New Mexico is famous for its unique blend of Spanglish, local slang, and quirky expressions that you won’t hear anywhere else. Here are some funny phrases and sayings you’ll likely encounter only in the Land of Enchantment:
“Red, green, or Christmas?”
Not a holiday question—instead, it’s about which chile you want on your meal: red, green, or both (“Christmas”).
“It’s all sick, huh?”
Used to describe something cool or awesome, often with a touch of irony or nostalgia for ’80s slang.
“Orale wey…”
A versatile phrase used at the beginning of a sentence, meaning just about anything depending on context—even locals can’t always explain it.
“Eeeeee…”
An all-purpose interjection for excitement, surprise, disappointment, or agreement—sometimes used several times in one conversation.
“…or what?”
Tacked onto the end of any question for extra emphasis or mild frustration: “Are we going now or what?”.
“Welcome to the Land of Entrapment.”
A playful twist on “Land of Enchantment,” because locals joke they can’t (or don’t want to) leave.
“Do you want a Coke?”
Means any kind of soda, not just Coca-Cola.
“A la maquina!”
Used instead of an expletive to express shock or astonishment.
“Land of mañana”
Because everything gets done “tomorrow”—or maybe never.
“What are the New Mexican vowels? E, I, O, U, A.”
A joke about the state’s obsession with chile (the “A” stands for “atch” as in “Hatch” chile).
These phrases capture the playful, laid-back spirit of New Mexico and are sure to bring a smile to anyone lucky enough to hear them.
Sources:
- https://matadornetwork.com/read/18-expressions-youll-hear-new-mexico/
- https://www.enjoytravel.com/us/travel-news/guides/new-mexico-slang
- https://matadornetwork.com/read/15-phrases-heard-growing-new-mexico/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/NewMexico/comments/uo95y2/new_mexico_accent_and_phrases/