SPAIN
Communication styles, gestures, meeting, greetings
Nutrition, Lifestyle
Religious Belief
Communication
They tend to speak very openly and are comfortable showing emotion
Spaniards are very confident people,
They speak clearly about their point and generally like to leave an interaction having voiced all
their opinions. In return, they expect similar honesty from their conversation partner and hence
may fail to read into understatements
Requests: The Spanish phrasing of requests is generally quite direct.
Common Courtesy: Consider that ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ are not said as habitually in Spain.
This is not intended to be rude. Rather, some Spanish may find it a bit excessive to express
profuse gratitude and politeness throughout everyday exchanges.
Inverted Question Marks: In the Spanish language, questions are written with an inverted (or
upside-down) question mark at the beginning of the sentence. For example: ¿Cuántos años
tienes? (How old are you?).
Non-Verbal
Personal Space: Spaniards generally keep about half a meter of personal space from one
another. Men are generally less protective of their personal space. Nevertheless, women are
generally more comfortable with closer proximities.
Physical Contact: The Spanish tend to be quite tactile and expressive with physical touch. Open
displays of affection between couples are common and acceptable.
Eye Contact: Direct eye contact is expected during conversation in Spain.
Body Language: Spaniards may gesticulate more in general conversation. They tend to be quite
demonstrative with their expressions, using their hands to emphasise their points.
Pointing: Avoid directly pointing at people with the index finger. This is considered rude.
Greetings
A common casual greeting involves a kiss on each cheek, starting with the left. This form of
greeting is especially common between women. Men may be more likely to kiss women hello
and goodbye than to shake their hand.
A firm handshake with eye contact and a smile is the appropriate greeting in professional
contexts.
In formal settings, you may refer to someone using their professional or personal titles – for
example, ‘Señor’ (Mr) for men and ‘Señora’ (Ms) for women. However, it is rare for someone’s
friends to address them using their title and surname. Spaniards move onto a first name basis
very quickly, even in professional settings.
The common verbal greeting is “Buenos dias” (Good day), “Buenas tardes” (Good afternoon) or
“Buenas noches” (Good evening/night) depending on the time of day. People may also say
“¿Como está?” (How are you).
A more casual greeting is “Hola” (Hello).
Nutrition
Spain is one of the leading exponents of the Mediterranean diet, which is based on olive oil,
fresh vegetables, and other fresh seasonal food. This healthy, flavorful tradition
Spaniards frequently drink wine and beer with their meals. They also commonly drink
bottled mineral water.
Spanish food is frequently thought to be very spicy, but, apart from a few dishes that contain
small amounts of a mild chili pepper, the most piquant ingredient in general use is paprika.
. he most widely eaten meats are pork, chicken, and beef, but in much of the country lamb is
eaten on special occasions. Very fond of both fish and shellfish, Spaniards are among the world’s
largest consumers of seafood. Legumes, especially lentils and chickpeas, also form an important
part of the Spanish diet.
Olive oil (of which Spain is the world's largest producer) is extensively used in Spanish cuisine. [ It
forms the base of many vegetable sauces (known in Spanish as sofritos
Spain produces large quantities of high-quality olive oil and wine. Predominant ingredients of
Spanish gastronomy include garlic, tomato, pepper, potatoes, beans, and curated meats.
Spanish people enjoy a style of appetizer and snack known as tapas. Las tapas are usually a mix
of small preparations like cold cuts, cheeses, croquetas (croquettes), calamares (squid), and
more.
Religion & Beliefs:
Spain is a predominantly Roman Catholic country with approximately 94% of the population
affiliated to that religion.
During the history of Spain, there have been long periods where different religious groups have
coexisted, including Muslims, Jews and Christians.
Some traditions are more a cultural event rather than a religious one.
During Holy Week, processions take place when participants wear a capirote which is a pointed
hat of conical form and is part of the uniform of some brotherhoods and fraternities. They walk
barefoot and carry a burden which is symbolic of a penitent.
Religious history is apparent in every small town, where the most grandiose building is typically
the church. In the large cities the Cathedrals are almost museums.
Curiosities About Spanish Culture
La siesta (nap time)
It is a short nap Spanish people take in the early afternoon. The tradition has expanded to the
Philippines and Mexico. During siesta time the majority of businesses close.
New Year
To celebrate New Year, people in Spain eat a grape for each month of the year for good luck.
Superstitions
The Spanish are superstitious about the number 13. Also, some Spanish people believe a hat on your
bed is a bad omen.
When a Spanish family moves to a new house they need to buy a new broom. They believe bringing an
old broom is bad luck.
Gifts
In Catalonia, children get gifts from a wooden log-looking character known as el Tío de Nadal.
In Spanish culture, you’re expected to bring a gift when you’re invited to someone’s house for dinner.
Semana Santa
Certain Spanish traditions evolved into their own Latin American version. Such is the case of Semana
Santa.
