Giving compliments (Advanced): Complimenting strangers

💬 The z sounds like an English s, never th: (sah-PAH-tohs).

🇲🇽 Starting with Disculpe before complimenting a stranger is polite and puts them at ease. It also works for getting attention in shops or on the street.

💬 The pattern ¡Qué + thing + tan + description! works for any compliment. For example, ¡Qué casa tan linda! "What a lovely house!"

🇲🇽 This is casual and friendly, best for people around your age. With an older stranger, ¡Qué bonitos zapatos! lands better.

💬 me gusta works backwards from English: the shirt is what does the pleasing. For more than one thing it becomes me gustan: Me gustan sus zapatos.

🇲🇽 su is the polite "your" for strangers. With a stranger, complimenting what they're wearing or their style is safe, while comments about their body can feel too forward.

🇲🇽 From a stranger, especially a man to a woman, this can come across as flirting. Keep it for situations where warmth is clearly welcome.

💬 se ve means "you look" when talking to someone politely. Swap in the description: Se ve muy bien "You look very good."

💬 Putting usted after the verb adds a courteous, slightly emphatic touch. Es muy amable means the same thing.

💬 lo means "it" for masculine things like el vestido. For feminine things like la camisa, use la: ¿Dónde la compró?

🇲🇽 Mexicans often reply to thanks with Con mucho gusto "with pleasure" or Para servirle "at your service", which sound warmer than De nada.

🇲🇽 A common warm way to end a short chat with a stranger after a compliment. It's polite enough for anyone.