10 Mexican Spanish Slang Phrases You Have To Know (Examples)

Vamos a pedir de comer. ¿Qué se te antoja, Susan?
(We’re going to order some food. What are you craving for, Susan?)

Pérame tantito, estoy en una llamada.
(Hold on a sec, I’m on a call.)

¿Pérame tantito? ¡Susan, cada vez suenas más y más mexicana!
(Hold on a sec? Susan, you sound more and more Mexican every time!)

You won’t learn THIS SPANISH unless you speak with a Mexican (Secret Slang)

If you would like to impress your friends with your Spanish, then this lesson is for you! In this lesson, we’re going to explore 10 Mexican Spanish slang phrases and expressions you have to know.

Let’s go!

A tasty piece of gossip with Mexican Spanish slang

To teach you the Mexican expressions of this lesson, we’re going to hear a secret conversation:

Amiga.
(Girlfriend.)

¿Eu?
(__?)

¿Te acuerdas de Ana Paty Morales, la de la Universidad?
(Do you remember Ana Paty Morales, from college?)

Una pelirroja.
(A red haired one.)

No, esa es Ana Paty Carduño. Yo digo una chaparrita, que estudiaba arquitectura.
(No, that’s Ana Paty Carduño. I mean a short one, who studied architecture.)

Ei. Ya me acordé ¿Qué onda con ella?
(__. I remember. What’s up with her?)

Let’s interrupt for a little while to take a closer look at 2 very Mexican expressions.

1. Eu (What’s up?)

We use this sound to acknowledge someone who’s talking to us.

Like saying, “yeah, what’s up…” It’s informal.

Amiga.
(Girlfriend.)

¿Eu?
(What’s up?)

2. Ei (Yes)

Ei, generally speaking, it means “yes”.

We use it to show agreement.

Yo digo una chaparrita, que estudiaba arquitectura.
(I mean a short one, who studied architecture.)

Ei. Ya me acordé ¿Qué onda con ella?
(Yes. I remember. What’s up with her?)

Continuemos con el chisme.
(Let’s continue with the gossip. )

Ei. Ya me acordé ¿Qué onda con ella?
(Yes. I remember. What’s up with her?)

Fíjate que se va a casar.
(____ she’s getting married.)

Eí. Ya me sé ese chisme, amiga. Vi foto del anillo en su insta. Qué bueno, ya llevaba mucho tiempo comprometida con Luis.
(Yes. I already know that gossip, girlfriend. I saw a photo of the ring on her Instagram. That’s great… she had been engaged to Luis for a long time.)

¡Amiga! No te sabes el verdadero chisme. Fíjate que sí se casa Ana Paty, pero no con José Miguel.
Girlfriend! You don’t know the real gossip. ___ Ana Paty is getting married, but not to José Miguel.)

¡No! ¿Con quién?
(No! With whom?)

Before we find out who Ana Paty is marrying, let’s take a closer look.

3. Fíjate que (You see / It turns out that)

Fíjate que (You see or It turns out) is a great conversational chunk!

We use at the beginning of phrase. It’s usually said when the next phrase states an interesting fact.

Pero no necesariamente tienes que decir algo interesante. (But you don’t necessarily have to say something interesting.) Check out this video where I teach you more chunks to properly gossip in Spanish:

HOW to GOSSIP in Spanish: What’s the latest CHISME?

Let the gossip continue…

Fíjate que sí se casa Ana Paty, pero no con José Miguel.
(Turns out Ana Paty is getting married, but not to José Miguel.)

¡No! ¿Con quién?
(No! With whom?)

Fíjate que con Rafa Sebastián.
(Turns out that with Rafa Sebastian.)

Pérame tantito… Pero… Rafa Sebastián es el mejor amigo de José Miguel. ¿Sí, no?
(___ But… Rafa Sebastián is the best friend of José Miguel. __)

¡Sí!
(Yes!)

¿Y qué pasó?
(And what happened?)

Antes de que nos enteremos de qué pasó, prestemos atención a: (Before we find out what happened, let’s pay attention to:)

4. Pérame tantito (Hold on)

Pérame tantito (Hold on).

It’s like “wait up”.

It comes from espérame (wait for me). We use it to ask for a minute. It’s colloquial, but people across all generations and social classes use it.

Pérame tantito… pero… Rafa Sebastián es el mejor amigo de José Miguel. ¿Sí, no?
(Hold on… but… Rafa Sebastián is the best friend of José Miguel. __)

¡Sí!
(Yes!)

¿Y qué pasó?
(And what happened?)

5. ¿Sí, no? (Yes, no?)

¿Sí, no? (Yes, no?)

The infamous yes, no? It really just means: right?

So… ¿Qué pasó? (What happened?)

Rafa Sebastián es el mejor amigo de José Miguel. ¿Sí, no?
(Rafa Sebastián is the best friend of José Miguel. Right?)

¡Sí!
(Yes!)

¿Y qué pasó?
(And what happened?)

Se cansó de esperar la Ana Paty. Terminó con el José Miguel, porque aunque ya llevaban tanto tiempo viviendo juntos… el anillo, ¡ni sus luces! Como a las dos semanas, el mejor amigo, Rafa, le empezó a hablar.
(Ana Paty got tired of waiting. She broke up with José Miguel because even though they had been living together for so long… ____ of the ring! About 2 weeks later, the best friend, Rafa, started talking to her. And well… long story short…)

Did you notice what happened there with the names! And that thing we said about luces (lights)?

6. Adding the article “the” to a name to create a Mexican Spanish slang

It’s not the classiest move, but it’s common. Adding La or El before the name gives it an air of familiarity.

Sometimes people do it just ironically, when talking about people that they don’t know.

Mexican Spanish slang explained by Paulisima

So instead of Ana Paty we say:

  • La Ana Paty
  • El José Miguel

7. Ni sus luces (Not a sign of it)

Es como decir (It’s like saying) Not a sign of it! ¡Ni sus luces! (Not a sign of it!) You can use it for example, when someone is late. When there are no signs of something or someone to show up. Like in the peace of gossip we’re dissecting:

Paty terminó con el José Miguel, porque aunque ya llevaban tanto tiempo viviendo juntos… el anillo, ¡ni sus luces!
(Paty ended things with José Miguel, because even though they had been living together for so long… there was no sign of the ring!)

8. Para no hacerte el cuento tan largo (Long story short)

This is used just like its English equivalent: Long story short.

Let’s continue:

Resulta que Rafa Sebastián a los dos meses de estar saliendo, le da el anillo.
(Turns out Rafa Sebastián, on the second month of dating, gave her the ring.)

¿En serio?
(Really?)

Sí, amiga. Pues es que cuando uno sabe, uno sabe. No sé por qué esperan tanto tiempo. Después de tres años, no va a suceder, y la que soporte.
(Yes, girlfriend. It’s just that when you know, you know. I don’t know why they wait so long. After 3 years, it’s not going to happen, ______.)

¡Amiga! ¡Qué fea! Yo ya llevo cuatro años con Juan Carlos y no me ha pedido matrimonio.(Girlfriend! That’s ugly! I’ve been with Juan Carlos for 4 years and he hasn’t proposed.)

¡Ay, amiga, estás viendo y no ves!
(Oh, girlfriend, _____!)

Let’s examine closely 2 expressions. Including one very recent that is used a lot online.

9. Y la que soporte (and there’s nothing you can do about it)

Y la que soporte.

This Mexican Spanish slang term comes from the LGBTI+ from Mexico.

It literally means “she who puts up with it”, but it means something more like “and there’s nothing you can do about it” or y no hay nada que puedas hacer al respecto. ¡Es más simple en español! (It’s simpler in Spanish!)

You use it in an informal situation after stating a controversial opinion.

Spring Spanish es el mejor canal de YouTube para aprender español… ¡y la que soporte!)
(Spring Spanish is the best YouTube channel to learn Spanish… and there’s nothing you can do about it!)

10. Estás viendo y no ves (Lit.: You’re looking but you don’t)

Estás viendo y no ves is commonly used in Mexico to reprimand someone for not being aware of a situation that is obvious to others.

It implies that the person is “seeing” the situation but not “understanding” it. And that this lack of awareness is causing them harm or difficulty.

It’s often used in a playful or teasing manner, but can also convey frustration or disappointment.

¡Amiga! ¡Qué fea! Yo ya llevo cuatro años con Juan Carlos y no me ha pedido matrimonio.
(Girlfriend! That’s ugly! I’ve been with Juan Carlos for 4 years and he hasn’t proposed.)

¡Ay, amiga, estás viendo y no ves!
(Oh, girlfriend, you’re looking but you don’t see!)

Continue learning about Mexican slang in the next lesson…

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