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ni modo

phraseColloquial

A Mexican Spanish slang term. Browse all Mexican slang.

What it means

  1. Oh well; nothing to be done. Resigned acceptance of something that cannot now be changed.

Literally: No way, no manner.

Examples with translations

  • Ya se acabaron los boletos. Ni modo, será la próxima.

    The tickets are sold out. Oh well, next time.

  • Ni modo de decirle que no.

    There was no way to say no to him.

    Note: With de plus an infinitive it means 'there's no way to…' rather than 'oh well'.

Where it comes from

Often cited as a small window into a national temperament — an all-purpose phrase for absorbing a setback without protest. Whether that reading is fair or just tidy, the phrase is genuinely ubiquitous.

Other forms

Similar terms:
qué le vamos a hacer