¿en serio?
everyday
To say "really?" in Spanish slang, use ¿en serio? almost anywhere. In Mexico a very common slang option is ¿neta?, and ¿de veras? is also widely used.
Meaning: surprise or doubt, really? (adverb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¿en serio? | everyday |
| ¿Neta? | Mexico, slang |
| ¿De veras? | everyday |
¿En serio? is a reaction to surprising news. ¿Neta? is the casual Mexican version, and the answer is often Neta.
Which one should you use?
¿De veras? is slightly warmer and less clipped than ¿en serio? Neta comes from Mexican slang and means "the truth".
Is it said differently in some regions?
Neta is typical of Mexico, so it would sound out of place in Spain.
Did you know?
- In Mexican slang la neta means "the truth", and ¿neta? asks whether something is true.
Examples in context
- ¿En serio? No lo sabía.Really? I did not know.
- ¿Neta? Te pasaste.Really? You went overboard.
- ¿De veras ganaste el premio?Did you really win the prize?
Example conversation
Karla and Omar chat in Mexico City.
- KarlaMe ascendieron en el trabajo.I got promoted at work.
- Omar¿Neta?Really?
- KarlaNeta, empiezo el lunes.Really, I start on Monday.
