Small talk can be light-hearted and easy or dreadfully awkward. No matter what, though, one thing is for certain--it’s unavoidable. And now, you’re learning Spanish. This means you’ll have to make small talk--in Spanish. Ready for some Spanish conversations? Cue the nerves!
How do you go about doing this? How do you break the ice and take the first step to starting a conversation in Spanish?
It might seem a little overwhelming, but don’t fret. This article is dedicated to helping you do just that.
1 . Conversation basics- How to make small talk interesting
There are a few, universal ingredients to “good” small-talk. These will be the same in Spanish and in English. Of course, you’ll need to take cultural elements into account as you dive into conversations. But, as a foundation, remember:
2. Do’s and Dont’s in Spanish Conversations
While small-talk is a universal thing, topics considered appropriate for small-talk are not. In English, we don’t usually consider someone’s marital status to be fair game for casual conversation. But in Spain, it’s not uncommon that this question comes up. Politics may be a hot-topic in the US, but it’s one that almost everyone seems to talk about constantly. In Spain, this topic is avoided like the plague!
Here’s a quick guide to some of the basics do’s and don’ts when making small talk in Spanish:
Do
Ah, ¿sí? Oh, yeah?
Vale Okay
¿En serio? Really?
Ya Yeah
¡Vaya! Wow!
Madre mía My goodness
Don’t
For more advice on what NOT to do in Spain, go here.
If you’re still not sure what is safe to talk about with a Spaniard (aside from the basics), here’s a list of topics that are always sure to please:
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3. Introductions and Greetings
Introducing yourself in Spanish isn’t overly complicated, but it does require a mini lesson of its own. For a quick summary on how to introduce yourself in Spanish, check out this article HERE.
4. Personal information
Giving and asking for personal information is an integral part of conversing with someone new. This doesn’t mean you have to ask about very personal things, but things that are unique about the individual you’re talking to. Below you’ll find some examples of questions you might ask or be asked and how to answer them.
Note: These are given using both the “tú” (informal) and “usted” (formal) options. Depending on who you’re speaking to and the situation you’re in, you may need to use one or the other. For example, in Spain, the “tú” form is used in most situations, whereas in certain Latin American countries the “usted” form is always used with strangers.
¿Cómo te llamas? (Informal) ¿Cómo se llama? (formal) | What’s your name? |
Me llamo.../ Mi nombre es... | My name is... |
¿Cómo estás? (informal) ¿Cómo está? (formal) | How are you? |
Estoy bien, gracias. | I’m fine, thank you. |
¿Cuántos años tienes? (informal) ¿Cuántos años tiene? (formal) | How old are you? |
Tengo X años. | I am X years old. |
¿De dónde eres? ¿De dónde es? | Where are you from? |
Soy de España. | I’m from Spain. |
Soy de los Estados Unidos. | I’m from the United States. |
Soy de la República Dominicana. | I’m from the Dominican Republic. |
Soy de México. | I’m from Mexico. |
¿Dónde vives? (informal) ¿Dónde vive? (formal) | Where do you live? |
Vivo en Madrid. | I live in Madrid. |
Vivo en Buenos Aires. | I live in Buenos Aires. |
¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? (informal) ¿Cuál es su número de teléfono? (formal) | What is your phone number? |
Mi número de teléfono es... | My phone number is... |
¿Estás casado/a? (informal) ¿Está casado/a? (formal) | Are you married. |
Sí, estoy casado/a. | Yes, I’m married. |
No, no estoy casado/a. | No, I’m not married. |
Estoy soltero/a. | I’m single. |
¿Tienes hermanos? (informal) ¿Tiene hermanos? (formal) | Do you have any siblings? |
Sí, tengo dos hermanos y una hermana. | Yes, I have two brothers and one sister. |
Sí, tengo un hermano. | Yes, I have one brother. |
No, soy hijo/a única. | No, I’m an only child. |
No, no tengo hermanos. | No, I don’t have siblings. |
¿A qué te dedicas? (informal) ¿A qué se dedica? (formal) | What do you do for a living? |
Soy médico/a. | I’m a doctor. |
Soy estudiante. | I’m a student |
Soy abogado/a. | I’m a lawyer. |
Soy dentista.* | I’m a dentist. |
Soy profesor/a | I’m a teacher. |
*Some professions, such as dentista, periodista, electricista (the ones that end in ista) will be the same in their masculine and feminine forms.
5. Common questions and answers
There are a whole slew of other questions you can ask or expect to be asked that don’t deal directly with your personal life. These are things like your hobbies or interests. For some of the most common questions and how to answer them, check out the table below.
Note: Again, questions will be given in both the formal and informal ways.
¿Cuál es tu deporte preferido? (informal) ¿Cuál es su deporte preferido? (formal) | What is your favorite sport? |
¿Te gustan los deportes? (informal) ¿Le gustan los deportes? (formal) | Do you like sports? |
¿Practicas algún deporte? (informal) ¿Practica algún deporte? (formal) | Do you do any sports? |
Me gusta jugar a... | I like to play... |
Me gusta ver... | I like to watch... |
Practico... | I play... |
Mi deporte preferido es... | My favorite sport is... |
¿Cuáles son tus pasatiempos? (informal) ¿Cuáles son sus pasatiempos? (formal) | What are your pastimes? |
¿Tienes un hobby? (informal) ¿Tiene un hobby? (formal) | Do you have a hobby? |
Me gusta... | I like... |
Me gusta cocinar. | I like to cook. |
Me gusta leer. | I like to read. |
Me gusta salir con amigos. | I like to go out with friends. |
En mi tiempo libre... | In my free time... |
Voy al cine. | I go to see movies. |
Paso tiempo con mis amigos. | I spend time with my friends. |
¿Tienes una mascota? (informal) ¿Tiene una mascota? (formal) | Do you have a pet? |
Sí, tengo un gato. | Yes, I have a cat. |
Sí, tengo un perro. | Yes, I have a dog. |
No, no tengo una mascota. | No, I don’t have a pet. |
¿Te gusta la música? (informal) ¿Le gusta la música? (formal) | Do you like music? |
Sí, me gusta el jazz. | Yes, I like jazz. |
Sí, me gusta el rock. | Yes, I like rock. |
Sí, me gusta el hip-hop. | Yes, I like hip-hop. |
No, no me gusta la música. | No, I don’t like music. |
¿Tocas algún instrumento? (informal) ¿Toca algún instrumento? (formal) | Do you play an instrument? |
Sí, toco el piano. | Yes, I play the piano. |
Sí, toco la guitarra. | Yes, I play the guitar. |
Sí, toco la batería. | Yes, I play the drums. |
No, no toco ningún instrumento. | No, I don’t play an instrument. |
¿Qué tipo de películas te gusta? (informal) ¿Qué tipo de películas le gusta? (formal) | What type of movies do you like? |
Prefiero las películas románticas. | I prefer romance movies. |
Me gustan las películas de miedo/ terror. | I like horror movies. |
Me gustan las películas de risa/ comedia. | I like funny/ comedy movies. |
Conclusion
This has just been a quick guide to how to navigate the surprisingly complicated world of small-talk. What do you think? Do you have any experiences making small-talk in Spanish that you want to share? Lessons you learned? Mistakes or taboos to avoid? We’d love to hear your input!
[…] See also: How to Make Small Talk in Spanish […]