Key Spanish phrases to know before going to Mexico
Key Spanish phrases to know before going to Mexico, or any Spanish-speaking country really.
One of the best things you can do to get yourself excited about your trip to Mexico City is to learn some Spanish! If you’re anything like me, then being prepared with a few key phrases is a great way to get yourself immersed in the culture and feel like you’re living your Mexican fantasy.
Whilst we were in Mexico City, we did have some Spanish lessons on Preply which really helped us to understand more advanced language, such as learning more vocabulary, as well as how to use the correct pronouns, tenses and, importantly, the correct pronunciation and use of certain verbs ( ser vs estoy for example).
But I understand that not everyone has enough time on their hands to learn a language, especially if you’re travelling, learning every language fluently or to an advanced level would be both exhausting and almost impossible. So I’ve compiled a few key phrases that have managed to get us to through our stay in Mexico City.
Basic greetings and sayings
Hola - Hello
Buenos Dias - Good Morning
Buenos Tardes - Good Lunchtime
Buenas Noches - Good Night / Good Evening
Por Favor / Porfa - Please
Disculpe - Excuse Me
Perdon - Sorry
Gracias / Muchas gracias - Thanks, Thanks a Lot
Adios - Bye
Hasta Luego - See You Soon
Como Estas? - How are you?
(This tends to be like us Brits saying, how’s it going - we don’t actually expect any answer other than, yeah good, you? - It’s similar in Mexico)
Todo bien gracias y tu? - All good thanks, and you?
Bien - Good
Mal - Bad
Vale - Ok
When at the restaurant
Te puedo pedir….? - Can I ask you for…?
This phrase was definitely my most used phrase in Mexico; it’s another way of politely ordering food or asking for something, in the way that the locals would typically speak.
Te puedo pagar la cuenta por favor - can I pay the bill please?
Donde esta el baño? - Where is the bathroom/toilet?
Disculpe - Excuse me
Todos mas / algo mas - anything else?
Waiters will often ask you this when you’ve finished ordering to see if you want anything else. If you’ve ordered everything you can say - ‘no gracias todo bien’ - no thank you, all good.
Yo no como… - I don’t eat…
This is useful when trying to tell a waiter you don’t eat something, use the words below to complete the sentence if you need.
Carne - Meat
Pollo - Chicken
Pescado - Fish
Queso - Cheese
Yo no bebo… - I don’t drink
Leche - Milk
Alcohol (pronounced alcool) - Alcohol
Phrases for when you don’t understand
Yo no comprendo - I don’t understand
Tu hablas ingles? / Usted habla ingles? - Do you speak English?
The first option is less formal; the second one you’d use in a more formal situation, maybe to someone that’s older than you or a taxi driver for example.
Perdon - Sorry (This tends to be used more than lo siento, lo siento is more for when you are really, deeply sorry for something)
Lo siento - Sorry (more deeply)
Fun slang
Que pedo - Literally translates to what fart, but this is used like ‘what the…’
Dios mios! - My god!
No mames - No way! / You're kidding me! This is a way to express disbelief with something
Claro - Got it / Understood
And there we have it; here are the basics you need to get around Mexico City!
If you are interested in learning Spanish and becoming more fluent, I would recommend giving Preply a try to learn Spanish online with a native-speaking Spanish teacher. I’ve been using Preply for the last year to get myself from a complete beginner to a B2 (almost fluent) level for my next adventures. Lessons start from as little as £5 per hour, but in my experience, the better teachers are more between £12 - £20 an hour.
