Equis
Whatever, meh — the letter X as a verdict of total indifference.
Hear it in context
—¿Qué tal estuvo la película? —Equis, ni buena ni mala.
—How was the movie? —Meh, neither good nor bad.
Es una persona equis, nunca dice nada interesante.
He's a pretty forgettable person — he never says anything interesting.
—Perdón por llegar tarde. —Equis, no te preocupes.
—Sorry I'm late. —No big deal, don't worry about it.
El hotel estaba equis, pero la playa estaba increíble.
The hotel was nothing special, but the beach was incredible.
What It Actually Means
Equis is the Spanish name of the letter X, and Mexican slang turned it into the sound of pure indifference: “meh”, “whatever”, “nothing special”. The logic is the algebra variable — X stands for any generic thing, so calling something equis means it could be anything; it left no impression.
Common Constructions
- Ser equis — to be unremarkable, said of people, places, or things: “El restaurante está equis.”
- Standalone Equis — “whatever”, “no big deal”, brushing something off: “—¿No te molesta? —Equis.”
- It’s invariable — no gender or plural changes: “unas canciones equis”, never “equises”.
The Rule That Matters
Tone decides whether equis is kind or cutting. As a reply to an apology, it’s forgiving (“don’t worry about it”). As a verdict on something someone else is excited about, it deflates: telling a friend their new haircut is equis is a micro-insult. It’s never vulgar — just potentially dismissive.
Common Pitfall
Register is casual and skews young; you’ll hear it constantly among students and in texting, less so from your Mexican colleague’s parents. In formal contexts, say regular or nada especial instead. And don’t mix it up with the literal letter — “la talla equis-ele” is just size XL.