Culture guide

Everyday Etiquette

Etiqueta cotidiana

Everyday politeness in Spain is often direct but friendly: greeting, saying please, and saying goodbye matter.

La cortesía cotidiana en España suele ser directa pero amable: saludar, pedir por favor y despedirse importa.

Saludos y trato

In small shops and bars, enter with "hola" or "buenos días." Use "perdona" to get someone’s attention and "vale" to confirm you understood.

En tiendas pequeñas y bares, entra con «hola» o «buenos días». Usa «perdona» para llamar la atención y «vale» para confirmar que has entendido.

Spain note

In Spain, "perdona" is a useful reference for talking about everyday etiquette in everyday situations.

En España, «perdona» es una referencia útil para hablar de etiqueta cotidiana en situaciones cotidianas.

Key vocabulary

Words and phrases from this guide.

Spanish English
perdona excuse me / sorry
vale OK
buenos días good morning

Practice culture in context

Learn the words around real situations in Spain.

Open SpanishPilot for guided lessons, review, reading, grammar, culture, and progress that stays on your device.