‘Ok’ (or ‘Okay’!) is one of those super useful words that has an array of different meanings; it can be used as a confirmation, to express agreement, to let someone know you’re not hurt, to critique and even to check understanding!
But how do you get the same messages across in Spanish?
Well, how about a list of 35 ways to say ‘ok’ in your favorite foreign language?
It’s a pretty comprehensive list, so buckle up and get ready ‘cause this is gonna be quite some ride!
1. Ok / Okey / Okay
Let’s start with a no-brainer!
Lots of people (especially in Mexico) slip English words and expressions into their spoken Spanish, and ‘ok’ is no exception.
You’ll often find it written as ‘okey’, so don’t be surprised by that ‘e’; it’s not really a typo (although arguably it is!).
Mauricio – ¿Quieres ir a la boda de mi prima?
Liz – ¡Ok, vamos!
Mauricio – Wanna go to my cousin’s wedding?
Liz – Ok, let’s go!
2. Oki-doki – Okey-dokey
Let’s say your texting your Mexican friend about going to the movies and they respond with that quintessentially Mexican phrase … ‘oki-doki’!
Yes, ‘oki-doki’ is the Spanish version (in much of Latin America, at least) of good old ‘okey-dokey’!
This popular expression can even be heard on Hispanic TV, the Colombian kid’s TV show ‘Oki Doki’ being one example.
And it’s pronunciation?
Well, it sounds something like ‘okee-dokee’.
3. Claro / Claro que sí – Of course
‘Claro’ literally means ‘clear’, so when used to express agreement, it’s kind of like saying that something is very clear / obvious.
The best translation would be ‘of course’.
4. Clarines – Of course
A ‘clarín’ is a musical instrument, more specifically a ‘bugle’, and ‘clarines’ are a bunch of ‘bugles’, but in Mexico City ‘clarines’ is also a way of saying ‘claro’ or ‘of course’.
¿Quieres una chela?
¡Clarines!
Wanna have a beer?
Of course!
5. Por supuesto – Of course
This one’s the actual translation of the English ‘of course’!
6. Por su pollo – Of course
This phrase means ‘for your chicken’ and makes no sense, until you realize that the first two syllables are the same as those in ‘por supuesto’ and that Mexicans are great at associating unrelated words with similar sounds!
7. Bueno – Ok
‘Bueno’ literally means ‘good’, but it’s also commonly used to express approval / consent.
You can use it no matter what country you’re in and in almost every type of interaction (i.e., both formal and informal).
8. De acuerdo – Agreed
If you want to agree with something, you can always just plump for a good ol´ fashioned ‘de acuerdo’ (‘agreed´ in English)!
It’s sure to be understood no matter where you go (apart from maybe Timbuktu!).
9. Perfecto – Perfect
This is a great word to use when you’re genuinely enthusiastic about something.
Pamela – Yo disparo las palomitas.
Sarahí – ¡Perfecto! Y yo invito los boletos.
Pamela – I’ll buy the popcorn, my treat.
Sarahí – Perfect! I’ll get the tickets then.
10. Va – Let’s go / Ok
‘Va’ literally means ‘it goes’, but it can also mean ‘let’s go’ or ‘ok’.
It’s used in most Spanish-speaking countries, although its thought to have its origins in the Catalan language, rather than Spanish.
Guadalupe – Oye, ¿y si celebramos nuestro aniversario en Cancún?
Clara – ¡Va! ¡Me encanta la idea!
Guadalupe – Hey, what if we celebrate our anniversary in Cancun?
Clara – I love the idea! Let’s go!
11. Bambi – Absolutely
And what (the heck!) does Bambi have to do with anything?
Well, just that the first syllable sounds like ‘va’, and that’s close enough for ‘chilangos’ (people who live in Mexico City) to use it as a synonym – and a pretty funny one to boot!
You may even hear this phrase turn into a full ‘Bambi es un venado y Tambor su valedor’, which means, ‘Bambi is a deer and Thumper’s his friend’.
Paco – Entonces, ¿te veo en la fiesta?
Julio – Bambi.
Paco – So, I’ll meet you at the party?
Julio – Sure thing!
12. Vale – All right
‘Vale’ can be translated to ‘it has worth’ in English as it’s the third person present conjugation of the verb ‘valer’, but it’s also used to mean ‘okay’.
You’ll hear this one A LOT in Spain, but it’s also used in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries, so don’t shy away from using it the next time you want to agree with someone!
Irma – ¿Nos vemos en el laboratorio a las siete?
Georgina – ¡Vale! Me parece bien.
Irma – Shall I meet you at the lab at seven?
Georgina – All right! Sounds good.
13. Dale – All right
‘Dale’ literally translates to ‘give it’, but in colloquial Spanish (particularly in Spain and Argentina), it’s just a synonym of ‘all right’.
Al finalizar una reunión
¡Dale! Nos vemos la próxima semana a la misma hora.
At the end of a work meeting
All right! See you next week at the same time.
14. Sale – All right
This one literally means ‘it goes out’, and as a verb you’ll come across it in sentences such as ‘el perro sale a pasear por las tardes’ (or ‘the dog goes for walks in the evenings’), but it’s also used to mean ‘ok’ in Mexico.
Just use it in the same way that you’d use ‘vale’ or ‘dale’ and you’ll be gold!
15. Sale y vale / Sale vale – Okey-dokey
Want to sound extra casual, fun, AND assertive all at the same time?
In Mexico you can use both ‘sale y vale’ or ‘sale vale’ to either express agreement or as a way of confirming something; they’ll roll right off the tongue once you pick up the pronunciation!
/ sah leh ee bah leh /
16. Venga – Ok / All right / Let’s go
‘Venga’ can translate to ‘come here’, but in Spain it’s also used as a synonym of ‘ok’ OR an enthusiastic ‘let’s go!’!
¿Quieres ir por un bocata?
¡Venga!
Do you wanna go grab a sandwich?
Ok!
If the person isn’t that convinced but ends up agreeing, it’s more similar to ‘all right’ –
¿Va a querer azúcar en su café?
Venga, pero solo una cucharadita.
Do you want sugar in your coffee?
All right, but just a teaspoon.
17. Pura Vida – Awesome / Ok / Let’s go
I can’t think of a more beautiful way to say ‘ok’ then ‘pura vida’ (‘pure life’ in English).
Originally the title of a 20th century Mexican movie, it ended up becoming a trademark expression in Costa Rica, and is now an essential part of their culture and the way they see life itself.
Costa Ricans will greet you with ‘pura vida’, but they’ll also let you know if things are okay, or if they’re excited about something by uttering this simple phrase.
Alexa – ¡Vamos a llegar tarde a la fiesta!
Mariam – ¡Pura vida! La noche es joven.
Alexa – We’re gonna be late for the party!
Mariam – ¡Pura vida! (It’s ok!) The night is young.
18. Sí / Sip / Sipi / Sipirilí – Yes / Yup
First we have ‘sí’, which is your basic Spanish word for ‘yes’.
Then we have ‘sip’, which is equivalent to ‘yup’ …
… and then we can just get gradually sillier with its metamorphosis until we get ‘sipirilí’, an expression popularized by the beloved Mexican comedian, Capulina.
19. Simón – Yeah
We all know that Mexico is the cradle of the taco.
But did you know that it’s also home to some pretty amusing wordplays?
‘Simón’ is a common first name (it´s the equivalent of ‘Simon’ in English), but since its first syllable is ‘si’, it’s also used as slang for ‘sí’.
Just keep in mind that it’s a very informal way of agreeing, best kept out of the workplace.
20. Cámara – Fine
A ‘cámara’ is a ‘camera’ in English (easy, right!), but it´s also used in Mexico City to say ‘fine’ or ‘ok’ depending on tone and context (eek, maybe not as easy as I thought!).
A word of warning: use this expression only amongst close friends.
Al despedirse en una llamada telefónica
¡Cámara, carnal! Nos vemos en la fiesta del sábado.
Saying goodbye when speaking on the phone
Ok, bro, see you at the party on Saturday!
21. Camarón – Ok
This one means ‘shrimp’ but it also sounds a bit like ‘cámara’, so it’s used in Mexico City to mean ‘ok’ as well.
Those “chilangos” really are an innovative bunch, don´t you think?
22. Jalo – Ok, I’m in
‘Jalar’ is ‘to pull’ in English, and ‘jalo’ is ‘I pull’. Nowadays, Mexicans also use it as a synonym of ‘ok, I’m in!’.
¿Quieres ir a las tirolesas?
¡Jalo!
Do you wanna go ziplining?
Ok, I’m in!
23. Arre – Giddy-up (Ok)
You may not be a cowboy (although maybe you are for all I know!), but if you’re in Mexico amongst close friends you may well hear someone cry out an excited ‘¡arre!’ despite there not being a horse in sight.
Don’t fret, you don’t have to dust off those cowboy boots just yet …
… it’s just a very popular way of saying ‘ok’ in the northern states of Mexico!
¡Te esperamos en el parque!
¡Arre! Ahí nos vemos.
We’ll see you at the park!
Ok! I’ll be there.
24. Cómo no – Of course / Sure thing
‘How not to?’ is the literal translation of this popular Spanish expression, but it’s widely used in informal Spanish as a way of saying ‘of course’ or ‘sure thing’.
Me encanta la pizza, ¡cómo no!
I love pizza, of course!
Juan – ¿Te quieres ir a echar unos tacos?
Nacho – ¡Cómo no!
Juan – Wanna go for tacos?
Nacho – Of course!
25. Ándale / Ándale, pues – Ok / Ok, then
‘Ándale’ means something akin to ‘come on’ in English, but it’s also commonly used in Mexico as a synonym of ‘ok’.
Things change (a little) if you whack the word ‘pues’ (‘then’ in English) on the end, because we then have the phrase ‘ok, then’.
26. Órale / Órale, pues – Ok / Ok, then
Similarly, ‘órale’ and ‘órale, pues’ are super common in Mexican Spanish.
They’re basically synonymous with ‘ándale’ and ‘ándale pues’ and I actually find that some people prefer to use ‘ándale’ and others ‘órale’!
You’re sure to hear both of them all over Mexico!
¡Órale! Me encanta la idea, ¡vamos!
Ok! I love the idea, let’s go!
Órale pues, vamos a casa de tus papás.
Ok, then! Let´s go to your parent´s house.
27. Está bien – Ok / It’s ok
You’ll probably hear this phrase when someone’s a bit reluctant but ends up agreeing anyway, OR when they think something’s ok but not great!
Está bien, puedes jugar después de hacer tu tarea.
Ok, you can play after doing your homework.
La playa está bien, pero hay demasiados turistas.
The beach is ok, but there are too many tourists.
28. No está mal / No suena mal – It´s ok
‘No está mal’ means ‘it’s not bad’, and ‘no suena mal’ translates to ‘it doesn’t sound bad’.
Both can be used to say that something’s ok (as in good but not amazing).
¿Te suena el plan?
No suena mal. Hagámoslo.
Sound like a plan?
It sounds ok. Let’s do it.
29. Ajá – Uh-huh
Not too thrilled about something?
Well, a simple ‘ajá’ should convey just that!
It¿s pronounced like ‘ah-hah’.
¿Trabajas mañana?
Ajá.
Do you work tomorrow?
Uh-huh.
30. Va que va – Ok, then
Remember the expression ‘va’? Well, ‘va que va’ is kinda like its long-lost twin!
It may look strange, but it’s actually just another way to express agreement (sometimes with a pinch of reluctance or weariness).
En la oficina
Pedro – Voy a poner una junta el miércoles por la noche, ¿de acuerdo?
Valentín – Va que va. La agendo en mi calendario.
At the office
Pedro – I’m gonna set up a meeting on Wednesday night, okay?
Valentin – Ok, then. I’ll put it in my diary.
31. Más o menos – Kind of
This one literally means ‘more or less’ and, just as in English, it can be used as a synonym of ‘kind of’.
¿Estás de acuerdo?
Más o menos. No me emociona mucho, la verdad.
Do you agree?
Kind of. I’m not thrilled though if I´m being honest.
32. Maso – Kinda
In Mexico, ‘maso’ is short for ‘más o menos’. It’s an expression akin to ‘kinda’.
33. Estás bien – Are you ok
If you wanna ask how someone is after a minor fall or accident, you can say ‘¿estás bien?’ or ‘are you ok?’.
¿Estás bien, Felipe?
Sí, solo un poco mareado.
Are you ok, Felipe?
Yes, just a bit dizzy.
34. Todo bien – All good
If someone’s just had a very minor accident and you can see that they’ve emerged unscathed, feel free to whip out the more casual, ‘¿todo bien?’.
It translates to ‘all good?’.
35. Todo chido – Everything cool
‘Chido’ is Mexican slang for ‘cool’ or ‘neat’, so this is another informal (and nifty if I may add) way to inquire as to someone’s wellbeing.
Gerardo – ¿Está todo chido entre nosotros?
Marcela – ¡Claro! ¿Por qué dudas?
Gerardo – Is everything cool between us?
Marcela – Of course! Why do you ask?
Final thoughts
Phew! Can you believe this list?
Hopefully it’ll come in handy when swatting up on your everyday colloquial Spanish, you’re sure to become quite the connoisseur in the eyes of your friends!
¡Hasta la próxima!
