What does ándale mean when it comes to Mexican Spanish?
Below I’ll continue with my series of blog posts focused on learning Spanish slang! We know how important it is to add colloquial words into your vocabulary and it’s also a lot of fun.
I started this series to be able to discuss popular Mexican slang words as well as show you their meaning (and how to use them).
Table of Contents
What Does Ándale Mean?
If you are learning Spanish you may have heard this word and to avoid being out of the loop let’s go deeper into its meaning.
As you may well know, the word “ándale” is very common in Mexico, so it’s important to know what it means and how to use it. Let’s get into it!
Origin of the Word “Ándale”
The word “ándale” has always been a part of the Spanish language but it’s a very popular expression in Mexico.
If you grew up watching cartoons and you loved the Looney Tunes, then you must be familiar with Speedy Gonzalez.
His catchphrase is “¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!”, and it has helped popularize the word “ándale”.
It simply means “hurry”, “come on”, “let’s go”, or “get a move on”. However, the meaning can vary depending on context.
Meaning of Ándale
“Ándale” is a Mexican slang word that is often used to hurry someone along, as explained above.
It can also be used to express frustration, agreement, or surprise. Mexicans also use to ask people if something was bothering them.
So, depending on the context, “ándale” can mean:
- “Geez” or “oh my God” when used to express frustration or surprise.
- “Hurry” or “come on” when used to hurry people along.
- “Go on” or “continue” when used to get information out of someone.
- “Fine”, “okay”, or “alright” when used to show agreement to a proposal or a situation.
- “Go on now” when used to dismiss someone so they stop bothering you.
Examples of Ándale
Now that you know the different meanings of “ándale”, here are some examples to practice with to integrate this word into your vocabulary.
To Express Frustration or Surprise
🗣️“¡Ándale, no grites tanto!”
Meaning in English: “Geez, don’t yell so much!
Colloquial usage: As you can see, “ándale” can be used any time you feel surprised or frustrated by something.
To Hurry People Along
🗣️“¡Ándale, ya vamos! Se está haciendo tarde.”
Meaning in English: “Hurry, let’s go! It’s getting late.”
Colloquial usage: This is one of the most common uses for “ándale”. People are always in a hurry about something, so if someone’s being too slow, this is what you can say.
To Get More Information
🗣️“Ándale, el cuento está muy bueno.”
Meaning in English: “Go on, the story is so good.”
Colloquial usage: In this example, you can see how “ándale” can be used to encourage someone to continue talking.
To Show Agreement
🗣️“-Mamá, ¿puedo ir al cine? / -Ándale, pues.”
Meaning in English: “-Mom, can I go to the movies?” “-Fine.”
Colloquial usage: The phrase “ándale, pues” is a super-easy way to show agreement, so it’s very popular.
To Dismiss Someone
🗣️“Ándale, ya vete.”
Meaning in English: “Come on, go already.”
Colloquial usage: If someone is pestering you about something, this is the kind of phrase you can use to dismiss them or tell them to run along, do something else.
Ándale Meaning
It’s important to note that the word “ándale” though it often means “hurry”, can be used in many different situations.
As such, it won’t be difficult to integrate it into your Latin American vocabulary!
If you are currently planning a trip to Mexico this article should give you some food for thought when practicing Mexican Spanish.
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