Jun-2014
10 typical Mexican phrases explained
You might know that I lived for a while in Mexico and that currently I am back (woo-hoo!). I realized that there are so many different uses of Spanish in Latin-America during my latest Latin-America backpacking trip, but Mexico still steals the show for most different and especially confusing Spanish!
By now I understand “Mexican” and I feel like sharing some of what I have learned over the last couple of years.
This is for those of you who are visiting Mexico thinking they will understand everything with their Spanish from Spain as I did in the begin.
Here are 10 phrases I got used to hearing a lot that only Mexicans use, explained:
“Ando bien pedo.”
Literal translation: I am walking very fart.
Actual meaning: I am very drunk.
“Que Chido.”
Literal translation: … ( I have no idea actually in what I could translate this, do you?)
Actual meaning: Very cool.
“No manches.”
Literal translation: Don’t stain.
Actual meaning: Seriously?
“Mandalo a la chingada.”
Literal translation: Send him to the rudeness.
Actual meaning: Tell him to f*** off!
“¡Vete a la verga!”
Literal translation: Go to the penis!
Actual meaning: Go f*** yourself!
“Me vale madres.”
Literal translation: I don’t care mothers.
Actual meaning: I don’t give a f***.
“No mames.”
Literal translation: Don’t suck.
Actual meaning: No way.
“¿Mande?”
Literal translation: Sending?
Actual meaning: What did you say?
“Saca las chelas.”
Literal translation: Take out the …???
Actual meaning: Bring out the beers.
“¿Que onda wey?”
Literal translation: What wave ox?
Actual meaning: What’s up man?
Right…
About Renate Rigters
Ever since I left my home country I felt at home at any other place I went to. I enjoy getting to know more cultures by talking to strangers and hearing their philosophy about life. Speaking with gestures when you can not find a shared language, finding places only the locals go to and learn about their customs and values. Hanging out with local people makes me happy. The experience of every new place is a step out of your comfort zone where I like to wander around until it feels like a second home.
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Leuk! Ik ken eigenlijk alleen ‘Que onda?’ Maar zonder ‘wey’ is het misschien niet Mexicaans? Waar woonde je in Mexico?
Hoi Annika. “Que onda” is zeker Mexicaans! Maar, met “wey” wordt het nog wat lokaler. Dat hoor je wellicht vaker als je alleen met locals optrekt. Ik woonde in Huatulco, Oaxaca. Mijn magisch paradijsje, waar ik nu ook weer ben.
Actually “Mande” comes from “Mandar” (order/command) as in “al mando” not as in “enviar”, it’s common in latin america to use that expression or the similar “qué manda?”, it’s a respectful way to respond when you are being talk to.
Very interesting blog!
Hey Roberto! Thanks for the input, and you’re totally right! 🙂
“wey” should be spelt as “guey.” great page though haha. i’m half mexican so the only time I get to speak spanish is when I say stuff like this to my hispanic friends
Hey Alex, Yes you’re right! I’ve been thought by chatting language through my Mexican colleagues, so that’s my excuse 😀 Thanks for the comment!
Jajajaja, yo creo que alguna vez use uno de esos comentarios o frases con alguna chica holandesa.
Claro ella al entenderme me decía lo mismo 😉
Hey Izzy! Si Si! Me lo acuerdo! Abrazote!
Hahaha! So good! I live in Laredo, TX which borders Mexico. This stuff is just part of my vernacular, but it’s super interested to see it broken down. Made my day.
Hey Mauro! Thanks! Great to hear 🙂 Saludos!
Actually here in Sinaloa “no manches” and “no mames” are the same and also have multiple meanings.
Thanks for sharing this info 🙂
Your lack of comprehension of the phrases you attempt to translate is truly astounding. Rough interpretations at best lacking in subtleties and nuance with no cultural context. Enough to get picked up on a hiking trip I suppose. Not enough to open an doors or build cultural bridges. Thanks for posting your ignorance for the world to see.
Wow hater
Wow… What a peachy merry cone….
Merry cone, thats funny…in soccer would be puuuuuuuuuuuto!
His glass is definitely half full in his life
Hi Alex! Haha! Thanks for the comment!
Haha! Had to read it out loud to find out, but lovely 😉 Greets!
Nice vocabulary. However, your statement is still false. She did a fine job translating, except for the “Que onda ‘wey’?” translation. I’m not Mexican, I’m Puerto Rican, but I have Mexican friends, and my mother dated a Mexican for 12 years. To Puerto Ricans (and possibly others, not entirely sure?), mames means suck. “Manches” means stain. “Vas a manchar tu camisa.” “Ya la manche”. We also don’t say, “Mande?”. As she translated, it means sent. “Ya la mande” “I already sent it.” We say “Que” or “Como?” when we’re asking “What?” or “Can you repeat that?”. That is not considered disrespectful to us at all, while saying “Que?” to a Mexican is considered disrespectful and rude. “Verga” is not a term we use for penis. We use “bicho” (bee cho) and “pinga” (peen ga). She did a very good job translating. You’re just trying to be a smart ass
I just moved to Ensenada. I’m studying formal/textbook Spanish but such courses often omit info about the kind of slang phrases you encounter in everyday conversation. So gracias!
Hi Paul, what a nice comment! Thank you for this! De nada 🙂 Renate
Here’s one “pica se el culo” lmao
This is definitely good to know as I have many Mexican friends °u°
Thanks L.N.!
💃🏻j’adooore, simplément !! Salud🍷
Merci beaucour! 🙂
Güey is kind of a rude or cuss word so I wouldnt use it when speaking to someone in a respectful way. Also you can say to someone in a casual way, “¿Qué tal?” That means what’s up, how are you. “Vete a la jodida/chingada” is a vulgar phrase that means go f–k off. Literally means go to the f–king/screwing. It comes from joder which means to f–k. My grandpa says “Híjole a fregada/de la fregada” which he thought was just slang but it actually means oh my goodness or wow that’s f–ked or screwed up. You could say “está fregada/o” (something is screwed or messed or f–ked up). “Vete a la fregada” means go to hell. Fregar means to scrub something or to f–k/screw or to damn and not always a curse/vulgar word. Think of the similar actions of scrubbing something and having sexual relations Joder is similar but it’s always a curse word or a vular term. Pinche or pronounced pinchi is an adjective (describing a noun) means f–king (noun).
When I’m listening to podcasts in order to learn spanish, I keep hearing them say something that sounds like agua si. I guess I don’t how to spell it correctly because I can’t find it on the internet.
“Aguas” literal meaning is “waters”…. slang meaning… watch out or be careful
chelas translates into white girl
I have a Mexican friend in my class that always says somerhing like “aww kill me”, but I have no idea what he’s saying?
“Saca las chelas”
miCHELAdas… Chelas
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Si MOAN lol
CHELA: I see it as a contraction of two very important words, Cerveza Helada, if you really want to party!
Chela: It might also be a Nick-name, Marcela (chela) or Marcelo (CHELO).
Chelo for a woman would be a nick-name for Consuelo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consuelo_Silva
Güey (her wey) could be translated roughly as asshole, is extremely offensive and should never be used on a stranger or someone who’s older. That said, is one of those offensive appellatives you can use with friends and people you’re familiar with. ¿Qué onda güey? (What’s up dude?) ¡No seas güey! (Don’t be an asshole!) Just in the same way African-American young males would use nigga to address each other or gay male friends would call each other faggots.
Ox is buey, a totally different sounding word.
Even when wey and güey are phonetically identical in Spanish, W is considered a foreign letter in Spanish, which is why the spelling güey is the correct one.
this article is just wrong. idk where you got your info but its not right. and even the corrections in the comments are wrong.
“Mande?” Comes not from “send” but from the other meaning of the same verb “to order or command” this is why it is used in a respectful way in lieu of “Que?”
Should ad the word “Aguas!” Translates to English as waters. Commonly used to express be careful or watch out!