¿qué onda, hermano?
/ˈke ˈonda eɾˈmano/word by word
The English phrase "bro, what?" can be translated into Spanish as ¿qué onda, hermano?
¿qué onda, hermano? is an informal greeting used to ask a friend or peer how they are doing.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ¿qué onda, hermano? translates to "what wave, brother?" In this context, onda (wave) is used idiomatically to refer to a vibe or a situation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations exist for these terms depending on the country. In Mexico, ¿qué onda? is a very common way to say "what's up?" or "how's it going?" If you are in Mexico, you might also use cuate to mean "buddy" or "mate", as in the phrase Cuate, ¿qué pedo? (Mate, what's the deal?). In Spain, tío is a slang term for "dude" or "bro" and you might hear Tío, ¿qué pasa? to mean "Dude, what's up?" In Argentina, che is a slang term used like "bro" or "hey", such as in the phrase Che, ¿qué pasó? (Hey, what happened?).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈke ˈonda eɾˈmano/
Did you know?
- If you use the phrase ¿qué pedo? in Mexico, you are using a term that literally translates to 'what fart?', which is extremely informal.
- In Mexico, cuate is a slang term for a friend, likely derived from the Nahuatl word for 'twin'.
- In Spain, the term tío literally means 'uncle', but it is used as a slang term for 'dude' or 'bro' regardless of family relation.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿qué onda, hermano?Hi, how's it going, bro?
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a park.
- Javier¿Qué onda, hermano? ¿Cómo estás?What's up, bro? How are you?
- MaríaTodo bien, Javier. ¿Y tú?Everything is good, Javier. And you?
- JavierMuy bien, gracias por preguntar.Very well, thanks for asking.
- MaríaMe alegra mucho escucharlo.I am very glad to hear that.
