Learn to speak Spanish like a native with these Mexican slang and words!

Mexico is the country with the largest number of Spanish speakers, so if you were to learn some Spanish idioms, Mexico is a great place to start. It’s also fun to throw something completely new out there and see how your friends would react. Plus, if you’re planning any trips to Mexico, you can pepper your conversations with these Mexican slang words. And don’t get me started on Mexican TV shows! You’re bound to hear some of these Spanish expressions in there, so why not learn what they mean?

By the way, if you want to learn Spanish for free, check out my free Spanish resource ebook! (You’ll also find some Mexican Netflix shows in there to get you started.)

Mexican slang words and phrases

Learning Spanish slang words will definitely boost your vocabulary and make you sound like a native. No matter which language you’re studying, slang words will add flow to your conversations and a certain naturalness. Instead of speaking like “in the books,” you’ll get a firsthand experience of how actual Spanish speakers… speak.

Without further ado, here are the most popular Mexican slang words:

No hay pedo

Instead of saying no hay problema (+ learn how to say “no problem” in Spanish), go with no hay pedo. Here are some examples:

• No hay pedo. Me lo traes otro día. (No problem. You can bring it to me some other day.)
• Lo siento, Luz. – No hay pedo. (I’m sorry, Luz. – No problem.)

Qué pedo

Another common use of pedo (fun fact: it means “fart” in Spanish), is the Mexican slang qué pedo, which means “what’s up” or “what’s wrong.”

• ¡Qué pedo, amigo! Hasta que te dejas ver. (What’s up, buddy! I can finally see you.)
• No sé ni qué pedo con él. Un segundo está feliz, y al otro, se pone como loco. (I really don’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s happy one second, and he goes crazy the next.)

Mande

This slang word is used to ask someone to repeat what they just said (it’s similar to “sorry” or “excuse me”) and also to say “yes” (instead of sí.) While it’s mostly used in Mexico, you’ll also find it in Ecuador.

• Laura, échame la mano. – ¿Mande? – Ven a ayudarme. (Laura, give me a hand. – Sorry? – Come and help me.)
• ¡Carlos! – ¿Mande? – Ya está la cena. (Carlos! – Yes? – Dinner’s ready.)

Qué onda

It’s a casual way of asking “what’s up,” especially among friends.

• Hola, Pedro. ¿Qué onda, güey? (Hey, Pedro. What’s up, dude?)
• ¿Qué onda, mano? ¿Qué es de tu vida? (What’s up, mate? What have you been up to?)

No manches & No mames

Both no manches and no mames mean “no way” (also in the sense of “no way, you’re kidding!”). Learn here what’s the difference between these two Mexican slang words.

• Acabo de ver un unicornio. – ¡No manches! ¿En serio? (I just saw a unicorn. – No way! Seriously?)
• ¿Encontraste $500 en la calle? ¡No mames! (You found $500 on the street? No way!)

Chido/chida & Padre

In Mexico, we use chido (or chida) and padre to say “cool,” “great” or “awesome.” While padre does mean “father” in Spanish, if you make it into ¡Qué padre!, you’re basically saying “How awesome!” Learn more here.

• Ciudad de México es chido. Me encantaría vivir allí. (Mexico City is great. I’d love to live there.)
• Nos vamos de vacaciones a Cancún. – ¡Qué chido! (We’re going to Cancun on vacation. – That’s so cool!)
• ¿Esta es tu nueva moto? ¡Qué padre! (Is this your new bike? How cool!)

Qué huevos

This is a fun one! The word huevos means “eggs” in Spanish, but ¡Qué huevos! is a way of expressing amazement at something daring. So if you see your friend doing something brave or something that you admire, go for ¡Qué huevos!

If you want more slang words, check out my top 12 Spanish slang words and find out which are the best Mexican slang words for parties! 🙌 Next time you’re texting in Spanish with your amigos, write ntp instead of no te preocupes or pti instead of para tu información. 

Bonus: How to use Qué pedo in Mexico

That’s all folks! If you want more Spanish lessons, download our free Spanish conversation course ebook, sign up for our weekly newsletter, and don’t forget to check out our upcoming Day of the Dead trip to Mexico! Thanks ❤️