Comments on: Spanish table manners, do you know the rules?

By: emilee

emilee — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:28:25 +0000

what i dont get this…….. putting my hands under the table is to txt…….. n im used to not putting my elbows on the table!!!!!

By: Table Manners in Spain: Tackling The Tough Questions Like Where to Put the Olive Pit

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:33:29 +0000

[...] Recently, we were asked if we could lay out the expected table manners in Spain in our Q&A section. As this is a relatively subject question, considering that Spain is famous for rarely following any rule, I’ve done my best to compile the top 12 table manners as I’ve experienced them in Spain. Mind you, all of these can be debated, and I encourage anyone to chime in with their experiences. Also check out my inspiration for this article from Notes from Spain. [...]

By: Dawn

Dawn — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:52:43 +0000

Okay, since we’re on the topic of no-no’s, here’s one I’ve noticed, which no one has ever been able to explain to me (Ryan, do you have any insight??)

Why is it considered back luck, when you’re pouring wine in Cádiz, to turn your wrist (and the bottle) to stop drops coming out of the bottle? More than once, I’ve had friends and acquaintances in Cádiz absolutely FREAK when I do this — “¡No lo hagas! ¡Mala suerte!” — but they’re always at a loss to explain exactly why doing this is bad luck. One person explained that it dates back to the Middle Ages (poisonous substances could be stored in a ring and then dumped into a wine glass when the wrist is turned), but considering people don’t wear big rings these days, this seems like a bit of a stretch.

And this doesn’t seem to be a belief that extends outside of Cádiz — bar keeps and wait staff in Granada and Jaén, for example, have no problems turning their wrists to stop drops.

Any insights?

By: Louise

Louise — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:34:11 +0000

I’m not sure if the serving etiquette Lluci mentioned is universal to all of Spain. Here in Soria it’s much the same as in Catalonia, guests served first, then head of household, his sons, etc. I’ve been asked by my Tia to serve a few times, especially when she has a lot of guests, she always tells me who to serve first and its always the guests that are less ‘familiar’.
The one & only telling off I’ve received (it dragged out for several hours) was when I arrived for lunch about 5 mins after the other invited guests. Because I wasn’t there to help set the table etc one of the other guests offered, which my Tia considered to be extremely shameful, that a guest had to help. I decided it wasn’t worth mentioning I was also an invited guest, but instead took it as a sign she considered me close family.

By: Nijel

Nijel — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:05:05 +0000

Fatal.
What IS that Notas de Inglaterra URL again?

By: Gary

Gary — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:12:46 +0000

So, then, tucking the tablecloth in my shirt collar to prevent spillage and lifting the bowl to my mouth to slurp soup wont go down well

By: espaÃ±olito

espaÃ±olito — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:06:55 +0000

piedad, no te enfades, no captan tu ironia, para eso habria que tener al menos medio cerebro.
Con la disculpa de que aman España y les interesa el Español, en este sitio, que el principio estaba muy bien hasta que a su dueño Ben le dio por el sensacionalismo barato, hay una pandillita de xenófobos, acomplejados, envidiosos y amargados muy interesante. La mayoria tiene un complejo de superioridad-inferioridad con respecto a España que es digno de estudio psiquiatrico. En fin, salvo algunas honrosas excepciones como Edith, aqui hay mucho xenofobo, prepotente e ignorante, pero seguro que no te estoy contando nada que no sepas.

Obviamente, este es mi ultimo post aqui. Que os vaya bien a todos.

By: piedad ortega

piedad ortega — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:10:28 +0000

Well sorry if I look defensive to you , it is just that I can’t believe that others are making fun about things that they see with their foreign eyes. My god like this comment about a person who has a spanish student at home and the guy takes large bites and chews with his mouth open and I don’t know what else. Kathy darling do you thing that those bad habits are happening just because the guy is spanish?

By: ValenciaSon

ValenciaSon — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:58:02 +0000

I’m sure glad Piedad is not being defensive and doesn’t generalize.

By: piedad ortega

piedad ortega — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:49:23 +0000

Well after reaing all these articles I have to say that you all are right . Spaniers don’t have manners in the table , they are very rude cause they don’t say thanks and please not like british and americans. I like when a british person say it to me( please or thanks) without looking to me face . I alway think that it is parrot like style or empty manners. Yes, British people are more polite cause they use thaks or pelase , just for this.
Also I always thought that all British were alcoholics and americans crazy racists who like guns.
I also like when people from abroad go to Spain and they do not make an effort to learn a little of the spanish language or they take to Spain fish and chip aggg!!! disgusting. They don’t eat spanish food thay just prefer their own and also tey prefer going to british pubs and lots of pints and get pissed ( but at least they say please and thanks all the time). To sum up if British nad americans have so many complains about Spain, spanish and their manners, costums I don’t understand why they go there . The world is a huge planet . Anyway think twice before making any assumption I think it is very ignorant because people from abroad can have their own ideas about others cultures and it doesn’t mind that they are right it is just how you are by being shaped by your society