*Note that some strong language is discussed, so sensitive readers may wish to skip this lesson.

When something is importante (important), people usually care about it. In Spanish, the simplest way to say that one doesn’t care about something is to negate the verb importar (to care), as Victoria does when Federico asks her how she's feeling:

Que ya no me importa nada, Federico.

That I don't care about anything now, Federico.

Caption 20, Muñeca Brava - 41 La Fiesta - Part 4

 Play Caption

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

However, it’s possible—and very common—to use the verb importar without negation to express a lack of caring. The trick is to add to me importa (or me interesa) to a noun that conveys the idea of something of negligible value. Comino, pepino, cacahuate, and bledo are a few examples of such nouns. Let’s learn how to actually use them.

Semillas de comino (cumin seeds) are so minuscule that they are close to nothing:
 

Perdés el tiempo, querido. Absolutamente.

You're wasting your time, darling. Absolutely.

Porque me interesa un comino su candidatura.

Because I don't give a damn about his nomination.

Captions 39-40, Muñeca Brava - 41 La Fiesta - Part 5

 Play Caption

Using pepino (cucumber) or cacahuate (peanut) is also very common:
 

¡Se lo dije al mayordomo, me importa un pepino!

I told the butler, I don't give a damn!

Caption 30, Muñeca Brava - 7 El poema

 Play Caption

Another common word to use is bledo, or pigweed. For the Spanish, this plant, although edible, was considered flavorless. They brought the expression over with them to Latin America (where in fact the plant and its seeds have been consumed since pre-Hispanic times, for their nutritional and medicinal properties).
 

¡Me importan un bledo los quinientos mangos!

I couldn't care less about the five hundred bucks!

Caption 35, Muñeca Brava - 8 Trampas

 Play Caption

If you want to add extra emphasis you can use the interjection carajo ("damn" or "hell").
 

¿Y a vos qué carajo te importa?

And to you, what the hell does it matter?

Caption 20, Yago - 2 El puma

 Play Caption

In fact, you can use any bad word you can come up with. That includes all the really vulgar ones, but here are two examples that are not so offensive:
 

¿A mí qué diablos me importa su vida?

What the hell does your life matter to me?

Caption 6, El Ausente - Acto 2

 Play Caption

Y no por ellos que me importan un diablo.

And not because of them who don't matter a damn to me.

Caption 4, El Ausente - Acto 3

 Play Caption

Finally, we want to introduce you to a curious expression: me vale. It’s only used in Mexico and it’s interesting because it’s quite contradictory. While its literal meaning would be something like “I care” it actually means the exact opposite. This happens because, in Mexico, the verb valer (to be worth) can replace the verb importar (to care) in phrases such as the ones mentioned before. So me vale un pepino, me vale un comino, etc. are all very common. At some point, Mexicans just shortened these phrases to me vale:

Después de eso me vale si muero

After that I don't care if I die

Caption 32, Los Originales de San Juan - Ojala La Vida Me Alcance

 Play Caption

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

The common—and very contradictory—Mexican phrase me vale madres belongs to this group. It means “I don’t give a damn about it!” but its literal meaning is something like “It’s worth what my mother is worth to me.” Quite puzzling, right? Especially given the proverbial Mexican affection for their mothers!

We hope you have enjoyed this lesson!