Did You Know Saying ‘What?’ in Spanish Could Be Offensive?

CliffsNotes version, use “cómo?” instead.

Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels, Adapted by Author on Canva

I was standing in line to order McDonald’s catching a late-night flight from Lima, Peru to Boston. A young white boy, maybe thirteen years old, in a red baseball cap was in front of me, ordering his Happy Something Meal. “Will there be anything else?” asked the cashier. The boy leaned in. “What?”