A gringo (/ˈɡrɪŋɡoʊ/, Spanish: [ˈɡɾiŋɡo], Portuguese: [ˈɡɾĩɡu]) (male) or gringa (female) is someone considered a foreigner from the perspective of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries in Latin America. Gringo usually refers to a foreigner, especially from the United States. Although it is considered an offensive term in some Spanish-speaking countries, in most Spanish-speaking countries and in Brazilian Portuguese, the term simply means "foreign". In English it often carries a derogatory connotation. Possible other connotations may include monolingualism, a lack of understanding of Hispanic culture.