Mexican

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.

In Mexico the name Thomas is Tomás. It is pronounced toh-MAHS and carries a written accent on the final syllable. A fond or childlike form is Tomasito.

In Mexico tortilla is a thin round flatbread, most often made of corn. It is eaten with nearly every meal. Corn tortillas are for tacos and quesadillas.

In Mexico a speed bump is a tope. The more technical term is reductor de velocidad. Drivers say cuidado con el tope when one is ahead.

In Mexican Spanish “poppy” is amapola. It is the red flower that grows in fields and it is also a girl’s name.

Sunshine as light is luz del sol, or just sol, as in hay mucho sol. As a term of endearment people say rayito de sol.

Chocolate is chocolate in Mexican Spanish, spelled the same as in English. Hot chocolate is chocolate caliente, or simply chocolate.

In Mexico the standard question is ¿Cómo estás? Friends say ¿Qué onda? and for someone you respect use ¿Cómo está usted?

In Mexico bacon is tocino. For the smoked kind, people say tocino ahumado, and in Spain you would see bacon or beicon instead.

In Mexican Spanish “rain” is lluvia, and the verb “to rain” is llover. A light drizzle is called chipichipi in Mexico.