España durante el verano

[malin]

El proximo verano voy a ir a Barcelona, voy a vivir aquí durante tres semanas para estudiar español. Mi pregunta es, creemos que es dificíl que encontrar nuevos personas? Son los españoles simpaticás y es fácil para conseguo amigos?

I'm sorry that my spanish isn't very good, but I'd be happy if you corrected if you saw something wrong..

[Rusty]

El próximo verano voy a ir a Barcelona. Voy a vivir allí por tres semanas para estudiar español. Mi pregunta es, ¿creen que es difícíl que conocer a nuevas personas? ¿Son los españoles simpáticos y es fácil para conseguir amigos?

I'm sorry that my Spanish isn't very good, but I'd be happy if you corrected it if you see something wrong.

Corrected your message.

I've never been to Spain, but I suppose the people are friendly. We have a couple of friendly Spaniards who contribute to the forums! :D

[CrOtALiTo]

I never been in Spain, but I suppose that the place should to be very beautiful, but Do you meet Mexico?

[poli]

Bare in mind that Barcelona is in Catalonia, and the Catalán language is widely spoken there. Catalán is different from Castillian which is the language we call Spanish. Castillian is nevertheless widely spoken in Barcelona like English is widely spoken in Montreal. Barcelona really isn't a whole lot like the romantic image presented in that Woody Allen movie. If you're friendly and willing to communicate, you'll make friends. If you're going to be with other English-speaking students you definitely will bond with them.

[CrOtALiTo]

Yes, that places would to be very beautiful and very comfortable are there, I'd like go to some place of those.

[Rusty]

Yes, that places would to be very beautiful and very comfortable are there, I'd like go to some place of those.

Yes, those places (esos lugares)
would to be very beautiful and very comfortable are there.
I'd like to go to some of those places.

[CrOtALiTo]

Oh right, thanks for the correction.

[Planet hopper]

Barcelona (Barna, BCN) is not the friendliest spot in Sp. It's a bit like Shanghai in China, a city with a somehow different story and often quarreling with the capital. However, they are friendly, of course. Life is a 30% cheaper in Andalusia than in Barna. A catalan MUST be able to talk spanish by law, if they pretend they can't they are teasing you.

[Jessica]

I don't understand the Spanish. Someone translate please.

[Rusty]

Jessica, I believe you can find most of those words in a dictionary. The conjugated verbs won't be there, but you've studied Spanish long enough to be able to guess the infinitive for most of them.
Give it a try. Post your translation efforts here and we'll fill in the gaps. Te gusta la tarea. It'll be fun!

[CrOtALiTo]

Yeah, Jessica, you translate the post of Malin that is in Spanish, over all the word that you can't understand find them in the dictionary if you don't know, don't worry if you have scary to make mistakes. it's the true, it's normal, by please you must effort in translate the post to English to Spanish.

[Jessica]

okay I will try to figure out what it means by myself. :)

[poli]

My experience in Spain is that people have a tendency to respect others'
privacy a lot. Americans (this includes North Americans and South Americas-we have much in common) are more likely to ask where you are from and what you do. Spaniards don't generally do this unless they have been speaking with you for awhile. I'm not sure, but I think this "politeness" may be a carry-over Franco years when asking a lot of questions got people in trouble. In a totaltitarian regime sometimes knowing a lot isn't good:blackeye:. Of course, this doesn't explain Chile and Argentina's more curious nature, and they have had regimes as bad or worse han Spain's.

[CrOtALiTo]

The respect to the right alien is the peace.

[Planet hopper]

My experience in Spain is that people have a tendency to respect others'
privacy a lot. Americans (this includes North Americans and South Americas-we have much in common) are more likely to ask where you are from and what you do. Spaniards don't generally do this unless they have been speaking with you for awhile. I'm not sure, but I think this "politeness" may be a carry-over Franco years when asking a lot of questions got people in trouble. In a totaltitarian regime sometimes knowing a lot isn't good:blackeye:. Of course, this doesn't explain Chile and Argentina's more curious nature, and they have had regimes as bad or worse han Spain's.

Hi Poly,

There are a few topics that are taboo in Spain and usual in America. I don't see a relationship with Franco, the dictatorship did not influence Spain since the mid-60s culturally. Spanish are more intolerant than France, for instance, but only for the same reason as Ireland is more intolerant than the uk, because there are less immigrants.

Let's focus:

It is pretty private to ask where are you from and what do you do, however, it is not felt as an embarrassing question either, because you may reply or not. 'Preguntando se llega a Roma' 'Por preguntar que no quede'

There is a very impolite q, and that is, asking How much did you pay for sth? Any Spaniard will give you a wet look if you do that, I think. Money is considered a vulgar topic. On that line, if you are invited to dine at a Spanish home, you will seldom, if ever, hear things like 'I paid 50K for that painting'. No way.

Salu2

PH

[poli]

I can't quite figure it out. Here in the Americas, "what do you do" and "where do you come from" are common questions people ask almost as soon as they meet. In my experience, this is much less common in Spain but maybe this is just my personal experience and not necessarily the rule. I suspect that it is considered impolite to ask such questions to near strangers. I think that it is certainly more discreet not to pry into people's lives right away. In Latin America and Anglo America as well the "what do- you- do" and "where- do -you- come -from" questions are really common and should not be seen a rude--just curious.

As far as asking the price of everything: I think that it's rude or at least is an indication that someone is putting price on the front burner, and that's often not a good trait,but it's fairly common. I usually save those questions for the price of apples and tomatoes:)

[sosia]

agree "in general" with Planet Hopper
asking for your income or price: never, unless the other person says it (usually for self-pride and usually much higher than real :D)
About "what do you do", generally only if you work in the same company, for working better.
If you meet someone in a picnic, for example, it's not usual till you speak for 5 minutes.

"where do you come from", it's not so important.
You can ask both with not bigger problems, but it's better to ask for family or the enviroment (weather, place, etc) first. then, by speaking, those questions will arose.
saludos :D

[Elaina]

The respect to the right alien is the peace.

Creo que quieres decir ... "El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz"....

Pero lo que escribiste dice....el respeto al derecho [extranjero o extraterrestre] es la paz.

O

El respeto al extranjero/extraterrestre correcto es la paz.

I think you should've written....

Respect for others' rights is peace.

¿Sí?

[Tomisimo]

You know your Benito Juárez don't you Elaina? :D

[Elaina]

Un poco.......