¿Qué onda? means "What's up?" in Mexican Spanish. It's the everyday casual greeting between friends, and it can also mean "What's going on?" when something seems off.
Casual Use it with friends, family and people your age.
How It's Used
Tone & Context
Use it with friends, classmates and coworkers your age. With an older person, a boss or a stranger, say "Buenos días" or "¿Cómo está?" instead.
Onda literally means "wave", as in a vibe. The same word shows up in "¡Qué buena onda!" (how nice) and "¡Qué mala onda!" (not cool). A natural reply is "Nada, aquí nomás" (nothing much) or "Bien, ¿y tú?".
Related Expressions
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FAQ: ¿Qué onda?
¿Qué onda? means "What's up?" in Mexican Spanish. It's the everyday casual greeting between friends, and it can also mean "What's going on?" when something seems off.
No, it's friendly, just informal. It would sound too casual with a boss, an older person or in a formal setting, where "¿Cómo está?" is better.
Common replies are "Nada, aquí nomás" (nothing much), "Todo bien" (all good) or "Bien, ¿y tú?" (good, and you?).