A guide to the Spanish language, customs and more
In case, you are planning on spending your holidays in Spain, there are a few things that you should know. In this article you can find more information regarding the Spanish language, customs and etiquettes.
Learning the Spanish language
It is important to learn some basics of the native tongue, while you are visiting a country where the English language isn’t widely spoken or understood. In this case, make sure you learn some common Spanish words. You can schedule some classes with online Spanish tutors or download a language app and try to learn the language yourself. My favorite free application to learn a new language is Duolingo.
There are numerous advantages of knowing bits of the Spanish language:
To carry daily activities normally
You would be able to move around the country more easily. Such as, you can guide the taxi driver about your destination because you surely don’t want to spend hours in the backseat of the taxi, wishing for the driver to magically understand which hotel you are referring to. Also, being able to speak and understand the language will help you in keeping out of unnecessary trouble. You would be able to know what the next person wants to stop you from, or clear any kind of misunderstandings because the last thing you want on your trip to happen is a dirty fight or worse and end up behind the bars because you got tricked.
Better experiences
Enough of the horrible scenarios already! Knowing the language will also make you able to learn more while you are traveling. Not only can you have a better travel experience, but you would also be able to communicate with the natives. In this way, you can make new alliances that would be increasingly helpful if you ever visit Spain again.
Appear approachable
Leaning the native language is a great strategy for appearing approachable and friendly. So, all you have to do is download a language-learning app that can help you in learning Spanish at home.
Get to know the Spanish customs
The second thing that is important for you to learn is the native customs. Again, it will allow you to stay out of unnecessary trouble and you would be able to better understand your surroundings.
In addition to this, knowing some basics about the Spanish customs can help you clear the misunderstandings that you may have in terms of the Spanish culture when you witness it from your own eyes.
Avoid extra tipping culture
There is nearly no tipping culture in Spain. That means you can save on a lot of money if you know about this beforehand. Otherwise, you would just be fooling yourself by giving the waiter some extra tip because you loved the food. Because, in case of extraordinary service, Spanish leave no more than 10 percent tip.
Value their hospitality
In addition to this, as I said earlier, Spanish people are highly hospitable and gracious. So, you can always expect to get a free bite with every drink you order.
Schedule your activities according to customs
There might be a much less advantageous side to the customs held by the Spanish. Such as, the shopkeepers in most of the towns and villages go for a long lunch break between 01:00 to 04:00 pm. So, it is better if you plan your day accordingly to stay away from the disappointment.
Dress smartly
Keep yourself well-dressed while in Spain, because, well, that is the custom! Which is why you may get some raised eyebrows; in case, you plan on dressing comfortably in those joggers or flip-flops!
So, try and look smart if you really wish to stay away from embarrassing yourself out in the public.
Learning Spanish etiquettes
Now, let’s move on to the third and the last thing that I am here to talk about today, the etiquettes. You may even call it decorum, or good manners, whatever you like. You may like to know that the Spanish are very much particular about their etiquettes and manners.
In other words, they think of these things as a representation of a person’s character. Thus, it is highly necessary for you to know what is included in the Spanish list of good manners.
Greet first
First of all, make sure you greet every Spanish person you are introduced to in the right customary manner. It means you are required to shake hands with the next person, whether it is a man or a woman.
In other case, if it is a woman and she offers you her cheek, you have to exchange two kisses, first on the right cheek and then on the left. However, if you misunderstood me, they are not really kisses. In other words, it is merely a touching of cheeks while you make a kissing face in the air.
Bring gifts
The next thing that comes is gifts. Again, this is a result of the friendly attitudes of the Spanish people. What you have to do is make sure that you never go empty-handed if any native invites you over at his place. It is a part of basic manners to take a small gift for the host with you. It could be anything, such as flowers, pastries, or something for the children if the host has any.
Address properly
Coming to how you should be addressing people formally while in Spain. If you want to refer to someone as Mr. the appropriate word for it is Señor. In case that person is a woman, the Spanish replacement for Mrs. is Señora. Also, you don’t need to be extremely punctual while in Spain, as it is acceptable to be 15 minutes late in northern Spain, and 30 minutes in the Southern part of the country.
Hopefully you learned some new things regarding the Spanish language, customs and etiquettes. If you have any questions or would like to share other tips, feel free to leave a comment below in the comment section.
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