Would you say "viva la Mexico or viva el Mexico?"

Question

Thank you in advance. I of course ask because of the "o" ending as most "o" endings are masculine but "la" just feels right. Is the word Mexico one of those rare words that although it ends in "a" is female?

Hi billy-jones, you only say "viva Mexico". Is a neutral word, no female, no male. - Venezuelan, SEP 2, 2009

thanks Ven, and all who answered and or voted :-). - billy-jones, MAY 24, 2010

Answer 1

My Mexican colleague, sitting here right now next to me, says that both "el México" and "la México" sound utterly wrong to him (as it does to me). This guy, if that means anything to you, has a PhD from a Mexican university, so he has -unless most people- spent many years in a formal education system, and you notice immediately because of the absence of spelling and grammatical mistakes when he writes (or talks).

To both of us, "la" sounds worst.

Answer 2

So, is the lesson that we should not use articles in front of country names? With a few exceptions, such as Los Estados Unidos...but that's because of "the states."

so...Viva México (right?)

Yes. - lazarus1907, SEP 2, 2009

Answer 3

I would say " ¡ viva méxico! Then you would say "¡Orale que viva!

Answer 4

ahhh Viva La Mexico refers to a well known bull ring in Mexico City. We call it La Plaza Mexico, which is feminine. So, we say 'La Mexico', short for La Plaza Mexico.

You'd only say el Mexico if it referred to a place (like a stadium called Mexico), but I don't know of any...

I have a masters and am Mexican. Your Phd friend from Mexico has spent too long in academia and not enough time in Mexico City!

Hola, me gusta su 'nombre' el di mi hija es el 'jazzyminny' jejeje - margaretbl, MAY 24, 2010

Answer 5

Country names seem all over the place when it comes to definite articles. Some countries use them in their names (los Estados Unidos) and many don't.

If you google "Viva ? México" you'll see lots of Vive el México and Viva la México and even more "Viva México " so you see how confusing it is. One of the confusing factors may be that the name México might be a misnomer. The actual name of the country is Estados Unidos Mexicanos. (no tilde) If you google el México and la México you get about the same number of hits.

We have more than a few Mexican members here so I'll let one of them answer such a basic question as the gender of the title of their native land.

Answer 6

I don't speak english very well but this is wrong, you had to say "Viva México"

Don't say "la" or "el"

Answer 7

¡Viva México!