qué onda
/ˌke ˈonda/
The Spanish way to say 'wassup' is qué onda.
qué onda is an informal, colloquial greeting used to ask someone how they are or what is happening.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of qué (what) and onda (wave), literally translating to 'what wave'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
qué onda is an informal greeting used primarily among friends and peers.
Is it said differently in some regions?
While understood in many places, qué onda is particularly common and characteristic of Mexican Spanish.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌke ˈonda/
When do people say it?
When nothing much is happening, a common response to qué onda is nada (nothing).
Did you know?
- In some contexts, qué onda can shift from a friendly greeting to a confrontational question meaning 'what is your problem?' or 'what is going on here?'
- The word onda comes from the Latin unda, which is the same root used for the English word 'inundate'.
- Because it translates to 'what wave', using qué onda to describe a person can imply they have a certain 'wavelength' or personality, such as saying someone is 'de buena onda' to mean they are a 'good vibe' person.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿qué tal?Hello, how are you?
- Oye, ¿qué pasa?Hey, what's up?
- ¡Hola, compadre! ¿Qué onda?Hey, buddy! What's up?
- Hola, ¿qué haces?Hi, what are you up to?
- ¿Qué onda, amigo?Wassup, friend?
- Hola, ¿qué onda con la fiesta?Hi, what's up with the party?
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía run into each other at a park.
- Daniel¡Hola, Sofía! ¿Qué onda?Hi, Sofía! Wassup?
- SofíaTodo bien, Daniel. ¿Y tú?Everything is good, Daniel. And you?
- DanielAquí, relajado un rato.Just here, relaxing for a bit.
- SofíaQué bueno. ¡Nos vemos!That's good. See you!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry qué onda, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries onda, qué, qué onda, CC BY-SA 4.0.
