How do you use chido?
Use chido like "cool" in English: after ¡Qué…! as a reaction, after está about how something is, or next to a noun (un lugar chido, "a cool place"). In Mexico, bien in front makes it stronger: bien chido is "really cool".
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¡Qué chido!
How cool!
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Tu chamarra está bien chida.
Your jacket is really cool.
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La fiesta estuvo muy chida.
The party was really great.
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Conocí un lugar bien chido en Coyoacán.
I found a really cool place in Coyoacán.
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¡Chido! Nos vemos a las ocho.
Cool! See you at eight.
Is chido formal or informal?
Chido is informal, but it isn't rude. Say it with friends, coworkers and people your age; with an older person or in a formal moment, ¡Qué bien! ("great!") or ¡Qué padre! ("how cool!") work with anyone.
| Who you're talking to | Can you say it? |
|---|---|
| Friends, people your age | Yes |
| Coworkers | Yes |
| Your boss, an older person | It's not rude, but ¡Qué padre! or ¡Qué bien! fit better |
| A formal email or a job interview | No |
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¡Qué padre!Unit 6
How cool! (Mexico; padre also means "father")
The same "how cool!", polite enough for anyone: what ¡qué padre! means.
What is the opposite of chido?
The opposite of chido is gacho ("not cool", "mean", "awful": ¡Qué gacho!) or chafa ("cheap", "low quality", "lame"). For "boring", the everyday word is aburrido.
| Word | What it means | Who you can say it to |
|---|---|---|
| chido / chida | cool, great | Friends, coworkers |
| padre, padrísimo | cool, awesome | Anyone |
| gacho / gacha | not cool, mean, awful: ¡Qué gacho! | Friends |
| chafa | cheap, low quality, lame | Friends |
| aburrido / aburrida | boring | Anyone |
How can you practice Mexican Spanish out loud?
Practice it in short, real exchanges, out loud. CiaoSpeak's Spanish course is set in Mexico City: the lessons teach everyday words like ¡Qué padre! with a recording and a note on when to use them, and in the Speak tab a taco vendor, a taxi driver or your language-exchange partner Ana asks you one question at a time. You answer by voice (or typing), and the app tells you whether a person would understand you. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More words like this one: the Mexican slang list.
Frequently asked questions
What does chido mean in Mexico?
Chido means cool or great: ¡Qué chido! is "how cool!" and Está bien chido is "it's really cool". It's casual but not rude, so it's fine with friends and coworkers. ¡Qué padre! means the same and works with anyone.
Is chido a bad word?
No. Chido is clean, everyday slang, just informal. It's fine in front of anyone; you'd only leave it out of formal writing or a job interview.
Do people say chido outside Mexico?
Not much: chido is typically Mexican. Colombians and Venezuelans say chévere, Argentinians say copado, and genial works everywhere.