¡No manches!
Mexico, disbelief, informal
Mexicans say ¡No manches! when they cannot believe something, and ¡Ni de chiste! or ¡De ninguna manera! when they refuse. The right choice depends on whether "no way" is surprise or a firm no.
Meaning: disbelief or refusal (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¡No manches! | Mexico, disbelief, informal |
| ¡De ninguna manera! | neutral |
| ¡Ni de chiste! | Mexico, refusal |
¡No manches! ¿Ganaste? expresses surprise. ¡Ni de chiste voy a ir! means "no way I am going".
Which one should you use?
¡No inventes! is another casual way to show disbelief. No manches is very Mexican, informal and best used with friends.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse ni modo, which means "oh well" or "nothing to do", with a refusal.
Did you know?
- The expression ni modo is another famous Mexican phrase and is often said with a shrug after bad news.
Examples in context
- ¡No manches! ¿Es en serio?No way! Are you serious?
- ¡Ni de chiste le presto mi carro!No way I am lending him my car!
- ¡De ninguna manera! Eso no se hace.No way! That is not done.
Example conversation
Ricardo tells his friend Alejandro about a surprise trip in Guadalajara.
- RicardoMe ganaron el viaje a Cancún.I won the trip to Cancún.
- Alejandro¡No manches! ¿De verdad?No way! Really?
- RicardoSí, y salimos el viernes.Yes, and we leave on Friday.
