How to Say 'What's Up' in Spanish: 15+ Greetings and Responses They Don't Teach in Class

You walk into a party in Mexico City. Someone spots you across the room, throws up a hand, and shouts something that definitely wasn't in your Duolingo lessons. You smile, nod, and pray they didn't just ask you a question.

Sound familiar? That's because textbooks teach you "¿Cómo estás?" and call it a day. But nobody actually talks like that with friends. Every Spanish-speaking country has its own slang greetings, its own ways of saying "what's up," and its own casual responses that keep conversations flowing. Miss these, and you'll sound like a walking textbook. Nail them, and people will wonder how long you've actually lived there.

Here's your real guide to saying what's up, hello, and everything in between across the Spanish-speaking world.

Mexican Greetings: Where Slang Gets Creative

Mexico might have the richest collection of slang greetings in the entire Spanish-speaking world. Mexicans don't just say hello, they turn it into an art form.

¿Qué onda?

This is THE Mexican greeting. Qué onda literally translates to "what wave?" but it means "what's up?" or "what's going on?" You'll hear it everywhere, from street tacos at midnight to office hallways on Monday morning.

Sounds like "keh ON-da" (as in "ondulation").

"¿Qué onda, güey?" is probably the most common two-word greeting in all of Mexico. It's casual, it's warm, and it works in almost any situation between friends.

¿Qué pedo?

Now we're getting into the spicier territory. Qué pedo literally means "what fart?" and yes, Mexicans say this constantly. It can mean "what's up?" between friends, "what happened?" after something goes down, or even "what's your problem?" if someone's looking for trouble. Tone is everything.

Sounds like "keh PEH-do" (as in "pedal").

This one's strictly for friends and informal situations. Don't greet your girlfriend's parents with it.

¿Qué rollo?

Qué rollo means "what's the deal?" or "what's new?" It's the greeting you use when you actually want to know what's happening in someone's life, not just a throwaway hello.

Sounds like "keh ROH-yo" (roll the R, and the double L sounds like "yo").

¿Qué tranza?

If qué onda is the universal Mexican greeting, qué tranza is its street-level cousin. It's more informal, more barrio, and it signals that you're comfortable enough with someone to skip all the formalities.

Sounds like "keh TRAHN-sa" (as in "trance" + "sa" as in "salsa").

You might also hear the shortened version "¿qué transi?" which is even more casual.

Colombian and Venezuelan Greetings

¿Quiubo?

Colombia and Venezuela compressed "¿qué hubo?" (what happened?) into one beautiful, fast word: quiubo. It's the quick, no-nonsense way to greet someone you know.

Sounds like "kee-OO-bo" (say it fast, almost like one syllable).

¿Qué más?

In Colombia, after the initial hello, the automatic follow-up is always qué más, meaning "what else?" or "how's it going?" It's as automatic as breathing for Colombians.

Sounds like "keh MAHS."

A typical Colombian greeting goes: "¡Quiubo, parce! ¿Qué más?" That's basically "Hey dude, what's up?" in pure Colombian.

¡Epa!

Epa is the Venezuelan and Colombian exclamation you shout when you spot someone you know. Think of it as "Hey!" but with Caribbean energy. It works as a greeting, a way to get attention, or a reaction to something surprising.

Sounds like "EH-pa" (as in "epic" without the "ic").

Argentine and Uruguayan Style

Argentines don't really have a slang "what's up" equivalent like Mexico does. Instead, they use "¿qué hacés?" (what are you doing?) or "¿cómo andás?" (how are you going?) as their go-to casual greetings. But what makes them unmistakably Argentine is the word they attach to everything: che.

"¡Che, qué hacés!" is the Argentine hello. Che is so iconic that it literally identifies Argentines around the world (yes, that's where Che Guevara's nickname came from).

Sounds like "cheh" (as in "check" without the "ck").

Costa Rican Greetings

Costa Ricans, or Ticos, keep it simple. Their version of "what's up" is "¿Qué mae?" or "¡Mae, pura vida!" The word mae is their "dude," dropped into every sentence the same way Mexicans use güey.

Sounds like "MAH-eh."

"Pura vida" is technically "pure life" but Ticos use it for everything: hello, goodbye, thank you, you're welcome, and "I'm doing great." It might be the most versatile phrase in all of Latin America.

How to Respond: Saying "Yes," "OK," and "Sure" in Slang

Knowing how to say what's up is only half the battle. You also need to know how to respond. Here's where it gets fun.

Simón (Mexico)

Simón is the Mexican slang for "yes." It takes the name Simón and uses it as a playful substitute for "sí," kind of like saying "fo sho" instead of "for sure" in English. It's relaxed, it's barrio, and it's everywhere.

Sounds like "see-MOHN."

"¿Vamos al cine?" "¡Simón!" That's all you need.

Nel / Nel Pastel (Mexico)

The opposite of simón is nel, Mexican slang for "no" or "nope." Want to make it funnier? Say nel pastel, which adds "cake" purely because it rhymes. Mexicans love rhyming slang, and this is a perfect example of turning a rejection into something playful.

Sounds like "nell" / "nell pas-TELL."

Sale (Mexico)

Sale means "deal," "ok," or "agreed" in Mexico. It's how you confirm plans, accept a proposal, or close out a conversation with a yes. "¿Nos vemos a las ocho?" "Sale." Done.

Sounds like "SAH-leh" (as in "salad" without the "d").

Órale (Mexico)

The legendary órale packs surprise, approval, agreement, and hype into one punchy word. Someone tells you they got a promotion? Órale. Your friend suggests tacos at 2 AM? Órale. You see something incredible? Órale. It's the Swiss Army knife of Mexican expressions.

Sounds like "OH-rah-leh."

Dale (Argentina, Caribbean)

Dale is the Argentine and Caribbean "let's go," "sure," "ok," or "do it." It works for accepting plans, rushing someone, confirming something, or simply wrapping up a conversation. If you've ever heard Pitbull shout "¡Dale!" in a song, that's exactly how it's used.

Sounds like "DAH-leh" (as in "dollar" without the "r").

Va (Central America)

Va is the Guatemalan and Central American all-purpose word of agreement. Short, sweet, and efficient. "¿Quedamos a las tres?" "Va." That's it. Conversation closed, plans confirmed.

Sounds like "bah" (the V sounds like B in Spanish).

Adding Flavor: What to Call the Person You're Greeting

A greeting without a name or nickname feels incomplete. Here's what to add depending on the country:

In Mexico, you've got options. Güey is the classic, used in practically every sentence between friends. Compa, short for compadre, is warm and trusting. Carnal means brother, both literally and for close friends you consider family. And mano, short for hermano, is the affectionate greeting for your inner circle.

In Colombia, it's "parce" (short for parcero). In Venezuela, pana is your go-to for a close friend. In Argentina, everyone's che. And in Costa Rica, everything revolves around mae.

Quick Reference: Greetings by Country

Mexico: ¿Qué onda? / ¿Qué pedo? / ¿Qué rollo? / ¿Qué tranza?

Colombia: ¡Quiubo! / ¿Qué más?

Venezuela: ¡Epa! / ¿Qué más?

Argentina: ¡Che, qué hacés!

Costa Rica: ¡Mae, pura vida!

Guatemala: ¿Qué onda, vos?

Quick Reference: Responses

Yes: Simón / Órale / Sale

No: Nel / Nel pastel

Sure: Dale

OK: Va

🌎 Universal: Bien / Todo bien / Aquí andamos

Now Go Use Them

The difference between sounding like a tourist and sounding like someone who actually gets it? These greetings. They're the first thing native speakers notice, and they're the fastest shortcut to making people feel comfortable around you.

Start with one or two that match the country you're most interested in. Practice them out loud. Use them with native speakers and watch their faces light up when you greet them in their own slang instead of the textbook "¿Cómo estás?"

Explore more Spanish slang on Hablaaa and sound like a local, not a textbook.