faster, understand people when they speak fast, and other tested tips to learn faster.

Learning a new language can sometimes be challenging, but injecting a bit of humor into the process can make it both enjoyable and memorable. Besides, being able to share a few Spanish jokes can take your language skills to another level, turning you into a conversational maestro and adept icebreaker.

With this in mind, we bring you our top 16 funny Spanish jokes to make you laugh out loud in Spanish ! We provide explanations for each one, so you’ll know exactly what you’re talking about with each joke.

Jokes in Spanish come in many forms, including puns, comparisons, and riddles. That being said, there are a number of Spanish joke patterns that are very popular across the Hispanic world such as wordplays , Jaimito jokes , and colmos . We’ll break down our Spanish jokes into these three broad categories.

Let the show begin!

Jaimito or Pepito jokes

Jaimito  is a character commonly used in Spanish humor. The same character is known as Pepito  in some countries like Mexico and Cuba, so Pepito is quite common in many Mexican jokes in Spanish.

Jaimito  is often portrayed as a mischievous schoolboy who comes up with witty and sometimes cheeky responses to his teachers and classmates. In English-speaking cultures, an equivalent mischievous character could be called Little Johnny .

La tarea – Homework

• Jaimito: Profesora, ¿usted regañaría a un niño que no ha hecho nada?
• Profesora: Claro que no, Jaimito.
• Jaimito: ¡Qué bueno! Porque no hice la tarea.
• Jaimito: Teacher, would you scold a kid who hasn’t done anything?
• Teacher: Of course not, Jaimito.
• Jaimito: Good! Because I didn’t do my homework.

Clever Jaimito always has a cheeky comeback for his teachers!

Los elefantes – The elephants

• Profesora: Jaimito, dime cinco animales de origen africano.
• Jaimito: Cinco elefantes, profesora.
• Profesora: Jaimito, name five animals of African origin.
• Jaimito: Five elephants, teacher.

Sneaky Jaimito always gets away with it!

Los ahorros – Savings

• Pepito: Jaimito, ¿cuánto dinero tienes ahorrado?
• Jaimito: Ceromil cerocientos cero cero.
• Pepito: How much money have you saved?
• Jaimito: Zero thousand zero hundred zero zero.

The joke is that Jaimito is saying he has zero money saved up, but he playfully expresses it using a combination of words to sound like a big number.

Dos por uno – Two for one

• Profesora: Jaimito, ¿cuánto es 2 x 2?
• Jaimito: Un empate.
• Profesora: ¿Y 2 x 1?
• Jaimito: ¡Una oferta!
• Teacher: How much is 2 x 2?
• Jaimito: It’s a tie.
• Teacher: And 2 x 1?
• Jaimito: That’s a deal!

This joke in Spanish doesn’t translate well into English, because of how you state multiplication. Whereas you say two times one  when talking about math , the Spanish equivalent, dos por uno , can also be translated into English as two for one .

This wordplay leads to Jaimito’s cheeky response, treating the question from his teacher as a transactional question rather than a multiplication problem. Two for one is a deal !

In Spanish, a colmo  is a situation that reaches an unsurpassable level. In everyday speech, it serves as a means of exaggeration. A colmo  signifies an inadmissible absurdity that leads to dissatisfaction or displeasure in the speaker, like a sort of last straw .

In Spanish jokes, colmos  are used to make fun of an absurd situation.

La abeja alérgica – The allergic bee

• ¿Cuál es el colmo de una abeja?
• ¡Ser alérgica al polen!
• What’s the last straw for a bee?
• To be allergic to pollen!

El payaso – The clown

• ¿Cuál es el colmo de un payaso?
• Que todos se lo tomen en serio.
• What is the last straw for a clown?
• To be taken seriously by everyone.

Another colmo . We wouldn’t expect a clown to be taken seriously.

El pastor y las ovejas – The shepherd and the sheep

• ¿Cuál es el colmo de un pastor?
• Quedarse dormido contando ovejas.
• What is the last straw for a shepherd?
• Falling asleep while counting sheep.

This one is pretty straightforward, but it’s still a funny joke in Spanish. It plays on the concept of counting sheep as a common method to help oneself fall asleep, mixed with the occupation of a shepherd who tends to sheep.

Many jokes in Spanish take advantage of the fact that a lot of Spanish words have multiple meanings or similar pronunciations. Think of an English speaker pointing to a bale of hay  and making the interjection hey !

These jokes don’t translate very well, so we’ll spend some time with each one to explain the Spanish wordplay.

La ballena – The whale

• ¿Sabes cuántos peces caben en una ballena?
• ¡Ninguno, porque va llena!
• How many fish fit in a whale?
• None, because she’s full!

This is a very popular wordplay! The word ballena , meaning whale , is pronounced the same as va llena , which means gets full .

Spanish actually has many such homonyms , which are different words with the same pronunciation .

El pato – The duck

• ¿Qué pasa si tiras un pato al agua?
• What happens if you throw a duck in the water?
• Nothing! / It swims!

This joke in Spanish plays on the double meaning of the word nada . You probably know that nada  in Spanish translates directly as nothing . It’s also the third-person singular conjugation of the verb nadar , which means to swim , so the other meaning of nada  is it swims .

This wordplay in Spanish uses a particular subset of homonyms  that comprise conjugated verbs pronounced like other words .

So what happens if you throw a duck in the water? ¡ Nada !

La impresión – The impression

• ¿Qué le dice una impresora a otra?
• ¿Esta hoja es tuya o es impresión mía?
• What does one printer say to another?
• Is this sheet yours or is it my printout? / Is this sheet yours, or is it just my impression?

This joke plays on a clever wordplay in Spanish, based on the double entendre of es impresión mía .

The Spanish word una impresión  can refer to a printout , or it can have the same meaning as in English: an impression . Hence the wordplay when two printers are communicating, with the joke humorously suggesting that the first is asking the second, “Is this sheet yours, or is it just my impression ?,” rather than referring literally to the physical sheet of paper.

El reloj – The watch

• Ana: ¡Me regalaron un reloj!
• Pedro: ¿Qué marca?
• Ana: ¡Pues la hora!
• Ana: I was gifted a watch!
• Pedro: What brand? / What does it show?
• Ana: The time!

This joke makes no sense in English, since the Spanish word marca  has multiple meanings that are completely different. On the one hand, una marca  is a brand  of a product. On the other hand, marca  is the third-person singular conjugation of the Spanish verb marcar . In addition to several other meanings, marca  is the verb we use to ask what time a clock is showing .

The wordplay here is that it first seems that Pedro is asking about the brand of the watch, but Ana responds to the question of what her watch is showing. ¡ La hora !

La persona saludable – The healthy person

• María: Soy una persona muy saludable.
• Diego: ¿Haces mucho deporte y comes sano?
• María: No. Es que la gente me saluda por la calle y yo les devuelvo el saludo.
• María: I’m a very healthy person. – I’m a very greetable person.
• Diego: Do you exercise a lot and eat healthily?
• María: No. It’s just that people greet me when I’m in the street and I greet them back.

This Spanish joke is another clever wordplay! Most adjectives ending with the suffix -able in Spanish indicate capacity or aptitude to receive the action of the verb. This happens in English as well by adding the same suffix to many verbs, for example with adjectives like likable or affordable.

María considers herself saludable  because she takes the verb saludar , meaning to greet , and turns it into an adjective to mean that she is greetable : a nice person to greet and people love to do it. Diego’s interpretation of her statement, on the other hand, is rather based on the common meaning for saludable , which is actually healthy !

La nueva cocinera – The new cook

• Luis: La nueva cocinera es un sol.
• Diana: ¿Es muy amable?
• Luis: No, ¡lo quema todo!
• Luis: The new cook is a ray of sunshine.
• Diana: She’s very kind?
• Luis: No, she burns everything!

In Spanish, to call someone un sol , which literally means sun , implies that they are very kind and generous. However, in this case, Luis refers to the new cook as such for her capacity to burn the food!

El zorro inglés – The English fox

• Un zorro inglés se tropieza con un burro español.
• El zorro le dice “I’m sorry.”
• A lo que el burro contesta “I’m burry.”
• An English fox collides with a Spanish donkey.
• The fox tells him “I’m sorry.”
• So the donkey responds, “I’m burry.”

This one is a classic Spanish joke that acknowledges the fact that most Latin Americans know very little English, but might still at least recognize the basic expression I’m sorry . It helps when the two English responses in the joke are pronounced with a thick Spanish accent.

The scenario is a play on the Spanish words for fox  and donkey : zorro  and burro . Since the Spanish burro  doesn’t speak English, he thought the English zorro  was just introducing himself in English. He just tried to do the same!

El dogtor – The dogtor

• ¿Sabes cómo se dice “veterinario” en inglés?
• Do you know how to say “veterinarian” in English?

Here’s another fun joke that plays on a couple of English words that even many Spanish-speaking kids will probably understand: dog  and doctor . The made-up term dogtor  creates a playful and humorous twist in the dialogue that’s way more approachable than veterinarian .

El purgatorio – Purrgatory

• ¿A dónde van los gatos cuando mueren?
• ¡Al pur gato rio!
• Where do cats go when they die?
• To purr gatory!

The humor in this joke comes from the fact that the word pur gato rio contains the word gato , which means cat  in Spanish. You can use this joke in English if you emphasize the purr  in pur gatory instead, to emulate a cat’s purring.

What a fun ride! Today we took a look at 16 Spanish jokes, spanning several forms of humor in Spanish. We saw some of the most common Spanish joke  structures along the way, including Jaimito or Pepito jokes, colmos , and wordplay . Several of them even incorporated some English words into their Spanish wordplay!

Perhaps these Spanish jokes  didn’t make you cry with laughter, but we guarantee you that they make nice icebreakers. Plus, it’s a fun way to practice your conversation skills.

So next time you want to crack a smile, give some of these a try and share a couple of Spanish jokes with your friends!

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26 Spanish Jokes to Make Your Friends Laugh

Yes, we all know that jokes are an excellent way to make people laugh. But not many people know that jokes in Spanish are also a great learning resource . Leaving aside how funny they can be, jokes are packed with simple, but clever vocabulary and language structures. 

But don’t take my word for it, here are some reasons why jokes in Spanish can be helpful for you:

• They provide you with new vocabulary and idioms. 
• You practice and improve your reading, listening, and comprehension skills.
• They help you identify similar sounding words with different meanings. 
• You improve your storytelling skills.
• You get to practice simple grammar structures and basic spelling. 
• They help you practice different tenses in Spanish . 

Hands down, to understand jokes in Spanish you must have a decent command of the language. In simple words, understanding jokes is a strong indicator that you have a good grasp of Spanish. 

Seeing how important jokes can be for your learning process, in this article, you’ll find:

• Knock Knock Jokes

Mother-In-Law Jokes in Spanish

Mexican jokes.

• Jokes About Food

More Funny Spanish Jokes

Learning Tip: Choose a couple of jokes in Spanish and practice them! Just like if you were going to tell them to your friends. Pay attention to your pronunciation, intonation, and the vocabulary. 

Knock Knock Jokes in Spanish

Knock knock jokes in Spanish are not very popular. But here you have a few so you can start warming up. 

1. Argentinian word play

– Toc, toc  – ¿Quién es? – Tomás – ¿Qué tomás? – Agua, por favor.

Are you able to see the pun in this Spanish joke? Let me help you. In Argentina , the conjugation of ‘tomar’ for the second person (tú/vos) is ‘vos tomás’, which sounds exactly like the name ‘Tomás’. So, this joke is playing with the meaning of both words. 

2. A warm welcoming

– Toc, toc. – ¿Quién es? – Lola -¿Qué Lola? -Lo ladrones – Espera que estoy con lame. -¿Lame que? – La ametralladora.

Spanish is one of the fastest spoken languages . Because of this speed, it’s common that certain sounds merge together. The thieves (ladrones) in this joke use this effect to try to fool the other person. Lola is a nickname , but it’s also the merge of los ladrones. The follow up uses the same effect La ametralladora (machine gun). 

3. How many times must I repeat myself?

– Toc, toc – ¿Quién es? – Abraham. – No hasta que me digas quién eres. – ¡Abraham! – Lo siento, pero no te abro si no me dices tu nombre. – Soy ¡ABRAHAAAAAM! – Aaaaah, debiste comenzar por allí.

Like many knock knock jokes in Spanish, this short joke is based on a play on words. Because our ‘h’ is mute, the name Abraham can sound quite similar to the Spanish command ¡abran! (open). 

Take Note: In English, knock-knock is the sound you make when knocking at someone’s door. Its Spanish equivalent is toc-toc . 

One common cliché in the Hispanic culture is that mother-in-laws ( suegras) are awful. Because of this, many jokes in Spanish are about them! Here are some examples of this type of jokes: 

4. A bitter wine…

– ¿Cuál es el vino más amargo?  – Vino mi suegra.

In Spanish, vino refers to ‘wine’, but it’s also the preterite form of the verb ‘venir’. This allows people to play with the meaning of the two words. So, when someone asks which is the most bitter wine (vino), you can say vino mi suegra (my mother-in-law came). 

5. Go toward the light!

Una suegra se está muriendo en el hospital, mira por la ventana y dice: – Qué bonito atardecer. A lo que el yerno le contesta: – No se distraiga suegra, concéntrese en mirar el túnel.

6. You can’t win with your mother-in-law

– ¿Qué diferencia hay entre una suegra y un terrorista?  – Que con el terrorista se puede negociar.

7. Twinkle twinkle little suegra!

– A mí me gustaría que mi suegra fuera una estrella. – ¿Sí? ¿Para que los lleve a Hollywood? – No, para que estuviera a 3.000 años luz.

8. If the house was on fire…

– ¡AUXILIO, socorro, llamen a los bomberos… se quema nuestra casa! – ¡Shhh! Silencio amor, no hagas ruido que vas a despertar a tu mamá. 

Take Note: ‘Joke’ in Spanish can be translated as chiste or broma. ‘Chiste’ is a short story with a funny ending (just like the ones in this article). ‘Broma’, on the other hand, refers to pulling a prank on a friend.  

Usually, Mexican jokes revolve around showing Mexican ingenuity and other stereotypical traits. Below you can find some of these jokes: 

9. A Frenchman and a Mexican guide on a safari…

Un francés se fue a un safari y contrató a un guía mexicano. En plena selva apareció un tigre, el mexicano corrió y el francés gritó: – ¡Esperra, esperra! Y el mexicano le responde: – No, no es perra. ¡Es tigre!

I’ll give you a hand with this one. French people speaking Spanish tend to pronounce the letter ‘r’ really hard. This is what this Spanish pun is intending to express. Esperra would be the way a French person pronounces ‘espera’ (wait), in which case the Mexican says “it’s not a dog, it’s a tiger (no es perra , ¡es tigre!). 

10. Three whips from the devil.

Estaban un mexicano, un estadounidense y un hindú en el infierno. El diablo les dice:

– Bueno, les daré una oportunidad. Quien aguante tres latigazos míos se puede ir al cielo. Para darles chance, pueden ponerse lo que quieran en la espalda. 

Pasa el estadounidense y dice:  –  A mí ponerme placa de plomo americano de 10 cm.

Y le dan uno, dos y el estadounidense grita: – ¡Ah, no ya basta! – Ni modo, te quedas en el infierno. 

Llega el hindú y el diablo le pregunta – ¿Qué te ponemos en la espalda?

Y el hindú contesta: – A mí no me pongan nada.

El diablo se saca de onda. Y el hindú se pone a meditar.  1,2,3…10 latigazos y el hindú como si nada. Y lo dejan ir al cielo. 

Entra el mexicano y el diablo le pregunta: – ¿Qué quieres que te ponga en la espalda?

Y contesta el mexicano: – No, pues ponme al hindú que pasó ahorita.

11. A Chinese, French and Mexican in a plane.

Iban en un avión un chino, un francés y un mexicano. Dice el francés:

– Ya llegamos a Francia.   – ¿Por qué? – Porque ahí está la Torre Eiffel. 

Luego dice el chino: – Ya llegamos a China.  – ¿Por qué? – Porque ahí está la Muralla China. 

Y al ultimo dice el mexicano: – Ya llegamos a México.  – ¿Por qué? – Porque ya me robaron la cartera. 

Take Note: Here is a little tip if you want to sound more natural when speaking Spanish. When talking about personal effects or body parts, you can use definite articles to express possession instead of possessive adjectives . You can see this structure in joke #10. 

Jokes in Spanish About Food

These types of Spanish jokes are usually about creating puns and playing with the sounds of two or more words. Even though they look simple, these jokes actually require some command of Spanish. 

Because of their characteristics, these Spanish jokes cannot be translated. If you did, they wouldn’t be funny at all. So, take your time to try to understand them. 

12. What do you call a country that bans tacos?

– ¿En qué se convierte un país en el que se prohíben los tacos? – ¿En qué? – ¡En un país destacado!

The Spanish prefix des conveys the opposite idea of a word. For example, construir (to build) and destruir (to destroy). This Mexican joke uses this idea when saying that a country banning tacos would be a “tacoless” place. However, destacado actually means ‘prominent’, which adds a meaner layer to the joke.  

13. Part of the job!

– ¿Cuál es el colmo de un panadero? – Que su hija se llame Concha y su esposa le ponga los cuernos. 

14. (Not so) hot tamale

– ¿Por qué se fue el tamal al hospital? – Porque ta’ malito. 

15. Excuse me, waiter!

– ¡Mesero, mesero! Esté filete está blando.  – ¿Sí? Pues dígale que se calle. 

In Spanish, ‘blando’ means ‘soft or ‘tender’, but when you say ‘está blando’ quickly, it sounds like ‘hablando’ , the gerund form for ‘hablar’ (to talk). So the waiter tells you to tell the filet to shut up!

16. How do you make bread talk?

– ¿Cómo haces para que un pan hable? – Lo pones en agua toda la noche y al día siguiente ya está blando.

17. The richest animal

– ¿Cuál es el animal más rico? – El borrego porque tiene lana. 

Take Note: While the formal term for money is ‘dinero’ , in Spanish, ‘lana’ is a slang term we use for money. ‘Rico’ can be translated as rich or delicious. So this joke is a play on two words.

18. She’s full!

– ¿Por qué la ballena no come?  – Porque ba-llena. 

19. Would that be me?

– ¿Qué dijo una cereza cuando se vio al espejo? – ¿Cereza yo?

As mentioned before, many words in Spanish seem to merge with each other when speaking at a native speaker speed. This joke plays with that concept. Cereza (cherry) sounds exactly the same as ‘¿seré esa?’ (would that be me?), which is the little cherry’s question when seeing herself in the mirror. 

20. “Dirty hair” in Mandarin.

– ¿Cómo se dice pelo sucio en chino?  – Chin cham pu. 

21. Attempting to teach Spanish tenses.

La maestra le pregunta a Pepito:

– A ver Pepito, si yo digo: “fui rica”, es pasado. Pero si yo digo: “soy hermosa”, ¿qué es? – ¡Exceso de imaginación profesora!

‘Pepito’ is a famous caricature that we use in Spanish jokes. As you’ll see, this boy can be quite cheeky and always has the best comebacks. 

22. Pepito learns faster!

– Pepito, conjuga el verbo andar. – Yo…Yo ando. Tú…tú andas. – ¡Más rápido! – Él corre, nosotros corremos, ellos corren.

23. A thief’s name

– ¿Cuál es el colmo de un ladrón? – Llamarse Esteban Dido.

24. Another size, please

– Buenos días, quería una camiseta de un personaje inspirador. – ¿Gandhi? – No, mediani.

25. Bad career choice

– ¿Cuál es el colmo de un electricista? – Que su mujer se llame Luz y los hijos le sigan la corriente.

Take Note: El colmo is a popular expression in Spanish. In most contexts, we use it to express that something is ‘too much’ or in ‘the limit’. However, when it comes to jokes in Spanish, el colmo is close in meaning to ‘the irony’. 

26. Accent marks in action

– ¿Qué diferencia hay entre “Lástima” y “Lastima”? – El tamaño.

Many learners wonder if accent marks in Spanish are important. Heck, yes! They are crucial as you can see in this joke. Lástima with an accent means ‘pity’ or ‘shame’. However, lastima (no accent) means ‘it hurts’. So, if someone says that el tamaño (the size) is the difference between ‘lástima’ and ‘lastima’…well, you get the point. 

Wrapping Up

Do not take jokes in Spanish for granted! They are actually good for your learning! If you read or listen to some jokes every day, you will actively improve your Spanish comprehension in multiple aspects and different levels. 

Give these a shot and try to incorporate them into your Spanish conversations!

Daniela Sanchez

¡Hola! Soy Daniela Sanchez, I've been studying Spanish professionally as well as teaching it in Mexico and online for over 10 years. I’ve taught Spanish to a wide array of foreigners from many backgrounds. Over the years, I've made it my mission to work hard on refining many challenging to understand grammar topics to make my students' learning experiences easier, faster and more enjoyable. Read More About Me

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20 Mexican Slang Terms That Are Funny as Hell

Mexicans are known for our food, music, incredible beaches, rich traditions, and beautiful history. But when it comes to our culture, one of the things I love the most is our colorful colloquialisms. It doesn't take much time around Mexican-Americans to notice that there is a whole different set of terminology on top of the already beautiful and rich traditions that make up Mexican cultura . Like most Latin American countries, a lot of our terms and slang come from observing nature and Indigenous languages. And similar to Dominican and Puerto Rican slang , Mexicans love to play on words.

We say things like "buena onda," which means "good deep" but also describes someone easygoing and cool. We say things are "gacho" when they're bad and "chafa" when something is of bad quality. Not to mention, there are way too many terms that have to do with farts and sex organs. Here are 20 Mexican slang words that you may have heard and should definitely know.

Mexican Slang Word: Mames

What it means: "Mamar" means "to suck." "No mames" is generally a response, like "stop messing around," "stop messing with me," and "quit bullsh*tting."

In a sentence: "My friend told me she's dating J Lo. I told her, '¡No mames!'"

Mexican Slang Word: Pedo

What it means: Pedo translates to "what fart." It's a way of saying "no way," "what's up?" or "what's the problem?" You can also jazz it up by saying "puro pedo," or "pure farts." It means "you're full of sh*t" or "you're lying."

In a sentence: "Why are you giving me attitude? Que pedo?"

Mexican Slang Word: Cabron

What it means: Technically a cabron is a male goat. It can also mean "assh*le" and "dumb*ss." But when Mexicans say that a situation is a male goat, they typically mean that it's difficult or "that sucks."

In a sentence: "Comadre my sister is getting evicted."

"No pos wow, esta cabron."

Mexican Slang Word: Ahuevo

What it means: "Huevo" means "egg" or "testicle" depending on the context. You're basically saying "egg/balls" as a way of saying "hell yeah," "of course," or "for sure." It can also be used as a way of expressing you're being forced to do something.

In a sentence: "The medicine was gross but I had to take it. ¡Ahuevo!"

Mexican Slang Word: Órale

What It means: "Órale" is a way of expressing many emotions. It can be celebratory. It can indicate surprise or discomfort. It can be used as encouragement or as in "hurry up." It can also be used to agree with someone.

In a sentence: "¡Órale mija! I've been waiting for 15 minutes."

Mexican Slang Word: Pendejo/a

What it means: Stupid person.

In a sentence: "¡Eso es lo que te pasa por pendeja!"

Mexican Slang Word: Güey

What it means: "Güey" literally means "ox" or "slow and stupid." But it's basically Mexico's version of "dude."

In a sentence: "Ese güey me cae gordo."

Mexican Slang Word: Morra/o

What It means: "Morro/a" can mean "buddy" or "dude," or it may refer to a small child.

In a sentence: "Me gusta la camisa que trae esa morra."

Mexican Slang Word: Cruda/o

What it means: "Crudo/a" means "raw." It also means "hungover."

In a sentence: "I only had three drinks last night. ¡Me siento bien cruda!"

Mexican Slang Word: Aguas

What it means: It literally translates to "waters" but is often used to mean "watch out" or "be careful."

In a sentence: "¡Aguas! Don't fall down."

Mexican Slang Word: Chiflado/a

What it means: "Chiflar" means "to whistle." A chiflado is someone who is always calling attention to themselves by showing off, bragging, or being conceited.

In a sentence: "No quiero salir con Rudy, es bien chiflado el güey."

Mexican Slang Word: Fresa

What it means: Strawberry, but also a rich, spoiled girl/child.

In a sentence: "¿Qué quiere la niña fresa?"

Mexican Slang Word: Neta

What it means: "Seriously," "real talk," or "the truth is."

In a sentence: "La neta, I don't like exercising. Let's go eat!"

Mexican Slang Word: Padre

What it means: It means father but also means cool.

In a sentence: "Gas esta carsimo, que padre que vivo cerca del centro commercial."

Mexican Slang Word: Chorro

What it means: "Chorro" refers to a jet of water. It can mean "a lot," "a ton," or "a bunch."

In a sentence: "Ese morro me gusta un chorro."

Mexican Slang Word: Pinche

What it means: It can mean "damned," "sh*tty," or "f*cking."

In a sentence: "¡No encuentro mis pinches llaves!"

Mexican Slang Word: Chula/o

What it means: Cute, pretty, or attractive.

In a sentence: "Te ves bien chula."

Mexican Slang Word: Chamba

What it means: Job or work.

In a sentence: "Ya me voy a poner a chambear."

Mexican Slang Word: Gacho

What it means: "Gacho" can mean "awful," "bad," "ugly," or "mean," depending on the context.

In a sentence: "¡No seas gacho!"

Mexican Slang Word: Me Vale Verga

What it means: "Verga" refers to the male genitalia. "Me vale" means "it's worth to me." "It's worth d*ck" is a way of saying "I don't care" or "I don't give a damn."

In a sentence: "Me vale verga si no quieres salir. ¡Nos llama la calle!"

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100% Funny Mexican Jokes: The Best, Funniest, Dirty, Short and Long Mexican Jokes Book (Paperback)

Description

Some random Mexican jokes from the book:

A big tough Mexican man married a good-looking Mexican lady and after the wedding, laid down the following rules: "Honey, I'll be home when I want, if I want and at what time I want - and I don't expect any hassle from you. I expect a great dinner to be on the table unless I tell you otherwise. I'll go hunting, fishing, boozing, and card-playing when I want with my old buddies and don't you give me a hard time about it. Those are my rules Any comments?"

His lovely new bride said, "No, that's fine with me. Just understand that there'll be sex here at eight o'clock every night - whether you're here or not."

A German, an Australian, and a Mexican are on a plane. They say that they can tell where they are by sticking their hands out of the pane.

The German sticks his hand out and says "We are in Germany." The others ask, "How do you know," the German says, "Because it's so cold."

Then the Australian sticks his hand out and says "We are in Australia," the others ask "How do you know," he replies "Because it's so warm."

Then the Mexican sticks his hand out and back in. He says " We are in Mexico," the others ask "How do you know," he says " Because my watch is gone"

What's a Mexican favorite book store? Borders.

Did you hear about that one Mexican that went to college? Yeah.. me neither.

How do you stop a Mexican tank? Shoot the guy pushing it.

What do you call a Mexican without a lawn mower? Unemployed.

What do you do when a Mexican is riding a bike? Chase after him, it's probably yours

Why are Mexicans so short? They all live in basement apartments.

Why do Mexicans re-fry their beans? Have you seen a Mexican do anything right the first time?

How come there aren't any Mexicans on Star Trek? They don't work in the future, either.

What do you call a Mexican in a two-story house? Adopted.

Why do Mexican kids walk around school like they own the place? Because their dads built it and their mom clean it.

2 Mexicans are in a car, who is driving? A cop.

Buy the book to read 100s more Mexican jokes.

• Form - Jokes & Riddles

Funny Spanish Jokes

Jokes ( chistes ) are a great way to practice Spanish! With the jokes on this list, you'll be sure to give your Spanish-speaking teachers, friends, or coworkers a good laugh. Keep in mind that a lot of the jokes in this list involve a play on words ( juego de palabras ), so you may need to read the explanations we've given so you're in on the joke.

If someone tells you a punny joke like the ones below, you can express your playful disgust by saying ¡Chiste malo! ¡Chiste malo! ( Bad joke! Bad joke! ). This is akin to the drum and cymbal noise ( bah dum tish ) you might make in English after hearing or saying a bad joke.

1. Fishy Fun

Explanation.

Nada means both nothing and it swims , which explains the punchline of this cute joke.

2. Roof Talk

Te echo sounds a lot like techo , and this sound similarity is what makes this joke funny.

3. Salsa Time

Salsa can refer to a sauce or a musical genre .

4. Doors of Opportunity

This joke really just subverts the listener's expectation that the joke teller is going to impart some inspirational information on opening figurative doors, when in fact they simply give two literal words that give instructions for opening actual doors.

5. Self-Aware Bathtub

A Colombian bathtub is both la tina ( the tub ) and latina ( Latina ). So, really, the punchline to this joke could also be written as Yo soy latina. ( I am Latina. )

6. Holy Bird

An Ave María is a Hail Mary , so when the joke teller gives the name of the holy bird in this joke, he's also saying the beginning of a common prayer.

7. Celestial Humor

This joke hinges on the fact that the listener most likely believes the joke teller is asking a serious question about astronomy. The joke teller, however, flips that explanation on its head by giving an explanation that would be more likely in a situation involving two children. It works out perfectly that the moon is indeed the only one of these two celestial bodies that comes out de noche ( at night ).

Need to brush up on Spanish grammar? Check out these articles!

• Word Order and Spanish Syntax
• Comparisons of Equality in Spanish
• Comparisons of Inequality in Spanish
• Spanish Punctuation
• How to Type Spanish Accents and Letters
• What Is the Upside-Down Question Mark?
• What Is the Upside-Down Exclamation Point?
• Written Accent Marks (Tildes)

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3 essential slang words you need to know before your next trip to mexico.

M exico has its own language not instructed by Spanish schools and phrase books: Mexican slang. It’s an informal language whose meanings shift in a heartbeat from insults to compliments, a language Mexican people manipulate deftly and instinctively in all sorts of contexts. The following three Mexican slang words and phrases will give you a base for you to attempt to understand and blend in with the locals.

Mexican slang word #1: Cabrón

A cabrón can either be a badass or a real jerk, a male you talk about with disgust or fear.

There’s also the feminine version, cabrona. Same standards apply: There are the the revered, awe-inducing cabronas and the detested ones.

Then there’s “qué cabrón,” a phrase used to describe a thing or situation as opposed to a person. This, too, can be positive or negative, but it’s got a particular edge to it. For example:

1. Narcos entered a popular restaurant and collected the cell phones of all the customers, warning them not to make any phone calls or act out of the ordinary. The narcos ate peacefully, returned the cell phones, paid everyone’s bills, and continued on their way. Qué cabrón.

2. You ran out of water, and the government isn’t sending more water to the Centro Histórico for three days. You just had a party and now have a sink full of beer glasses, skillets full of chipotle sausage residue, and greasy plates. Qué cabrón.

Insider tip for Mexican slang mastery: For added flair, add an “ay” before cabrón when used for people, and mix it up with an “está cabrón” instead of “que cabrón” in the case of situations.

Mexican slang word #2: Madre

In the quintessential Mexican read, The Labyrinth of Solitude , Octavio Paz has a great passage about the significance of la madre (“the mother”) in Mexican slang and culture.

The madre is identified with all things negative, the padre with all things positive. This, argues Paz, is a reflection of two historical and cultural factors in Mexico.

The first is the idea of the long-suffering mother, the passive recipient of pain and burden who is, to use another classic Mexican slang term, chingada (meaning “screwed,” for a polite interpretation).

The second is the historical resentment and resignation towards the woman whom Paz claims is the mother of modern Mexico — La Malinche. La Malinche was a Nahuatl woman who aided Cortéz in the colonization of Mexico, translating for him, offering insider information, and giving him a son.

So la madre is not treated kindly by Mexican slang. Whether you feel squeamish about it or not, be prepared to hear at least one of the following Mexican slang phrases on a daily basis:

1. Qué madres: what the hell? As in, the sudden explosion of firecrackers on any random street corner, the drunken antics of your friend after too much mezcal , the thing floating in your soup.

2. Que poca madre tienes: literally, how little mother you have, this Mexican slang phrases when directed at you means that you’re so rude and act so badly that it’s like you had no mother to raise you.

3. Es poca-madre: The hyphen and the use of the verb “ser” makes all the difference — it translates as “amazing.” So if Mexico kills in soccer with a 5-0 victory, it’s definitely poca-madre.

4. Hasta la madre utterly sick of something. Your boyfriend’s behavior could drive you to feeling hasta la madre, and so could consistent rain every afternoon or the incessant barking of the dog next door. You’re at the end of your rope, the breaking point. To translate the phrase directly, you’re almost “to the point of motherhood.”

5. Padre: Means “cool.” Plain and simple. So if you score great concert tickets for you and your friends, it’s padre.

Mexican slang word #3: Huevos

There’s a whole linguistic universe surrounding huevos here, so let’s just stick to the most commonly used.

1. Qué huevón/huevona: “What a lazy egg.”

2. Qué hueva: It translates literally as “what egginess.” Eggs here have the same association with laziness with an additional component of boredom. For example, you could toss out a “que hueva” at the suggestion of watching soccer on TV.

A version of this article was previously published on August 18, 2009, and was updated on February 14, 2022.

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Here’s a dad joke I haven’t yet heard from a Mexican dad:

Hey, can you tell me what time it is?

Time for you to get a watch!

That, my friends, is what I call a classic dad joke. “Dad jokes,” of course, are the kinds of jokes that are so bad, they make you roll your eyes. But they also — don’t lie — make you smile. They’re not necessarily hilarious; they simply exist to help you loosen up. (And if you ask me, we could all use some loosening up.)

And guess what? Mexico’s got its fair share of dad jokes, too. And legitimately hilarious jokes. Funny is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose, but if you don’t find Mexican humor objectively hysterical, then you, my friend, are missing out.

The Land of Laughs

Mexico, as you surely know, is well known for its humor. Actually, it’s one of the things I best love about living here.

It’s true, there are situations in which people take themselves Much Too Seriously. But overall, your average Mexican’s ability to crack a joke about pretty much anything is paralleled by few others in the world.

Many jokes are often a fascinating cross between hopelessly juvenile yet unexpectedly complex. They crack up the 12-year-old in you while making your adult brain work hard to connect the dots. All humor is “complex,” I suppose, but certain aspects of Mexican humor, like the albur , have been elevated to art form . They even have competitions that make Eminem’s rap battle scene in 8 Mile looks like child’s play by comparison.

Participatory, competitive, hilarious, battles of wit: sign me up! (Just to watch, though, not compete. I’m not quick on my feet and need 2-3 business days to come up with a single clever comeback.)

The art of humor in Mexico: los albures

Ask any Mexican about homegrown humor, and they’ll say the same thing. Nothing beats albures .

What are albures , you may ask? They all share these features: 1) they’re plays on words, i.e., have double meanings, 2) the funny meaning is always sexual, and almost always references a sexual organ (usually the penis, because machismo ), and 3) you got to be real smart to catch them, and smarter still to answer them with an albur of your own.

Also important: you must remember this common wisdom: “ El que se enoja, pierde. ” (He who angers, loses.) You can’t be all intense and worked up about it. It’s for laughing. Laugh. Loosen up, relax those shoulders.

Just ease right on in. (See? I just did it in English! Kind of.)

Disculpe, ¿tiene huevos?

The most important thing to remember? It’s all about sex.

I mean, what isn’t, amiright ? But to successfully tell or understand an albur, you must have a dirty mind. Imagining everything as phallic or…vagina-like? Do we have an equivalent to phallic? — is the first step [Editor’s note: The word you want is yonic].

For some reason, this is especially true with food. That’s why, too, you’ve got to be careful with what you say, lest you accidentally alburear .

Asking someone at the store or a market if they “have” eggs… or milk, or bananas or papaya… is going to get you a reaction. It might be a stifled laugh, it might be an incredulous “ ¿Ora? ” (“What did you just say?!”). The sky’s the limit!

If you don’t want to do that, might I suggest the verb “haber” (there is/there are). “¿Hay huevos?” is how you can ask without inadvertently referencing the attendant’s genitals. You’re welcome!

Not all jokes

Believe it or not, there are few jokes people tell that aren’t about sex. There are lots about alcohol, too!

Here’s an example of one that people love tell over and over again. If you have a sore throat, tequila (sometimes with lime and honey) is a suggested remedy. And they always add, “ Y si no se te cura, se te olvida! ” which cracks them up. (English translation: “And if it doesn’t cure you, you’ll forget about it!”).

Another: “ Para todo bien, mezcal, y para todo mal, también.” (For good times, mezcal, and for bad times, too.)

To wrap things up, here’s a more classic “dad” joke I recently saw. “ Dicen que para ser feliz hay que tener fé, pero entonces solo sería Liz. ” (“They say to be happy you have to have faith, but then I’d only be Liz.” The joke: fe-liz. Get it? Don’t let your eyes get stuck in your head when you roll them.)

And don’t forget people: if you’re not taking some time to laugh at my memes every two weeks , you’re missing out on some good laughs! Así que ponganse truchos . They’re all for you, amigos míos .

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website,  sarahedevries.substack.com .

Struggling to fit into mini Mexico

New country, new self: Foreign residents describe changes they’ve made since moving to Mexico

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‘Mi’jo’: More than just a word to a Mexican American boy like me

I was probably 4 years old the first time anyone called me “mi’jo,” colloquial Spanish for “my son.” My Mexican American family lived in the front house on a two-unit lot on the east side of Los Angeles, and our landlady Rita lived in the back house. In the afternoons, I often trotted over to her place, eager for a change of scenery. Rita spent the whole day doing housework, yet her home looked like one of those places where the government had declared a state of emergency. 

I liked to arrive at Rita’s around three, when she would pull out her Lady Pall Malls and plop herself on the couch. “Mi’jo, come here,” she’d call, then scoop me into her lap so we could watch a TV show where beautiful white ladies spent a lot of time crying. I loved it here in Rita’s house, which felt cozy and chaotic at the same time. Once the show ended, Rita would send me back home, saying “See you tomorrow, mi’jo.”

“Mi’jo” is a universal Latino term of endearment. Pronounced me-ho, it’s a contraction of the words, “mi hijo” (my son). Its female counterpart is “mi’ja” (my daughter).  

If you’ve ever watched a movie or TV show centered on a Mexican American family, like “Selena,” “Ugly Betty,” or  any George Lopez sitcom , you’ve heard characters call each other “mi’jo” and “mi’ja.” Onscreen, these terms are usually used to delineate a relationship for the audience: Mother/son. Father/daughter.

When someone calls you “mi’jo,” it means that you are among family, that you belong, that you are loved.

In real life, the word carries much more power than its literal meaning. When someone calls you “mi’jo,” it means that you are among family, that you belong, that you are loved. It’s a term that is both casual and intimate; it can be used by a family elder, or by a total stranger. It is an everyday word in our communities, yet also one that can still tug at the heartstrings. 

Although I grew up in an assimilated household in 1970s Southern California, the word “mi’jo” was always around, implanted in my consciousness nearly as far back as I can remember. As a kid, if someone called out “mi’jo,” I knew to turn around and see if they meant me. Among the people who called me “mi’jo” were my first babysitter, a nice checkout lady at the local market, a few of my mom’s friends, and random old folks in my grandpa’s barrio in El Paso. 

It’s hard to come up with an English equivalent of “mi’jo.” Words like “honey,” “kid” or “dear” don’t capture its essence, because some people would be offended being called by those terms. In contrast, no one takes offense at being called “mi’jo.”  

Not long after my father passed away in 2019, I went to see his barber, Richard, for a haircut. “MI’JO!” Richard exclaimed when I walked in the door. Unlike my dad, I was never a regular in Richard’s shop; this was perhaps my second or third visit ever. But Richard’s conspicuous greeting seemed a kind of benediction. 

Richard’s barbershop functioned like a community man cave, with police officers, gang members and teenagers drifting in and out. There was an old-timer snoozing on a sofa, two mounted TVs playing the same baseball game, and a boxing calendar tacked to the wall. It was comforting to be here, in one of my father’s old hangouts. Being recognized as “mi’jo” by Richard, I realized, was my entree into this sanctum of masculinity, a clubhouse for male bonding at a time when I needed it.   

For years, “mi’jo” was something only people like us said. Then in 2017 came “Coco,” the Disney/Pixar animated film about a young Mexican boy searching for his great-great grandfather. In the movie, “mi’jo” was bandied about so frequently that the word edged into the mainstream. Today you can  buy T-shirts  emblazoned with “Mi’jo,” and there are  books , plays, and  songs  with the word in the title. Latino millennials and Gen-Z’ers sometimes call each other “mi’jo” as a synonym for “dude.” But for me, in “mi’jo” I still hear the intertwining of family and affection, tradition and culture, heritage and home.  

Two years ago, my relatives and I helped my mother move into her new house in Burbank. At the end of a hot day spent carrying and unpacking boxes, I stood in the front yard and my mom’s longtime friend Irene approached me. 

I’d known Irene since I was in fifth grade, when she and my mother worked in a nearby school district together. Back then, they were two fierce Latina moms navigating their careers; now they were both grandmas and retired. Irene told me to make sure that I visited my mom more often now that she would be living by herself. I nodded.    

“Well, mi’jo,” Irene said, “have a good trip back to New York.”  

Irene got in her car to drive home, and for a few seconds I felt a kind of lightness. Right then, I had a flashback of her and my mom, bustling around the small yellow kitchen in our old house. They were both dark-haired, bright-eyed and bursting with youthful energy. In that moment, “mi’jo” was my Mexican American madeleine, a word that transported me back, if only briefly, to childhood. It was a fleeting, lovely vision — and the magic in “mi’jo” took me there. 

Raul A. Reyes, a lawyer, is a member of the USA Today Board of Contributors. He has written for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Texas Monthly and the Huffington Post.

What do you call a Mexican dwarf?

This joke may contain profanity. 🤔

A woman enters a pet shop to buy a talking parrot.

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What To Know About Kamala Harris’s Immigration Record Before Border Visit Today

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Vice President Kamala Harris will make her first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border since she became the Democratic nominee on Friday, speaking on immigration as Republicans have scrutinized her views on the issue and claimed she served as the Biden administration’s “border czar,” which misinterprets the narrow task Harris actually had.

Vice President Kamala Harris tours the El Paso US Customs and Border Protection Central Processing ... [+] Center on June 25, 2021 in El Paso, Texas.

The Trump campaign and his allies have made Harris’ handling of the border crisis into one of their main attacks against Harris as she’s taken over for President Joe Biden as nominee, and the House passed a resolution in July a 220-196 vote that “strongly condemn[s] the Biden Administration and its Border Czar, Kamala Harris’s, failure to secure the United States border.”

Biden tapped Harris in March 2021 to lead a much more narrow diplomatic effort to curb migration from the “Northern Triangle” countries—Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador—and address the root causes for why residents there immigrate to the U.S. in the first place, along with enhancing other countries’ borders that those migrants travel through along the way before they get to the U.S.

Despite the more narrow nature of her assignment, some media outlets referred to Harris as the “border czar” more broadly, popularizing the nickname that Republicans then seized on—even though it misinterpreted her actual role.

She was never tasked with managing border security in the U.S., which is under the purview of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who said in June 2021 Harris is “leading our nation’s efforts to address the root causes—that fundamental question of why people leave their homes,” while he is “address[ing] the security and management of our border.”

Harris has led efforts on addressing those root causes, particularly in getting private sector investment in the region to improve its economy—which the White House said in March had created 250,000 jobs—with Honduran Minister of Investment Miguel Medina telling CNN that working with major companies is “not something that is accessible to a normal company in Honduras” without U.S. involvement, and “if it wasn’t for this being moved from the White House, there’s … no way we could have had the success” the initiative on private sector investment has had.

Addressing the root causes of migration is something that by nature will take longer to bear fruit than more immediate efforts to stop migrants at the border—so it’s harder to see how Harris’ work has had an impact—with Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, telling TIME that while the VP did “reasonably well” in working with the private sector, her assignment is one “that could not produce results anytime soon.”

Immigration levels from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador have gone down in the years since Harris’ assignment began, with data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) showing encounters with migrants from those three countries have dropped from approximately 700,000 in 2021 to 500,000 in 2023—while encounters with migrants from other countries outside Harris’ purview, like Colombia, Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela have gone up.

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Harris will travel to Douglas, Arizona, Friday to deliver remarks on the border. An unnamed Harris aide told Politico the vice president is expected to “argue that American sovereignty requires setting rules at the border and enforcing them” and push for more resources for border agents and measures to detect fentanyl at ports of entry, while also advocating for “an immigration system that is safe, orderly, and humane.”

What Is Harris’ 2024 Immigration Platform?

Harris has not outlined many concrete policy proposals ahead of the presidential election, primarily saying that she would focus on passing a bipartisan border bill that failed to pass Congress earlier this year. Harris has blamed Trump for killing the bill in order to improve his election chances, vowing to pass the bill—which would overhaul the asylum process to make it more difficult, change detention policies and increase the number of green cards, among other sweeping measures—if elected. Beyond that, Harris’ campaign website says only that she supports “comprehensive reform” including “strong border security and an earned pathway to citizenship.” In an August interview with CNN, Harris said she supports consequences for immigrants who unlawfully cross the border, saying, “We have laws that have to be followed and enforced that address and deal with people who cross our border illegally. And there should be consequences.”

How Have Harris’ Views On Immigration Changed?

During the 2020 presidential primary, Harris pushed views that are further to the left of her current positions, with CNN reporting she said on an ACLU questionnaire that she was in favor of cutting funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and pledged to “end” immigration detention. Harris also reported being in support of providing gender transition surgeries for transgender detained immigrants and federal prisoners, which Republicans have strongly decried since CNN called attention to the comments on Monday. CNN brought up to Harris that she raised her hand at a 2019 primary debate when asked if she supported “decriminalizing” border crossings to make unlawful crossings only a civil offense. She no longer supports that view, she told CNN. Harris justified her change in positions—on immigration and other issues, like no longer supporting a ban on fracking—by telling CNN that while her stances on specific policy proposals may have evolved, “my values have not changed.” “My value around what we need to do to secure our border, that value has not changed,” Harris told CNN, pointing to her record as attorney general in which she spent her tenure “prosecuting transnational criminal organizations, violations of American laws regarding the ... illegal passage of guns, drugs, and human beings across our border. My values did not change.”

What Did Kamala Harris Do On Immigration Before Becoming Vice President?

Harris has a record of opposing Republican policies that stretches back before her time as vice president. The first bill she introduced as senator after being elected to the office in 2016 sought to guarantee legal access for people detained entering the U.S. after then-President Donald Trump enacted his “travel ban,” and she was the first Democrat to say she wouldn’t support a government spending bill without protections for “DREAMers” in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. As California’s attorney general, she took steps like ordering law enforcement to help crime victims apply for visas. Harris attracted controversy from the left when she served as San Francisco’s district attorney, however, as she sided with then-Mayor Gavin Newsom, now California’s governor, on a widely criticized policy to report juvenile undocumented immigrants to authorities regardless of whether they had been charged with a crime. The policy led to more than 100 people being reported and was later overturned by legislation, The Sacramento Bee reports .

Though Harris didn’t take on the expansive role on immigration in the White House that conservatives allege, some of what she has done on immigration has still drawn controversy throughout her vice presidency. She was criticized by the left for telling people thinking of migrating to the U.S. in a June 2021 speech , “Do not come,” adding, “If you come to our border, you will be turned back.” The vice president also came under scrutiny for not visiting the border early in her tenure. NBC News’ Lester Holt asked her in an interview why she hadn’t visited the border and Harris got defensive, telling Holt, “This whole thing about the border. We’ve been to the border. We’ve been to the border.” When Holt responded that Harris hadn’t personally been there, she said, “And I haven’t been to Europe” and didn’t “understand the point that you’re making.” She then visited border facilities in El Paso, Texas, later that month—though Republicans still criticized her for not visiting areas with a higher concentration of border crossings.

Crucial Quote

“Border policy focuses on individuals who have already made the decision to leave home and have made it to the U.S.-Mexico border and aims to either prevent them or to quickly process them for humanitarian relief or deportation once they cross,” American Immigration Council policy director Aaron Reichlin-Melnick told USA Today about how Harris’ work contrasts with typical border security policy. “By contrast, ‘root causes’ policy focuses on individuals who have not left their homes yet, and aims to convince them to stay in their home countries either through economic development … or through reduction of violence and persecution that forces people to seek protection elsewhere.”

Key Background

Harris suddenly became the Democratic Party’s new major presidential candidate in late July after Biden announced he was pulling out of the presidential race, endorsing Harris as his successor minutes later. She quickly garnered the support of all major Democrats and was quickly deemed the party’s nominee, but Republicans ramped up their criticism against her for her record as Biden’s vice president, particularly on immigration. The GOP has sharply attacked the Biden administration on immigration amid an influx of migrants, with CBP reporting that encounters with migrants went up from 1.95 million in 2021 to 3.2 million in 2023. There have already been encounters with more than 2.4 million migrants so far this year. The GOP has decried the White House’s handling of the border crisis as a result, and the Biden administration has taken steps like suspending asylum admissions in response.

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