Spain

Greetings

Man greeting Man – Men usually shake hands when greeting one another while maintaining direct eye contact. Good friends and family will engage in a hearty hug or abrazo. In certain regions, good friends and family may even exchange a kiss on each cheek.

Woman greeting Woman- Light kisses on the cheeks are the most common form of greeting for friends and family. Often times it is just a light touching of cheeks rather than actual kisses. At a first meeting a regular handshake or simple nod of acknowledgment will usually do.

Greetings between Men & Women- Light kisses on the cheeks are the most common form of greeting for friends and family. Often times it is just a light touching of cheeks rather than actual kisses. At a first meeting a regular handshake will do. It is customary to let the woman offer her hand first.

Note: The number of kisses may vary depending on the region you are in. Foreigners often have a hard time determining which side to kiss first. In this case, follow the Spanish person’s lead.

Communication Style

• Spaniards tend to be direct but in a diplomatic way. They will tell you the truth but often in a polite manner.
• Communication tends to be more on the formal side when in public and much less so in private.

Personal Space & Touch

• An arm's length distance or a bit closer is usually an appropriate amount of personal space during conversations.
• Spaniards tend to touch quite a bit during conversations. This is more common with good friends and family then say in business or formal situations.
• It is common to see people hug in public; couples kiss in public, women interlock arms with men while walking in the street ( del brazo). Public physical contact is considered normal within certain limits.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact tends to be the norm and is expected and appreciated.

Gestures

• Spaniards tend to talk with their hands quite a bit. In most conversations, hands are waving around giving emphasis to what is being said.
• A common gesture in a conversation is a slight shrugging of the shoulders while the arms are held mid-way to the chest and the hands are extended.
• Table manners are extremely important. A knife and fork are to be used in restaurants and it is not usually polite to eat with the hands.

Views of Time

• The view of time tends to be somewhat flexible. In social situations it is common to show up late but being on time for business situations is expected.
• Appointments and deadlines tend to be kept and most transportation services run on time.
• The view of time may shift slightly depending on the region. For example in the south, people tend be more relaxed about time than in the north.

Gender Roles

• Women are socially and legally equal to men. That being said, there is still discrimination and older generations tend to view women as the housewife and homemaker.
• Women hold a variety of positions of power in several industries, although salaries tend to be lower.

Law & Order

• The legal drinking age is 18 but it is not readily enforced. In some regions the age is 16.
• Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

• Any aggression directed towards the elderly simply not tolerated. The police come down very heavily on it, and so does the public.

Dress

• Spaniards tend to value looking good and have a keen sense of style.
• For Men: conservative yet stylish suits with shirts and ties.
• For Women: stylish business suits or dresses and blouses. Make-up and accessories are usually worn.
• Being well groomed and having all clothing neatly pressed is appreciated.
• Business casual may be appropriate in certain industries.

Titles & Business Cards

• Titles are important and it is best to address people directly by using Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname. Note: Señor is for Mr., " Señora " is Mrs. and "Señorita" is Miss.
• You should always wait to be invited to use first names before doing so yourself.
• There is no specific protocol surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards. It is always best to treat the card with respect.

Meetings

• Arriving on time for a meeting is important. Punctuality is valued.
• Business meetings tend to be structured but not overly formal, beginning and ending with a bit of small talk.
• The main purpose of meetings are to discuss, not to make decisions.
• Interrupting someone who is speaking is common, as is having several people speaking at once.

Negotiations

• Final decisions tend to come down to chemistry. Remain cool and professional; avoid any sort of confrontation and do not resort to hard sell tactics.
• Spaniards tend to take time when negotiating. Do not rush them or appear impatient. Expect a great deal of time to be spent reviewing details before a final decision is made.
• Decisions are generally made from the top down.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are not generally exchanged at initial business meetings.
• If invited over for dinner or a drink to a Spaniard’s home, you should always bring a gift. Either a bottle of high quality wine or a dessert is acceptable.
• Gifts tend to be opened when received.

In the Classroom

• The school year at most universities starts in mid to late September and ends in mid to late June. There is a winter break from mid December to early January and summer break from July to September. Most students have off for all major catholic holidays.
• University students can usually dress however the want, although sometimes style depends on what subject is studied. Most students tend to dress upscale casual.
• Grades at most universities are given on a scale from 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest and 5 being the minimum passing grade for a given subject.
• Lecture is the most common form of teaching, although group work, discussion and other forms are used as well.