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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   Spain (https://britishexpats.com/forum/spain-75/)
-   -   What's the difference??? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/spain-75/whats-difference-734231/)

steviedeluxe Oct 2nd 2011 4:37 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
If there are only women at the queue, you can ask ¿Quién es la última?, but if you're unsure whether there are men, then the correct question is ¿Quién es el último?
I thought it was normally feminine, because you were asking about the last person ¿Quién es la última (persona)?, and the noun persona is feminine. Regardless of whoever is in the queue. I don't suppose it matters either way..

evamar Oct 2nd 2011 5:09 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by steviedeluxe (Post 9653122)
I thought it was normally feminine, because you were asking about the last person ¿Quién es la última (persona)?, and the noun persona is feminine. Regardless of whoever is in the queue. I don't suppose it matters either way..
Not really a big issue, but if I see men in the queue I normally say ¿El último, por favor?" Not a lot of people think about the "persona" bit and it's always possible for a man who is not happy to be queuing in the first place to get a bit annoyed if he understands that you mean that shopping is normally for women. Yes, we still have quite a lot of those.

Things are changing... but just in case I do change gender depending on who is in the queue.

OR... we can all go equality crazy and ask "¿Quien es el último o la última, por favor?". I do get annoyed when politicians feel female voters want them to say things in both genders... Actions, not words!!! :p

JLFS Oct 2nd 2011 5:23 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by evamar (Post 9653001)
I completely agree about the excessive P's and Q's in the UK... I actually tried hard and managed to get 8 out of one poor sale assistant once, was that a personal record? In Spain they would have saved maybe 6 or even all of them! I normally only say it once, when I have everything I am to buy from that person and the change in my pocket, and maybe 2 in the UK so they won't think that my parents didn't do a good job, not because I think so many courtesies are actually necessary for a very simple task.

But on the other hand, I do greet people in the street, in a lift or in a bar, say "que aproveche", ask for "el último?"... and yes, quite often I say "hasta luego" even to people I don't know and don't expect to see later on.

I know many people who don't smile at all unless you are a very close friend or family... in Spain and in the UK. I think that is more a personal thing than anything.

Different manners... but we are normally just as sticky as you are when it comes to say our good-byes (in plural!) :lol:
There was a discussion a while backon the radio about speaking to people when they are eating a meal.

Apparently it is not good manners at all, because if a comment made to a diner,then they are expected to answer,and with a mouth full of food it can be quite difficult.

Also, if in a restaurant, there could have been quite afew others who have made the same "bon apetit" type comments to the diners, so they could be a little peed off after the 20th for example.

Apparently the Spanish upper class pass by without commenting when the see people eating.....

Also,people in a restaurant are often talking business or want to feel anonymous.

jimenato Oct 2nd 2011 9:17 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by cricketman (Post 9652973)
Really? You must live on a different Spanish planet to me! :rofl:
Hope so.:rofl:

I've no idea whether you're talking about smiling or saying thank you...

(BTW different ...FROM me, not ...TO me);)

anonimouse Oct 2nd 2011 9:21 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 9653192)
Also,people in a restaurant are often talking business or want to feel anonymous.

mmmmm, interesting :o

JLFS Oct 2nd 2011 9:48 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by anonimouse (Post 9653500)
mmmmm, interesting :o
Oh yes, a typo,my mistake, it should have said "feel anonimouse" :rofl::rofl:

fionamw Oct 2nd 2011 9:53 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 9653552)
Oh yes, a typo,my mistake, it should have said "feel anonimouse" :rofl::rofl:
..... or you could view it as couples wanting to be anonymous in restaurants (or anywhere else for that matter) at least one of them must be a rat!

megmet Oct 2nd 2011 12:58 pm
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by The Oddities (Post 9651228)
I found this strange until I realised that they know that I always say buenas dias or hola or bon dia so they say adios or luego therefore one of you is saying hello and the other is saying the goodbye instead of you both saying both things.

Rosemary
It's actually just the same as us saying... Hiya! and walking on. :D
In reality it a 'Hi I've seen you but don't have time to stop' sort of greeting.

anonimouse Oct 3rd 2011 6:18 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 9653552)
Oh yes, a typo,my mistake, it should have said "feel anonimouse" :rofl::rofl:
:thumbsup:

fionamw Oct 3rd 2011 6:31 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by megmet (Post 9653809)
It's actually just the same as us saying... Hiya! and walking on. :D
In reality it a 'Hi I've seen you but don't have time to stop' sort of greeting.
I've got to say I've still never heard anyone saying adios as a greeting in isolation. Other than its usual use, I've only ever heard adios as a reply to someone saying hola, or buenas, (etc) as a kind of 'yep, seen you, hi, not going to stop, see you again' ....

adra04778 Oct 3rd 2011 6:48 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
They say that in our area, its quite normal Lol !

fionamw Oct 3rd 2011 6:50 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by adra04778 (Post 9655150)
They say that in our area, its quite normal Lol !
What? Adios with no other greeting from either party? Seriously? :ohmy:

adra04778 Oct 3rd 2011 6:57 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Yes, I do it myself too :(

JLFS Oct 3rd 2011 8:15 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by fionamw (Post 9655155)
What? Adios with no other greeting from either party? Seriously? :ohmy:
yes,it is quite common in loads of places, especially with the older folk, they are not really saying goodby but "go with God".

fionamw Oct 3rd 2011 9:54 am
Re: What's the difference???
 
Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 9655333)
yes,it is quite common in loads of places, especially with the older folk, they are not really saying goodby but "go with God".
Fairenufski. Don't think they do here, but maybe I've been assuming communications incorrectly:huh: :lol:


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