Spanish Phrases

How to use this page

You can travel in Mexico's resort areas on English alone, but even a little Spanish changes how people treat you. A "buenos días" before your question, a "¿Me da...?" instead of pointing, and a "muchas gracias" on the way out get you warmer service, better directions and, at markets, sometimes a better price. Mexicans are patient with beginners and rarely correct a foreigner's grammar. Just try.

Everything here is Mexican Spanish, which differs from the Spanish of Spain in sound and vocabulary. Mexicans pronounce c (before e or i) and z as s, with no lisp. They use ustedes for "you all" in every situation, never vosotros. They use usted, the formal "you," more than many Spanish speakers, so the phrases below default to it. And many everyday words differ from what a Spain-based textbook teaches:

• Carro for car, camión for a city bus, celular for cell phone, boleto for ticket.
• Jugo for juice, popote for a drinking straw, refresco for soda, alberca for swimming pool.
• Cuadra for a city block, banqueta for sidewalk, departamento for an apartment, lentes for glasses.

Mexicans also soften requests with the diminutive -ito: "un cafecito," "un momentito," "ahorita." It sounds friendly, and you can use it too.

Spanish is the language of daily life, but Mexico officially recognizes 68 Indigenous languages, and in parts of Chiapas, Oaxaca and the Yucatán many people speak Tzotzil, Zapotec, Maya or another language first. Spanish works with almost everyone you'll meet; a word of thanks in the local language, learned from your guide, goes a long way.

Pronunciation in five minutes

Spanish is spelled the way it sounds, so once you know the rules you can read anything aloud. In the "Say it" column on this page, capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Stress and accents

Words that end in a vowel, n or s are stressed on the next-to-last syllable: tortilla (tor-TEE-yah), tacos (TAH-kohs). Words ending in any other consonant are stressed on the last syllable: usted (oos-TEHD), hotel (oh-TEHL). A written accent overrides both rules and shows you where the stress goes: café (kah-FEH), México. Accents can change meaning too: sí is yes, si is if.

Place names that trip people up

• Oaxaca: wah-HAH-kah
• Tulum: too-LOOM
• Chichén Itzá: chee-CHEHN eet-SAH
• Taxco: TAHS-koh
• Querétaro: keh-REH-tah-roh
• Guanajuato: gwah-nah-HWAH-toh
• Zihuatanejo: see-wah-tah-NEH-hoh
• Tlaquepaque: tlah-keh-PAH-keh

Basics and courtesy

Start every exchange with a greeting. "Buenos días" works until about noon, "buenas tardes" until dark, and "buenas noches" after that. Use the formal "¿Cómo está?" with anyone older or anyone serving you.

Numbers and money

Prices in Mexico are written with a $ sign that means pesos, which is why this guide writes MX$. Numbers 16 to 19 and 21 to 29 are single words (dieciséis, veintidós), and from 31 on you join with "y": treinta y cinco is 35. Street tacos in Mexico City cost roughly MX$15–25 each in 2026, so expect to hear quince, veinte and veinticinco a lot. If a vendor's spoken price goes by too fast, ask them to write it down or show it on a calculator; nobody minds.

Restaurants and ordering

"Me da..., por favor" (would you give me...) is the everyday way to order in Mexico and sounds friendlier than "quiero" (I want). The check only comes when you ask, and tips are voluntary by law, so ask "¿Está incluida la propina?" if you see a "servicio" line on the bill. For dish names, see the menu decoder on our Food page.

Shopping and bargaining

Bargain in craft markets and with street vendors, gently, and never in shops with price tags. The Etiquette page explains how far to push, and Shopping and US customs covers what you can bring home. Mexico City and many states have banned single-use plastic bags, so carry a tote.

Directions and transport

In Mexico a city bus is a "camión," and a shared van or minibus is a "colectivo" or "combi." Agree on the fare before you get into a taxi without a meter. "Derecho" means straight ahead, so don't confuse it with "derecha," to the right. For routes and fares, see Getting around; for highway driving, tolls and police stops, see Driving.

Hotels

Hotel staff in tourist areas usually speak English, but these come in handy at small hotels, guesthouses and rentals. In Mexico, a reservation is a "reservación," and because the CDC advises against drinking tap water in Mexico, small hotels often provide drinking water from a big refillable jug called a garrafón.

Health and pharmacy

Mexican pharmacies are everywhere, and many have a small doctor's office (consultorio) next door for quick, inexpensive consultations. Antibiotics require a prescription. For when to see a doctor, hospital costs and travel insurance, see Health. Use the -a ending if you are a woman: "alérgica," "diabética."

Emergencies and police

Dial 911 anywhere in Mexico for police, fire or an ambulance. Dial 078 for tourist assistance and the Ángeles Verdes roadside help service on federal highways, and 089 to report a crime anonymously. Operators in tourist areas may have English speakers, but be ready to give your location in Spanish. A police report (denuncia), which your insurer will want after a theft, is usually filed at the state prosecutor's office (Ministerio Público or Fiscalía), not at the police station. For US Embassy and consulate numbers, see Safety.

Mexican expressions you'll hear

Mexican Spanish is full of slang that textbooks skip. You don't need to use most of it, but recognizing it helps you follow what's going on. "¿Mande?" is the one to adopt: it is the polite way to say "pardon?" when you didn't catch something, and it sounds much softer than "¿Qué?"

A few more you'll hear in context. "Ahorita" can mean right away or much later, and "ahorita no" is a polite no. "¿Gusta?" is how people offer you some of what they're eating; "gracias, provecho" is the gracious way to decline. "Qué pena" in Mexico means "how embarrassing" or "I'm sorry to bother you," with nothing about sorrow in it.

False friends and words to avoid

Some Spanish words look like English ones and mean something else entirely. Others are fine in Spain and vulgar in Mexico.

Mexicans love double meanings (albures), and many innocent words, huevos (eggs) among them, have a second, rude sense. Ordering huevos rancheros at breakfast is completely normal. Just don't be surprised if a friend grins.