What visitors should know
Learn the national-versus-local distinction first. A word can be common in Mexico City without originating there or belonging only to chilangos, and familiar forms such as güey change social force sharply with relationship and tone.
Reviewed words and expressions
¡aguas!
In popular Mexican Spanish, ¡aguas! is an alert meaning roughly 'watch out', 'careful', or 'look out' when someone wants to warn another person about immediate danger or trouble.
Mexico Citycapitalino
In Mexican Spanish, capitalino is a noun and adjective for a person from Mexico City or for something associated with the capital; it is generally more neutral and formal than the colloquial identity label chilango.
Mexico CityCDMX
CDMX is the widely used abbreviation for Ciudad de México, the official name of Mexico City, and it appears throughout local government, transport, tourism, addresses, media and everyday urban shorthand.
Mexico Citychamba
In informal Mexican Spanish, chamba means work, a job, employment, or an occupation, and it appears naturally in everyday conversation about earning a living or having tasks to do.
Mexico Citychela
In informal Mexican Spanish, chela is a common noun for a beer, especially in casual conversation about ordering, buying, or drinking beer.
Mexico Citychido
In informal Mexican Spanish, chido is a positive adjective meaning good, nice, cool, attractive, enjoyable, or otherwise appreciable depending on the noun or situation.
Mexico Citychilango
In Mexican Spanish, chilango is a colloquial noun and adjective for a person from or associated with Mexico City and for things connected with the capital's culture or identity.
Mexico Citygüey
In informal Mexican Spanish, especially among familiar peers, güey can work as a term of address or conversational marker used to hold attention, signal solidarity, or address a friend.
Mexico Cityneta
In popular Mexican Spanish, neta can mean the truth, 'really' or 'seriously', and in the phrase ser la neta it can describe someone or something as the best or exceptionally good.
Mexico Cityórale
In popular Mexican Spanish, órale is a flexible interjection used to urge someone to act, accept a suggestion, express surprise or admiration, or call for attention depending on context and intonation.
Mexico Citypesero
In Mexico City and Mexican urban Spanish, a pesero is a small fixed-route public-transport vehicle—such as a minibus, van, microbus or colectivo—and the word can also refer to the driver of that service.
Mexico Citytianguis
In Mexican Spanish, including Mexico City, a tianguis is a temporary or periodic open-air market made up of stalls that are set up in a particular place, often on a recurring day, to sell or exchange many kinds of goods.
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