“¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!”

Like many, I grew up watching Looney Tunes. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote—were some of my favorites. Porky Pig and Tweety? Meh, not so much. But honestly, if Looney Tunes was on, I was watching, no matter who was causing the chaos.

Fast forward, and we’ve got HBO Max in our house. While some get it for DC movies and blockbuster hits, we subscribed for the cartoons. Of course, I had to introduce my boys to Speedy Gonzales, the fastest mouse in all Mexico. Cue his famous catchphrase: “¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!”

Now that I’ve picked up some Spanish, I got curious—what does that phrase actually mean? Turns out, “¡Ándale!” means “come on” or “hurry up,” and “¡Arriba!” means “up” or “let’s go!” So Speedy’s basically saying, “Let’s get going!” Perfect for a super-fast mouse.

I decided to ask our go-to cultural liaisons Allan and Estefy. They explained that while Mexicans use “¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!” to urge people to hurry, most people in other Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain, don’t really use it. Instead, Spaniards would say “¡Vamos!” or “¡Venga!”—both meaning “let’s go” or “come on.”

So, if you’re planning to Speedy-Gonzales your way around Spain, stick to “¡Vamos!” You’ll still get where you’re going—just maybe not quite as fast as Speedy!

Speedy Gonzales' catchphrase has become an iconic part of pop culture, especially for those of us who grew up with Looney Tunes. Whether you use “¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!” or not, it carries a playful sense of urgency that resonates with many. What about you? Have you heard a phrase like Speedy’s and wondered what it actually means? Share your thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear from you!

Image from: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048649/mediaviewer/rm1878103553/