Ciudad de México
/θjuˌdad de ˈmexiko/feminine
In Spanish, Mexico City is called Ciudad de México. Wiktionary also lists México.
Meaning: capital of Mexico (name)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ciudad de México | /θjuˌdad de ˈmexiko/ /sjuˌdad de ˈmexiko/ |
feminine |
| México | /ˈmexiko/ /ˈmeʃiko/ |
masculine |
The term refers to the capital of Mexico.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the country and the city. Use México to refer to the country and Ciudad de México to refer specifically to the capital city.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Locals often use the colloquial term el DF to refer to the city. Additionally, the abbreviation CDMX is a very common way to refer to the city in speech, writing and on signage.
How do you pronounce it?
/θjuˌdad de ˈmexiko/
Did you know?
- The name México may be a combination of the Nahuatl words mētztli meaning 'moon' and xīctli meaning 'navel'. This likely refers to the city's original location in a lake system that looked like a rabbit, an animal associated with the moon.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo llego a Ciudad de México?How do I get to Mexico City?This sentence is useful for asking for directions to México.Tatoeba #10067339 by manufrutos, translation #8612775 by shekitten
- ¿A cuánto está Ciudad de México?How far away is Mexico City?This sentence is useful for asking about the distance to México.Tatoeba #10067343 by manufrutos, translation #8612771 by shekitten
- Ciudad de México es la capital de México.Mexico City is the capital of Mexico.This sentence is useful for stating that Ciudad de México is the capital of México.Tatoeba #7910063 by ecorralest101, translation #7909204 by MarijnKp
- La capital de México es Ciudad de México.The capital of Mexico is Mexico City.
- ¿Ya conoces el Defe?Have you been to "El Defe" yet?
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are planning a trip together.
- LucíaQuiero visitar Ciudad de México este año.I want to visit Mexico City this year.
- DanielYo también, Daniel quiere ir en mayo.Me too, Daniel wants to go in May.
- Lucía¿Conoces algún hotel bueno en Ciudad de México?Do you know a good hotel in Mexico City?
- DanielSí, buscaré algunas opciones para nosotros.Yes, I will look for some options for us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mexico city” translations and entries Ciudad de México, México, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries México, ciudad, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
