Do Mexican Port Authorities Know English?

[jackiepitts]

We checked into Cabo in November of this year and was surprised that basically no one at the Port Captains office spoke any English. We were also told not to worry that almost everyone knew English but we found that just is not the case. My husband knew some Spanish before leaving but we quickly realized it was not nearly enough to get by unless we were to stay in the tourist spots of Mexico. Just getting laundry done can be a challenge unless you speak fairly good Spanish.
If I were you I would learn as much as possible before leaving and bring a Spanish to English dictionary with you everywhere.
Fair Winds and Following Seas,
Jackie

[Starbuck]

Here is a review written by Beth Leonard of the very unique Spanish for Cruisers phrasebook, which appeared in Cruising World:

Cruising World - July 2009
"Kathy Parsons' gem of a book should be aboard any boat cruising along the shores of Spanish-speaking countries.
...Parsons provides the essential vocabulary that only a cruiser could love – words like 'rotor windings' and 'cutlass bearing', 'dipstick' and 'hose clamp' – and that never manage to find their way into bilingual dictionaries.
When only the right word will do, this book presents it to you like a gift."
Beth A. Leonard

From the Spanish for Cruisers website.

I might add that there are many sections, from "port captains and officials" to "boat parts" to "fruits & vegetables." I speak a good bit of Spanish, but when I go, I'll have one of these.

[Stillraining]

Est unday cabo esta loc donde es del mar le ghorto musted pordelo.

Stupid gringos dont think we understand them...lets screw with their heads awhile.

[xxuxx]

After taking Spanish lessons, having Spanish speaking friends.......I still never really learned to speak fluent Spanish. It was only after purchasing a Mango Plantation and living and eating with the help, did I learn spanish and all the local sayings that they don't teach you in school.

Lesson learned: Buy a Mango Plantation (near the ocean)

[Liam Wald]

I am in total agreement with everyone here who said that making an effort to learn some of the language goes a long way in creating good will.
I am always amazed that people in the USA are almost non-toerant of people who come to our country and can't speak English yet where ever we go we expect, and in some cases demand, that they speak our language.

At most any book store you can buy a CD/Book set to learn Spanish for less than $50. With a couple hours a day working the course (while you are actually sailing there and have nothing else to do) you will get a really good head start.
My experience is that the people in Latin America will bend over backwards for you if you make even the slightest effort.
Have a great cruise.

[Baba Buoy]

[QUOTE=skipmac;373782]In my experience, the residents in every Spanish speaking country I ever visited really appreciate any feeble attempt at the language. Even when they speak better English than I do Spanish (not hard to do) the effort goes a long way towards making friends.

In Mexico this is true. They welcomed any feeble attempt at Spanish. The glaring exception and a huge mistake is trying out your broken Spanish on an American Mexican visiting Mexico. Don't be surprised at receiving venom and hatred in that situation.

[skipmac]

[QUOTE=Baba Buoy;2834710]

Originally Posted by skipmac

In Mexico this is true. They welcomed any feeble attempt at Spanish. The glaring exception and a huge mistake is trying out your broken Spanish on an American Mexican visiting Mexico. Don't be surprised at receiving venom and hatred in that situation.

Don't know about American Latinos in Mexico but I've found that Latino residents in the US don't like to be addressed in Spanish. I think for several reasons: they want to improve their English, don't want to appear too Latino, and maybe feel a little insulted that someone felt the need to address then in Spanish implying their English wasn't good enough

[bletso]

The real question is why should they?

[zeehag]

zombie thread but still timely.
if you only know buenos dias and gracias, use em. then learn
lo siento pero no hay no espanol.
then go for it in english.
learn some spanish. you may need it. all of mexico uses spanish for official business.

[Dennis.G]

If entering an international shipping port, such as Mazatlan main harbor or Manzanillo, they will usually have someone monitoring the radio that speaks English. They have ships coming from all corners of the world and English is used as common language. Smaller ports without international ships likely Spanish only. Younger educated Mexicans seem to know some English, so just depends who is on the radio at the Capitania at the time you call. Just don't try using Spanish if coming into the USA,

[atlroofman]

Originally Posted by John A

About 100%

They're even educated! Some more than you.

Cheap shot from the cheap seats. You ascribe motive to his question. He just questioned weather someone might be available that speaks his language, a question that could easily be asked by any person going to a country where he does not speak the language. This type of post is why some hesitate to speak freely here. This does not support a freewheeling conversation that benefits all here on the forum.