Learning Spanish for Travelers: 30 Phrases That Will Change Your Trip in Mexico

Bringing a handful of Spanish phrases transforms travel in Mexico — it opens doors to friendlier service, better pricing at markets, and richer cultural exchanges. Below are 30 practical phrases organized by context, plus pronunciation tips and cultural notes to help you use them confidently.

Basics:

• Hola — Hello. (OH-lah)
• Buenos días / Buenas tardes / Buenas noches — Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening. (BWEH-nos DEE-as / BWEH-nas TAHR-des / BWEH-nas NO-ches)
• Por favor — Please. (por fah-VOR)
• Gracias — Thank you. (GRAH-see-as)
• Con permiso — Excuse me (to pass by). (kon per-MEE-so)

Dining & Markets:

• ¿Me puede traer el menú, por favor? — Can you bring me the menu, please? (meh PWEH-deh trah-EHR el meh-NOO)
• ¿Qué me recomienda? — What do you recommend? (keh meh reh-koh-mee-EHN-dah)
• ¿Está picante? — Is this spicy? (es-TAH pee-KAHN-teh)
• Una porción pequeña, por favor — A small portion, please. (OO-nah por-SYON peh-KEH-nya)
• ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much does it cost? (KWAN-toh KWEHS-ta)

Transport & Directions:

• Al aeropuerto, por favor — To the airport, please. (al ah-eh-roh-POHR-toh)
• ¿Dónde está la estación de metro? — Where is the metro station? (DON-deh es-TAH la es-ta-SYON de MEH-troh)
• Voy a caminar — I’m going to walk. (voy ah kah-mee-NAR)
• ¿Puede bajar aquí? — Can you drop me off here? (PWEH-deh bah-HAR ah-KEE)

Shopping & Bargaining:

• ¿Me puede hacer un mejor precio? — Can you give me a better price? (meh PWEH-deh ah-SEHR oon meh-HOR PREH-syoh)
• Solo estoy mirando, gracias — I’m just looking, thanks. (SO-lo es-TOY mee-RAHN-doh)

Emergencies & Practicality:

• Necesito ayuda — I need help. (neh-seh-SEE-toh ah-YOO-dah)
• Llame a la policía — Call the police. (YAH-meh ah la poh-lee-SEE-ah)
• ¿Dónde está el hospital? — Where is the hospital? (DON-deh es-TAH el oh-spee-TAHL)

'Using Spanish matters less for grammatical perfection and more for showing respect — people respond to the effort.'

Polite Conversation:

• Disculpe — Sorry / excuse me (dis-KOOL-peh)
• ¿De dónde es usted? — Where are you from? (de DON-deh es oos-TEHD)
• Mucho gusto — Nice to meet you. (MOO-choh GOOS-toh)

Practice Tips: Use phrases often and don’t be afraid of mistakes — clarity and warmth matter more than perfect grammar. Repeat phrases aloud before you use them and practice with locals who appreciate the attempt. Carry a small phrasebook or offline translation app for less common words.

Mastering these 30 phrases will make your travels easier and your interactions warmer. Small efforts in language go a long way, and the conversations you start may become the highlights of your trip. ¡Buen viaje!