Cuando es mala es mucho mejor

Often spelled 'wey' or 'wei'. The most common Mexican filler/address term among peers. Between friends it is neutral or warm; said with contempt it becomes an insult. Frequency here is extremely high, essential for comprehension of casual exchanges.

From Mexican slang 'morro/morra' (kid/girl). The diminutive suffix -illa makes it either affectionate or condescending depending on context. Regional to Mexican and Chicano speech.

One of the most flexible words in Mexican and Mexican-American Spanish. Can express agreement ('sounds good'), encouragement ('let's go'), surprise ('wow'), or acknowledgment. Tone and context carry almost all the meaning.

Used to express disbelief or surprise, equivalent to 'seriously?' or 'you don't say.' Very Mexican; widespread among Mexican-American speakers.

In Mexican slang, 'curado/a' describes someone or something that is entertaining in an outrageous or surprising way. Not related to the literal meaning of 'cured.'

A very common Mexican exclamation of disbelief, frustration, or amazement. Literally vulgar but so frequent in casual speech that many speakers treat it as only mildly strong. Often softened to '¡no manches!' in mixed or family company.

A strong expletive used to react to bad news or shocking information. Common in Mexican and Mexican-American speech. Its literal meaning is derogatory but in practice it functions like 'holy shit' in English.