25 Colloquial Mexican Spanish Phrases That Make Speaking to Locals More Fun!
Mexico is a country with a rich culture, delicious food, and also unique expressions. If you’re planning a trip to Mexico or just want to understand Mexican Spanish better, learning some common phrases can help you sound more natural and connect with locals. And understand when you’re being insulted (strong words marked with **). Here’s a list of 25 colloquial Mexican Spanish phrases, their meanings, and examples of how to use them in everyday conversations.
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List of Colloquial Mexican Spanish Phrases
The following list is by no means extensive, but it teaches you the phrases that you’re most likely to come across when being in Mexico. You might hear them in the tiendas (shops) when someone asks you to give way (con permiso), or on the street when someone warns you of the traffic (¡Aguas!). Just keep your ears and eyes open.
1. Con permiso
This phrase means “excuse me” or “with your permission.” It’s used when you need to pass by someone or leave a group politely. It’s a very common phrase you’ll come across almost daily, as Mexicans like to treat each other respectfully.
Example:
- Con permiso, necesito pasar. – “Excuse me, I need to get through.”
2. ¿Mande?
A polite way of saying “What?” or “Excuse me?” when someone calls you.
Example:
- ¿Mande, señor? – “Yes, sir?”
3. ¡Aguas!
A warning expression that means “Watch out!”
Example:
- ¡Aguas con el escalón! – “Watch out for the step!”
4. Una chela
A casual way to say “a beer.”
Example:
- Vamos por unas chelas después del trabajo. – “Let’s grab some beers after work.”
5. Güero/Güera
A term used to refer to a light-skinned or blond person. Doesn’t have to be a foreigner; light-skinned Mexicans are also güeros. Güero is the male version, güera the female version.
Example:
- Oye, güero, ¿de dónde eres? – “Hey, blondie, where are you from?”
6. Wey/Güey
A very common informal word meaning “dude” or “guy.” It can be affectionate among friends but offensive if used incorrectly.
Example:
- ¡No inventes, wey! – “No way, dude!”
- ¡Qué onda, wey! – “What’s up, bro!”
7. Chido
A slang word for “cool” or “awesome”.
Example:
- Ese carro está bien chido. – “That car is really cool.”
- ¡Que chido! – “How cool!”
8. Chulo/Chula
Used to describe something or someone as pretty, cute, or nice.
Example:
- Esa playa está muy chula. – “That beach is very beautiful.”
- Gracias, mi chula. – “Thank you, my dear.”
9. Chambear
A casual way of saying “to work.” If someone asks you what you’ve been up to, you can answer chambeando (I’ve been working).
Example:
- Tengo que chambear temprano mañana. – “I have to work early tomorrow.”
10. Chingón
A strong slang word meaning “awesome” or “badass.”
Example:
- Ese concierto estuvo chingón. – “That concert was amazing.”
11. No manches
An expression of disbelief, like “No way!” or “Are you serious?”
Example:
- No manches, ¿de verdad te dijo eso? – “No way, did he really say that?”
12. Ahorita
This is a tricky word! It can technically mean “right now” but also “in a little while” or “whenever I feel like it”. Mexicans would say it can also mean “never” 🙂
Example:
- Ahorita lo hago. – “I’ll do it soon.”
13. Anything with “-ito”
Mexicans love to use the diminutive for almost everything. Usually, the diminutive is used to make something sound smaller or less frightening. For example, a gatito is a small cat (gato = cat), a perrito a small dog (perro = dog), and so on; the ending -ito makes it the diminutive version of a word. But Mexicans use it for almost everything, so don’t be surprised when your taxi driver tells you to get out of the car con cuidadito (carefully) instead of con cuidado.
Example:
- Con cuidadito. – “Carefully!”
- Vamos por unos taquitos. – “Let’s go and eat some tacos!”
14. Cuate
A Mexican word for “buddy” or “friend.”
Example:
- Voy al cine con mi cuate. – “I’m going to the movies with my buddy.”
15. Órale
A versatile expression meaning “Wow!”, “Alright!”, or “Let’s go.”
Example:
- ¡Órale! No sabía que sabías bailar así. – “Wow! I didn’t know you could dance like that.”
16. Híjole
An exclamation of surprise, concern, or frustration.
Example:
- Híjole, no sé si pueda ir. – “Oh man, I don’t know if I can go.”
17. Fresa
Describes someone as preppy, snobby, or fancy.
Example:
- Ese restaurante es muy fresa. – “That restaurant is very fancy.”
18. Naco
The opposite of fresa. It’s used to describe something or someone as tacky or low-class. The ex-president of Mexico AMLO called himself naco, chinto y chario once to make clear that he wasn’t born rich nor high-class.
Example:
- Su ropa es un poco naca. – “His clothes are a bit tacky.”
- Soy naco, chinto y chairo. – “I’m from a low-class origin, with indigenous roots, and leftist.”
19. Qué onda
A casual greeting meaning “What’s up?”
Example:
- ¡Qué onda, wey! ¿Cómo estás? – “What’s up, dude? How are you?”
20. Sale
The same as vale, meaning “Okay” or “Alright.”
Example:
- Nos vemos a las 8. – Sale, nos vemos. – “See you at 8. – Okay, see you then.”
21. Pendejo**
A vulgar term meaning “idiot” or “stupid person.” Be cautious using it, as it can be insulting. But at least you should understand when you’re being insulted;-)
Example:
- Ese pendejo se metió en el tráfico sin ver. – “That idiot cut into traffic without looking.”
22. Estar pedo
To be drunk. Careful with the word pedo in other contexts, as this word by itself can also mean “fart”.
Example:
- Ayer bebí tanto, estuve bien pedo, wey. – “I drank so much yesterday, I was really drunk, bro.”
23. Cañón
Means something is intense, difficult, or amazing.
Example:
- El tráfico está cañón hoy. – “Traffic is crazy today.”
24. Chinga tu madre**
A very strong insult meaning “go to hell” or worse, that’s usually used in heated arguments. Avoid using it unless you are very sure about the situation. But again, good to understand.
25. Echarle ganas
A motivational phrase meaning “to put effort into something.”
Example:
- Tienes que echarle ganas en el trabajo. – “You have to put effort into your job.”
¡Órale, échale ganas! (Come on, make an effort!)
As you can see, Mexican Spanish is full of colorful and expressive phrases that make conversations more lively. Learning these expressions will not only help you communicate better but also help you connect with locals in a more meaningful way. Not to mention that it’ll help you understand when you’re being insulted. 🙂 Whether you’re ordering a chela, greeting a cuate, or saying órale to an adventure, you’ll experience Mexican culture on a deeper level.
Plan and Book Your Trip
– Where to find cheap flights: Skyscanner.com
– Get compensation for delayed or canceled flights: AirHelp
– Which Travel Insurance to use: safetywing.com
– Where to book accommodation: booking.com, hostelworld.com
– Where to book rental cars: Discover Cars
– Where to book tours: Get Your Guide, Tripadvisor, Viator
– Transportation: Busbud for sustainable travel by bus, inDrive for city-to-city transportation service
Read next:
- Basic Spanish Language Guide for Your Next Vacation in Mexico – 70+ Useful Phrases
- How to Confidently Order Food in a Mexican Restaurant (Cheat Sheet with 60+ Phrases)
- 4 Fun Ways to Learn Mexican Spanish: My Experience with UNAM, Pimsleur, Lingopie & FluentU
- 12 Best Reasons to Move to Mexico in 2025 – And What to Consider
- 11 Useful Apps for Traveling to Mexico
- Driving in Mexico: How to Prepare and Stay Safe
- 19 Top Excursions from Puebla City You’ll Love (Half-Day and Day Trips)
