When a Mexican is called by name, or does not catch what was said, the polite answer is ¿Mande? The word comes from mandar, “to command,” and means roughly “at your command.” Its origin is unclear. One account links it to the colonial period, but no document supports this, and the word is used between equals.
Many Mexicans also call their mother mi jefa, “my boss,” and, with affection, jefecita.
Ahora means “now.” Mexicans add the diminutive and say ahorita, “little now.” The word can mean right now, in a moment, or later. A study in the linguistics journal of El Colegio de México found that in Mexico City ahorita is used in contexts where it cannot be read as an exact moment.
For real urgency, speakers double the diminutive: ahoritita.
In 2019, BBC Mundo asked Mexican scholars why it is hard for Mexicans to say no. Alí Albarrán of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at UNAM said: “Decir que no a alguien que te está ofreciendo algo de buena voluntad es considerado una ofensa” (Saying no to someone who offers something in good will is considered an offense). The anthropologist Roger Bartra said that “it is not very polite to say no openly.”
The article describes the common solution: “para no decir no, dicen que sí, pero no ponen un plazo” (to avoid saying no, they say yes, but they set no date).
Quedar bien, “to come out well,” means to leave a good impression and keep things pleasant. Mexican Spanish has many phrases that serve it.
Sí, cómo no: “Yes, of course.”
Primero Dios: “God first,” meaning “God willing.”
Ahí lo vemos: “We will see about it.”
Ahí nos vemos: “See you there.”
Each can be a firm promise. Each can also be a kind way to leave a request open.