50 Mexican Spanish Slang Phrases You'll Hear Every Day

The expressions, fillers, and slang that make you sound like a local — not a tourist reading from a phrasebook.

PalabraFlow app showing Mexican Spanish slang phrase with audio pronunciation

Mexican Spanish is packed with slang and expressions you won't find in any textbook. These are the words you'll hear constantly on the street, at parties, and in everyday conversation. Master these and Mexicans will be genuinely impressed.

Greetings & Reactions

¡Qué onda!
What's up! / What's going on!
¡No manches!
No way! / You're kidding!
Classic Mexican expression of surprise.
¡Órale!
Wow! / Let's go! / Okay!
Meaning depends on tone.

Approval & Disapproval

¡Qué padre!
That's awesome!
Most common Mexican "cool."
¡Qué chido!
That's cool!
Está gacho.
It's ugly / bad / lame.

Fillers & Agreement

Sale.
Okay / Deal.
Neta.
For real / The truth.
No hay bronca.
No problem.

Surprise & Frustration

¡Híjole!
Wow / Dang / Oh no!
A soft, family-friendly exclamation.
¡Qué oso!
How embarrassing!
¡Ni modo!
Oh well / Too bad.
Uniquely Mexican expression.

These are just a preview. PalabraFlow has 100+ slang phrases and expressions with audio pronunciation, quiz mode, and progress tracking.

FAQ: Mexican Spanish Slang

"¡No manches!" is one of the most iconic Mexican slang expressions. It means "No way!", "You're kidding!", or "Are you serious?" It's informal but widely used across all ages and social groups in Mexico.

"¡Órale!" is a versatile Mexican expression that can mean "Wow!", "Let's go!", "Okay!", or "Right on!" depending on tone and context. You'll hear it dozens of times a day in Mexico.

"Neta" means "truth" or "for real" in Mexican slang. "¿Neta?" as a question means "Really?" while "¡Neta!" as a statement means "I swear!" "La neta" means "honestly."

Both mean "That's awesome!" or "That's cool!" "¡Qué padre!" is universally used across Mexico and all age groups. "¡Qué chido!" is slightly more informal and popular with younger people. Both are safe to use in casual conversation.

"¡Aguas!" literally means "Waters!" but in Mexican slang it means "Watch out!" It originates from colonial times when people would shout "¡Aguas!" before throwing dirty water from balconies. Today it's a quick way to warn someone.

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