How to Say ‘I helped my mom make tortillas.’ in Mexican Spanish
Ayudaba a mi mamá a hacer tortillas.
ah-yoo-DAH-bah ah mee mah-MAH ah ah-SEHR tor-TEE-yahs
[ah-yoo-DAH-bah ah mee mah-MAH ah ah-SEHR tor-TEE-yahs]
🇲🇽 In Mexico: Making corn tortillas by hand was a daily chore for girls in rural Mexico, so this is a very typical childhood memory.
Phrase Breakdown
Ayudaba a mi mamá
ah-yoo-DAH-bah ah mee mah-MAH
I used to help my mom
The vowels blend across the words: 'ah-yoo-DAH-bah-mee-mah-MAH'.
Siempre ayudaba a mi mamá.
I always used to help my mom.
Words in this phrase
Ayudaba
[ah-yoo-DAH-bah]
I used to help
Imperfect 'yo' form of 'ayudar'.
Ayudaba en la cocina.
I used to help in the kitchen.
a
[ah]
(personal a)
Marks a person as the direct object; not translated.
Veo a mi tía.
I see my aunt.
mi
[mee]
my
Possessive adjective showing something belongs to me.
“Mi” mamá está en la entrada principal.
“My” mom is at the main entrance.
mamá
[mah-MAH]
mom
Informal and very common word for mother in everyday speech.
Mi “mamá” me espera afuera del hospital.
My “mom” is waiting for me outside the hospital.
a hacer tortillas.
ah ah-SEHR tor-TEE-yahs
make tortillas.
The h in 'hacer' is silent, so 'a hacer' sounds like 'ah-SEHR'. In Mexico 'tortillas' is pronounced 'tor-TEE-yahs'.
Vamos a hacer tortillas.
Let's make tortillas.
Words in this phrase
a
[ah]
to
Preposition used before a person as the object of introduction.
Voy a a la mesa de empresas internacionales.
I'm going to the table of international companies.
hacer
[ah-SEHR]
to make / to do
Used with reservación to mean 'to make a reservation.'
Voy a hacer una reservación para cenar.
I am going to make a reservation for dinner.
tortillas
[tor-TEE-yahs]
tortillas
A staple food in Mexico, usually made from corn or flour.
Con los tacos, siempre pido: Más tortillas, por favor.
With tacos, I always ask: More tortillas, please.
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