💪🤏

How to Say ‘I made a little effort’ in Mexican Spanish

Me esforcé un poquito

meh es-for-SEH oon poh-KEE-toh

[meh es-for-SEH oon poh-KEE-toh]

💬 Usage Tip: poquito is poco "little" with a shrinking ending, making it sound smaller and cuter. Mexicans add -ito everywhere: ahorita, cafecito.

Phrase Breakdown

Me esforcé

meh es-for-SEH

I made an effort

Past tense of 'esforzarse'. Stress 'CÉ': 'es-for-SEH'.

Example

Me esforcé en el examen.

I made an effort on the exam.

Words in this phrase

[meh]

myself

Reflexive pronoun for 'I'; with llamar it means 'I call myself'.

Example

Me lavo las manos.

I wash my hands.

esforcé

[es-for-SEH]

I made an effort

Past tense of 'esforzarse', to try hard; used with 'me'.

Example

Me esforcé mucho en el examen.

I tried hard on the exam.

un poquito

oon poh-KEE-toh

a little bit

'Poquito' is the diminutive of 'poco'. It is very common in Mexico.

Example

Habla un poquito más lento.

Speak a little slower.

Words in this phrase

[oon]

Part of un poco, a set phrase meaning a little.

Example

Con gusto te cuento Un poco de nuestra historia.

Gladly, I’ll tell you a little about our history.

poquito

[poh-KEE-toh]

little bit

Diminutive of 'poco'; softens the statement, sounding modest.

Example

Espera un poquito.

Wait a little bit.

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