Your Survival Kit - Memorize These First!
If you learn nothing else, these 12 phrases will get you through Mexico
Stop trying to learn everything! These 12 phrases cover 80% of tourist situations. Say them slowly, say them with a smile, and people will help you with the rest.
The Non-Negotiables - Learn These TODAY
Hola
Hello
↻
OH-lah
Opens every door!
Por favor
Please
↻
por fah-VOR
Makes everything polite
Gracias
Thank you
↻
GRAH-see-ahs
Use it often!
¿Dónde está...?
Where is...?
↻
DON-deh es-TAH
...el baño? ...el hotel?
¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much?
↻
KWAN-toh KWES-tah
Shopping essential
No entiendo
I don't understand
↻
noh en-tee-YEN-doh
They'll slow down!
¿Habla inglés?
Do you speak English?
↻
AH-blah in-GLAYS
Your backup plan
Disculpe
Excuse me
↻
dees-KOOL-peh
Getting attention politely
Lo siento
I'm sorry
↻
loh see-YEN-toh
For any mistake
Más despacio
Slower please
↻
mahs des-PAH-see-oh
Add "por favor"!
Sí / No
Yes / No
↻
see / noh
Works for everything
Agua
Water
↻
AH-gwah
Point and say!
Remember: These 12 phrases + pointing + smiling = successful communication!
Building Your Confidence
Small wins that make you brave
Speaking Spanish isn't about being perfect. It's about being brave enough to try. Every small attempt is a victory!
Your First Win
If you can say "hola" - congratulations! You're already speaking Spanish. That's more than most tourists ever try.
One Word = Communication
"Agua" while pointing at water works perfectly. "Baño?" with a confused face gets you directions. You don't need sentences!
Mistakes Are Expected
Native speakers make mistakes too! Say it wrong, laugh, try again. People appreciate effort more than perfection.
The Magic Reset
Forgot everything? Just smile and say "Lo siento, no hablo español." People immediately become helpful!
Today's Tiny Goal
Practice just 3 words
That's enough!
↻
Hola, Gracias, Por favor
Use each one today
Say it slowly
Speed doesn't matter
↻
HO...LA
Clear beats fast
Smile always
Universal language
↻
😊 + any Spanish word
= instant connection
Spanish Sounds - Keep It Simple!
Just 5 vowel sounds that never change
English has 12+ vowel sounds that change constantly. Spanish has only 5 that NEVER change. Once you learn these, you can read any Spanish word!
The 5 Magic Vowels (Always the Same!)
A
"ah" like father
↻
casa, mañana, gracias
Always "ah"!
E
"eh" like bed
↻
este, leche, de
Never "ee"
I
"ee" like see
↻
sí, mi, sin
Always "ee"
O
"oh" like go
↻
como, todo, no
Pure "oh"
U
"oo" like moon
↻
tu, mucho, uno
Always "oo"
Special Spanish Letters (Don't Panic!)
H
Always silent!
↻
hola = "ola"
Just ignore it!
J
Like English "h"
↻
Juan = "hwan"
José = "ho-SAY"
LL
Like "y" in yes
↻
llamo = "yamo"
pollo = "poyo"
Ñ
Like "ny"
↻
niño = "nee-nyo"
mañana = "man-YAH-nah"
Can't roll your Rs?
Don't worry! Just make a strong D sound. Many native speakers can't roll them either. People will understand you perfectly!
Ana's Secret:
Say it slowly, say it proudly. Nobody cares if it's perfect - they care that you're trying!
Greetings & Politeness
These open every door and every heart
In Spanish culture, greeting ALWAYS comes first. Walk into a shop? Say "Buenos días!" Need help? Start with "Disculpe..." This simple rule changes how people respond to you!
Time-Based Greetings
Buenos días
Good morning
↻
BWAY-nohs DEE-ahs
Until 2pm
Buenas tardes
Good afternoon/evening
↻
BWAY-nahs TAR-dehs
2pm - dark
Buenas noches
Good night
↻
BWAY-nahs NO-chehs
After dark / goodbye
Hola
Hello (anytime)
↻
OH-lah
Always works!
Adiós
Goodbye
↻
ah-dee-OHS
Formal goodbye
Hasta luego
See you later
↻
AHS-tah loo-EH-goh
Casual goodbye
Magic Politeness Words
Por favor
Please
↻
Add to ANY request
Makes everything nicer
Gracias
Thank you
↻
"Muchas gracias" = many thanks
Use it often!
De nada
You're welcome
↻
deh NAH-dah
Response to "gracias"
Con permiso
Excuse me (passing)
↻
kohn pair-MEE-soh
Moving through crowds
Disculpe
Excuse me (attention)
↻
dees-KOOL-peh
Getting help
Perdón
Pardon/Sorry
↻
pehr-DOHN
Small mistakes
The Golden Rule
Always greet before asking anything: "Buenos días, ¿dónde está el baño?" not just "¿Dónde está el baño?"
Emergency Spanish
For when you really need help
These are your safety phrases. Practice them now when you're calm, so they come automatically when you need them.
Critical Emergency Phrases
¡Ayuda!
Help!
↻
ah-YOO-dah
Shout if needed!
Necesito ayuda
I need help
↻
neh-seh-SEE-toh ah-YOO-dah
Calmer request
Estoy perdido/a
I'm lost
↻
es-TOY pehr-DEE-doh/dah
-o for men, -a for women
Me siento mal
I feel sick
↻
meh see-YEN-toh mahl
Medical help needed
Llame a la policía
Call the police
↻
YAH-meh ah lah poh-lee-SEE-ah
Emergency only
Necesito un médico
I need a doctor
↻
neh-seh-SEE-toh oon MEH-dee-koh
Medical emergency
¿Dónde está el hospital?
Where is the hospital?
↻
DON-deh es-TAH el ohs-pee-TAHL
For emergencies
No hablo español
I don't speak Spanish
↻
noh AH-bloh es-pahn-YOHL
People will help!
Mexico-Specific Helpful Phrases
¿Cuánto al centro?
How much to downtown?
↻
For taxis
Always ask first!
Sin picante
Without spicy
↻
seen pee-KAHN-teh
For sensitive stomachs
La cuenta, por favor
The check, please
↻
lah KWEN-tah
At restaurants
Una cerveza, por favor
A beer, please
↻
OO-nah sehr-VEH-sah
Most used phrase!
¿Acepta tarjeta?
Do you accept cards?
↻
ah-SEP-tah tar-HEH-tah
Before ordering
Está bien
It's okay/fine
↻
es-TAH bee-YEN
Universal approval
Numbers 1-20
For prices, time, and counting
Don't try to learn all numbers at once! Master 1-10 first, then add more. With just these, you can handle prices, times, and basic counting.
Complete Numbers 1-20
uno
1
↻
OO-noh
un/una before nouns
dos
2
↻
dohs
Never changes
tres
3
↻
trehs
Roll the R softly
cuatro
4
↻
KWAH-troh
Don't forget the T
cinco
5
↻
SEEN-koh
Like "sink" + oh
seis
6
↻
says
Easiest one!
siete
7
↻
see-YEH-teh
Lucky number!
ocho
8
↻
OH-choh
Like "Oh! + cho"
nueve
9
↻
noo-WEH-veh
New-eh-veh
diez
10
↻
dee-YEHS
Base for teens!
once
11
↻
OHN-seh
Not "diez y uno"
doce
12
↻
DOH-seh
Unique word
trece
13
↻
TREH-seh
Unique word
catorce
14
↻
kah-TOR-seh
Unique word
quince
15
↻
KEEN-seh
Quinceañera!
dieciséis
16
↻
dee-eh-see-SAYS
"diez y seis" combined
diecisiete
17
↻
dee-eh-see-see-YEH-teh
"diez y siete" combined
dieciocho
18
↻
dee-eh-see-OH-choh
"diez y ocho" combined
diecinueve
19
↻
dee-eh-see-noo-WEH-veh
"diez y nueve" combined
veinte
20
↻
BAYN-teh
Common for prices
Money Tip:
For prices, just point and say "¿Cuánto?" They'll show you on a calculator or write it down. No need to understand every number!
Daily Survival Words
The exact words you'll use every day
These aren't random vocabulary words from a textbook. These are the actual words you'll need in Mexico City - for food, directions, and basic needs.
Food & Drink Essentials
el
agua
water
↻
Actually feminine!
But we say "el" agua
la
comida
food/meal
↻
¿Hay comida?
Is there food?
el
café
coffee
↻
kah-FEH
Un café, por favor
la
cerveza
beer
↻
sehr-VEH-sah
Most ordered drink!
los
tacos
tacos
↻
Always plural!
Dos tacos, por favor
el
menú
menu
↻
meh-NOO
¿Tiene menú?
Places You'll Need
el
baño
bathroom
↻
BAH-nyoh
Most important word!
el
hotel
hotel
↻
oh-TEL
Same as English!
la
calle
street
↻
KAH-yeh
For addresses
la
tienda
store/shop
↻
tee-YEN-dah
Any shop
el
mercado
market
↻
mehr-KAH-doh
For local shopping
la
farmacia
pharmacy
↻
far-MAH-see-ah
For medicine
Describing & Asking
bueno/a
good
↻
BWAY-noh/nah
Está bueno = It's good
grande
big/large
↻
GRAHN-deh
Never changes!
pequeño/a
small
↻
peh-KEH-nyoh/nyah
Más pequeño = smaller
caro/a
expensive
↻
KAH-roh/rah
Muy caro! = Too expensive!
barato/a
cheap
↻
bah-RAH-toh/tah
Más barato = cheaper
caliente
hot
↻
kah-lee-YEN-teh
For food/drinks
frío/a
cold
↻
FREE-oh/ah
Agua fría = cold water
aquí
here
↻
ah-KEE
Para aquí = for here
Gender Doesn't Break Communication!
Said "el casa" instead of "la casa"? Everyone still knows you mean house! Gender mistakes are normal - even native speakers make them with new words.