Spanish Phrases to Learn Before You Go to Mexico

Traveling throughout the world exposes you to foreign cultures, traditions, foods, and languages. Embracing the local customs and languages wherever you go is a way to experience more of the world. If you learn useful Spanish phrases before you travel to Mexico, you’ll not only feel more confident while exploring the country, but you’ll also build a stronger connection with the culture. Even if you’re staying in a major tourist destination where English is commonly spoken, locals will appreciate it if you use some basic Spanish phrases and show your interest in their culture. These Spanish phrases to learn before you go to Mexico will help you dive into the culture and interact with more people.

Buenos días/tardes/noches: These are the most common greetings you’ll hear throughout the day and some of the basic Spanish phrases you’ll use frequently. Before noon, use buenos dias, good morning. From noon until the sun goes down, use buenas tardes, good afternoon. Once it’s dark outside, you can say buenas noches, good night. As you practice these Spanish phrases to learn before you go to Mexico, try to make sure to use buenos with dias and buenas with tardes and noches.

Por Favor and Gracias: Every tourist wants to be a polite guest as they travel, so remembering por favorand gracias (please and thank you) will help you in many social interactions. Whether you need to ask for help or have just been served a meal, always remember the manners your parents taught you and these two basic Spanish phrases.

¿Como estas?: As you meet people in Mexico, you’ll likely be asked ¿como estas? or How are you? Most commonly when talking to people, you’ll simply tell them that you’re doing well.While you can find a list of common Spanish words to describe feelings, most of the time you can simply say bien- I’m doing well.

No hablo español. ¿Hablas Inglés?: For longer interactions when you need to find or give information, you’ll need to learn useful Spanish phrases to let people know that you don’t speak Spanish: no hablo español. You can then ask them if they speak English: ¿Hablas Inglés? If they don’t, you can use a translating app or find someone who does to help you.

¿Mande? If you’re confused or just need more time to figure out how to respond, ask someone ¿Mande? Can you repeat that? If you’ve been practicing your list of common Spanish words and you think you just need to hear a phrase one more time, ask someone ¿mande?

¿Cuanto Cuesta?: As you learn useful Spanish phrases for traveling, you’ll want to learn how to shop and purchase souvenirs. ¿Cuanto Cuesta? is how to ask how much something costs. A shopkeeper can either show you the price at the register or you can learn Spanish numbers to understand the answer.

¿Donde esta…? One of the most important Spanish phrases to learn before you go to Mexico is ¿Donde esta…? to ask where something is. You can ask about the bathroom (el baño), the airport (el aeropuerto), or your hotel (el hotel). This phrase is handy if you ever get lost or decide to explore the city.

This list of common Spanish words is a launching point for learning the language and navigating a vacation in a foreign country. Not only will it help you find out information, but it will also help you connect with the local culture and people--the most rewarding highlight of international travel.