An Introduction to Emotions, Culture, and Language: Why Feelings Get Lost in Translation

It can be hard to communicate about emotional topics in a second language.

An Introduction to Emotions, Culture, and Language: Why Feelings Get Lost in Translation

Adjusting to a new culture involves more than just practical tasks - it also requires navigating an unfamiliar emotional landscape. While you may begin to feel comfortable with daily routines, more complex moments can emerge: a difficult conversation with a colleague or a vulnerable exchange with a partner. The ways in which emotions are expressed - or not expressed - can be deeply shaped by cultural norms. Let’s unpack what this means - and why it matters, especially if you're trying to build relationships, raise a family, or maintain your mental health as a foreigner living in Mexico. 

How Culture Shapes Emotions

Although emotional experiences are deeply personal and can vary widely from person to person, culture serves as an important and influential framework for how emotions are understood, expressed, and regulated. In Mexico, emotional expression is influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including gender norms, regional culture, and urban versus rural living. While it is important to not over-generalize, existing research can offer meaningful insights into cultural patterns that can be especially relevant in intercultural relationships. These studies serve as entry points for thoughtful conversations about differing emotional expectations, communication styles, and values.

Let’s dive into three particular studies that provide some context into certain cultural mindsets in Mexico:

In 2004, Varela et. al. completed a cross-cultural study comparing Mexican, Mexican-American, and European-American families. The researchers found that Mexican parents and children were more likely to interpret and describe emotional experiences - particularly anxiety - in physical or somatic terms. Instead of saying “I feel nervous,” it was more common to report symptoms such as a stomachache or headache.

A study by Maldonando et al, (2017) conducted in northeastern Mexico explored how machismo, a prominent ideology in Mexico,  influences emotional expression and coping strategies among adult men. Men with lower levels of machismo were more likely to engage in  active problem solving within their relationships. In contrast, men with higher levels of machismo were more inclined towards emotional reactions, such as emotional avoidance or outbursts. 

In addition to gender roles, collectivist values play a significant role in emotional regulation within Mexican culture. According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, Mexico ranks highly in collectivism, a value system that prioritizes group harmony, familial obligation, and conformity over individual emotional expression (Hofstede, 2001). This cultural orientation is echoed in research by Rivera-Aragón, et al. (2018), who explored emotion regulation strategies in Mexican romantic relationships. Their findings suggest that emotional suppression is often used as a strategy to preserve harmony, especially within family units. This circles back to the initial study discussed, as when emotional expression is less accepted within a society, difficult emotions are more likely to be experienced somatically i.e. as physical ailments. 

Taken together, these studies can raise some questions for foreigners who were raised in different cultural narratives, for example:

How do we interpret emotional cues that are not directly verbalized? 

How might our own cultural backgrounds match or clash with concepts like collectivism?

Language: The Other Emotional Landscape

Understanding cultural norms around emotions is essential, but for many English speakers living in Mexico, the challenge doesn’t stop there. Even after you grasp the cultural context, you may struggle with the actual speaking part. Words rarely translate perfectly. A phrase that feels clear or kind in English might sound blunt, evasive, or overly emotional in Spanish, or vice versa, causing confusion or unintended tension. For conversations in Spanish - add in slang or regional expressions, and it gets even more complex! As a Spanish learner, you might understand every word in a sentence but still completely miss the meaning. 

For instance, some fun examples from Mexico of emotional slang:

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  Mexican phrases/slang to express emotions in Spanish.

Common Challenges in Communicating emotions in a Second Culture or Language

Lets summarize some common challenges for foreigners in Mexico with cross-cultural emotional expression:

• Gendered Norms: Cultural ideas like machismo can lead to a reduction in direct problem-solving within relationships. 

• Collectivist vs. Individualist Values: The focus on family and group harmony often encourages emotional suppression or avoidance of personal complaints.

  
  

• Reading Between the Lines: Emotions may be expressed through physical symptoms (like headaches) or nonverbal cues rather than clear verbal statements. 

• Linguistic Blocks: Differences among languages in use of tone, pitch, and regional slang - among other features - may cause misunderstandings in bilingual conversation settings.  

Understanding if there are differences from your own cultural background is the first step toward better communication, empathy, and connection in your intercultural relationships.

So, What Can You Do?

1. Get curious, not critical. When someone expresses (or withholds) emotion in a way that feels unfamiliar, try to understand why — there may be deep cultural values behind it.

   
   

2. Learn emotional vocabulary and common phrases. Expand beyond basic words like “triste” or “enojado.” Learn how people actually talk about feelings in everyday life.

   
   

3. Ask questions. Have explicit conversations with loved ones that can help you both to gain insight into each other. It’s okay to name the differences, and to ask: “What do you mean by that?” or “How do you usually show someone you’re upset?”

   
   

4. Practice emotional code-switching. You might need to express emotions differently depending on whether you're speaking in English or Spanish — and that’s okay.

   
   

We’re Here to Help

At Hola Therapy, we specialize in working with cross-cultural couples and individuals navigating life across cultures. Whether you’re adjusting to life in Mexico, or trying to connect more deeply with a partner from a different background, you’re not alone. Cross-cultural emotional fluency takes time, practice, and support.

Therapy can help you explore your own emotional patterns while making room for new ways of understanding and connecting — in any language.

REFERENCES:

• Rivera-Aragón, S., Díaz-Loving, R., Jaen-Cortés, C. I., Villanueva-Orozco, G. B. T., Velasco-Matus, P. W., CruzMartínez, L. M., & Romero-Palencia, A. (2018). Mexicans’ emotion regulation strategies and relationship satisfaction by gender. In M. Karasawa, M. Yuki, K. Ishii, Y. Uchida, K. Sato, & W. Friedlmeier (Eds.), Venture into cross-cultural psychology: Proceedings from the 23rd Congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology. https://doi.org/10.4087/BEUK6121

• Hofstede, G. H. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

  
  

• Maldonado, K. C. U., Ramirez, L. a. O., Sagarduy, J. L. Y., & Muñoz, M. C. E. (2017). Percepción del machismo, rasgos de expresividad y estrategias de afrontamiento al estrés en hombres adultos del noreste de México. Acta Universitaria, 27(4), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.15174/au.2017.1273

  
  

• Varela, R. E., Vernberg, E. M., Sanchez-Sosa, J. J., Riveros, A., Mitchell, M., & Mashunkashey, J. (2004). Anxiety reporting and culturally associated interpretation of physical symptoms in children of Mexican, Mexican American, and European American backgrounds. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 33(2), 227–236.