Phrases and words that may be helpful to you while in Mexico include:
The Simple Stuff | ||
| English |
Spanish |
Pronunciation |
| Yes |
sí |
see |
| No |
no |
noh |
| Please |
por favor |
pohr fah-BOHR |
| Thank you |
gracias |
GRAH-see-ahs |
| You’re Welcome |
de nada |
day-NAH-thah |
| No, thank you |
no, gracias |
noh, GRAH-see-ahs |
|
Sorry-in the sense of "I'm sorry for you." Sorry-in the sense of "Excuse me." or "Pardon me." |
lo siento
discúlpeme |
low see-en-toe
dees-COOL-pay-may |
| Greetings | ||
| Good morning |
Buenos días |
BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs |
| Good afternoon |
Buenas tardes |
BWEH-nahs TAHR-days |
| Good evening |
Buenas noches |
BWEH-nahs NOH-tchays |
| Good bye |
Adiós |
Ah-dee-OHS |
| Hello/Hi |
hola |
OH-lah |
| See you later |
hasta luego |
AHS-tah LWAY-goh |
| What is your name? |
¿Cómo se llama? |
KOH-moh say YAH-mah |
| My name is… |
mi nombre es ... |
Mee NOHM-bray ays... |
| How are you? |
¿Cómo está? |
KOH-moh ays-TAH |
|
Fine, thank you. Very good, thank you. |
Bien, gracias Muy bien, gracias |
BEE-ayn GRAH-see-ahs MOOEE BEE-ayn GRAH-see-ahs |
| Language | ||
| Do you speak English? |
¿Habla inglés? |
AH-bla een-GLAYS |
| I’m Canadian. |
Soy canadiense. |
Soy kah-nah-dee-AYN-seh |
| I'm American (US) |
soy estadounidense
|
Soy ehs-tah-doh-oon-ee-DAYN-seh
|
| I don’t understand. |
no entiendo. |
Noh ayn-TEEAYN-doh |
|
|
Hable mas despacio, por favor. Hábleme cada palabra seperada, por favor. |
AH-blay mahs days-PAH-seeoh, pohr fah-BOHR AH-blay-may kahdah pah-LAH-brah say-pay-RAH-dah pohr fah-BOHR
|
| Family | ||
| Husband |
esposo |
ays-POH-soh |
| Wife |
esposa |
ays-POH-sah |
| Son |
hijo |
EE-hoh |
| Daughter |
hija |
EE-hah |
| Mother |
madre |
MAH-dray |
| Father |
padre |
PAH-dray |
| Questions | ||
| English |
Spanish |
Pronunciation |
| Where is/are…? |
¿Donde está/están…? |
DOHN-day ays-TAH / ays-TAHN |
| When? |
¿Cuando? NOTE: this means "what day?" If you want to know "at what time?" you must say: ¿A cuál hora? |
KWAHN-doh
ah kwahl OH-rah |
| Who? |
¿quién? |
keeayn |
| Why? |
¿por qué? |
pohr kay |
| What? |
¿qué? |
kay |
| How long…? (time) |
¿cuanto tiempo? |
KWAHN-toh teeAYM-poh |
|
How much does it cost? or you can simply say: |
¿cuánto cuesta? ¿cuánto? |
KWAHN-toh KWAY-stah KWAHN-toh |
| How far? |
¿A qué distancia? |
ah kay dees-TAHN-seeah |
| Can you help me? |
¿Puede ayudarme? |
PWAY-day ah-yoo-DAHR-may |
| What time is it |
¿Qué hora es? |
kay OH-rah ays |
| Useful Statements | ||
| I (don’t) like it |
(No) me gusta |
(Noh) may GOOS-tah |
| I don’t know |
No sé |
NOH say. |
| I need |
necesito |
nay-say-SEE-toh |
| I’m hungry |
Tengo hambre |
TAYN-goh AHM-bray |
| I’m thirsty |
Tengo sed |
TEHN-goh sayd |
| I’m tired |
estoy cansado |
ays-TOY kahn-SAH-thoh |
| I’m ready |
estoy listo / lista male / female |
ays-TOY LEES-toh / LEES-tah |
| Right now |
ahora mismo |
ah-OH-rah MEES-moh |
| Just a minute |
un momento |
oon mo-MAYN toh |
| Come in! |
entre / pase |
EHN-tray / PAH-say |
| It’s cheap |
es barato |
ays bah-RAH-toh |
| It’s expensive |
es caro |
ays KAH-roh |
| It’s cold (weather) |
hace frío |
AH-say FREE-oh |
| It’s hot (weather) |
hace calor |
AH-say kah-LOHR |
| I'm hot (temperature) |
tengo calor |
TAYN-goh kah-LOHR |
| I'm cold ( " ) |
tengo frío |
TAYN-goh FREE-oh |
| A little |
un poco |
oon POH-koh |
|
A lot |
mucho |
MOO-cho |
| Some |
unos / unas |
OO-nohs / OO-nahs |
| Tomorrow |
mañana |
mahn-YAH-nah |
| Morning |
la mañana |
lah mahn-YAHN-ah |
| Afternoon |
la tarde |
lah TAHR-thay |
| evening / night |
la noche |
lah NOH-tchay |
| Next week |
la semana próxima |
lah say-MAH-nah PROHK-see-mah |
| The Hotel | ||
| Bathroom |
el baño |
ayl BAHN-yoh |
| Swimming Pool |
la alberca This is the most commomly used word in México for "swimming pool". In European Spanish it would be:(See comments) la piscina |
lah ahl-BAYR-kah
lah pee-SEE-nah |
| Open |
abierto |
ah-BEEAYR-toh |
| Closed |
cerrado |
say-RAH-thoh |
| Bed |
cama |
KAH-mah |
| Towel |
toalla |
toh-AH-yah |
| Soap |
jabón |
hah-BOHN |
| Pillow |
almohada |
ahl-moh-AH-thah |
| Shower |
la ducha / el baño | lah DHOO-tchah / ayl BAHN-yoh |
| Iron |
plancha |
PLAHN-tchah |
| Hair dryer |
secador de pelo |
say-kah-DOHR day PAY-loh |
| There are no towels |
no hay toallas |
noh eye toh-AH-yahs |
| I have a problem. |
tengo problema |
TAYN-goh pro-BLAY-mah |
| The Restaurant | ||
| Waiter / waitress |
mesero / mesera |
may-SAY-roh / may-SAY-rah |
| I want / I’d like |
quiero / quisiera |
KEYAY-roH / key-SEEAY-rah |
| The bill please |
La cuenta, por favor |
lah KWAYN-tah, pohr fah-BOHR |
| Breakfast |
desayuno |
day-sah-YOO-noh |
| Lunch |
almuerzo / comida |
Ahl-MWAYR-soh / koh-MEE-dah |
| Dinner (at night) |
cena |
SAY-nah |
| Knife |
cuchillo |
koo-TCHEE-yoh |
| Fork |
tenedor |
tay-nay-THOHR |
| Spoon |
cuchara |
koo-TCHAH-rah |
| Tea |
te |
tay |
| Black coffee |
café negro |
kah-FAY nay-groh |
| Coffee with milk |
café con leche |
kah-FAY kohn LAY-tchay |
| Milk |
leche |
LAY-tchay |
| Ice |
hielo |
EEAY-loh |
| Mineral water |
agua mineral |
AH-gwah mee-nay-RAHL |
| Wine |
vino |
BEE-noh |
| Beer |
cerveza |
sayr-BAY-sah |
| White wine |
vino blanco |
BEE-noh BLAHN-koh |
| Red wine |
vino tinto |
BEE-noh TEEN-toh |
| Lemonade |
limonada |
lee-moh-NAH-dah |
| Juice |
jugo |
HOO-goh |
| Egg |
huevo |
WAY-boh |
| Scrambled eggs |
huevos revueltos |
WAY-bohs reh-BWAYL-tohs |
| Cheese |
queso |
KAY-soh |
| Butter |
mantequilla |
mahn-tay-KEE-yah |
| Bread |
pan |
pahn |
| Fruit |
fruta |
FROO-tah |
| Salt |
sal |
sahl |
| Pepper (black) |
pimienta negra |
pee-MEEAYN-tah NAH-grah |
| Sugar |
azúcar |
Ah-SOO-kahr |
| Fish |
pescado |
pehs-KAH-thoh |
| Salad |
ensalada |
ayn-sah-LAH-thah |
| Soup |
sopa |
SOH-pah |
| Dessert |
postre |
POHS-tray |
| Ice cream |
nieve / helado |
NEEAY-bay / ay-LAH-thoh |
| Days of the Week | ||
| Sunday |
domingo |
doh-MEEN-goh |
| Monday |
lunes |
LOO-nays |
| Tuesday |
martes |
MAHR-tays |
| Wednesday |
miércoles |
MEEAYR-koh-lays |
| Thursday |
jueves |
HWAY-bays |
| Friday |
viernes |
BEEAYR-nays |
| Saturday |
sábado |
SAH-bah-doh |
| Numbers | ||
| 1 |
uno |
OO-noh |
| 2 |
dos |
dohs |
| 3 |
tres |
trays |
| 4 |
cuatro |
KWAH-troh |
| 5 |
cinco |
seen-koh |
| 6 |
seis |
sayees |
| 7 |
siete |
SEEAY-tay |
| 8 |
ocho |
OH-tchoh |
| 9 |
nueve |
NWAY-bay |
|
10 |
diez |
deeays |
| Directions | ||
| straight ahead |
derecho |
day-RAY-tchoh |
| left | la izquierda |
lah ees-KEEAYR-dah |
| right | la derecha |
lah day-RAY-tchah |
| north | norte |
NOHRR-tay |
| south | sur |
soorr |
|
east |
este or oriente |
AYS-tay or oh-REEAYN-tay |
| west |
oeste or occidental |
oh-AYS-tay or ohk-see-dayn-TAHL |