A la mano

(sayings & idioms)
A2 (¡Vas bien!)Used EVERYWHERE 🇲🇽Colloquial 🗯️

🧠 What it means

This is the Mexican go-to for saying that something is nearby, accessible, or easy to grab. Here’s what it means: 👉 close by / within reach / handy 💡 I’m pretty sure they use a mano in some Spanish-speaking countries… but if you want to sound MEXICAN, you 100% need to add a la in there!

🌪️ When to whip it out

Whenever you're talking about something that’s physically close:

Ten tu identificación a la mano.
Keep your ID handy.
Siempre tengo una pluma a la mano por si se me ocurre algo.
I always keep a pen nearby in case I get an idea.
¿Tienes el número a la mano?
Do you have the number on hand?

⚠️ Tone

✅ Neutral and practical.

✅ Used in everyday conversations, at work, when giving instructions, etc.

VERY Mexa.

🔁 Similar chunks

Al alcanceCercaEn las naricesBien cerquitaAhí junto a ti

🦜 El Rincón del Cotorreo

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