To really connect with and understand native speakers, you have to go beyond your textbook Spanish.\u00a0There are many cool phrases and expressions used all over the Spanish-speaking world, and learning this vocabulary\u00a0will take you to another level of proficiency and allow you to engage in more conversation.<\/p>\n
In this post, you’ll learn 30 cool Spanish phrases with their regional specifications so you can communicate no matter where you find yourself.\u00a0
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While this phrase translates directly to “What wave?” it can be used in place of “What’s up?” This one is mostly used in Mexico<\/strong><\/a> and a few nearby Latin American countries.<\/p>\n \u00a1<\/span>Hola, linda! \u00bfQu\u00e9 onda?<\/strong><\/em> (Hey, beautiful! What’s up?)\u00a0<\/p>\n Translating directly to “good wave,” this one is most similar to “good vibes” and can also mean “cool.” It’s often used to describe a person or place. Mala onda<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/em>can be used to say the opposite.<\/p>\n This is another one that is mostly centered around Mexico<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u00c9l es muy\u00a0<\/span>buena onda<\/strong><\/span>, seguro me dice que s\u00ed.<\/span><\/em> (He’s really cool,<\/span>\u00a0I’m sure he’ll say yes.)<\/span><\/p>\n You might say this if someone is being slow or “yanking your chain.” Since it’s a pretty basic phrase, it can be used in most Spanish-speaking countries, although it’s mostly heard in Spain<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a1Venga, hombre<\/strong>, no te quedes en casa todo el finde!<\/em> (Come on, man, don’t stay at home all weekend!)<\/p>\n Translating literally to “lower a gear,” this one can be used to tell someone who seems uptight or tense to calm down, similar to saying “take it easy” or “chill out.” It can also be used in a positive way to mean “slow down” or “de-stress.”<\/p>\n It’s used most frequently in Argentina<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Mi jefe siempre est\u00e1 estresado. Necesita bajar un cambio<\/strong>.<\/em> (My boss is always stressed. He needs to chill out.)\u00a0<\/p>\n This word can be used in a few different ways, but most often it’s used to agree to something (like “Yeah!” or “Right on!”), encourage someone (like “Come on!”), or express surprise (like “No way!” or “Wow!”). It’s usually said with great enthusiasm, and mostly by Mexicans<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In Argentina and some other Spanish-speaking countries, dale<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>is a word used similarly to this.<\/p>\n \u00a1\u00d3rale!<\/strong> Llevamos una hora esper\u00e1ndote!<\/em> (<\/span>Come on! We’ve been waiting for you for an hour!)<\/span><\/p>\n Another primarily Mexican phrase<\/strong><\/a>, you can use this one if you think someone is playing around or if they say something surprising. You can also use it as an expression of disappointment, anger or frustration.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00bfEn serio vas a mudarte a Colombia? \u00a1No manches!<\/strong><\/em> (<\/span>Are you really going to move to Colombia? No way!)<\/span><\/p>\n Pedo<\/em> means “fart,” but this slang phrase is a common way to ask someone what’s up in Mexico. With a different tone, it can also have a more serious meaning, like “What’s the matter?” or “What’s your problem?”\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a1Que pedo<\/strong>, guey! \u00bfC\u00f3mo has estado?<\/em> (What\u2019s up, buddy! How’ve you been?)<\/p>\n Since this one is a pretty direct translation, it’s used in many regions<\/strong>. It literally means “What barbarity!” and is used similarly to “That’s ridiculous!” “That’s crazy” or “How awful!”<\/p>\n \u00bf<\/span>Te cobraron seis dolares por un caf\u00e9? \u00a1Qu\u00e9 barbaridad!<\/strong><\/em> (They charged you $6 for a coffee? That’s ridiculous!)<\/p>\n This one sounds a lot like the last one, but in this case b\u00e1rbaro<\/em> (barbaric) is used in Argentina<\/strong> either to describe something cool\/ great, or as an expression of surprise, sadness or horror.\u00a0<\/p>\n Qu\u00e9 b\u00e1rbaro<\/strong> es su carro.<\/em> (His car is so cool.)<\/p>\n \u00bfTe enteraste del accidente?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a1Qu\u00e9 b\u00e1rbaro!<\/strong><\/em> (Did you hear about the accident? How awful!)\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This word means “calm.” It can be used to tell someone to calm down or not to worry. The way it’s used colloquially can vary from country to country, but they’re all similar variations.<\/p>\n If you’re talking to a male, you’d use tranquilo,<\/em> while tranquila<\/em> is for a female. In some places, it’s common to hear the shortened version, tranqui<\/strong><\/em> to mean “chill.”\u00a0<\/p>\n Tranquilo<\/strong>, no pasa nada. Podemos tomar el pr\u00f3ximo bus.<\/em> (Don’t worry, it’s fine. We can take the next bus.)\u00a0<\/p>\n Hagamos algo tranqui<\/strong> en mi casa esta noche.<\/em> (Let’s do something chill at my house tonight.)<\/p>\n Buenazo<\/em> is a combination of the adjective bueno<\/em> and the augmentative suffix<\/a> -azo. <\/em>You can use it to describe food, objects, places, etc. that you find really cool or good.\u00a0<\/p>\n La comida en este restaurante es buenazo<\/strong>.<\/em> (The food at this restaurant is really good.)\u00a0<\/p>\n This phrase can be used to say that someone is “hooked on” or “addicted to” a TV show, snack or something similar.<\/p>\n Estoy enganchada<\/strong> a esta serie.<\/em> (I’m hooked on this series.)<\/p>\n Translating directly to “just in case\u00a0the flies,” this old Spanish idiom<\/a> is used similarly to how we say “just in case.” If you’re doing something that seems superfluous or unnecessary, this expression may be used as an explanation.<\/p>\n Lleva un paraguas por si las moscas<\/strong>.<\/em> (Bring an umbrella, just in case.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This is a funny metaphor that translates to “plant a pine,” but actually means “to poop.” You can also use hacer caca<\/em> or hacer el n\u00famero dos,<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>which is the same as we say “take a #2.”<\/p>\n The more formal way to say it is defecar<\/em> or ir de\u00a0cuerpo.<\/em><\/p>\n Vaya, me pas\u00f3 directo esa comida. Voy a <\/span>plantar un pino<\/strong>.<\/span><\/em> (Man, that food went straight through me. I’m going to <\/span>go take a dump.)<\/span><\/p>\n This is an expression that can be used to say you really want something after a period of abstinence from it, similar to having withdrawals. It can also mean you really miss someone or feel like doing something. It literally means “to have monkey.”\u00a0<\/p>\n This one is heard mostly\u00a0in Spain.<\/strong><\/p>\n T<\/strong>engo mono<\/strong> de un caf\u00e9.<\/em> (I’m dying for a coffee.)\u00a0<\/p>\n T<\/strong>engo mono<\/strong> de ti.<\/em> (I really miss you.)<\/p>\n Echar una mano\u00a0<\/em>means “to lend a hand” or “to help out.” Echar<\/em> is a versatile verb that means “to throw” or “to cast” on its own, but it’s used in a few Spanish expressions with differing meanings. For example, echar un vistazo<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0means “to take a look.”<\/p>\n <\/span>Necesito mover este sof\u00e1. \u00bfPuedes echar una mano<\/strong>?<\/span><\/em> <\/span>(<\/span>I need to move this couch. Can you lend a hand?)<\/span><\/p>\n This phrase literally means “to put in (the) batteries,” and it’s used in various ways including telling someone to watch out\/be alert, to pay attention, to look alive or to get to work.\u00a0<\/p>\n In some places like Ecuador, it’s even used to communicate to a friend that you’re going to make plans in the future:\u00a0<\/p>\n Oye, ponte pilas<\/strong> para esa parillada.<\/em> (Hey, get ready for that BBQ.)\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a1P\u00f3nganse las pilas! <\/strong>Esto va a estar en la prueba.<\/em> (Pay attention! This is going to be on the test!)\u00a0<\/p>\n Literally translating to “to put in the paw,” this phrase basically means “to mess up.” It’s somewhat similar to the English saying “to put your foot in your mouth,” but it doesn’t always have to do with saying the wrong thing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Metimos la pata<\/strong> al comprar este carro.<\/em> (We made a mistake when we bought this car.)<\/p>\n In Spanish, this idiom uses hair instead of leg, but the meaning is the same. You can use this when you’re teasing someone or lying to them in a playful way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n No olvid\u00e9 mi pasaporte…solo estaba tom\u00e1ndote el pelo<\/strong>.<\/em> (I didn’t forget my passport…I was just pulling your leg.)\u00a0<\/p>\n Depending on where you’re at, the meaning of this one can change slightly. Translating directly to “bad milk,” it usually means something along the lines of being “pissed off,” bad-tempered or having ill intentions.<\/p>\n Used in quite a few Spanish-speaking regions<\/strong>, it’s often attributed to a person:<\/p>\n Ella tiene mala leche<\/strong>.<\/em> (She has a bad temper.)<\/p>\n Ella lo hizo con mala leche<\/strong>.<\/em> (She did it with bad intentions.)<\/p>\n You can also call someone un\/una malaleche <\/span><\/em><\/strong>to say that they have bad intentions or are not a good person.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This is Costa Rica’s signature phrase<\/strong> and they use it often, claiming that it’s not just a saying but a way of life. It refers to living a good, simple life, being grateful for what we have and appreciating the little things and the beauty in our lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n They use it to say hello, to say goodbye, to say thanks, as a response to something they find cool…pretty much for anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a1Hasta luego!<\/em> (See you later!) <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a1Pura vida!<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n This phrase can be heard in Spain. Una pasada<\/em> is used for both masculine and feminine nouns.\u00a0<\/p>\n Esta canci\u00f3n es una pasada<\/strong>.<\/em> (This song is cool).<\/p>\n You can say me mola<\/strong><\/em> (or me molan<\/strong><\/em>) to say that you like or enjoy something(s). Molar<\/em> is also used as a verb to say that something is cool.\u00a0<\/p>\n Me mola<\/strong> esta banda.<\/em> (I like this band)<\/p>\n Ellos molan<\/strong> mucho.<\/em> (They’re really cool.)<\/p>\n This phrase is widely used in Latin America, especially in Ecuador<\/a>, Colombia, Venezuela <\/a>and Peru<\/a>. Ch\u00e9vere\u00a0<\/em>can be used to describe anything you find cool, including people.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a1<\/span>Qu\u00e9 ch\u00e9vere<\/strong> tu camiseta!<\/em> (Your T-shirt is so cool!)<\/p>\n Other Spanish words for “cool”<\/a> include guay<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(Spain), 2. Buena onda <\/i>(Good vibes)<\/h2>\n
3. Venga, hombre <\/i>(Come on, man)<\/h2>\n
4. Bajar un cambio <\/i>(To calm down)<\/h2>\n
5. \u00d3rale <\/i>(Yeah\/Wow\/etc.)<\/h2>\n
6. \u00a1<\/strong><\/em><\/span>No manches! <\/i><\/i>(No way!)<\/h2>\n
7. \u00a1Que pedo!<\/em> (What’s up?\/What’s the matter\/problem?)<\/h2>\n
8. \u00a1Qu\u00e9 barbaridad! <\/i><\/strong><\/strong><\/i>(How awful!\/That’s ridiculous!)<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n
9. \u00a1<\/strong><\/i>Qu\u00e9 b\u00e1rbaro!<\/em> (Cool!\/That’s great!\/Wow!\/How sad!)\u00a0<\/h2>\n
10. Tranquilo<\/i><\/strong>\/Tranquila <\/i>(Calm down\/Don’t worry)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
11. Buenazo<\/em>\/Buenaza<\/em> (Really good\/cool)<\/h2>\n
12. Estoy enganchado<\/i>\/enganchada <\/i>(I’m hooked)<\/h2>\n
13. Por si las moscas <\/i>(Just in case)<\/h2>\n
14. Plantar un pino <\/i>(To poop)<\/h2>\n
15. Tener mono<\/em> (To have withdrawals\/To miss\/To want)<\/h2>\n
16. Echar una mano<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>(To lend a hand)<\/h2>\n
17. Ponerse (las) pilas<\/em> (To pay attention\/To watch out\/etc.)\u00a0<\/h2>\n
18. Meter la pata<\/em><\/h2>\n
19. Tomar el pelo<\/em> (To pull one’s leg)<\/h2>\n
20. Mala leche<\/em> (Bad intentions)\u00a0<\/h2>\n
21. Pura vida<\/em> (Pure life\/Simple life)<\/h2>\n
22. Ser\u00a0una pasada<\/em> (To be cool)<\/h2>\n
23. Me<\/em> mola<\/em> (I like\/enjoy)<\/h2>\n
24. \u00a1<\/span>Qu\u00e9 ch\u00e9vere!<\/em> (That’s cool!)<\/h2>\n