I was sitting in a bar having lunch today, a place I go about once a week for a menu del dia, quiet, mostly full of local residents and ‘obreros’ (workmen). I always sit at the back, facing everyone else, so I can do some people watching while I have my lunch.
Two young guys came in wearing paint-splattered overalls, and made their way towards the last empty table, next to mine. As they crossed the room they said ‘Que aproveche’, enjoy your meal, to every table they passed, finishing with me before taking their seats. And they really meant it. It may not sound like much but ‘back where I come from’ people avoid speaking to strangers in public places. They’ll talk to their friends but stuff everyone else.
So courtesy, decency, respect – all still alive and well in Spain (stop thinking about it, just move here for goodness sake!) When I finished my meal the painters’ first course was just arriving. ‘Que aproveche,’ I said to them, as I left my table, though I didn’t manage it for the other diners as I made my way out of the bar. Even after 7 years the Englishman inside me still has a long way to go…
And by the way, for all of you eating Turkey today across the pond (well, yesterday now), que os aproveche tambien!
Ben
25 Nov 05 at 1:41 am
A quick question. If it’s traditional to eat Turkey for Thanksgiving in the USA, what gets eaten on Christmas day?
Peter
25 Nov 05 at 4:17 am
It’s “que (te) aproveche” and “que (os) aproveche”.
Ben
25 Nov 05 at 10:17 am
Damn, you’re right, I’ve changed it (from que aprovechen). Thanks! Just when you think you’ve got Spanish grammar right where youu want it….
Sin
25 Nov 05 at 11:20 am
Ben Said:
“So courtesy, decency, respect – all still alive and well in Spain”
De acuerdo.
Pol
25 Nov 05 at 11:41 am
The funny thing about this, is that in fact, saying “que aproveche” is considered innapropiate if you want to keep your good manners, I would say it could be even somewhat rude. It is one of those courtesy manners coming (maybe) from the popular and working classes that is becoming obsolete. I don’t know if I like that, I find it charming when a complete stranger wants to have courtesy and respet to another stranger…
Ben
25 Nov 05 at 11:50 am
Absolutely. There is nothing better than being told nicely, and by a complete stanger, to enjoy your meal.
Marina
25 Nov 05 at 2:08 pm
It is true that according to the protocol you should not use it. But I would only apply the protocol to certain ocasions, for example if eating with someone that is not very close to you, Clients, Boss or Aristrocacy. Otherwise I consider it’s nice and I would nevers say is rude. It is just one of those stupid rules that don’t make much sense.
JH, Businessman
25 Nov 05 at 2:23 pm
dont go slagging your home, benny boy. just the other day I was given free rice and vegetable curry at a restaurant just for being interested in the food. Its aint all bad you know.
Lesley
25 Nov 05 at 2:52 pm
“Bon appetit” to you too!
Amy
26 Nov 05 at 11:44 pm
In the USA at Christmas what is eaten varies from family to family. We are Italian-American so we follow some of those traditions, eating various types of fish and pasta. Some have turkey (yes, again!) or ham is very common as well. What you eat may depend on what your culture/ethnicity is.
Sabine
27 Nov 05 at 5:23 pm
I enjoyed the vignette. But I’ll probably never understand why there are so many expats who feel the need to put either their own or their host country’s culture down.
Please, explain.
Ben
27 Nov 05 at 7:15 pm
Hmmm, Sabine, I imagine you are classing me as one of those ex-pats for my comments about the English. I had no intention of putting down my own culture, I am as fond of British culture as the next Brit, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things about the place that aren’t perfect. The English are not particularly socially extrovert when it comes to strangers in public, that was my point, and that is a trait which I value in the Spanish. Equally the Spanish have enfuriating traits. But really, I hope I have a balanced view of the pro’s and con’s of both my ‘host’ country (which I’m beginng to feel is my own as well), and the one in which I was born.
Mirentxu Urkidi
30 Nov 05 at 2:44 pm
“Que aproveche!” is missing the inverted exclamation point at the beginning.
Mike P.
13 Dec 05 at 12:23 pm
This is something that astounds me about Spain. The biggest, scariets looking alvañil will walk by and give you a "Que aproveche!â€. Nice.
Great for the human spirit.
Hitesh Sawlani
21 Aug 09 at 12:29 pm
I actually find it kind of annoying as every time someone says that to me I have to thank them, regardless of what I was doing in the first place, e.g. having a conversation with someone else or stuffing my face.
Javier
20 Dec 09 at 12:23 pm
“Aprovechar” does not mean enjoy but “make good use of”, “take advantage of”. I wouldn’t say it is rude (it’s not disrespectful) but it is very uncool. My opinion is that it originally meant “enjoy your meal now because maybe tomorrow your plate will be empty”, therefore the working class connotation. Having said that many people in Spain are not aware of that.
As a Spaniard myself, when someone tells me “que aproveche”, I don’t feel hurt or offended, and I normally answer “gracias”, but I wouldn’t repeat it myself.