Common Spanish Phrases for Your Mexico City Trip

Fluency isn’t the goal here. A small, specific set of phrases covers almost everything a visitor runs into. This guide is organized by situation rather than alphabetically, since that’s how you’ll actually need to use it.

Greetings and basic courtesy

“Hola” works at any hour. “Buenos días” (good morning), “buenas tardes” (good afternoon), and “buenas noches” (good evening or night) read as a little more polished and are worth using with anyone providing a service — a taxi driver, a market vendor, a pharmacist. Starting with a greeting before making a request is the default in Mexican Spanish, and skipping it can come across as brusque.

“Por favor” (please) and “gracias” (thank you) do most of the heavy lifting. “De nada” (you’re welcome) and “con mucho gusto” (with pleasure, a slightly warmer version) are both common responses. “Hasta luego” is the standard goodbye in passing; “que le vaya bien” (may things go well for you) is a warmer send-off that comes up a lot.

Usted versus tú: the one grammar choice that matters

Spanish has two ways to say “you,” and which one you default to sends a real signal. Usted is the formal, respectful form; tú is informal, used between friends, family, and people who already know each other well. In Mexico, usted is the default in nearly every service interaction — a taxi, a restaurant, a corner store — and it’s also the respectful choice with anyone visibly older.

Mexican Spanish moves to tú quickly between peers, sometimes within minutes of meeting, but that shift is something locals initiate with each other, not something a visitor should assume. Sticking with usted costs nothing and reads as respectful; jumping to tú with a stranger or older person can land as presumptuous. When unsure, usted is always the safer default.

In practice this affects a handful of words — “¿cómo está usted?” (how are you, formal) versus “¿cómo estás?” (informal), “¿me puede ayudar?” (can you help me, formal) versus “¿me puedes ayudar?” — but you don’t need to drill conjugations. Just leading with usted-based questions covers most situations.

Asking for directions and getting around

“¿Dónde me bajo?” earns its place on this list on its own: stops aren’t always announced clearly on the Metro, Metrobús, or a pesero, and asking a fellow passenger before you reach your stop is routine. Asking someone to write the address (“¿me puede escribir la dirección?”) avoids the guesswork of trying to parse a spoken street name you’ve never seen written.

Taxis and rideshares

In any street taxi (not Uber or DiDi), the fare should run on the meter. “Por favor, use el taxímetro” is the line to use immediately on entering; if the driver declines or says the meter is broken, it’s better to get another taxi. See Transportation in Mexico City for how ride-hailing, the Metro, and walking fit together.

Numbers

Useful for prices, addresses, and Metro lines.

For larger numbers: 50 is cincuenta, 100 is cien, 200 is doscientos, 500 is quinientos, 1,000 is mil. Prices in the hundreds are common: “son trescientos pesos” (that’s 300 pesos).

Markets and shopping

At Mercado de Artesanías and tourist-facing craft markets, prices are typically negotiable to a modest degree. At food markets like La Merced or Mercado Medellín, prices on produce and prepared food are generally fixed. “¿A cuánto?” is the most natural way to ask a price at a market stall — more casual than “¿cuánto cuesta?” and what vendors expect to hear.

Restaurants and food

Watch on TikTok

At counter-service spots, taquerías, and market stalls you'll be asked immediately: para aquí or para llevar. "Para aquí" means you're eating there; "para llevar" means you want it wrapped to go.

In sit-down restaurants a server won’t bring the check unless asked — lingering is expected and not rude. “La cuenta, por favor” is the normal signal that a meal is done.

On spice: “sin picante” will be understood, though some cooks interpret it as “less spicy” rather than “no heat at all.” If a dish absolutely needs to be mild (for a child or a medical reason), “sin chile” is more specific.

Hotels and accommodation

When you need help

Leading with “¿Habla inglés?” before switching languages is a small courtesy that goes over better than assuming. For phrases specific to pharmacies and ailments, see Pharmacies in Mexico City.

The emergency number in Mexico is 911, the same as the US and Canada.

Mexico City slang worth knowing

Mexico City has its own register of casual Spanish that you’ll hear constantly. Knowing these won’t make you sound local, but they’ll help you follow a conversation and avoid looking confused.

Güey (also written “wey”). The single most common informal address in Mexico City Spanish, used between friends roughly the way “dude” or “man” is used in English. You will hear it constantly. It’s very informal and not appropriate to use with strangers or anyone you’d address with usted.

Chido / Chida. Cool, good, nice. “Qué chido” means “how cool” or “that’s great.” Common in casual conversation.

Qué pedo. Literally “what a fart,” but its actual function is closer to “what’s up” or “what’s going on.” Informal and fairly colorful; you’ll hear it between friends.

Mande. What someone says when they didn’t hear you and want you to repeat yourself — equivalent to “pardon?” or “sorry?” in English. Very common and extremely polite; using it makes you sound attentive.

Ahorita. One of the most useful words to understand and one of the most famously confusing for visitors. Technically a diminutive of “ahora” (now), but “ahorita” in Mexico City can mean right now, in a few minutes, later today, or eventually — context and tone carry all the meaning. “Ya mero” (almost, nearly) is similar. Take delivery estimates involving either word with some patience built in.

No manches / No mames. Expressions of surprise or mild disbelief, ranging from “no way” to something stronger depending on context. “No manches” is the milder version, heard in everyday conversation; “no mames” is more emphatic.

Chilango. A person from Mexico City, especially a native one. Mexico City residents use it freely to refer to themselves; people from other parts of Mexico sometimes use it with mild edge. Neutral in most contexts when a local uses it.

Ándale. Means “yes, okay, go ahead, there you go” — a versatile agreement or encouragement word. “¡Ándale!” after you figure something out means “there it is” or “exactly.”

Sources: Babbel and Digital Polyglot on Mexican Spanish phrasebooks; Na’atik Language & Culture Institute on the usted/tú distinction in Mexican Spanish specifically; Mexperience on Mexican Spanish and CDMX vocabulary; general Mexican slang references (FluentU, SpanishPod101) for the slang section.