Vernon Stanley

In Mexico an aunt is tía. The same word covers a mother’s sister, a father’s sister and an uncle’s wife. A great aunt is tía abuela.

Mexicans say espada for “sword”, the same word used across Spanish. A curved sword such as a saber is a sable.

The word for “table” in Mexico is mesa, the same as in all Spanish. A table at a restaurant is also a mesa, as in una mesa para cuatro.

The word for “slave” in Mexican Spanish is esclavo for a man and esclava for a woman. The state itself is esclavitud, meaning slavery.

Cabbage in Mexico is col. In many other countries it is repollo, and Mexicans will understand that word too.

The insect is mosquito in Mexican Spanish. In parts of Mexico people also say zancudo for a long-legged mosquito.

In Mexico the usual way to ask someone’s name is ¿Cómo te llamas? with peers and children. With elders or in formal settings, say ¿Cómo se llama usted?

In Mexico a bed is a cama. The bedroom is a recámara, where Spain would say dormitorio. Sizes are cama individual, cama matrimonial and cama king size.

The word for vanilla in Mexican Spanish is vainilla. It is feminine, so it is la vainilla and helado de vainilla for “vanilla ice cream”.

In Mexico “thanks” is gracias. It works in nearly every situation. The casual mil gracias adds emphasis and gracias, eh is friendly among friends.