What is the meaning of "poner a huevo" in Mexican Spanish?

Question

So a Mexican friend of mine told me that "a huevo" means something like "of course" in English, but is a vulgar way of saying it -- I guess because "huevo" means "testicles".

I'm just wondering how this phrase even makes sense. It seems like it means, "to the balls" or "at the balls" -- I don't see how that could mean "of course".

Is this part of a longer phrase -- I know in English sometimes we reference a longer phrase that everyone knows, for instance saying just "When in Rome", instead of the whole phrase "when in Rome, do as the Romans do"? Or did my friend explain the meaning to me wrong -- Does it really mean something like "of course"? And what is the etymology of the phrase "a huevo"?

Thanks.

Answer 1

You are referring to a very colloquial, regional, and sometimes vulgar expression.

• A huevos! (Sí)
• A puro huevo! (A la fuerza u obligado)
• Huevos! (Mejor no!)
• Estar de a huevos! (Estar alguien bien en Guatemala, o mal en Cuba)
• Hacer algo a huevo (obligado o a la fuerza)
• Ser alguien de a huevo (ser valiente)
• Ahuevado (avergonzado, indolente, aburrido, depende dónde se diga)

Your mexican friend was right, if you say, a huevos man, it mean ... sí! (of course!)

And I don't know the relationship between each form of usage to the testicles. You only have to know how and when to use it. That is why it is very colloquial.

Answer 2

According to some references, it does indeed has to do with testicles. It seems that the meaning of this expression in Mexico is "por la fuerza". In Spanish, saying that someone has "balls" means that is brave, bold, or has courage (in English too, right?).

According to this reference,

En México poner a huevo significa hacerlo a fuerzas (p. ej. "No tenía derecho de ver a los niños, pero se los llevó a huevo." "Ya lo habían echado, pero se quedó a huevo.")

Note that this same reference conveys a different meaning for the expression in other Spanish speaking countries (In Spain means facilitate or make really easy). Also, there are many other expressions related to "huevo/huevos" (e.g. costar un huevo, poner un huevo, manda huevos!, etc.)

Answer 3

In my native Spanish (Guadalajara, México), the expression "poner a huevo" would imply a sense of "force".

"Lo puso a huevo, y por eso se rompio" = "He forced it on, and therefore it broke"

"Ese pantalon se lo puso a huevo" = "He forced those pants on him"

The question heading refers to "poner a huevo", but then the question refers to the more general expression "a huevo", which has other connotations.

"Terminaste tu trabajo? A huevo!" = "Did you finish your work? I did!"

"Vas a ir a la fiesta? A huevo!" = "Are you going to the party? You bet!"

However, "a huevo" and its derivatives use the singular; I cannot recall a colloquial expression that uses the plural, unless the expression refers specifically to testicles.

One last comment: while most colloquial expressions tend to be male-referenced, it is not at all unusual to hear women use them, whether it is in the company of men or amongst women themselves.

Answer 4

Your friend is correct. If he's Mexican, "¡a huevo!" means "hell yeah!" or "fuck yeah". It depends on the context. If someone asks you do something you don't like or don't want to do, "a huevo" means "whatever" and of course you'd be using a different tone depending on how you're using it.

Answer 5

After reading everyone's descriptions, it seems to me that a good translation for a huevo would be

You're damned right ... [I did]

You bet your ass ... [I did]

Interesting though that when used with de and is changed to feminine it means lazy.

Estar de hueva == To be lazy, like very lazy, like don't get a shit lazy.

At least that's the way I understood it to be when my mexican friend explained it to me. I gotta admit, it is easy to throw off us non-native speakers with words like huevo...

Answer 6

"A huevo" It also means in a nice way of saying things "I know I'm right" or "I'm f* right" so the person thinks or believes that he or she is 100% correct of what they are saying. Like everything, not always true, correct or right. It all depends, and yes it is vulgar.

Answer 7

I grow up in México city México. A place where people talk to each other i a double way.but you have to be there to get it. Is like the English expression that say. Do you digg it!! If you say that to a person from other culture who don't get the English jokes from family guy, it will be hard to explain, no impossible.but hard..now, to understand ahuevo. I hope that my explanation is understandable. . For some reason having big huevos,,big balls!! Is a power thing... I have big balls and a do what ever I want..when you dad ask you to do something and you say,, but way me??he say,, Well because of my focking balls!!.. That's when you do something,,,ahuevo!! Now a frien of you ask you to drink a beer, is Wednesday you got things to do.,,But you got big balls and take the decision to do whatever you want right?? So you friend ask,, hey you want a beer??? You say ahuevo!! And I wanted cold please. :-) that's when you used ahuevo as a affirmative way... .let me know if you digg it please.

Answer 8

To my understanding. The slang form of the word "huevo" is one of those words one can use as fluidly as- per say- the word Fuck is used in the U.S. If I understand correctly, you wanted to know the origin of this expression. Although all of the other comments help to present an understanding of the multiple uses and meanings of the word "huevo", it has yet to be explained how it came to be used that way. When saying "a huevo" it actually derives from the expression "huevon". This form of expression referes to being lazy. The narrative formulates an imaginary picture that one has a lazy son, that sits around with his balls hanging loose and does nothing to advance himself in life. So the saying "no seas huevon" (Dont be lazy or useless) came into being. From this it created a shortened expression that when something is easier, requires less effort, is a shortcut, or is a lazy mans idea of an easy way out...u say "a huevo". From there the defined meaning became askew and it began to mean whatever u wanted it to mean (as explained above)...and it stuck. Yes, it is a vulgar use of the word "huevo", but it is now widely accepted as an expression in all social spheres, of all social classes.

Answer 9

In my case, I said; 'a huevo mas triste' . Which to me means, "It's too bad and so sad that I'm going to have to have grab myself by the balls and do it!"