Mexican Spanish phrases: 4 tips to better localise your content

Beyond those Mexican phrases in Spanish that we use with joy and happiness, there might be a slight distance to what Mexican people actually use in their everyday life. By any chance does "5 de mayo" or "burritos con guacamole" come to your mind? Well, it's time now to go deep into what local people really say and how they can tell you're not using the right Mexican slang. If you are running a business in this country and decided to engage more with your audiences, take into consideration the following tips, easy to learn and to adapt within your marketing content. Have a look!

 

4 tips about Mexican Spanish phrases and slangs

 

1. Apply diminutives when appropriate

2. Mind the third-person singular

3. Consider using indigenous lexicon

4. Adapt the second-person singular according to the context

 

1. Apply diminutives when appropriate

 

When it comes to Mexican culture, there is a national tendency to add a diminutive to some nouns and adjectives. It is part of the kindness and warmth that people like to reflect when communicating: "café/cafecito", "ahora/ahorita", "elegante/elegantico"... Although not all the adjectives and nouns necessarily are preceded by diminutives, this feature portrays a friendly tone which is important to show when holding a casual conversation. Actually not all the diminutives used within Mexican phrases come from Spanish, even before this language landed in Mexico there were indigenous languages that had already adopted this grammatical attribute.

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2. Mind the third-person singular

 

This tip is highly advisable when executing call-to-action content, yet it can be replied to any other marketing strategy. In Mexico the use of the present subjunctive end up with the third-person singular "le". In other words, if you want to add strength to a verb it is a good idea adding "le", however this tactic will depend on the context and some demographic figures. "Anda/ándale", "siga/sígale", "para/párale"... It becomes a high-value opportunity for content localisation if the goal is to elicit a reaction or a behaviour.

 

3. Consider using indigenous lexicon

 

Even though it is not part of proper Spanish phrases, Mexican indigenous lexicon is quite popular and it is an effective way for your brand to appeal to the local culture. No worries, you won't need to learn a third language, instead you can just identify specific situations in which using words from native languages such as náhuatl . Some common words are chapulín (lobster) and escuincle (kid) and incredibly they have survived throughout these centuries. Today, the indigenous lexicon accounts for the cultural diversity that covers the linguistic sphere in Mexico.

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4. Adapt the second-person singular according to the context

 

When we look at the use of personal pronouns in Mexico, there will be a direct link with the way social classes and power relations work across the country. Different to Spain and South American countries like Argentina or Uruguay, Mexico only has two options for the second-person singular: "tú" and "usted". While "tú" is used among young people or close friends, "usted" is used among adults, between young people and adults, or also when holding a conversation with a strange as a way to show respect. As suggested in my view on content marketing, this is specially useful for customised communications and CRM content.

 

Take all the time needed to go through these tips, because they will add value to the marketing strategies your brand is running, or about to be implemented. Take into account that some of the tips can also be applied to other Latin American markets, and that they shall not be seen as strict guidelines on Mexican Spanish phrases for a creative copy or article. You can contact me for further guidance on digital and localised content in Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries.

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Written by Harold Mosquera