{"id":61400,"date":"2024-07-31T06:03:21","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T05:03:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/?p=61400"},"modified":"2024-07-26T03:39:40","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T02:39:40","slug":"rules-of-etiquette-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/blog\/rules-of-etiquette-in-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 9 Rules of Etiquette in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Meeting other people and experiencing other cultures are some of the most rewarding parts of traveling<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthering those connections while abroad makes the travel experience all the more enriching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what about first-time visits and navigating cultural differences like mealtimes or formal greetings? Is etiquette in Spain all that different?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do we go about furthering those connections if we aren\u2019t sure how to start off on the right foot?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning social norms before you head to another country can help deepen your understanding of the nuances of how others operate in their part of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this piece, we\u2019ll go over the top 9 rules of social etiquette in Spain!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With these handy tips, you\u2019ll learn how to effectively communicate and build successful relationships with those around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.  Embrace Late Meals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our top tip when it comes to learning social etiquette in Spain is to be patient and expect to eat late<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether it\u2019s dining out or hosting, Spaniards enjoy a leisurely affair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meals last a bit longer in Spain \u2013 and with food being such an important part of Spanish culture, you\u2019ll want to fully embrace<\/strong> the different mealtimes found in Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not familiar with regular Spanish lunches or dinners?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meals are typically served a little bit later, with lunch (la comida<\/em>) eaten somewhere between 2 PM to 4 PM and dinner (la cena<\/em>) eaten somewhere between 9:00 PM to 11:30 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, meals are an important part of establishing relationships in Spain \u2013 they are a family and friends affair!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be patient when it comes to acclimating to later and leisurely meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll learn to love the relaxed nature of meals in Spain in no time at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.  Be a Gracious Guest<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When going out to eat, tipping culture in Spain can be a little different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you had a delicious meal, a standard 5%-10% tip is acceptable, but a kind word is also appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t forget to compliment the food and the service!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.  Avoid Certain Greetings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Language is a crucial component of connecting with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, wanting to be friendly might turn unfriendly if using a greeting you\u2019re not 100% sure of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, a formal way of addressing someone could<\/em> come off as offensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to avoid an uncomfortable run in, you can use a simple greeting like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHola, perdona<\/em>\u2026\u201d which is an informal \u201cHello, excuse me\u2026\u201d or \u201cHola, perdone<\/em>\u2026\u201d which is a more formal version of \u201cHello, excuse me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In general, it is smart to communicate with the local dialect<\/strong><\/a> (if you can!) and use formal greetings when speaking with someone for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"etiquette<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4.  Avoid Assumptions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In line with using proper greetings, if you\u2019re traveling to Spain for the first time, it\u2019s impolite to address someone right off the bat with rapid fire English requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While English is a widely spoken language in Spain, be courteous and try out your Spanish<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making an effort to speak Spanish while in Spain is a basic etiquette rule<\/strong> everyone should follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few basics like \u201chello, how are you?\u201d and \u201cexcuse me\u201d can get you far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.  Be Aware of Your Surroundings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps an uncommon (but fairly simple) social etiquette rule is using the escalator in a busy location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stand to the right if you want to let the escalator carry you up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you intend to walk, head up the left side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The metro in Spain can get very busy, and a good social etiquette rule of thumb<\/strong> is to be aware of your surroundings when using the escalator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6.  Get Dressed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depending on where you\u2019re at in the world, athleisure has become an everyday staple of dress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While athleisure may be common, even in Spain, Spaniards tend to opt for higher dress standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good rule of thumb is to avoid the sweatpants before you head out the door!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.  Sample the Tapas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meals in Spain are a family and friends affair \u2013 tapas included<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tapas is a popular (and delicious!) Spanish custom that should be experienced by all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re going out for an afternoon or evening of bar-hopping, feel free to dive in to the many traditional dishes<\/strong> like patatas bravas, cured, ham, or croquettes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8.  Offering Food or Drink<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When hosting someone at your home (or vice versa) it\u2019s polite to offer visitors something to eat<\/strong> and drink!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also bring a gift or a bit of food with you when visiting a friend\u2019s home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something like a bottle of wine<\/strong> or a few pastries<\/strong> can be a great idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This especially goes for snack time, or merienda<\/em>, which is a middle ground somewhere between 4 to 6 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9.  Embrace \u201cSiesta\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many restaurants in Spain close down during the day for \u201csiesta\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t a time for napping, rather, it is a time where shops might close to observe an afternoon meal with family or friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While not every restaurant will observe this, it\u2019s fairly common throughout Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Embracing “siesta” is a great ‘etiquette in Spain<\/strong>‘ rule to keep in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And why not embrace a leisurely afternoon? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might just find yourself perfectly ready for a 10:00 PM dinner with friends at that one restaurant<\/a><\/strong> you’ve been dying to try out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Is it common to tip at restaurants in Spain?<\/h3>\n
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Yes, tipping is common in Spain but not mandatory. Tip amounts aren’t typically as high as other countries like the U.S., 5% or 10% on a bill is more standard!<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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What’s the standard dinner time in Spain?<\/h3>\n
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Expect to eat a bit later in Spain: dinner time in Spain starts as early as 9:00 PM. A 5:00 PM dinner time will not be as common when traveling to Spain.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meeting other people and experiencing other cultures are some of the most rewarding parts of traveling. Furthering those connections while abroad makes the travel experience all the more enriching. But what about first-time visits and navigating cultural differences like mealtimes or formal greetings? Is etiquette in Spain all that different? How do we go about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":54065,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2050],"tags":[1429,1529,1630],"class_list":["post-61400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-in-spain","tag-daily-life-in-spain","tag-living-in-spain","tag-spanish-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61400"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61433,"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61400\/revisions\/61433"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogoespana.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}