Mexican Slang To Know Before You Travel To Mexico

¿Mande?

The term “¿Mande?” is a very polite way to ask someone to repeat themselves. For example, if you can’t hear someone or don’t understand what they said, you can reply with “¿Mande?” Using this term indicates “unfamiliarity,” and the person will most likely repeat his or her previous statement. “¿Mande?” can be translated to “Can you repeat that?” or to “Excuse me?”

For example, “¿Mande? No escuché lo que dijiste.” would translate to “Excuse me, I didn’t get that.”

Que Padre

On your travels to Mexico, you’ve likely heard someone say, “Que padre!” You may have even entered the term into Google Translate and been given the literal translation of “that father,” which makes zero sense, given the use. In Mexico, “que padre” is used to say something is cool or awesome or to respond to good news.

For example, when someone says, “Mañana va a ser un gran día para ir a la playa, va a hacer mucho sol” – “Tomorrow will be a perfect day to go to the beach, the sun will be out all day.” you could respond with “¡Que padre!”

Chido

If you hang around Millennials or Gen Zers in Mexico, you’ll hear the word “chido” multiple times because they frequently use this word as a synonym for “que padre” or, in English, “cool” or “awesome.” Millennials might be the ones who use the word the most, but this doesn’t mean that older people don’t use the word. Chido is a modern word that indicates something is awesome.

For example, “El mar en México está chido.” would mean “Mexico’s ocean is cool”.

Pachanga

If you know anything about Mexican culture, you’ve probably gathered that Mexicans like to celebrate any and everything, and we’re known for partying hard. In Mexico, the word “pachanga” is a synonym for “party.” You might hear locals ask, “¿Dónde es la pachanga hoy?” which means, “Where’s the party today?”

As a traveler in Mexico, you might be looking for the right places to party; keep an eye out for the word “Pachanga,” and you’ll probably find some good spots. You can also include the word when asking locals about the best spots to party.

For example (now that you know how to use “que padre”), you could say, “¿Dónde está más padre la pachanga?” to say, “Where’s the coolest place to party?”

Caballito

Now that we’re talking about partying and having a good time, let’s discuss shots! Ask the bartender for tequila in a caballito, and you’ll get a shot of tequila because in Mexico, the word “caballito” is used in reference to shot glasses. You can order tequila, but if you don’t ask them to put it in a “caballito” you’ll probably get it in a normal-sized cup. In most of Mexico, you can also use the word “shot,” and they’ll understand.

For example, “Me das un shot de tequila por favor?” to “Can I please have a shot of tequila?” However, if you want to sound more like a local, you can say: “Me das un caballito de tequila, por favor?” which translates to “Can I please have a shot of tequila?”

Un trago

Having tequila shots in Mexico is fun, but what about having “tragos?” In Mexico, “Vamos a echar un trago” translates to “Let’s go out and have some drinks.” You probably don’t want to order nor ask the server at a restaurant for a drink using the words “un trago” since these words are most likely to be used between friends or in a party environment.

For example, you could hear “Quieres un trago?” or “Vamos por un trago?” from a friend or someone else at a bar, which would translate to “Do you want to go get a drink?”

“Cheve” and “Chela”

“Cheve” and “Chela” are slang words for “cerveza” or “beer,” and they’re used informally with friends and family, usually in a social setting. FYI, “cheve” is more common in Northern Mexico, while “chela” is more commonly used in central and southern Mexico.

It is unlikely to hear locals or foreigners referring to a beer using the word “cheve” or “chela” at a bar or restaurant, especially not in a formal setting. However, frequent customers might as well use the word if there’s a bond between themselves and the restaurant’s staff.

“Salud” and “Provecho”

Besides wanting to celebrate every occasion Mexicans also like to cheer and make a toast at every meal. The most common way of doing it is by saying “Salud” and raising your drink, this is the same as saying “cheers” in the States. You can also say “Provecho” or “Buen Provecho” right before starting a meal which would translate to “Enjoy your meal.”

Crudo

If you indulge in too many shots, you might use the word “crudo” to describe how you feel the next day. Google Translate will spit out the literal definition of “raw” but, in Mexico, it’s used to say you have a hangover.

You would say “Tome demasiado ayer, estoy crudo” to say “I drank too much yesterday, I’m hungover.”

Chin

Things won’t always go as expected, and a common reaction word would be “chin” or “darn.” For example “Chin! Se me cayo mi vaso” which would translate to “Darnit! I dropped my glass.”

Gringo

Don’t feel offended if locals call you a “gringo.” Pretty much anyone who doesn’t “look Mexican” may be called a “gringo” or “gringa.” While people from the United States sometimes get offended when referred to as “gringos” the reality is that in Mexico, the word is not generally considered an insult!

Ahorita

The word “ahorita” can be confusing even for Mexicans. The literal translation of “ahorita” is “right now;” however, Mexicans are not the best with punctuality so when they say “ahorita” it might mean “in a couple of hours” or “later.”

For example “Ahorita llega el camión, primero va a pararse por gasolina.” would mean, “The bus will arrive right now, it will stop for gas first.” Here the word “ahorita” indicates that an event is about to happen though it could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.