Latin American Spanish vs Mexican Spanish

[KeilanS]

Hello all, I am going to Mexico for a few days a month from now, and would like to be moderately prepared with at least the most common phrases. I have a Spanish textbook from a university course, but I also wanted a phrasebook for those random things I might need to say. So I picked up a Latin American Spanish phrasebook. However, upon getting home, it says on the back tha tfor Mexico, I should have bought their Mexican Spanish phrasebook. Is this going to be a problem? I don't care if my sayings are all perfect, but I want them to be easy to understand, and most of all, not offensive (someone told me about a word that means "take" in spain but "have sex with" in Latin America, I'd like to avoid that). So for someone with experience... should I return the Latin American book? Thanks, -Keilan

[JPablo]

Hi, Keilan, welcome to the forums!
It is hard to say, without taking a look to the book itself, but I don't think it will be much of a problem...

If one person is British and talks to an American, an Australian and/or a SouthAfrican, there will differences of accents and common expressions, but I don't think they will have any serious problem to understand each other...

Same with Spanish... I may be surprised listening a Mexican person, or Chilean, Colombian, Argentinean... or Cuban... And they may laugh at my accent and/or expressions, but overall I don't think there is a big issue...

[chileno]

hahahahaha!

Just kidding...

[pjt33]

The idea that there's one "Latin American Spanish" and that Mexican Spanish is more different from all of the other American dialects than any of them are from each other is a joke. I can understand why they'd make a phrase book dedicated to Mexico - there's a lot more tourism from the US to Mexico than to other countries, so it's a good market to target - but you should be fine.

After all, the Mexicans on this board seem to understand me, and my Spanish is far more strongly influenced by Spain than by any Latin American country.

[hermit]

Absolutely - in general, while some phrases will be more commonly used
in Mexico than others, most or all of those appearing in the Latin American
phrasebook will no doubt be readily understood.

Couldn't hurt to have a book that is country-specific, though, when it comes
to slang phrases, especially...

[CrOtALiTo]

Hello.

And well refer to your question, it depend for you. Because you need at least in English the phrases you need to say in my country, so we will can help you or maybe give you some many typical phrases that you can use in my country, but I don't know.

What do you need to say in Spanish?

Then if you can place us some many phrases or exactly what do you need to say there in English that could be useful for us and so help you faster and accurate.

Take care

Good trip
Where you will stay a little time here in México country?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

There is no such thing as "Latin American Spanish". Each country has its particular expressions, colloquialisms and regionalisms. However, there does exist some sort of standard Spanish where we understand each other, and that includes other Spanish speaking countries like Spain and even Equatorial Guinea.

If you're going to be in Mexico for just a few days, you won't need anything more than a general phrasebook.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

There is no such thing as "Latin American Spanish". Each country has its particular expressions, colloquialisms and regionalisms. However, there does exist some sort of standard Spanish where we understand each other, and that includes other Spanish speaking countries like Spain and even Equatorial Guinea.

If you're going to be in Mexico for just a few days, you won't need anything more than a general phrasebook.

Right.

By the way, is there such a thing as New Yorkian (should it be Yorker?) or Texan English?

[poli]

Originally Posted by chileno

Right.

By the way, is there such a thing as New Yorkian (should it be Yorker?) or Texan English?

Is a New Yorkian an Armenian New Yorker?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

i a new yorkian an armenian new yorker?

:d:d:d

[KeilanS]

Thank you everyone for your help. I will just be keeping the phrasebook I have instead of bothering to track down the Mexican one. I don't care if I have perfect Mexican spanish (I only have a month before my trip, so I won't have that regardless of what book I use) as long as I can be understood. CrOtALiTo, my spanish needs are pretty minimal. I just need to get by. So things like "Where is the bathroom?", "I am lost", "How much does that cost?" and so on will do fine. I will be spending my time in the city of Pachuca, which is partially why I feel I should know some spanish. I am told that it is not a tourist destination, and so not many people have a need to learn english.

[Rusty]

The sentences you just mentioned are said the same way everywhere, so you don't have to worry about not being understood.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by KeilanS

Thank you everyone for your help. I will just be keeping the phrasebook I have instead of bothering to track down the Mexican one. I don't care if I have perfect Mexican spanish (I only have a month before my trip, so I won't have that regardless of what book I use) as long as I can be understood. CrOtALiTo, my spanish needs are pretty minimal. I just need to get by. So things like "Where is the bathroom?", "I am lost", "How much does that cost?" and so on will do fine. I will be spending my time in the city of Pachuca, which is partially why I feel I should know some spanish. I am told that it is not a tourist destination, and so not many people have a need to learn english.

Yes you will need some words for you stay here in México.

How much does that cost?
Que precio tiene? (The product)

I am lost Mr.

Estoy perdido (a) Señor.

Can you help me to find the correct road please?

Puede ayudarme a encontrar el camino correct por favor.

I hope those phrases can help you.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Keilan: Your intuition is right that you won't find many people who understands English in Pachuca, but as Rusty said, that kind of phrases can be found in any phrasebook, so things will be alright for you. You can send me a PM when you're here if you need some specific help about the region.

[poli]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

@Keilan: Your intuition is right that you won't find many people who understand English in Pachuca, but as Rusty said, those kind of phrases can be found in any phrasebook, so things will be alright for you. You can send me a PM when you're there if you need some specific help about the region.

Muy amable.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Poli: Thank you for the corrections!
I would just leave "here", since it's the same country and I'm not so far away from Pachuca anyway.