What does ‘No Sabo’ really mean?

I’ve noticed a rise in people speaking about ‘no sabo’ and ‘no sabo kids’ this year. The last time I noticed this rise was back in 2021 when we were creating our card game, Yo Sabo. Except this time it feels a little bit different. There’s more nostalgia around it compared to when it was being brought up during the rise of social media (TikTok, Instagram Reels, etc.).

Is this your first time hearing about ‘No Sabo Kids’? Well it’s a label for Latinos who speak limited Spanish. It plays on ‘no sabo’, an incorrect way to say ‘I don’t know’. The correct Spanish translation is ‘no se’.

Back in 2021, no sabo was used as a way to put others down, make fun of generations that had lost their Spanish over time, and made people feel like they didn’t belong. If you grew up Latino in the US, there was a constant battle of feeling like you were not from here, not from there (ni de aquí, ni de allá). During this time, we felt a strong urge to flip the script; took those insecurities and in turn searched for a way to reconnect with our heritage. From this our card game, Yo Sabo the Game, was born. The goal was really to take back the connotation of having people think that because your Spanish is not 100%, that it makes you less Latino. We took that negative connotation and put a positive spin to it, where it’s associated more to game night. A game that brings generations together & connect us through laughter, storytelling and friendly competition. Most importantly, a space were you CAN make mistakes. Four years later, we’re happy to still be here, not just as a game, but as a brand built to uplift generations to come.

If you grew up feeling caught between worlds, I hope you know you belong in both ❤️‍🩹

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