Do black people call white people by N-word in us?

27 comments

1. [deleted]

2. Some of my black friends will call anyone the N-word, some only call other black people, some don’t use that word at all.

   Like almost anything with America, it depends on the person.

3. I have heard people use it toward people of other ‘colors’ if they felt the person was their friend.

   However it is a very touchy word, so, I do not advise using it.

4. Depends on how cool the white guy is.

5. Had a black friend in the army who would call me his N-word (I’m white) and I’d call him my cracker. The looks of confusion were great.

6. Yes, black people call anyone they want the N word basically. A lot don’t like it called back. A few don’t mind. Depends who you say it to. As a rule of thumb, even if they do call you that word, I wouldn’t call them that back. I personally don’t use the word, but some of my friends do.

7. It’s not completely unheard of, but the n-word is extremely touchy. It’d probably be some ironic joke

   That said: if you don’t know where it is and isn’t appropriate to say, don’t say it. You can get yourself into heated conflict if you say it around the wrong person at the wrong time

8. Generally, no. If you hear this done, it’s probably a close friend, part of a joke, or both.

9. [removed]

10. My first reactions was to think of this question as absolutely ridiculous. Then I realized that in highschool and college, a few black people called me the “a at the end” version of this word just in casual conversation. So I guess it isn’t. In those cases I don’t even think they were thinking about it. They were just saying a word they would say to people they were familiar with.

11. N***er with emphasis on the hard -er sound is always offensive.

    Some black people casually use n***a in a friendly or general way. Examples:

    * (with a very close white friend, in a joking way) “hey n***a stop doing that, you’re annoying”
    * (talking about a group of white people) “why are those n***as being so loud?”
    * (when excited, scared, or panicked) “Run! Those n***as are shooting at us!”

    These are only casual uses, and usually used by lower-class people. It is *NEVER* to be said in a professional setting.

    When using it with a white person that they don’t know, it is almost always confrontational. As in, it means you want to fight.

12. A lot of people just hang out with others of their own race. For many black people that mostly hang around other black people, the n-word is just a word they use to refer to another person regardless of race.

13. Black people are just as varied as white people. Some people will use the N-word, usually ending with “a” or “uh.” Some people have no sense of humor about the word.

14. The African Americans now own the n word. They can use it pretty much talking with other African Americans, or in songs or whatever, it may not be in every case, maybe black and white friends may use the word WITHIN THERE OWN GROUP! That would be extremely rare. If it is used outside their group, there may be some repercussions. So 99 percent of the time IT IS A SOLID NO! be aware just this question can/will cause some very serious negative reactions.

15. Yes. It depends on the situation and the way it’s said. It can be used in derogatory manner, or as a way to say this white person is alright.

    That being said, it’s NEVER to be used by white folks, even if meant as a compliment.

16. Occasionally. My teenage neighbor called me a bitch ass n*gga like twenty times after I asked her to turn down her music that she had been blasting in the backyard for ten hours straight starting at 9 AM. That was really odd. I was just confused

17. It’s not common for a black person to call a white person the n word (I’m talking ending in -a, ending in -er wouldn’t happen), but if it happens it would usually be complimentary or collective.

    If it is a group of people, the word may just be a placeholder for “dudes.”

    If it’s a single person, it’s almost definitely meant as a compliment, maybe like “[it doesn’t matter that this guy is white] That’s my n*gga right here!”

    Again, some black people would never use that word towards a white person, and some don’t use that word at all. People feel very strongly and very differently about this.

18. I think it’s really hard to make a blanket statement on this subject at all. The majority of black people find it offensive and only use it for other black people. Some black people don’t use it at all. I’ve personally known black people that “allowed” and even encouraged their white friends to use it with them.

    Personally, I’d prefer that people use it like any cuss word. If you want to use it at home or in adults only company more power to you, but please stop saying it in front of my child.

19. Not that I’ve ever noticed in actual conversation. Some people use it in telling stories about things that happened, as a substitute for, say “So, this *guy*…”. That I have seen.

    Anyway, I’m white and I’ve been called that by a *white* guy, though (though, full disclosure, the guy was a massive racist, it’s not typical.)

20. If they did, I would tell them I prefer to be called a Honkey instead.

21. It’s really hard to describe if you’re not from our culture just how bad the word is. There isn’t another word in the English language that has the same connotation. It’s often called, and rightly so, the ugliest word in the English language. There are lots of black people who also don’t like hearing it from other black people.

22. Their word.

    They can use it however they want. However, it doesn’t give others the right to use it without consequence.

23. I wouldn’t say it’s common, but some will use the version that ends with -a rather than -er as a term of endearment for a friend, similarly to “brother”.

24. I don’t say the N word at all these days. I used to and it would be a placeholder for “guy”. Like saying “look at what those Ns are doing” or something similar.

    It’s not so much Black people use the n word and call white (or other) people that. You’re likely to only hear this from people who grew up poorer because calling anyone the n word even in jest or as a friend is not polite.

25. Some black people use it casually just to refer to any person in the third person. Example: “That nigga Biden is trippin’.” It’s just a turn of phrase, doesn’t mean anything that they are applying it to a white person, it’s for comic effect in most cases.

    Sometimes a black person will call a white person that. Its significance is highly situational. It can be a term of affection, as in “Don’t worry you know you’re my nigga.” Or it could be fighting words, which is a function it also plays between two black guys, the equivalent of a woman calling another woman “bitch.” As in, “Nigga you best get out of my face before something happens.” This can also be, as part of an incitation to fight, a strategic ploy, sort of leaving the ground open for the white guy to use the word back. If he makes that mistake, pretty much everyone views it as acceptable or less-unacceptable, for the black fellow to respond by taking a swing.

    For white people the best, most airtight policy is never ever say that word unless you are directly quoting and even then, only if that word is instrumental to the message. And even then, it’s still safer to swap in “n-word.”

    If someone calls a white person that affectionately, it is not an invitation to respond in kind. Some black people might not be offended if you did, but some would, but they will never fault you for NOT saying it, unless they are truly out of their minds.

    So yes, white people can be called that, and if they value the respect of their peers and their dental integrity they should never say it. Don’t use it in the company of only white people either unless you are infiltrating a white supremacist gang for the FBI.

    The only time it’s acceptable is when you’re alone in your room singing along to Ice Cube. Even then you’re supposed to feel iffy about it.

26. None of my black friends even say that word often so they definitely don’t call me that.

27. It’s rare and depends on the person. I’m a white dude so I never say it. But my friends will call me that word depending on the setting.