Spanglish 101: Everyday Phrases That Make Us Locos
If you grew up in a Latino household in the U.S., you already know that our language isn’t just Spanish or English. I would say It’s this wild, beautiful mix we call Spanglish.
Somewhere between “What’s up, mijo?” and “Ya te tardaste!” lies our daily rhythm. Right? It’s a mashup that feels perfectly natural even if it makes English teachers raise an eyebrow.
As a proud Loco who switches languages mid-sentence without warning, I thought it was time to celebrate the everyday Spanglish phrases that keep our culture alive and of course a little desmadroso 😜.
1. “Let’s go al party!”
You’ve probably heard this one every weekend and maybe even said it yourself. You must be thinking why bother saying “Let’s go to the party” instead of that if you can make it sound more chingón with a dash of español?
It’s the perfect example of how we merge both languages effortlessly. English sets the tone, Spanish adds the flavor. Do you agree with me or not? It is like a boom, instant Spanglish masterpiece.
Translation: “Let’s go to the party.”
Mood: 100% fiesta mode.
2. “Close la door!”
The classic command from every mom, tia, or abuela in house. You know it’s serious when she switches to Spanglish mid-sentence.
“Close la door, que se va el aire!” (Close the door, the air’s getting out!)
I would say there was no grammar rules apply here. It’s fast, it’s efficient, and it gets the job done. Don’t you think especially when yelled across the house.
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3. “I’ll pick you up ahorita.”
If you’ve ever waited an “ahorita” that turned into an hour (or three) … you’re not alone.
“Ahorita” doesn’t mean right now but in real Spanish house it means somewhere between soon and maybe later.
Add it to an English sentence, and you’ve got the ultimate Loco time commitment.
4. “Don’t be una drama queen.”
Nothing screams bilingual Latino like throwing Spanish and English sass into one line. It’s universal and of course deadly accurate. Whether you’re calling out your prima for crying over her ex again or roasting your homie for exaggerating, this one hits every time.
5. “Te text later.”
The modern evolution of Spanglish associated with the digital edition. Forget full sentences, in day to day life we just blend verbs however we want.
We textear, postear, likear, stalkear, all the verbs of social media en Spanglish form their own universe.
6. “I was like, ‘no mames.’”
When you’ve reached maximum disbelief, there’s nothing that hits harder than “no mames.”
I feel that whenever person is saying “I was like, no mames” is basically saying “Bro, I couldn’t believe it!” but with more emotion, more culture, and way more attitude.
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7. “Let’s go chill en la casa.”
I strongly believe that Spanglish isn’t always about the words but in real day to day world it’s about the vibe.
This one says, “We’re just hanging out, eating chips, gossiping about life, and maybe playing some corridos in the background.”
Simple plan to make it a perfect day.
8. “That’s how we roll en el barrio.”
If you have grew up in Hispanic neighborhood then you know that our neighborhoods raised us and so did our phrases.
This one mixes pride and nostalgia, a reminder that even if we live far from el barrio, the slang stays in our hearts (and on our shirts, if you’re wearing a House of Locos tee 😉).
You already know how we talk in Spanglish, a lil’ English, a lil’ español, and a whole lotta loco 😜. Check out our blog post on 👉 Top 10 Spanglish Phrases That Hit Different. Si, it is pura vibra de la raza, words we actually use en el día a día.
9. “You know how I am … bien loco.”
If you ever need to explain your chaos such as whether it’s all about showing up late, dancing on the table, or buying another pair of sneakers you really don’t need. This phrase goes well and does it all.
We wear our locura proudly; it’s part of our DNA.
10. “Let’s order unos tacos to go.”
Food = love = Spanglish.
This one’s self-explanatory as we all know that we are good at mixing languages the same way we mix flavors. A little Spanish, a little English, and a whole lot of salsa. I would say con todo!
Bonus points if you add: “Con extra cilantro y no onions, please.” That’s peak bilingual perfection.
Why We Love Spanglish (And Why It’s Here to Stay)
Spanglish isn’t just broken English or lazy Spanish it’s kind of Hispanic identity.
It tells the story of our bicultural lives that we live everyday and the way we move between worlds without thinking twice. We speak English at work, Spanish with our familia, and Spanglish with our souls.
It’s how we connect to our roots while living our modern American lives.
It keeps our culture alive in the smallest moments. If you think then from texting our friends “Nos vemos later” to telling our dog “Sit, ándale.”. We live Spanglish life.
Language evolves over period and we evolved with it.
And honestly at House of Locos we feel that it just sounds better when we say it our way.
