I wonder if spaniards feel embarrassed when they see gyppos running round pushing flowers in tourists faces (and worse)

I always do try to learn a few words in any country I visit but I doubt large and small beer as in OP would have been a priority! Anyone doing a cruise in the med would have to spend some time before their holiday.

If anyone should feel ashamed it is the chiringuito. Millions of British tourists pass through the coast every year, they are the ones who should know large and small in at least 4 languages.

I suppose you realise that many spaniards earn their living because most ex-pats don't speak the lingo. Just reading the posts on here demonstrates that most of you are incapable of even calling the ayuntamiento to ask which documents are needed for empadramiento etc. I would really like to be a fly on the wall listening to some of you "embarrassed to be Brit folk" have a conversation in spanish.

Just to wrap up who do you think the chiringuito would prefer as a customer. A high spending tourist who pays around 70 euro for a meal and drinks or an impoverished ex-pat who chats to him in spanish, has a tubo for an hour and leaves.

Or cuatro even!

Agree, the village bore that wants to practice his poor Spanish with you whilst nursing a tubo for hours, or the gobby free spending monoglot boring ex pat? No contest really!

Harrumph.

(I did wonder, but didn't have the cojones to suggest such a thing)


Agree it would be a different kind of embarrassment to demonstrate my less than brilliant Spanish in front of those who speak it far better than I; sufficient, though, for car repairs, hospitals, ferreteria, school, etc etc. Think it's a bit of a generalisation to suggest 'most posters' couldn't find out for themselves what papers are needed for empadronamiento, though.

Making an effort with a foreign language is praiseworthy but not always possible. What annoys me, though, is the assumption that the other person will know English. People who don't know a foreign language can redeem themselves with the magic words, "Do you speak English?", before ordering/enquiring etc. in clear, simple language.
More than once I've been approached in the street by Brits or Americans who started straight off with "Can you tell me the way to...?" I said "How did you know I spoke English?" Their reply: "Oh, I didn't know". My response: "Well, there are more Italians who speak English than Brits who speak a foreign language, but not all of them do and it's polite to ask first".

Well, I've learnt something. I know I'm a marido but have always referred to my wife as mujer, en pantalones if I'm angry.

I know who they'll have the most respect for ! By the way its Empadronamiento. And those who ask on here, it's because they want to get it right.

Like it or not English is still a universal language. On the coast Germans, Dutch, French, Scandiavians all use it to communicate with spanish in the service sector. That is why the spanish authorities run lots of free English courses (many over-subscribed) because the junta recognises the need in a tourist area.

It's not made up, don't believe him, learn from the Spanish. If you google images "mi marida" you'll get a load of rude photos of their "maridas", be warned! The normal word we use for to marry is "casarse con" but the verb "maridar" is a much less common word to mean to marry. From "maridar" comes marido, so why not marida, the female form?

Its made up.

My wife with a degree in philology says its made up, so thats good enough for me. If you dont believe me then just look in a dictionary

You are making certain assumptions here. If the bar isn't full, then an intelligent bar owner knows that the ex pat comes in two or three times a week, and even if he only spends a euro a time, then that will add up to 150 euros a year. More if he has the odd meal.

Besides, we aren't talking about having long conversations here, just going in with a "Hi, how's things," and a minute or two's small chat, BUT NEVER IF THEY ARE RUN OFF THEIR FEET.

Again it's down to good manners. If we turn up to our local, and they are packed out we just walk away and come back the following day.

It seems to me that several people on here don't have much familiarity with Mr Manners.

I just refer to 'Mi media naranja'.

Yeah, a good point, well made.

A friend who was a copper told me how he was accosted by a car full of Jocks looking to attend the football match.

"Hey Jimmy!" They shouted at my mate. "Which way's the fiba' grounds?"
"How d'you know my name is Jimmy?" (It wasn't.)
"Lucky guess"
"Well guess where the football is then,"

Quite so, and it stuns me that a lot of unemployed Spanish don't realise that learning the basic in German and English would make themselves more employable.

HOWEVER, it still doesn't alter the fact that it is wrong to assume that the person you are speaking to speaks English, and simple good manners to learn a simple phrase like 'Porfa, sabe Ud. Inglés?'

I agree jonwel put it very well! It's the assumption that's key.

btw, marida seems to come up as being helpmate, companion, spouse, partner....