inside the train
- Permiso. Excuse me.
- ¿Baja? Are you getting off?
- Bajo en la que sigue. I get off at the next one.
- Con permiso, porfa. Excuse me, please.
Back to situations 
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Photo by Jimmy Woo on Unsplash
getting around
Metro and Metrobús Spanish when everyone is moving
Transit Spanish is short, physical, and polite enough: permiso, baja, sube, transbordo, and aguas.
Use This First
- Learn permiso, ¿baja?, bajo en la que sigue, and ¿por dónde transbordo?
- Do not overtalk on crowded platforms. Short phrases are kinder.
- Aguas works when someone is about to trip, bump, or miss a step.
Memorize these first
station confusion
- ¿Por dónde transbordo? Where do I transfer?
- ¿Esta línea va a Centro Médico? Does this line go to Centro Médico?
- Aguas con el escalón. Watch the step.
- Me equivoqué de dirección. I went the wrong direction.
One-screen cheat sheet
🚇
Metro / Metrobús cheat sheet Screenshot this before you go.
| Spanish | English | Use case | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permiso. | Excuse me. | moving through people | safe |
| ¿Baja? | Are you getting off? | door crowd | safe |
| Bajo en la que sigue. | I get off at the next one. | door crowd | safe |
| Con permiso, porfa. | Excuse me, please. | squeezing through | safe |
| ¿Por dónde transbordo? | Where do I transfer? | transfer | safe |
| ¿Esta línea va a Centro Médico? | Does this line go to Centro Médico? | route check | safe |
| Aguas con el escalón. | Watch the step. | warning | local |
| Me equivoqué de dirección. | I went the wrong direction. | confession | safe |
the gringo trap
Do not say this by default
don't say this
Do not say disculpe in a long full sentence when you just need to get off.
say this
Say permiso or ¿baja? early.
Crowded transit has its own grammar: short, clear, and timed before the doors open.
safe / local / spicy
Pick your register
safe
Permiso, bajo en la que sigue.
local
¿Baja? Yo bajo aquí.
spicy
Aguas, sí bajo.
The spicy version is firm. Use it only when the doorway is not moving.
How it sounds
door crowd
¿Baja? Are you getting off?
No, hasta la que sigue. No, at the next one.
Permiso, yo sí bajo aquí. Excuse me, I do get off here.
Va. Okay.
transfer
Disculpe, ¿por dónde transbordo a la línea tres? Excuse me, where do I transfer to line three?
Siga derecho y baje las escaleras. Go straight and go down the stairs.
Gracias. Thanks.
De nada. No problem.
Practice cards
three fast taps before you try it outside.
You need to get off but someone is blocking the door.
You need the safest version for Metro / Metrobús. What do you pick first?
Which move avoids the gringo trap?
Words you'll hear
Deep dives
FAQ
What should I memorize first for Metro / Metrobús?
Start with Permiso., ¿Baja?, Bajo en la que sigue., Con permiso, porfa., ¿Por dónde transbordo?. These cover the fastest moments on the page.
Is this Metro / Metrobús Spanish safe to use as a foreigner?
Yes. Start with the safe phrases, then use the local phrases with friends or people your age. Treat spicy phrases as context-dependent, not universal.
How should I practice this situation?
Read the cheat sheet out loud, run the mini-dialogues once in Spanish and once in English, then answer the practice card before you go out in CDMX.