De la high… o sea de la alta sociedad.
The word pipirisnais is not in the dictionary. That’s what you’ll get if you search the Real Academia Española’s website for a definition of this Mexican term. Like many of our palabras, which one way or another have somehow gained popularity and an unofficial universal acceptance within our cultura for what they mean, pipirisnais is one of those words that cannot be very easily defined.
Therefore, probably the best way to express what pipirisnais means is to explain how or when it would likely be used.
Who better than Paris Hilton to demonstrate for us?
If you’re attempting to say something is a bit much, extra lavish, exaggeratedly expensive, or simply over the top, you might say ¡hay que pipirisnais!
The Kardashians are pros at turning on the 'pipirisnais'.
If a certain somebody is acting extra snobbish or showing off more than they should, rubbing in your face how fancy or expensive their material possessions might be, you might say no pues La Chela ya anda bien pipirisnais.
From rags to riches. Marimar goes 'pipirisnais.'
Or in the case of telenovelas, when the dirt poor protagonist moves from the vecindad to the mansión, completely changes their wardrobe, and takes on a fleet of staff to do everything for them from now on, then all of the sudden the vecinos at the vecindario might simply refer to them as being pipirisnais.
Anything can be pipirisnais! Yourself, your belongings, your parties, your pets, your thoughts, etc., etc., etc. It’s quite the versatile adjective!
Though, sadly to be pipirisnais is not necessarily a compliment.
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It seems a little hard to figure out how to pronounce. Interesting, and great examples. I want a pink car! Lol
You’re right, Victory! See, it’s such a natural word for my vocabulary that I just assume everyone knows how to pronounce it. Here’s my version of the pronunciation: pee-pee-ri-s-nice!
I grew up hearing this word but… now that I live on the border – nada. Maybe it is slang from those in the interior of Mexico?? Quiensabe.
I haven’t really noticed if it is regional? I do hear it all of the time here in Texas and remember it from television shows and movies… though it just is not as popular in Mexico where we are from either, San Luis Potosi??
Juan, I just found your blog while looking for a spanish word that I wasn’t sure how to spell. Dude!! I love this Mexi-vocabulario you have here. I’ve been thinking of doing the same thing on my blog because there are so many words that I have forgotten and am now trying to (re)learn. My words however will be more like the vocabulary of a 6-year-old sadly, but I’m trying to change that. I’ll be coming back here often to learn some more grown-up words:)
I’m so glad you found me! Please come back often and leave me your comments. Gracias!!!
Aqui en los Estados decimos “nouveau riche”… pero decirlo en Frances tal vez sea un poco… pipirisnais. Ademas creo que pipirisnais es mas naco que “nouveau riche”, no crees?
Great post! I think the best english slang equivalent to pipirisnais would be “foofoo.” And sorry to quibble, but I’m pretty sure that Maria above is la del barrio, no del mar.