vato loco

Spanish translation: vato loco

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:vato loco
Spanish translation:vato loco
Entered by: Rufino Pérez De La Sierra

14:53 Jun 18, 2002
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
/ PEOPLE
English term or phrase: vato loco
Text is in English: pupils are bored reading Wuthering Heights 'cause there aren't any "vato locos" in the Scottish moors.
¿What exactly is a vato loco?
patsyscott
Spain
Local time: 05:25
vato loco
Explanation:
Vatos Locos used to be an important gang in Los Angeles, California. They even had a movie done about them.

I would not translate it.

Vato means dude or pal or something like that. Loco means crazy.

Hope that helps!

Rufino
Selected response from:

Rufino Pérez De La Sierra
Canada
Local time: 00:25
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Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
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Summary of answers provided
4 +10vato loco
Rufino Pérez De La Sierra
4 +6Crazy guy
homwordpro
5 +1crazy or wild guy
Henry Hinds
4gallo/tipo/compadre/socio loco
Sebastián Sierpe Toral (X)


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +10
vato loco


Explanation:
Vatos Locos used to be an important gang in Los Angeles, California. They even had a movie done about them.

I would not translate it.

Vato means dude or pal or something like that. Loco means crazy.

Hope that helps!

Rufino

Rufino Pérez De La Sierra
Canada
Local time: 00:25
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 420
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Pablo Tarantino
18 mins

agree  MikeGarcia
25 mins

agree  ellery26
46 mins

agree  Gedece: :)
53 mins

agree  Claudia Andreani
1 hr

agree  Atenea Acevedo (X): Así es, sin duda
2 hrs

agree  Сергей Лузан
3 hrs

agree  Luz Dumanowsky
3 hrs

agree  Antonio Villarreal Ulloa: to translate it literally would be of no use
3 hrs

agree  Consult Couture
7 hrs
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
Crazy guy


Explanation:
Vato is a slang term for guy

homwordpro
PRO pts in pair: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ernesto de Lara: This term is originated in North Mexico, widely used.
5 mins

agree  MikeGarcia
16 mins

agree  Jackie_A (X): ...and should stay "untranslated"
1 hr

agree  Сергей Лузан
3 hrs

agree  Consult Couture: I wouldn't translate it either...Suerte!
6 hrs

agree  Ramón Solá: Agree with you, Jackie A., and suestru...
14 hrs
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46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
crazy or wild guy


Explanation:
Popular term among Mexican-American gang members; "vato" = "bato", an old Spanish term for a "rustic character".

"Loco" of course is crazy or wild.

Used a lot in U.S. Southwest and Northern Mexico.

Yes, you might consider using the Spanish term with an explanation, it has a lot of cultural content.


    Exp. + known a lot of them!
Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 21:25
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 16449

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Сергей Лузан: "off-limits" is meant, isn't it?
2 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
gallo/tipo/compadre/socio loco


Explanation:
en CHILE se usan las expresiones de arriba para expresar a alguíen que hace locuras o es algo excéntrico...

Sebastián Sierpe Toral (X)
PRO pts in pair: 78
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