Fifty Mexican Spanish phrases for your trip to Mexico, as a five-day plan of ten a day: greetings and manners, café and restaurant, paying and shops, getting around and signs, hotel and help. Every card has a pronunciation respelling, a real example exchange and a tip on when to use it and what catches tourists out, plus a bonus group of numbers 1–10. About 10 minutes a day.
CEFR A1–A2 — Beginner to Elementary
At this level you can introduce yourself, order food, ask directions. Vocabulary: ~500–1,200 words (cumulative).
Phrases you'll learn
How do you say “Hello / Good morning” in Spanish?
“Hello / Good morning” is “Hola / Buenos días” in Spanish. For example: Buenos días. – Buen día, pásele. ¿Qué va a llevar? — Good morning. – Morning, come on in. What can I get you?
How do you say “Good afternoon / Good evening” in Spanish?
“Good afternoon / Good evening” is “Buenas tardes / Buenas noches” in Spanish. For example: Buenas noches, ¿tienen mesa para dos? – Buenas noches, sí, pásenle. — Good evening, do you have a table for two? – Good evening, yes, come on in.
How do you say “Please” in Spanish?
“Please” is “Por favor” in Spanish. For example: ¿Me da un cafecito, por favor? – Claro, ahorita se lo traigo. — Could I have a coffee, please? – Sure, I'll bring it right over.
How do you say “Thank you” in Spanish?
“Thank you” is “Gracias” in Spanish. For example: ¡Muchas gracias! – De nada, para servirle. — Thanks a lot! – You're welcome, at your service.
Spanish → English60 words~6 days at 10 words/day0 downloadsA1A2
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Saludo al entrar a una tienda o a cualquier lugar; 'buenos días' se dice hasta el mediodía.
Synonyms:buen día, buenas
Hello / Good morning
Buenos días. – Buen día, pásele. ¿Qué va a llevar?
Good morning. – Morning, come on in. What can I get you?
Say it as you walk into a shop, a waiting room, a lift or a combi (shared minibus): walking in without a word reads as cold, and a 'buenos días' to the whole room is normal. 'Buenos días' runs only until about noon, not two o'clock as in Spain, and in Mexico City you will often hear 'buen día'. 'Hola' is fine with anyone, but 'buenos días' sounds warmer to older people and officials. The 'h' is silent.
Buenas tardes / Buenas nochesA1
BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs / BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs
Saludos para la tarde, desde el mediodía, y para la noche; 'buenas noches' también sirve para despedirse.
Synonyms:buenas
Good afternoon / Good evening
Buenas noches, ¿tienen mesa para dos? – Buenas noches, sí, pásenle.
Good evening, do you have a table for two? – Good evening, yes, come on in.
Switch to 'buenas tardes' at noon, not after a Spanish-style late lunch, and to 'buenas noches' once it is dark, around seven: it is both the evening hello and the goodnight. Plain 'buenas' works at any hour and is what you will hear most at a taco stand.
Por favorA1
por fah-BOR
Palabras de cortesía para pedir algo; van al final de la petición.
Please
¿Me da un cafecito, por favor? – Claro, ahorita se lo traigo.
Could I have a coffee, please? – Sure, I'll bring it right over.
Goes at the end of the request. Mexican politeness is softer and more indirect than Spain's: a bare 'un café' can sound curt, so wrap it as a question, '¿me da un café, por favor?'. Diminutives soften everything: 'un cafecito', 'tantito' (a little), 'ahorita'. The 'v' is said like a soft 'b', hence 'fah-BOR'.
GraciasA1
GRAH-syahs
Palabra para agradecer; la respuesta más común es 'de nada'.
Synonyms:muchas gracias
Thank you
¡Muchas gracias! – De nada, para servirle.
Thanks a lot! – You're welcome, at your service.
The trap is the sound: Mexico uses seseo, so the 'c' is an English 's', 'GRAH-syahs'; Spain's 'GRAH-thyahs' sounds foreign here. The reply is 'de nada' or 'a usted' (thank you), and staff often say 'para servirle' (at your service) or 'con gusto' (my pleasure): pure courtesy, not an invitation to ask for more.
Disculpe / ¡Joven!A1formal
dees-KOOL-peh / HOH-behn
Para llamar la atención de alguien con respeto; 'joven' se le dice al mesero.
Synonyms:perdón, señorita
Excuse me / Excuse me! (to a waiter, lit. 'young man')
Disculpe, joven, ¿me trae otro refresco? – Claro, con gusto.
Excuse me, could you bring me another soft drink? – Sure, my pleasure.
Trap: calling staff. Mexicans call any male waiter 'joven' (young man) whatever his age and a waitress 'señorita' (an older woman 'señora'), with a raised hand, or simply say 'disculpe'. Spain's '¡oiga!' sounds brusque here, and the 'psst' hiss some locals use is not for visitors. For a real apology say 'perdón' or 'lo siento'. In Argentina you will hear 'disculpá' and 'che': neither is Mexican.
Con permisoA1
kohn pehr-MEE-soh
Frase para pedir paso entre la gente o para retirarse de un lugar con educación.
Synonyms:permiso
Excuse me (to get past)
Con permiso, ¿baja? – No, pásele.
Excuse me, getting off? – No, go ahead.
Trap: Mexico's squeeze-past phrase is 'con permiso', or just 'permiso' on a packed Metro, and it is used far more than in Spain; the reply is 'propio' or 'pásele' (go ahead). Say it too when you leave a table, enter someone's home or walk out of a meeting. At the Metro doors people ask '¿baja?' (getting off?) to sort out who moves. 'Perdón' is kept for an actual bump.
Sí / No / SaleA1
see / noh / SAH-leh
Respuestas básicas; 'sale' quiere decir 'de acuerdo' y 'no, gracias' rechaza con educación.
Synonyms:va, está bien
Yes / No / OK
¿Pulseras, amigo? – Ahorita no, gracias. – Sale, que le vaya bien.
Bracelets, my friend? – Not right now, thanks. – OK, have a good day.
'No, gracias' is the polite full stop for vendors on the Metro, on beaches and in Garibaldi; the most Mexican brush-off is 'ahorita no, gracias' (not right now). That is the 'ahorita' trap: it can mean right now, in a while or never, depending on tone. For OK, Mexicans say 'sale' or 'va' ('órale' among friends); Spain's 'vale' marks you as Spain-trained, and in Argentina and Colombia you will hear 'dale'. Mind the accent: 'si' without it means 'if'.
¿Habla inglés?A1formal
AH-blah een-GLEHS
Pregunta amable para saber si alguien habla inglés; se usa 'usted' con desconocidos.
Do you speak English?
Disculpe, ¿habla inglés? – Poquito.
Excuse me, do you speak English? – A little bit.
Use 'habla' (usted) with strangers, staff, officials and anyone older; do not open with '¿hablas…?'. Younger Mexicans switch to tú fast ('¿de dónde eres?') and you may follow once they do. Honest note: in the Cancún hotel zone, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta English is spoken wherever tourists go; in Mexico City markets, Oaxaca, Guadalajara and on long-distance coaches it often is not, and that is where this deck pays off. Argentina and Uruguay use vos: '¿hablás inglés?'.
No entiendoA1
noh ehn-TYEHN-doh
Frase para decir que no se entendió lo que le dijeron.
Synonyms:¿mande?
I don't understand
¿Gusta redondear? – ¿Mande? No entiendo. Más despacio, por favor.
Would you like to round up? – Sorry? I don't understand. More slowly, please.
Pair it with 'más despacio, por favor' and people slow down. When Mexicans miss what you said they say '¿mande?' (pardon?): a courtesy word, not an order, and you can use it yourself, or '¿perdón?'. A bare '¿qué?' sounds rude here, and Spain's '¿cómo?' is understood but is not the Mexican way. '¿Me lo puede repetir?' asks for a repeat.
AdiósA1
ah-DYOHS
Despedida que sirve con cualquier persona, al salir de una tienda o de un lugar.
Synonyms:hasta luego, que le vaya bien
Goodbye
Gracias, adiós. – Que le vaya bien. – Igualmente.
Thanks, goodbye. – Have a good day. – You too.
Fine with anyone, and said on the way out even if you bought nothing. Leaving a shop you will hear 'que le vaya bien' (have a good one) and 'hasta luego'; answer 'gracias, igualmente' (thanks, you too). In small towns 'adiós' is also said in passing to someone you do not stop to talk to. Among friends it is 'bye' or 'nos vemos'.
Una mesa para dos, por favorA1
OO-nah MEH-sah PAH-rah DOHS, por fah-BOR
Frase para pedir una mesa en un restaurante, diciendo cuántas personas son.
A table for two, please
Buenas tardes, ¿para cuántos? – Una mesa para dos, por favor.
Good afternoon, how many? – A table for two, please.
In restaurants a host seats you ('¿para cuántos?' – 'somos dos'); at a taquería, a market fonda or a street stall you take any free stool. The trap is timing: 'la comida', the main meal of the day, runs roughly 14:00 to 17:00, and dinner ('la cena') is lighter, from about 20:00; many fondas serve only at midday.
¿Me da…?A1
meh DAH
Forma común y amable de pedir algo en una taquería, una tienda o un restaurante.
Synonyms:quisiera…, ¿me trae…?
Can I have…? (lit. can you give me…?)
¿Me da tres de pastor con todo? ¿Me da un agua de jamaica?
Can I have three al pastor tacos with everything? Can I have a hibiscus water?
Frame: '¿me da…?' plus the item is how Mexico orders, from tacos to coach tickets; 'quisiera…' is the polite restaurant form and '¿me trae…?' (bring me) is said to a waiter. Spain's 'quería…' is understood. 'Con todo' means onion and cilantro, plus pineapple on pastor; the salsas sit on the counter, so taste before you pour. '¿De qué?' asks which filling: pastor, suadero, bistec, campechano. Colombians say '¿me regala…?', which in Mexico sounds like asking for it free.
El menú, por favorA1
ehl meh-NOO, por fah-BOR
Lista de platillos y precios; en las fondas se ofrece la comida corrida a precio fijo.
Synonyms:la carta
The menu, please
¿Me trae el menú, por favor? – Claro. Hoy también hay comida corrida.
Could you bring me the menu, please? – Sure. There's also a set lunch today.
Spain's trap is reversed here: in Mexico 'el menú' is simply the menu, and 'la carta' is heard only in smarter places. The deal to look for is 'la comida corrida' at fondas: soup, rice, a main ('guisado'), agua fresca and sometimes dessert for one midday price chalked on a board (check the figure there). Menu prices include IVA, the sales tax.
Un café, por favorA1
oon kah-FEH, por fah-BOR
En México 'un café' suele ser americano; el café de olla lleva canela y piloncillo.
Synonyms:un cafecito
A coffee, please
Un café, por favor. – ¿Americano o de olla? – De olla.
A coffee, please. – Americano or spiced café de olla? – Café de olla.
Trap: 'un café' usually gets 'café americano', a long filter coffee, often refilled at diner chains; ask for 'un expreso' for an espresso. In fondas and roadside places 'café con leche' can mean a cup of hot milk plus a jar of instant coffee to stir in, so ask '¿es de grano?' (is it fresh-brewed?). The local one is 'café de olla', brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo (raw cane sugar); in Veracruz the milky coffee is 'un lechero'.
¿Natural o mineral?A1
nah-too-RAHL oh mee-neh-RAHL
Pregunta sobre el agua embotellada: natural es sin gas y mineral es con gas.
Still or sparkling?
Un agua, por favor. – ¿Natural o mineral? – Natural. – ¿Fría o al tiempo? – Fría.
A water, please. – Still or sparkling? – Still. – Cold or room temperature? – Cold.
The Mexican water question: 'agua natural' is still bottled water and 'agua mineral' is sparkling (Topo Chico, Peñafiel); 'con gas / sin gas' is understood but not what you will hear. Careful: next to 'fría', 'natural' means unchilled, so '¿fría o natural?', like '¿fría o al tiempo?', asks cold or room temperature. Nobody, Mexicans included, drinks 'agua de la llave' (tap water): restaurants serve 'agua purificada', homes and rentals use 20-litre 'garrafones'. 'Agua fresca' is not water but the fruit drink from big jars (jamaica, horchata, tamarindo). Ice in established restaurants is normally purified; at street stalls ask, or skip it.
La cuenta, por favorA1
lah KWEHN-tah, por fah-BOR
Frase para pedir lo que hay que pagar en el restaurante; la cuenta no llega sola.
Synonyms:¿me trae la cuenta?
The bill, please
Joven, la cuenta, por favor. – Ahorita se la traigo. ¿Junto o separado?
Excuse me, the bill, please. – I'll bring it in a moment. Together or separately?
Trap: the bill never comes unasked; ask, or mime signing in the air across the room, which every waiter understands. 'Ahorita se la traigo' means in a few minutes, not instantly. Paying by card, the waiter brings the terminal ('la terminal') to the table, so your card never leaves your sight, and the screen asks for the tip (see 'Propina'). '¿Junto o separado?' asks whether to split.
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?A2
PWEH-doh pah-GAR kohn tar-HEH-tah
Pregunta para saber si aceptan tarjeta de débito o de crédito.
Synonyms:¿aceptan tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? – Sí, ahorita le traigo la terminal. ¿Débito o crédito?
Can I pay by card? – Yes, I'll bring the card machine. Debit or credit?
Cards and contactless work in city restaurants, chains, OXXO and supermarkets; taquerías, markets, street stalls, peseros and many small shops are 'solo efectivo' (cash only). Some small shops still ask a few per cent extra for cards ('comisión'), although Profeco, the consumer agency, says a card surcharge has been illegal since 2024: ask before you pay, or use cash. If asked '¿a meses?' (instalments on Mexican cards), say 'no, en una sola exhibición' (one payment). Trap: when a terminal or ATM offers to charge in your home currency, choose pesos; use ATMs inside banks or malls. The 'j' is a soft English 'h'.
¡Salud!A1
sah-LOO(d)
Lo que se dice al brindar; también se le dice a alguien que estornuda.
Cheers!
¡Salud! – ¡Salud! Arriba, abajo, al centro y pa' dentro.
Cheers! – Cheers! Up, down, to the middle and down the hatch.
Clink and keep eye contact; '¡salud!' is also what Mexicans say after a sneeze. The final 'd' is barely sounded. Tequila and mezcal are sipped, not shot, in places that care about them; in Oaxaca mezcal comes with orange slices and 'sal de gusano'. Drinking in the street is banned in Mexico City and most cities, with a fine or a short detention: check the current rule.
¡Provecho!A1
proh-BEH-choh
Deseo amable para quien está comiendo, aunque sea un desconocido; se contesta 'gracias'.
Synonyms:buen provecho
Enjoy your meal!
Con permiso, provecho. – Gracias, pásele.
Excuse me, enjoy your meal. – Thanks, go ahead.
Mexico's strongest table custom: say '¡provecho!' (or 'buen provecho') to anyone eating as you pass their table, sit down next to them at a counter or leave a fonda, strangers included; the answer is 'gracias'. Waiters say it as the plates land. Spain's 'que aproveche' is understood but sounds foreign here.
PropinaA2
proh-PEE-nah
Dinero extra que se deja por el servicio; en restaurantes se acostumbra del 10 al 15 %.
Tip (on the card machine or the bill)
Propina: 10% 15% 20% Otro. – ¿Cuánto le pongo de propina?
Tip: 10% 15% 20% Other. – How much tip shall I add?
No cover charge in Mexico, but tipping is expected: 10 to 15% at sit-down restaurants (10% is the floor, 15% for good service; waiters depend on it). The card terminal shows 'Propina 10% 15% 20% Otro', or the waiter asks '¿cuánto le pongo de propina?' before keying it in. Check the bill for a 'servicio' or 'propina' line, common in tourist zones, so you do not tip twice: Profeco, the consumer agency, says a tip is voluntary and cannot be added without your consent (check the current rule). Coins at taco stands, a few pesos to supermarket baggers and gas-station attendants; resort staff often expect dollars.
¿Cuánto cuesta…?A1
KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah
Pregunta para saber el precio de algo.
Synonyms:¿cuánto es?, ¿cuánto le debo?
How much is…?
¿Cuánto cuesta esto? ¿Cuánto cuesta la entrada a Teotihuacán?
How much is this? How much is admission to Teotihuacán?
Frame: 'cuánto cuesta' plus the item, or on its own while pointing; 'cuánto cuestan' for several. Trap: '$' in Mexico is the peso sign, so '$150' on a menu is 150 pesos, not dollars; resort areas sometimes price in dollars, marked 'USD' or 'dls', and paying in pesos is usually cheaper. '¿Cuánto es?' asks for the total, and '¿cuánto le debo?' (what do I owe you?) is the Mexican way at a stall. 'Boleto' is a transport or event ticket, 'entrada' admission.
Está muy caroA1
ehs-TAH mwee KAH-roh
Frase para decir que algo cuesta mucho; en los mercados abre la puerta a un descuento.
Synonyms:está carito
That's (too) expensive
Está muy caro. ¿Me hace un descuentito? – Si se lleva dos, se los dejo más baratos.
It's very expensive. Could you give me a little discount? – If you take two, I'll let you have them cheaper.
'Está muy caro' is the natural Mexican comment; 'es demasiado caro' sounds like a textbook. Prices are fixed in shops, supermarkets and restaurants, but at craft and souvenir markets a gentle haggle is normal: '¿me hace un descuentito?' or '¿cuánto es lo menos?' (what's your lowest?), and buying two helps. Do not grind an artisan down over a few pesos. Among friends you will hear '¡no manches!' (no way!) and 'güey' (dude) all day: leave both to them; from a visitor they sound overfamiliar or rude.
¿Efectivo o tarjeta?A1
eh-fehk-TEE-boh oh tar-HEH-tah
Pregunta en la caja para saber si va a pagar en efectivo o con tarjeta.
Cash or card?
¿Efectivo o tarjeta? – Efectivo, pero traigo de quinientos. – ¿No trae más chico?
Cash or card? – Cash, but I've only got a 500. – Don't you have anything smaller?
The question at every till. Carry small notes and coins: taxis, stalls and small shops often cannot break a 500-peso note and will ask '¿no trae más chico?' (nothing smaller?). At OXXO and supermarket tills you will also hear '¿gusta redondear?' (round up?): the change goes to a charity, and 'no, gracias' is fine. Bring a bag: single-use plastic bags have been banned in Mexico City since 2020 (check the rule elsewhere).
¿Con factura? / El recibo, por favorA2
kohn fahk-TOO-rah / ehl reh-SEE-boh, por fah-BOR
La factura es un comprobante fiscal con RFC; el recibo es el papel de la compra.
Synonyms:la nota, el comprobante
With a tax invoice? / The receipt, please
¿Va a querer factura? – No, gracias. Nada más el recibo, por favor.
Will you want a tax invoice? – No, thanks. Just the receipt, please.
Trap: many tills ask '¿con factura?' or '¿va a querer factura?'. A factura is an electronic tax invoice issued to a Mexican tax ID (RFC) for business costs, so answer 'no, gracias'. What you want is the receipt: 'el recibo' is always understood, though cashiers themselves say '¿quiere su ticket?', a small shop writes 'una nota' and the card slip you sign is 'el voucher'. Keep receipts for exchanges ('cambios').
Solo estoy viendo, graciasA1
SOH-loh ehs-TOY BYEHN-doh, GRAH-syahs
Respuesta amable al vendedor cuando por el momento no quiere comprar nada.
Synonyms:nada más estoy viendo
I'm just looking, thanks
Pásele, pásele, ¿qué le damos? – Solo estoy viendo, gracias.
Come in, come in, what can we get you? – I'm just looking, thanks.
Mexico 'sees' rather than 'looks' here, and 'nada más estoy viendo' is just as common. It answers '¿le ayudo en algo?', '¿qué le damos?' or the market chant 'pásele, pásele' (come in, come in). Vendors may call you 'güero / güera' (fair one), 'amigo' or 'joven': friendly, not an insult.
Es todo, graciasA1
ehs TOH-doh, GRAH-syahs
Frase para avisar que ya no quiere nada más.
Synonyms:nada más, sería todo
That's all, thanks
¿Algo más? – Es todo, gracias. ¿Cuánto le debo?
Anything else? – That's all, thanks. What do I owe you?
The answer to '¿algo más?', '¿qué más le damos?' or the waiter's '¿sería todo?'; 'nada más' works too. Mexicans queue ('hacer fila'), and at a market stall the vendor asks '¿quién sigue?' (who's next?), with no Spain-style '¿quién es el último?'. You buy by weight: 'un cuarto' (250 g), 'medio kilo', and tortillas by the kilo at the tortillería. Supermarket baggers ('cerillos') work for tips.
Uno de estos, por favorA1
OO-noh deh EHS-tohs, por fah-BOR
Frase para pedir algo señalándolo con el dedo.
One of these, please
Uno de estos, por favor. – ¿Para aquí o para llevar? – Para llevar.
One of these, please. – For here or to go? – To go.
Point and say it at any stall or panadería. The counter question is '¿para aquí o para llevar?', not Spain's 'para tomar aquí'. In a panadería you serve yourself with a tray and tongs ('charola y pinzas'), then pay at the counter. For a feminine item, 'una de estas'. You will hear 'este…' constantly: it is the Mexican 'um'.
¿Tiene…? / ¿Tienen…?A1
TYEH-neh / TYEH-nehn
Pregunta para saber si una tienda o un puesto tiene algo; 'tienen' se dice al negocio.
Synonyms:¿tendrá…?, ¿hay…?
Do you have…? (to a person / to the shop)
¿Tiene una talla más grande? ¿Tienen cargador para celular?
Do you have a bigger size? Do you have a phone charger?
Frame: 'tiene' to the person in front of you, 'tienen' to the shop as a whole. That is 'ustedes', the only plural 'you' in Mexico, polite and casual alike: 'vosotros' does not exist in Latin America. '¿Tendrá…?' is a softer Mexican way to ask. Clothes are labelled CH, M, G, EG (chica, mediana, grande, extra grande), shoes go by centimetres ('del 26'), and wifi is 'WAI-fai'.
Abierto / CerradoA1
ah-BYEHR-toh / seh-RRAH-doh
Los letreros de la puerta: abierto si se puede entrar, cerrado si no.
Open / Closed
Museo: abierto de martes a domingo. Lunes cerrado.
Museum: open Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Mondays.
No Spain-style lunch closing in the cities: shops open roughly 10:00 to 20:00 or later, OXXO and many pharmacies 24 hours, and markets from early morning to mid-afternoon; small towns may close at midday. Most big Mexico City museums, the Museo Nacional de Antropología included, are closed on Mondays. 'Horario' is the opening hours.
Ofertas / CajaA1
oh-FEHR-tahs / KAH-hah
Oferta es un precio rebajado; caja es donde se paga.
Offers / Checkout
Ofertas: 2x1 en jugos. Pase a caja.
Offers: two for one on juices. Please pay at the till.
'Oferta' is on shelf tags and '2x1' (two for one) is everywhere; 'liquidación' is a clearance sale, and 'rebajas' is seen too. The national sale weekend is 'El Buen Fin', every November (check the dates). 'Pase a caja' means pay at the till. At taco stands and fondas you pay at the end and say what you had, or they ask '¿qué fue?' or '¿cuántos fueron?' (what did you have, how many?).
¿Dónde está…?A1
DOHN-deh ehs-TAH
Pregunta para saber dónde queda un lugar.
Synonyms:¿dónde queda…?
Where is…?
Disculpe, ¿dónde está el metro? ¿Dónde está el baño?
Excuse me, where's the metro? Where's the bathroom?
Frame: 'dónde está' plus the place with its article; '¿dónde queda…?' is the common Mexican alternative. Answers use 'derecho' (straight on) and 'cuadra' (block): 'a dos cuadras'. A Mexican would rather help than say 'no sé', so a confident wrong answer happens: ask a second person.
¿Dónde está el baño?A1
DOHN-deh ehs-TAH ehl BAH-nyoh
Pregunta para encontrar el baño; en los letreros dice 'sanitarios'.
Synonyms:los sanitarios
Where is the bathroom?
Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño? – Al fondo a la derecha. Ahí le dan el papel.
Excuse me, where's the bathroom? – At the back on the right. They give you the paper there.
'Baño' everywhere; signs say 'Sanitarios' or 'Baños', doors 'Damas / Caballeros' or 'Mujeres / Hombres'. Trap: on doors 'M' is Mujeres (women) and 'H' is Hombres (men). Public and bus-terminal toilets often charge a few pesos, with paper handed out at the entrance, and 'favor de no tirar papel en el excusado' means the paper goes in the bin.
¿Dónde está la terminal de autobuses?A1
DOHN-deh ehs-TAH lah tehr-mee-NAHL deh ow-toh-BOO-sehs
Pregunta para encontrar la central de donde salen los camiones a otras ciudades.
Synonyms:la central de camiones
Where is the coach station?
Disculpe, ¿dónde está la terminal de autobuses? – ¿La del ADO? Sobre esta calle, todo derecho.
Excuse me, where's the coach station? – The ADO one? On this street, straight ahead.
Mexico travels by long-distance coach: intercity passenger trains barely exist (the exceptions include the Tren Maya in the Yucatán and the Suburbano around Mexico City; check current routes). 'Terminal' or 'Central de Autobuses' is the sign, people say 'la central' or 'la terminal', and the vehicle itself is 'el camión'. Mexico City has four terminals by direction, Norte, Sur, Poniente and TAPO (east): check which one your company uses. The underground is 'el metro'.
Un boleto para Oaxaca, por favorA1
oon boh-LEH-toh PAH-rah wah-HAH-kah, por fah-BOR
Frase para comprar un boleto de camión a otra ciudad.
A ticket to Oaxaca, please
Un boleto para Oaxaca, por favor. – ¿Sencillo o redondo? – Sencillo. – ¿Qué asiento le doy?
A ticket to Oaxaca, please. – One way or return? – One way. – Which seat would you like?
'Boleto' is every ticket; in Mexico 'billete' is a banknote. Coach companies (ADO in the south and the Yucatán, ETN, Primera Plus) sell by app, website or at the desk, with a named passenger and a seat ('¿qué asiento?'). 'Sencillo' is one way and 'redondo' (round trip) is the Mexican word for return, where Spain says 'ida y vuelta'. Coaches are air-conditioned to cold, so bring a layer.
¿De qué andén sale?A1
deh KEH ahn-DEHN SAH-leh
Pregunta para saber de qué andén sale el camión.
Which bay does it leave from?
¿De qué andén sale el de las ocho? – Del andén doce, sala tres.
Which bay does the eight o'clock one leave from? – Bay twelve, hall three.
Coach terminals call their departure bays 'andenes', and some big Mexico City terminals group them into numbered 'salas' (waiting halls); your ticket or the screen shows both, and boarding is called shortly before departure. On the Metro you choose the platform by line number and colour and by 'dirección', the last station of the line ('dirección Indios Verdes').
Las palabras para dar direcciones: izquierda, derecha y derecho, que es seguir de frente.
Left / right / straight on
Siga derecho dos cuadras y en la esquina, a la izquierda.
Go straight on for two blocks and at the corner, turn left.
Mexicans say 'derecho' or 'todo derecho' for straight on; Spain's 'todo recto' is understood but foreign. Trap: 'derecho' (straight) and 'derecha' (right) differ by one vowel, so listen for it. 'Cuadra' is a block ('a dos cuadras'), 'la esquina' the corner and 'aquí a la vuelta' round the corner; 'ahí nomás' (just there) can stretch a long way.
Entrada / SalidaA1
ehn-TRAH-dah / sah-LEE-dah
Letreros que indican por dónde se entra y por dónde se sale.
Entrance / Exit
Salida a Av. Juárez. Entrada libre.
Exit to Juárez Avenue. Free admission.
Metro and Metrobús exits list the street names. On highways 'salida' is the exit, and signs split 'cuota' (toll road, faster and safer; take it if you rent a 'carro') from 'libre' (the free road). 'Entrada libre' is free admission and 'no hay paso' means no way through.
Empuje / JaleA1
ehm-POO-heh / HAH-leh
Letreros de las puertas: empuje para abrir hacia adelante, jale para abrir hacia usted.
Push / Pull
Empuje. – Jale.
Push. – Pull.
Mexican doors say 'Empuje' (push) and 'Jale' (pull, from 'jalar'). Trap: in Mexico 'tirar' means to throw away ('no tire basura', no littering), so Spain's door word 'tirar' will not be on a Mexican door. The 'j' is a soft English 'h'.
Recarga tu tarjetaA2
reh-KAR-gah too tar-HEH-tah
Aviso para ponerle saldo a la tarjeta del transporte antes de viajar.
Top up your card
Recarga tu tarjeta aquí. – Una tarjeta y una recarga, por favor.
Top up your card here. – A card and a top-up, please.
Mexico City's rechargeable card, the 'Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada' (MI), covers the Metro, Metrobús, Tren Ligero, Cablebús, trolleybuses, RTP buses and Ecobici; buy it and top it up ('recarga') at station machines and booths. Trap: the Metrobús takes no cash at all. You pay at the station turnstile before the bus comes, so load the card first, or tap a contactless bank card or phone, which Metro and Metrobús turnstiles have accepted since late 2024. Fares are low; check the current figure. The first carriages of every Metro train and the front of the Metrobús are reserved for women and children under 12 ('exclusivo mujeres y niños'). Machines use the informal 'tu'; other cities have their own cards.
Parada / Próxima estaciónA1
pah-RAH-dah / PROHK-see-mah ehs-tah-SYOHN
Aviso de la siguiente parada en el Metrobús y en los trenes nuevos del Metro.
Stop / Next station
Próxima estación: Insurgentes.
Next station: Insurgentes.
'Parada' is the sign at bus stops; 'próxima estación' is the recorded announcement on the Metrobús and on newer Metro trains, while older Metro trains often announce nothing, so watch the station signs and icons. The city bus is 'el camión'; in the capital the small ones are 'peseros' or 'micros', elsewhere 'combis', and in the Yucatán and Oaxaca shared vans are 'colectivos'. They stop where you wave: to get off call '¡bajan!' or 'en la esquina, por favor', and pay the driver in coins. Never 'coger el camión' as in Spain: 'coger' is vulgar (sex) in Mexico, so say 'tomar el camión' or 'tomar el metro'.
Tengo una reservaciónA1
TEHN-goh OO-nah reh-sehr-bah-SYOHN
Frase para avisar en la recepción que ya tiene un cuarto apartado.
I have a reservation
Buenas tardes, tengo una reservación a nombre de Smith. – ¿Me permite su pasaporte?
Good afternoon, I have a reservation under Smith. – May I see your passport?
Mexico says 'reservación'; 'reserva' is understood. Give 'a nombre de' plus your surname. Hotels ask for your passport and often a card for a deposit. Keep proof of your entry (the passport stamp or the digital tourist record, FMM; check the current process) for departure. Quintana Roo (Cancún, Tulum) charges visitors a state fee called Visitax, and states add a hotel tax: check the current figures.
La llave, por favorA1
lah YAH-beh, por fah-BOR
Lo que se pide en la recepción para poder entrar al cuarto.
The key, please
La llave, por favor. Cuarto doce. – Aquí tiene, y esta es su pulsera.
The key, please. Room twelve. – Here you are, and this is your wristband.
The 'll' is the English 'y': 'YAH-beh'. In Mexican speech the room is 'el cuarto' ('habitación' on hotel signs). Most hotels use a key card ('la tarjeta'), all-inclusives add a wristband ('la pulsera'), and rentals use lockbox codes.
¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi?A1
kwahl ehs lah kohn-trah-SEH-nyah dehl WAI-fai
Pregunta para conectarse al internet del hotel, del café o del restaurante.
Synonyms:la clave del wifi
What's the Wi-Fi password?
¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi? – Viene atrás de su tarjeta.
What's the Wi-Fi password? – It's on the back of your key card.
Mexico says 'WAI-fai', not Spain's 'WEE-fee'; the password is 'la contraseña' or 'la clave'. For data, a local SIM is 'un chip' (Telcel has the widest coverage), topped up with 'recargas' at OXXO; check the current registration rules for new lines. The phone is 'el celular' and a computer 'la computadora', never Spain's 'móvil' or 'ordenador'.
¿A qué hora es el desayuno?A1
ah KEH OH-rah ehs ehl deh-sah-YOO-noh
Pregunta sobre el horario del desayuno en el hotel.
What time is breakfast?
¿A qué hora es el desayuno? – De siete a once. Hay chilaquiles y jugo de naranja.
What time is breakfast? – From seven to eleven. There's chilaquiles and orange juice.
A Mexican breakfast is a real meal: chilaquiles, huevos rancheros or molletes, with 'jugo' (juice; Spain's 'zumo' is not used). 'Almuerzo' in Mexico is a late, big breakfast, not lunch; lunch is 'la comida'. For check-out ask '¿a qué hora es la salida?': usually around midday.
¡Auxilio! / ¡Ayuda!A1
owk-SEE-lyoh / ah-YOO-dah
Gritos para pedir ayuda en una emergencia; el número de emergencias es el 911.
Help!
¡Auxilio! ¡Me robaron! – ¡Llamen al 911!
Help! I've been robbed! – Call 911!
Mexicans shout '¡auxilio!' or '¡ayuda!'; 'socorro' is understood but bookish here. 911 is the national emergency number (police, ambulance, fire), free from any phone; do not count on English on the line. '¡Me robaron!' is I've been robbed, '¡ratero!' thief. 078 is the national tourist assistance line (check the current service).
Necesito un doctorA2
neh-seh-SEE-toh oon dohk-TOR
Frase para pedir atención médica cuando uno se siente mal.
Synonyms:necesito un médico
I need a doctor
Necesito un doctor. Algo me cayó mal. – Aquí junto a la farmacia hay consultorio.
I need a doctor. Something disagreed with me. – There's a clinic right here next to the pharmacy.
Mexicans say 'doctor' more than 'médico'. Call 911 in an emergency; visitors normally use private hospitals, which ask for payment or an insurance guarantee up front. For minor problems the 'consultorio' next to many pharmacy chains sees you in minutes for a small fee (check the current figure). 'Me siento mal' is I feel ill; 'algo me cayó mal' something disagreed with me.
¿Dónde está la farmacia?A1
DOHN-deh ehs-TAH lah far-MAH-syah
Pregunta para encontrar la farmacia; muchas de cadena abren las 24 horas.
Where is the pharmacy?
¿Dónde está la farmacia? – Hay una en la esquina, abre las 24 horas.
Where's the pharmacy? – There's one on the corner, open 24 hours.
No standard sign colour: look for the chains (Farmacias Similares with the Dr. Simi mascot, Farmacias Guadalajara, Benavides, Del Ahorro), many open 24 hours. Most medicines are sold over the counter, but antibiotics have needed a prescription ('receta') since 2010. '¿Tiene algo para…?' asks for something for a symptom: 'para la diarrea', 'para el dolor de cabeza'.
Llame a la policía, por favorA2formal
YAH-meh ah lah poh-lee-SEE-ah, por fah-BOR
Petición para que alguien llame a la policía en una emergencia o un robo.
Call the police, please
Llame a la policía, por favor. Me robaron el celular.
Call the police, please. My phone's been stolen.
Formal 'llame'; 911 reaches the police. Mexico City has a tourist police in the Centro Histórico and along Reforma. A theft report is 'levantar una denuncia' at the Ministerio Público (Fiscalía): slow, but insurers need it. Grammar: Mexico uses the simple past for what just happened, 'me robaron el celular', where Spain says 'me han robado el móvil'.
Estoy perdido / perdidaA1
ehs-TOY pehr-DEE-doh / pehr-DEE-dah
Frase para decir que no sabe dónde está; un hombre dice perdido y una mujer perdida.
Synonyms:me perdí
I'm lost (man / woman)
Disculpe, estoy perdida. ¿Me puede ayudar? ¿Queda lejos el Zócalo?
Excuse me, I'm lost. Can you help me? Is the Zócalo far?
A man says 'perdido', a woman 'perdida'. 'Me perdí' (I got lost) is the other everyday form; Spain's 'me he perdido' sounds foreign here. Follow with '¿me puede ayudar?' and the address on your phone; '¿queda lejos?' asks if it is far.
¿Me puede llamar un taxi, por favor?A2formal
meh PWEH-deh yah-MAR oon TAHK-see, por fah-BOR
Petición amable para que alguien en el hotel o el restaurante le pida un taxi.
Synonyms:¿me pide un taxi?
Could you call me a taxi, please?
¿Me puede llamar un taxi, por favor? – Claro, le pido uno de sitio.
Could you call me a taxi, please? – Sure, I'll order one from the taxi rank.
Uber and DiDi are normal and the usual choice in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Mérida, with fare and car logged. A 'taxi de sitio' comes from a rank or by phone and is safer than a street hail, which locals avoid at night in the capital; when you phone, they answer '¿bueno?', the Mexican phone hello. At Mexico City airport pay for a fixed-price 'taxi autorizado' at a booth inside the terminal. In Cancún and Los Cabos app rides have been contested by taxi unions (check the current status) and many taxis have no meter: agree the fare before you get in.
unoA1
OO-noh
El número 1.
one
Un boleto para Puebla, por favor.
One ticket to Puebla, please.
Before a masculine noun 'uno' becomes 'un' (un boleto, un taco), before a feminine one 'una' (una cerveza, una torta). Mexico counts in pesos, 'un peso', 'dos pesos', and '$' is the peso sign (see '¿Cuánto cuesta…?').
dosA1
dohs
El número 2.
two
Dos de pastor y dos de suadero, por favor.
Two al pastor and two suadero tacos, please.
'Somos dos' (there are two of us) gets you a table; 'dos de pastor' is two al pastor tacos at the stand. A pure, clipped 'dohs', not 'dose'.
tresA1
trehs
El número 3.
three
Línea 3, dirección Universidad.
Line 3, towards Universidad.
Metro lines go by number and colour ('la línea 3'), and each direction by its last station. After 't' the 'r' is a single tap, not a long roll.
cuatroA1
KWAH-troh
El número 4.
four
Somos cuatro. – Pásenle, por aquí.
There are four of us. – Come in, this way.
'Somos' plus a number tells a restaurant how many you are. At a taquería an 'orden' is often three to five tacos, so ask '¿cuántos trae la orden?'. A clear 'oh' at the end, not 'ow'.
cincoA1
SEEN-koh
El número 5.
five
Son cinco pesos.
That's five pesos.
Seseo everywhere in Mexico: every 'c' before 'e' or 'i' and every 'z' is an English 's', so 'SEEN-koh', never Spain's 'THEEN-koh'. 'Son' plus a price is how a total is announced, and 'peso' takes a plural: 'cinco pesos'.
seisA1
sayss
El número 6.
six
Nos vemos a las seis de la tarde.
See you at six in the evening.
'A las seis' is at six. Speech uses the 12-hour clock with 'de la mañana / de la tarde / de la noche', while coach tickets use the 24-hour clock. Social time is loose (a six o'clock party starts later, 'ahorita' again), but coaches and tours leave on time.
sieteA1
SYEH-teh
El número 7.
seven
La combi sale a las siete.
The minibus leaves at seven.
Two syllables, both vowels said. A handwritten 7 is crossed and a 1 often has a long hook, so on a market price or a bill a handwritten 1 can look like a 7: check before you pay.
ochoA1
OH-choh
El número 8.
eight
El ADO a Mérida sale a las ocho.
The ADO coach to Mérida leaves at eight.
'Sale a las' plus the hour is 'leaves at'. ADO coaches leave on the minute, so be at the bay ('andén') ten minutes early.
nueveA1
NWEH-beh
El número 9.
nine
Para emergencias, marque nueve, uno, uno.
For emergencies, dial nine one one.
Two syllables, final 'e' said; the 'v' is a soft 'b'. The emergency number 911 is read 'nueve uno uno'. 'Nuevo' (new) is one letter away, so listen for the ending.
diezA1
dyehs
El número 10.
ten
Diez minutos caminando.
Ten minutes' walk.
The final 'z' is an 's', no 'th'. Mexico walks 'caminando' ('diez minutos caminando'), where Spain says 'andando'. 'Diez por ciento' is the floor tip at a restaurant. Phone numbers have ten digits (since 2019) and are read in pairs.