Basic Spanish Phrases for Travellers to Mexico

Mexican Spanish differs from the Spanish spoken in Spain in pronunciation, vocabulary, and certain expressions. Mexico does not use the “th” sound for “c” and “z” (that is a Castilian feature), and everyday speech includes words you will not find in a European Spanish textbook — güey (dude), chido (cool), and mande (a polite “pardon?” unique to Mexico). English is common in tourist corridors but limited elsewhere, so these phrases will serve you well from Oaxaca’s markets to Chiapas’ highland villages.

Greetings and Basics

English	Mexican Spanish	Pronunciation
Hello	Hola	OH-lah
Good morning	Buenos días	BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs
Good afternoon	Buenas tardes	BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs
Good evening	Buenas noches	BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs
Goodbye	Adiós / Hasta luego	ah-dee-OHS / AH-stah LWEH-goh
Yes / No	Sí / No	SEE / NOH
Please	Por favor	por fah-VOR
Thank you	Gracias	GRAH-see-ahs
You’re welcome	De nada	deh NAH-dah
Excuse me / Pardon?	Disculpe / ¿Mande?	dees-KOOL-peh / MAHN-deh
I don’t understand	No entiendo	noh en-tee-EN-doh
Do you speak English?	¿Habla inglés?	AH-blah in-GLEHS

Note: ¿Mande? is the Mexican way to say “pardon?” or “what did you say?” — used instead of ¿cómo? or ¿qué? which can sound blunt.

Getting Around

English	Mexican Spanish	Pronunciation
Where is…?	¿Dónde está…?	DOHN-deh ehs-TAH
How much does it cost?	¿Cuánto cuesta?	KWAN-toh KWEH-stah
Left / Right	Izquierda / Derecha	eez-kee-AIR-dah / deh-REH-chah
Straight ahead	Derecho	deh-REH-choh
Stop here	Pare aquí	PAH-reh ah-KEE
Bus station	Terminal de autobuses	tair-mee-NAL deh ow-toh-BOO-sehs
Airport	Aeropuerto	ah-eh-roh-PWAIR-toh
Taxi / Uber	Taxi / Uber	TAK-see / OO-ber
A ticket, please	Un boleto, por favor	oon boh-LEH-toh, por fah-VOR
How far is it?	¿Qué tan lejos está?	keh tahn LEH-hohs ehs-TAH

Food and Dining

English	Mexican Spanish	Pronunciation
I would like…	Quisiera…	kee-see-AIR-ah
Water	Agua	AH-gwah
Beer	Cerveza	sair-VEH-sah
Coffee	Café	kah-FEH
The bill, please	La cuenta, por favor	lah KWEN-tah, por fah-VOR
Delicious	Riquísimo	ree-KEE-see-moh
Spicy	Picoso	pee-KOH-soh
Not spicy	Sin picante	seen pee-KAHN-teh
Tacos	Tacos	TAH-kohs
No meat	Sin carne	seen KAR-neh
A table for two	Mesa para dos	MEH-sah PAH-rah DOHS

Note: In Mexico, picoso is more commonly used than picante in casual speech when describing spicy food.

Numbers

Number	Spanish	Pronunciation
1	Uno	OO-noh
2	Dos	DOHS
3	Tres	TREHS
4	Cuatro	KWAH-troh
5	Cinco	SEEN-koh
6	Seis	SAYS
7	Siete	see-EH-teh
8	Ocho	OH-choh
9	Nueve	NWEH-veh
10	Diez	dee-EHS

Emergency Phrases

English	Mexican Spanish	Pronunciation
Help!	¡Ayuda!	ah-YOO-dah
I need a doctor	Necesito un doctor	neh-seh-SEE-toh oon dok-TOR
Police	Policía	poh-lee-SEE-ah
Hospital	Hospital	ohs-pee-TAL
I am lost	Estoy perdido/a	ehs-TOY pair-DEE-doh/dah
Call an ambulance	Llame una ambulancia	YAH-meh OO-nah ahm-boo-LAHN-see-ah

Mexican Spanish pronunciation is straightforward for English speakers. Every vowel has one consistent sound: “a” = ah, “e” = eh, “i” = ee, “o” = oh, “u” = oo. The letter “j” is always an “h” sound (lejos = LEH-hohs), “ll” is a “y” sound (llame = YAH-meh), and “ñ” is “ny” (año = AHN-yoh). The “h” is always silent. Mexicans speak more slowly and clearly than many other Spanish-speaking countries, which makes Mexico an excellent place to practice. Do not be afraid to try — a genuine attempt at Spanish, even imperfect, is always met with patience and encouragement.

Related Practical Guides

• First Time in Mexico — complete preparation guide for first-time visitors
• Safety in Mexico — which areas to avoid and how to navigate street situations
• Tipping in Mexico — what to tip at restaurants, hotels, and taxis
• Street Food Guide to Mexico — how to order at markets and taco stands
• Health in Mexico — pharmacies, medical care, and emergency contacts