Originally Posted by Fresno22

Yes, ruca (never seen it spelled) is slang for girlfriend. I hear it sometimes here in California, and have heard it in Mexico also. It's probably similar to the American slang expression "my old lady." But ruca is super-slangy and I think belongs with words like chamba, jale, orale, pos, chante, etc. I use it jokingly with Mexican and Mexican-American friends, but would not use it with someone I don't know well. In fact, I would *only* use it as a joke...deliberately poor slangy Spanish like, " On ta tu ruca?" Response could be, "Pos, anda en la chamba." Uh...yes...only jokingly.