casual📍 Mexico — general
Chela
Beer
CHEH-lah
What does it mean?
"Chela" is the affectionate Mexican word for beer — used everywhere from corner stores to bars. It's slang but completely universal: "una chela bien fría" ("a really cold beer") is a phrase you'll hear every night in every cantina across Mexico. Order it confidently anywhere.
How to use it
Casual but universally accepted. Works in bars, restaurants, taquerías, parties. In a very fancy restaurant you might say "una cerveza" to read slightly more formal, but "chela" is safe almost everywhere.
Example sentences
A really cold beer, please.
Una chela bien fría, por favor.
Want to grab a beer?
¿Vamos por unas chelas?
Two beers, please.
Dos chelas, porfa.
Related phrases
More mexico-slang phrases
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