Quick Answer
- Qué onda, perro means sup, homie or what is good, dawg.
- It is a very casual greeting with street-familiar energy.
- Use it with friends, not in polite or formal situations.
What it means
Qué onda, perro is a more familiar, street-casual version of qué onda. It means sup, homie, what is good, or what is up, dawg.
It signals closeness, attitude, or playful neighborhood energy.
Literal meaning
Literally, it is what wave, dog? Onda means wave or vibe, and perro can function like dawg or homie.
The literal phrase sounds odd in English, but the social meaning is easy to feel.
How Mexicans use it
People use it as a greeting among friends, especially when the tone is joking, relaxed, or intentionally informal.
It also crosses into Chicano and border speech where perro sits near homie, bro, and carnal.
Tone and safety
The phrase is not obscene, but it is very informal. It can sound overly familiar with older speakers, strangers, or mixed company.
Use it when the relationship can handle it. Otherwise, qué onda alone is safer.
Common mistake
The common mistake is using it as a neutral hello. It is not neutral; it carries style.
Another mistake is using perro with people who might hear it literally or as too familiar.
Examples
- ¡Qué onda, perro! ¿Cómo estás?What is good, homie! How you doing?
- ¿Qué onda, perro? Hace rato que no te veo.Sup, dawg. Have not seen you in a while.
- Qué onda, perro, ¿sí caes al partido?What is good, homie, are you coming to the game?
Mini dialogue
FAQ
What does ¿qué onda, perro? mean?
¿Qué onda, perro? means sup, homie. what's good, dawg in Mexican Spanish.
Is ¿qué onda, perro? rude?
Qué onda, perro is not vulgar, but it is very informal and familiar. Use it only with people who share that kind of relaxed register.
Where is ¿qué onda, perro? used?
¿Qué onda, perro? is used in Mexico City youth speech, northern barrio culture, border and Chicano contexts.
What is a natural example of ¿qué onda, perro??
A natural example is: ¡Qué onda, perro! ¿Cómo estás? That means: "What is good, homie! How you doing?"
What is a similar word to ¿qué onda, perro??
A similar word is ¿qué onda?. Check the related words below for more nearby Mexican Spanish expressions.