Meanings of "Órale"

Question

Just for fun. Comments welcome.

[Orale

Muchas gracias, Jim! - sanlee, May 10, 2015

That's "órale" (con acento) of course. ;-) - jtaniel, May 10, 2015

Yep, con acento. Thank you. - gringojrf, May 10, 2015

Answer 1

Excelent post, Gringo!

We use this interjection a lot. It is registered in the Real Academy Dictionary:

órale. 1. interj. coloq. Méx. U. para exhortar.

I don't think it has anything to do with "orar" (to pray) nor with "oral" (orally). I think it comes from "ora" the short form for "ahora" (right now).

I would like to give you some examples of its use:

¿Quieres ir al cine? --¡Órale!

Do you want to go to the movies? --Yes!

¿Sabías que hay 20,000 tipos de abejas? --¡Órale!

Did you know that there are 20,000 kinds of bees? --That is amazing!

Thanks Luis. It looks like the command form of Orar so I assume that was the root and it had evolved through time with usage. But you know what happens when one assumes. - gringojrf, May 11, 2015

It is a great assumption though! - LuisCache, May 11, 2015

I assume it comes from "ora" but I'm not sure either. - LuisCache, May 11, 2015

Answer 2

I had never come across this word till now. I recently encountered the word ándale, meaning 'come on', therefore similar in some senses. I believe it too is Mexican. It was in the American comedy film, 'Spanglish', about a Mexican woman who takes her daughter to the USA to live.

They kept using this word, ándale. And I had no idea what it meant, so had to look it up.

If only I had remembered my Speedy Gonzales from when I was a kid, doh !!

Yep, ándale is very Mexican as well. Thanks for the Speedy reference. I had forgotten about him as well. - gringojrf, May 11, 2015

Ándale! Exactly! - LuisCache, May 11, 2015

Answer 3

Oh Gringo, I had no idea. I thought it meant 'oral' which, really, in English is so associated with sexual activities that it can hardly be used in/for or about ordinary speech.. How funny, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Nope, I think it comes from orar = to pray. - gringojrf, May 10, 2015

I thik you must be right, most interesting. - annierats, May 11, 2015

Answer 4

Orale, is slang for "of course" or "I got it" I'm not sure it has anything to do with "orar" (pray).

Just my two cents.

Welcome to SpanishDict. - rac1, May 11, 2015

I think it rather has something to do with "ora", the short form of "ahora", right now! - LuisCache, May 11, 2015

Answer 5

Thanks Gringo...this is great!

Answer 6

Worth another ride mate.