iglesia
everyday, neutral
Church is iglesia in Mexican Spanish. A neighborhood church is often a parroquia, and templo is also common, especially for non Catholic churches.
Meaning: a building for Christian worship (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| iglesia | everyday, neutral |
| parroquia | parish church |
| templo | temple |
To go to Mass, Mexicans say ir a misa. La catedral is the main church of a city, such as the one in the Zócalo of Mexico City.
Which one should you use?
Iglesia is used for the building and for the institution. Parroquia is a local parish and is very common in town centers.
Did you know?
- Nearly every Mexican town has its main church facing the central plaza.
Examples in context
- Vamos a la iglesia el domingo.We go to church on Sunday.
- La parroquia está en la plaza.The parish church is on the square.
- Nos casamos en esa iglesia.We got married in that church.
Example conversation
Anselmo asks a local for directions in Guanajuato.
- AnselmoDisculpe, ¿dónde está la iglesia?Excuse me, where is the church?
- VecinaAllá, junto a la plaza.Over there, next to the square.
- AnselmoMuchas gracias.Thank you very much.
