Before we get into the word “pendejo” itself, let’s first establish what we mean when we are talking about “polite company” or “polite society.” Polite company is used to describe a group of people that you may find yourself among that is considered respectable and who conform to the typical behavior norms and ways of speaking in society that won’t offend anyone. 

There was a point in time when polite company meant people were regarded as quote-unquote socially superior because of their financial status and their close social proximity to powerful people. But in contemporary times, polite companies behave in a manner that isn’t provocative. As far as polite society, this would pertain to the environment that polite companies live and socialize in. 

When you find yourself in polite company, it is commonly suggested that you avoid discussing politics and religion because these can be very divisive topics that people can feel very strongly about. The idea is to avoid these topics altogether at dinner parties, corporate functions, and even at work. If you were to present a political view that is wildly different than your co-workers, that is absolutely right. But it may be better to keep that to yourself because it could stir up a very uncomfortable moment that can stir up people’s emotions. 

With that being said, the language that you use in polite company has to be taken into consideration as well. This is where we take a look at a word like pendejo that has negative connotations and considers whether or not it is appropriate in polite company. 

The Definition of Pendejo

The term pendejo is a Spanish slang word that literally means “pubic hair in English. Pendejo is a masculine noun used to refer to men, and pendeja is the feminine form of the word and is used to refer to women. The pendejo meaning comes from Spain in 16th-century Spain. Back in those days, this was the word that was apparently used to talk about pubescent teens who thought that they had grown into adults because they had grown some public hair.

In the century that followed, pendejo was more commonly used to call someone a coward in a derogatory manner. After the colonization period had taken place and Spanish had become a more common language in the Americas and had been passed around beyond Europe, the word pendejo became more of a direct insult in the early 1900s, something akin to calling someone stupid or dumb. Some other synonyms for pendejo are birdbrain, bubblehead, dullard, dunce, lunkhead, loon, mutt, ninnyhammer, and pinhead.  

As you can see, the word pendejo was never meant to be considered a compliment or as a statement that you would make to someone that you only knew on a professional basis. 

Who Uses the Word Pendejo?

Pendejo is used all over in Spanish-speaking countries, especially in Mexico, and by Americans that are originally of Mexican heritage. In many everyday Mexican sayings, the slang word pendejo is used to talk about those that they consider to be idiots, such as the proverb “amor de lejos, amor de pendejos,” which translates to “love from afar, love for pendejos.” 

Pendejo can come across in a playful manner, even when it is being used to call someone a jerk. When spoken in a friendly tone, this word can get a laugh out of a close friend because they understand that you are trying to disrespect them, and it is being said with a sense of humor. 

But problems can arise if you say this to a friend in polite company when there are other people around like co-workers or family members that maybe don’t have that same friendly closeness with the two of you. Nobody enjoys being embarrassed, and this could lead to a serious argument. 

How is Pendejo Perceived? 

Being that pendejo is a mildly vulgar insult, it can still have a negative impact on relationships when you are in polite company because it is still considered to be offensive and should never come out of your mouth when you find yourself in professional settings or formal situations. 

Before you even think of saying pendejo, ask yourself if. If I was this other person, would I be highly offended, feel disrespected, and want to disassociate myself from myself? As a rule of thumb, keep the word pendejo out of business emails, professional meetings, and any casual contexts when you are in a mixture of company that you don’t know very well. 

Pendejo is most often used by Spanish speakers or people that are of Latino heritage. But at this point, pendejo has become familiar enough that it has been adopted by a high number of Americans that have English as their first language and may not even be of Latin descent. Don’t let that level of familiarity cause you to make the mistake of using the word pendejo in polite company.