100+ Mexican Spanish Words & Phrases for Travel: Speak Like a Local in Mexico
If you’re planning to visit Mexico this year, it’s time to brush up on your Spanish. Review these basic Mexican Spanish words and phrases for travel to help you prepare for your trip, including common phrases for dining and key Spanish words you need to get around.
Of everywhere we’ve traveled in the world thus far, Mexico is the country where we’ve needed to speak the local language the most. Especially with some of the anti-tourist sentiments that have been rising in traveler hotspots like Mexico City, it’s more important than ever to try your best to interact with locals in Spanish, instead of forcing them to adapt to your own language and culture. Thankfully, Spanish is a bit more intuitive and easy to pronounce than other world languages, so with a little advanced preparation, you can communicate the basics without too much struggle.
In this language guide, we’ll help you prepare by breaking down some of the most common and essential Mexican Spanish words and phrases for travel, including phonetic pronunciation and any helpful tips that may apply. We’ve organized them into helpful categories like “Getting Around” and “At the Hotel,” so you can quickly jump to what you need on-the-go. Plus, we’ve got a Bonus section at the end with some of the most common Mexican slang, in case you really want to show off 😉
Visiting Oaxaca on your trip? Check out our fully premade itinerary here:
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Basic Mexican Spanish Words and Phrases for Travel - At a Glance:
Key Mexican Spanish Words and Phrases for Travel
Before we get into our list of common Mexican Spanish words and phrases for travel, we’ve got a few helpful Spanish language tips for you:
- Why “Mexican” Spanish? – though it may surprise you, Spanish is not the same world-round. Beyond things you may know – like the Spaniards’ more common use of the vosotros verb tense – many vocabulary words differ from country to country as well. For example, in Mexico, avocado is aguacate. However, in countries like Chile and Peru, it’s palta. So it’s important you study your destination country’s vocab instead of just Spanish in general!
- Feminine vs Masculine – most words in Spanish are gendered, typically ending in an “o” if they’re masculine and an “a” if they’re feminine. For example, you might say Estoy cansada if you’re a tired woman, but you’d say Estoy cansado if you’re a tired man. In this guide, we’ll translate phrases into Spanish using the feminine to keep things consistent, but just change the ending if you’re a man.
- Formal vs Casual – In Mexico, you’ll want to alternate between the usted verb form (formal) and the tú verb form (casual), depending on who you’re talking to. Often, this means adding an “s” to the verb to make it casual. For example, Como está? (How are you?) is formal, while Como estás? is casual. Stick to the usted form when talking to strangers, vendors, and elders.
With that said, let’s get into the list! Note that each word or phrase in English below is followed by the equivalent in Spanish, as well as a phonetic spelling to help you pronounce it properly. The foreign language words will be in italics. When relevant, we’ve also included some helpful notes on when it’s appropriate (or not) to use the word or phrase.
The Basics
Let’s start off with something simple – everyday basics like “hello,” “goodbye,” “please,” and “thank you” – the most common Mexican Spanish words and phrases for tourists!
- Good morning – Buenos días – BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs
- Good afternoon/evening – Buenas tardes/noches – BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs/NOH-chehs
- These are much more commonly used than hola, and you can also just say buenos/buenas for short!
- Goodbye/See you later – Hasta luego – AH-stah loo-EH-goh (Mexicans rarely use adiós, it’s always see you later in this warm and welcoming culture!)
- Nice to meet you – Mucho gusto – MOO-choh GOOS-toh
- How are you? – ¿Cómo está? – KOH-moh ehs-TAH
- Please – Por favor – pohr fah-VOHR
- Thank you – Gracias – GRAH-syahs
- You’re welcome – De nada – deh NAH-dah
- Yes – Sí – SEE
- No – No – NOH
- Excuse me (passing) – Con permiso – kohn pehr-MEE-soh
- I’m sorry – Lo siento – loh SYEHN-toh
- I don’t speak Spanish – No hablo español – noh AH-bloh ehs-pah-NYOHL
- Do you speak English? – ¿Habla inglés? – AH-blah een-GLEHS
- Are dogs allowed? – ¿Se permiten perros? – seh pehr-MEE-tehn PEH-rrohs
Getting Around
Google Maps not working? These basic Mexican Spanish words for travel will help you out in a pinch.
- Where is…? – ¿Dónde está…? – DOHN-deh eh-STAH
- How do I get to…? – ¿Cómo llego a…? – KOH-moh YEH-goh ah
- I’m lost – Estoy perdida – ehs-TOY pehr-DEE-dah
- Left – Izquierda – ees-KYEHR-dah
- Right – Derecha – deh-REH-chah
- Straight ahead – Todo derecho – TOH-doh deh-REH-choh
- Is it near or far? – Está cerca o lejos? – eh-STAH SEHR-kah oh LEH-hohs?
- Airport – Aeropuerto – ah-eh-roh-PWEHR-toh
- Bus station – Estación de autobuses – eh-stah-SYOHN deh ow-toh-BOOS-ehs
- Stop – Parada – pah-RAH-dah
- A ticket for… – Un boleto para… – oon boh-LEH-toh PAH-rah
- One-way – Solo ida – SOH-loh EE-dah
- Round-trip – Ida y vuelta – EE-dah ee VWEHL-tah
- When does it leave? – ¿A qué hora sale? – ah KEH OH-rah SAH-leh
- When does it arrive? – ¿A qué hora llega? – ah KEH OH-rah YEH-gah
- Stop here – Deténgase aqui – deh-TEHN-gah-seh ah-KEE
In addition to Uber, make sure to download DiDi before your trip. This local ridesharing app is more common and less expensive than Uber in Mexico, plus you can order food delivery on it too!
Drinking and Dining
If you’re like me, one of the main reasons you’re visiting Mexico is for the amazing food scene. From moles in Oaxaca to cochinita pibil in the Yucatan and the inumberable incredible taco stands in Mexico City, the food scene takes any Mexico vacation to the next level. Here are the key Mexican Spanish phrases for travel you need to know to order your meals.
- Restaurant – Restaurante – rehs-tow-RAHN-teh
- A table for two – Una mesa para dos – OO-nah MEH-sah PAH-rah dohs
- Menu – La carta – lah CAR-tah
- Excuse me (attention) – Disculpe – dees-KOOL-peh
- I’d like… – Quisiera… – kee-SYEH-rah
- What do you recommend? – ¿Qué me recomienda? – KEH meh reh-koh-MYEHN-dah
- Where is the bathroom? – ¿Dónde está el baño? – DOHN-deh eh-STAH ehl BAH-nyoh
- Takeaway – Para llevar – PAH-rah yeh-VAHR
- The bill – La cuenta – lah KWEHN-tah
- Can I pay? – ¿Puedo pagar? – PWEH-doh pah-GAR (for restaurants)
- What do I owe you? – Cuanto de debo? – KWAHN-toh teh DEH-bo (for street food vendors)
- A glass of water (sparkling/still) – Un vaso de agua (con gas/sin gas) – oon VA-zoh deh AH-gwah (kohn GAHS/seen GAHS)
- A glass of wine (red/white) – Una copa de vino (tinto/blanco) – OO-nah KOH-pah deh VEE-noh (TEEN-toh/BLAHN-koh)
- Beer – Cerveza – sehr-VEH-sah
- Silverware – Cubiertos – koo-BYEHR-tohs
- Napkins – Servilletas – sehr-vee-YEH-tahs
- Cheers! – ¡Salud! – sah-LOOD
- Delicious – Muy rico – MOO-ee REE-koh
- I’m allergic to… – Soy alérgica a… – soy ah-LEHR-hee-kah ah
- Vegetarian – Vegetariana – veh-heh-tah-RYAH-nah
- Is it spicy? – Es picante? – ehs pee-CAHN-teh?
Shopping
Whether you’re buying everyday essentials or some of Mexico’s incredible artisan crafts to bring home as a souvenir, here are some basic Mexican Spanish words for travel to help you complete your purchase.
- What is this? – ¿Qué es esto? – KEH ehs EHS-toh
- How much is this? – ¿Cuánto cuesta? – KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah
- Cash – Efectivo – eh-fehk-TEE-voh
- Do you accept credit cards? – ¿Acepta tarjeta? – ah-SEHP-tah tahr-HEH-tah
- Do you have change? – ¿Tiene cambio? – TYEH-neh KAHM-byoh
- Where can I find…? – ¿Dónde encuentro…? – DOHN-deh ehn-KWEHN-troh
- I’m just looking – Solo estoy viendo – SOH-loh ehs-TOY VYEHN-doh
- Can I try it on? – ¿Me lo puedo probar? – meh loh PWEH-doh proh-BAHR
- I’ll take it – Me lo llevo – meh loh YEH-voh
- Size – Talla – TAH-yah
- Small/Medium/Large – Chica / Mediana / Grande – CHEE-kah / meh-DYAH-nah / GRAHN-deh
- Open – Abierto – ah-BYEHR-toh
- Closed – Cerrado – seh-RRAH-doh
When shopping at the markets in Mexico, don’t be afraid to haggle. But only for basic souvenirs, not for handcrafted items or for food. Prices at food vendors are considered “set,” and hardworking artisans may be offended if you try to haggle for high-end products.
Also, make sure to keep plenty of cash – Mexican pesos – on hand. While many large vendors accept card, it’s not common at markets or for street food. Don’t forget our number one tip on withdrawing cash in a foreign country!
Pro tip: When offered an exchange rate by an ATM, you can – and should – always decline the rate displayed. This rate often includes a heavy markup on top of the market exchange rate. Declining the rate will not stop your transaction, but rather allow your personal bank to set the rate instead.
At the Hotel
Checking in at the hotel always leads to a few key questions to make your stay go smoothly. Ask for the WiFi password and make sure you don’t miss breakfast with the key Mexican Spanish phrases for travel below.
- Hotel – Hotel – oh-TEHL
- Hostel – Hostal – ohs-TAHL
- I have a reservation – Tengo una reservación – TEHN-goh OO-nah reh-sehr-vah-SYOHN
- Do you have a room available? – ¿Tiene habitación disponible? – TYEH-neh ah-bee-tah-SYOHN dees-poh-NEE-bleh
- What time is checkout/breakfast? – ¿A qué hora es el check-out/desayuno? – ah KEH OH-rah ehs ehl CHEK-owt/deh-sah-YOO-noh
- Can we leave our bags? – ¿Podemos dejar las maletas? – poh-DEH-mohs deh-HAHR lahs mah-LEH-tahs
- More towels – Más toallas – mahs toh-AH-yahs
- Key – Llave – YAH-veh
- Elevator – Acensor – ah-sehn-SOHR
- Wi-Fi password – Contraseña del wifi – kohn-trah-SEH-nyah dehl WEE-fee
Numbers and Time
Keeping track of time is key on vacation to make sure you don’t miss out on any of your activities! Use these basic Mexican Spanish words for travel to make sure you get to the bus station on time – and understand the price, too.
- One – Uno – OO-noh
- Two – Dos – DOHS
- Three – Tres – TREHS
- Four – Cuatro – KWAH-troh
- Five – Cinco – SEEN-koh
- Six – Seis – SEHYS
- Seven – Siete – SYEH-teh
- Eight – Ocho – OH-choh
- Nine – Nueve – NWEH-veh
- Ten – Diez – DYEHS
- Eleven – Once – OHN-seh
- Twelve – Doce – DOH-seh (or mediodía – meh-dyoh-DEE-ah, if you mean noon)
- Twenty – Veinte – VEHYN-teh
- One hundred – Cien – SYEHN
- What time is it? – ¿Qué hora es? – KEH OH-rah ehs
- Today – Hoy – OY
- Tomorrow – Mañana – mah-NYAH-nah
- This morning – Esta mañana – EHS-tah mah-NYAH-nah
- Afternoon – En la tarde – ehn lah TAR-deh
- Tonight – Esta noche – EHS-tah NOH-cheh
In an Emergency
Sometimes, bad things happen. While we hope your vacation goes flawlessly, it’s best to be prepared with these key Mexican Spanish phrases for travel emergencies, just in case.
- Help! – ¡Ayuda! – ah-YOO-dah
- Can you help me? – ¿Me puede ayudar? – meh PWEH-deh ah-yoo-DAHR
- Can I borrow your phone? – ¿Me presta su teléfono? – meh PREHS-tah soo teh-LEH-foh-noh
- Call the police! – ¡Llame a la policía! – YAH-meh ah lah poh-lee-SEE-ah
- They took my bag! – Me robaron la bolsa – meh roh-BAH-rohn lah BOHL-sah
- Call an ambulance! – ¡Llame una ambulancia! – YAH-meh oo-nah ahm-boo-LAHN-syah
- Emergency – Emergencia – eh-mehr-HEHN-syah
- I’m sick – Estoy enferma – ehs-TOY ehn-FEHR-mah
- I need a doctor – Necesito un médico – neh-seh-SEE-toh oon MEH-dee-koh
- Pharmacy – Farmacia – fahr-MAH-syah
- Hospital – Hospital – ohs-pee-TAHL
- I lost my passport – Perdí mi pasaporte – pehr-DEE mee pah-sah-POHR-teh (we really, really hope you don’t need this one)
Mexico is a much safer country than people think, as long as you’re sticking to the main tourist cities and thoroughfares. After 4 months of living in the country, we never really had any concerns. However, it’s still smart to take common sense precautions, especially when you’re in crowded tourist areas. Wear a purse with a zipper, don’t keep your phone in your back pocket, and watch your drink. We also suggest you leave your passport locked in the safe at your hotel room to be extra secure.
Bonus: Colloquial Phrases
Want to really impress the locals? Move beyond the common Mexican Spanish words and phrases for tourists and learn some of these colloquial phrases to sling around. Mal de puerco, in particular, got an impressed laugh from nearly everyone we said it to.
- I love Mexico – Me encanta México – meh ehn-KAHN-tah MEH-hee-koh
- Cool/Awesome – ¡Qué padre! – keh PAH-dreh
- No way! – ¡No manches! – noh MAHN-chehs
- Right now (maybe later…) – Ahorita – ah-oh-REE-tah (a Mexican’s flexible timing 😄)
- What’s up? – ¿Qué onda? – keh OHN-dah
- Dude/Buddy – Güey – WEH-ee (very casual, only for friends)
- That’s great – Está chido – ehs-TAH CHEE-doh
- Really? – ¿Neta? – NEH-tah
- Of course – ¡Claro! – KLAH-roh
- Be careful – ¡Aguas! – AH-gwahs (Mexico-specific warning)
- I’m full (in a food coma) – Tengo mal de puerco – TEHN-goh mahl deh PWEHR-koh (translates literally to the sickness of the pig 😂)
- That’s messed up – Qué mal – keh mahl
- No problem – No hay problema – noh eye proh-BLEH-mah
- Let’s go – ¡Vámonos! – VAH-moh-nohs
- Hurry up – Ándale – AHN-dah-leh
- So cute! – Qué mono! – keh MOH-noh
FAQs - Other Mexico Travel Tips
When Is the Best Time to Visit Mexico?
Mexico is a great year-round destination, so pretty much any time is a good time to visit. However, if you want to take your trip to the next level, we recommend visiting during one of Mexico’s cultural events and holidays, like the Guelagetza Festival in Oaxaca (July) or Dia de los Muertos in Mexico City (Oct-Nov).
Which Destinations Should I Visit in Mexico?
Mexico is FULL of incredible destinations. During our four months in the country, we visited Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Merida (Yucatan peninsula), and will have guides for each of these in the coming months. Check out our Oaxaca city guide here:
Oaxaca was our favorite of the three, but each city has unique offerings that make them worth a visit – different historical civilizations and ruins, different cuisines, and different attractions and activities.
We’ve also heard great things about Guadalajara, Guanajuato, and Puebla, and plan to hit these next time we’re in Mexico. And, of course, Mexico has tons of stunning beaches like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and the Riviera Maya. Honestly, Mexico is a huge country, and it would take you at least a year to see it all! It’s hard to go wrong – just pick one of its amazing destinations and get started.
Do I Need a Visa to Visit Mexico?
Visitors from the United States, Canada, all Schengen countries, and several others may enter Mexico visa-free for a period of up to 180 days. You can check this site to confirm whether your country is included on the visa-free entry list, and this site to learn more about how to apply for a visa if required.
Are There Helpful Apps I Should Download Before I Visit Mexico?
Absolutely! These are the top apps we recommend you download before your trip to Mexico:
- Airalo – having full use of your phone while traveling is incredibly important! eSIM apps like Airalo make getting cell service anywhere you travel easy and affordable. If you haven’t used it before, you can use this Airalo code to get a discount on your first purchase.
- DiDi – another highly valuable app to download before you visit Mexico is DiDi, Mexico’s most popular ridesharing and food delivery app (like Uber). Requesting rides on DiDi will usually be cheaper than purchasing them on the street, and without any stress or haggling.
- Google Translate – we recommend downloading the Spanish language for offline use on Google Translate, so you can always communicate even if you lose cell service. While our guide to the most common Mexican Spanish words and phrases is a helpful resource, we don’t expect you to memorize it!
- Google Maps – for the same reason, we also recommend downloading the offline map of the city you’re visiting on Google Maps.
Which Travel Resources Should I Use to Plan My Trip to Mexico?
For starters, use our site! Check out all of our Mexico travel guides to help you decide where to go, what to do, and where to stay. We’ve got detailed itineraries and travel guides, plus recommendations on all our favorite bars, restaurants, and more.
Once you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend the following resources:
- Flights – we use Google Flights and Skyscanner to book our flights. These resources help you compare all the airlines at once, plus give you tips on the best times to purchase. I use their price tracking features religiously to make sure we get the best deal. If you’re ready to book, head to Skyscanner now to get started:
- Hotels – we always use Booking.com for choosing hotel stays. We think they have the best prices, their star ratings are super reliable, and we love the perks we get with their rewards system.
- Trip Planning – the most frequently opened app on our phone, regardless of our destination, is Wanderlog. This app makes travel planning SO easy. You can import all your flights, hotels, and transit information, add top sites to your itinerary, and even track and split your budget amongst your travel buddies. It also provides recommendations on where to visit and a map of all the attractions you plan to see, with transit time between each.
Do I Need Travel Insurance to Visit Mexico?
While it’s not required, we highly recommend it. You never know when something might go wrong, and it’s best to be prepared. We use and recommend SafetyWing, which is an especially good option for those traveling for a month or more. For as little as $63, it covers everything from lost luggage to hospital stays – a heck of a deal if you encounter any emergencies while abroad.
Final Thoughts on Common Mexican Spanish Words and Phrases for Travel
Well, that’s all we’ve got for you – get to practicing and you’ll be ready to talk your way through Mexico in no time! We hope these basic Mexican Spanish words and phrases for travel make your vacation go a little smoother. Showing your respect for the country you’re visiting by speaking the native language goes a long way to warming the locals to you, and can lead to special encounters that may become some of your fondest memories. Share your favorite memory from visiting Mexico with us below!
After you’ve learned these key Mexican Spanish phrases for travel, make sure to check out our itineraries and city guides to make planning your vacation a breeze! Don’t miss our guide to 3-5 days in Oaxaca here, along with Merida and Mexico City coming soon. We’ve also got a slew of other helpful posts in our Mexico travel guides section, including top bars and restaurants to visit in each city. Let us know where you want us to cover next!
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