{"id":198,"date":"2016-09-13T17:38:08","date_gmt":"2016-09-14T01:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/?p=198"},"modified":"2022-09-01T17:26:38","modified_gmt":"2022-09-02T01:26:38","slug":"common-spanish-stereotypes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/common-spanish-stereotypes\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Spanish Stereotypes"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"common<\/p>\n

Every culture has stereotypes linked to it: Americans are fat; the Irish love to drink; Mexicans are lazy. While some of these conceptions are based loosely on real aspects of the different cultures they define, it doesn\u2019t mean that they are completely, without a doubt, 100% true 100% of the time.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, what do people say about Spain? Spaniards are obsessed with bulls, fiesta, siesta, sangria, and paella. Just like the beliefs that Russians bleed vodka and the Scottish are always angry are pretty far off from the truth, so are these widely held conceptions of Spaniards. <\/span>
\nSo, let\u2019s look at some of the more well-known Spanish stereotypes, where they come from, as well as which ones are true, false, and somewhere in between. <\/span><\/p>\n

1. Spaniards are lazy and need a \u201csiesta\u201d in the middle of the day.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Of course we had to start with probably one of the most well-known and highly believed stereotypes about Spaniards–the \u201csiesta\u201d! <\/span><\/p>\n

While it\u2019s true that the \u201csiesta\u201d is still observed in a lot of cities around the country, this doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s practiced. Let me explain. Yes, from about 2:00-4:30pm a lot of the local shops, stores, etc. close down and people go home to have lunch. But, No, they don\u2019t actually take a nap! This is something that usually only older people or really little kids do. <\/span><\/p>\n

Generally speaking, if a person is lucky enough to be able to go home during this time (since not ALL shops, stores, etc. actually close) they are usually eating, or relaxing with their family. But don\u2019t think that they\u2019re going home in the middle of the day to sleep for two hours. That\u2019s just silly.
\n<\/span>
\nAlso, it\u2019s good to note that in larger cities (Madrid, Barcelona, etc.) a lot of places don\u2019t close for \u201csiesta\u201d. And even in the smaller towns, the larger chain stores will stay open the entire day. <\/span><\/p>\n

2. Spaniards love to \u201cfiesta\u201d!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"common<\/p>\n

Via <\/span>Visualhunt<\/span><\/p>\n

This is one of those that is partially true and partially false. It\u2019s definitely true that if any group of people knows how to have a good time, it\u2019s the Spanish! But, the idea that many people have that every Spanish person spends their weekends bouncing from club to club, or dancing in the streets at festivals like the \u201cTomatina\u201d or \u201cSan Ferm\u00edn\u201d is simply not true.
\n<\/span>
\nDepending on the time of year, you will see a lot of partying going on all around the country. \u201cSemana Santa\u201d (Holy Week) is a big one, as well as Carnival. In addition, each city will usually have its own local festival, which lasts about a week, and involves a lot of fun, cultural activities, live music, yummy food, and yes, a lot of \u201cfiesta\u201d takes place as well. But, aside from that, the rest of the year, it\u2019s pretty \u201cdown to business\u201d just like it is everywhere else. <\/span><\/p>\n

3. Spanish women look like Penelope Cruz and Spanish men look like Antonio Banderas.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"common<\/p>\n

Via <\/span>Visualhunt<\/span><\/p>\n

No, not all Spanish people have dark hair, olive skin, and dark eyes. The variety of appearance in Spain is pretty huge. You will see everything from a redhead to a blond, with everything in between. The pasty people that turn a slight shade of red all summer long, to the lucky few that have the dark skin that turns a lovely tan color after being in the sun for only 20 minutes.
\n<\/span>
\nThere may be a higher number of brunettes walking around, but that doesn\u2019t mean that that\u2019s the only thing you\u2019ll see! So, we\u2019ll go ahead and assume that this stereotype is false. <\/span><\/p>\n

4. Everyone in Spain knows how to dance Flamenco!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"common<\/p>\n

Via <\/span>Pixabay<\/span><\/p>\n

No! No! No! This is one that couldn\u2019t be more false. Flamenco is a <\/span>regional<\/i><\/b> dance. That\u2019s right. <\/span>REGIONAL<\/i><\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

The region it comes from also happens to be the one that most people assume all of the country is like when they think of Spain–Andalusia. It\u2019s in the south, and that\u2019s where you\u2019ll find the stereotypical sunny days, sandy beaches, and yes, flamenco dancers.
\n<\/span>
\nIn other regions, they have their own dances. The <\/span>Jota<\/span><\/i> in \u00c1ragon is danced in pairs, and they do have the typical castanets associated commonly with Spanish-style dances. The <\/span>Sardana<\/span><\/i> in Catalonia involves a larger group, usually several couples, joining hands and dancing in a circle. And the <\/span>Mu\u00f1eira<\/span><\/i> in Galicia and Asturias holds to the two regions\u2019 deep Celtic roots–the music being provided by bagpipes. <\/span><\/p>\n

5. Bullfights are a national pastime.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"common<\/p>\n

Via <\/span>Visualhunt<\/span><\/p>\n

This one, again, is not true–at all! In fact, the country\u2019s most symbolic sport has been under fire a lot recently, from the Spanish people themselves. It\u2019s already been outlawed in Catalonia (in case you didn\u2019t know that\u2019s where Barcelona, one of the most well-known Spanish cities, is located). <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, during the local festivals, which were mentioned early in this post, throughout much of the country there are the \u201ccorridas de toros\u201d (bullfights). But other than that, it\u2019s not very common to hear of one going on.
\n<\/span>
\nIt\u2019s not like basketball or football where there are matches every week and the stands are packed with eager spectators cheering on their favorite \u201cmatador\u201d (bullfighter). For most of the year, the bull ring (if the city does, in fact, have one, since a lot of them don\u2019t) is used for other things, such as concerts or other major events. <\/span><\/p>\n

6. The Spanish people eat either a lot of Paella or tacos and beans.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"common<\/p>\n

Via <\/span>Pixabay<\/span><\/p>\n

This is something really funny, actually. It seems like everyone knows of the famous, traditional, Spanish rice dish Paella. But, at the same time, they assume that if people in Spain aren\u2019t eating that, they\u2019re eating the meals one would usually associate with Mexico or other Latin American countries. <\/span><\/p>\n

Paella<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s break this down and look at it piece by piece, starting with Paella. Yes, paella is from Spain, so we\u2019re on the right track there. But, it\u2019s not a <\/span>national<\/i><\/b> dish. Like Flamenco dancing, it\u2019s <\/span>regional<\/i><\/b>. <\/b>Technically, paella comes from Valencia, a region in the south-eastern part of the country, right below Catalonia, and bordering the Mediterranean. <\/span><\/p>\n

You can find it all around the country, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s the dish associated with each region, just that the hype has caught on, and to draw in tourists they\u2019ll offer it at different restaurants.
\n<\/span>
\nEach region will also have it\u2019s own special cuisine, like it has its own special dance. In Galicia the \u201cpulpo\u201d (octopus) is very famous, and very delicious. In Castilla y Le\u00f3n, they\u2019re known for their pork. You\u2019ll find (most famously in Segovia) a dish known as \u201ccochinillo\u201d (roasted suckling pig) that literally melts in your mouth! And in Castilla la Mancha you\u2019ll fall in love with the \u201cManchego\u201d cheese.<\/span><\/p>\n

No tacos here! <\/strong><\/h3>\n

The other commonly held belief is that the Spanish diet mirrors that of the Mexican. That\u2019s like saying that in the USA they eat Fish and Chips, and in Britain they eat nothing but hamburgers and hotdogs. Just because two countries share the same language doesn\u2019t mean that the links between them go much deeper than that.
\n<\/span>
\nActually the word \u201ctaco\u201d in Spain means \u201cswear word.\u201d Not meaning that it is a swear word, but that the word itself means \u201cswear word.\u201d You\u2019ll hear a lot of mothers scolding their children, saying \u201cDid you just use a \u2018taco\u2019?!\u201d So be careful when you go around trying to order a \u201ccuss word.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

7. The Spanish people are very religious.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"common<\/p>\n

Via <\/span>Visualhunt<\/span><\/p>\n

This idea probably comes from a combination of the country\u2019s history, and the fact that from one corner of the country to the next you\u2019ll find the entire place sprinkled with church upon church, some dating back to the 12th Century.<\/span><\/p>\n

While it\u2019s true that the country has a lot of churches and cathedrals, this doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that they\u2019re all packed to bursting at Sunday morning mass. Actually, Spain is a relatively secular country, and only a small percentage of Spaniards actually attend mass regularly.
\n<\/span>
\nReligion in Spain is still practiced out of custom or tradition. The \u201cSemana Santa\u201d is still filled with one procession after the next with an assortment of religious figures being paraded down the streets. They still actively participate in the first communions and baptisms, but this is more of a cultural element than a religious one for many. <\/span><\/p>\n

8. It\u2019s always sunny in Spain!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"common<\/p>\n

Via <\/span>Pixabay<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, we\u2019re talking <\/span>regional<\/i><\/b> here. As mentioned before, a lot of the ideas that people have about Spain are most easily associated with its southern region Andalusia. Down there, you\u2019ll get temperatures up past 40C (100F) and the sun seems to shine non-stop from early Spring until well into October.
\n<\/span>
\nBut in other regions, this is most definitely not the case. In the north-west (Galicia and Asturias for example), you\u2019ll have very rainy days, and mild temperatures. In the center of the country (Castilla y Le\u00f3n or Madrid for example) you\u2019ll even get snow in the winters!<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Spaniards are always late!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"common<\/p>\n

Via <\/span>Pixabay<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, it\u2019s hard to argue with this one. The Spanish do have a reputation for showing up anywhere between 10-15 minutes late to meetings with friends, meals, or casual hang outs. It\u2019s one of those things that if you have plans to meet at 8:00 pm, you usually leave your house at 8:00 pm. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, for important things like business meetings and formal luncheons, punctuality is still expected and practiced. It\u2019s really a question of what\u2019s going on, who\u2019s going to be there, and if you need to impress said people at said place. Between friends, there\u2019s a little more slack, and it\u2019s not considered rude because they\u2019re probably thinking the same thing. <\/span><\/p>\n

Like all stereotypes, the ideas that most people have of Spain and Spaniards are somewhat based on a morsel of truth. There are a lot of churches, and if you go to the right places at the right times, you\u2019ll find sun, \u201cfiesta\u201d, bullfights, and Flamenco! <\/span><\/p>\n

But, don\u2019t be fooled into thinking that a country with such a rich and extensive history, a huge variety of not only landscapes and regions, but even different languages (Catal\u00e1n in Catalonia, Gallego in Galicia, Euskera in Basque Country) can be lumped together as one big mass of the same food, dances, customs, and traditions. <\/span><\/p>\n

And <\/span>please please please<\/span><\/i> don\u2019t assume that because over 500 years ago Columbus sailed the ocean blue and took the Spanish language and religion to the Americas that the cultures are similar. <\/span><\/p>\n

Spain is a country filled with a lot of different people, traditions, and rich, cultural heritage. If you want to know what it\u2019s really like for yourself, hop on a plane and take a trip! You\u2019ll be surprised how much you discover that you didn\u2019t even expect!<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you have anything more to add to this list? Feel free to leave a comment to share with the rest of the readers, and share it on social media, too!<\/b><\/p>\n

Traveling to a Spanish-speaking destination soon? Get your copy of this Spanish Phrasebook with audio.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/span>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every culture has stereotypes linked to it: Americans are fat; the Irish love to drink; Mexicans are lazy. While some of these conceptions are based loosely on real aspects of the different cultures they define, it doesn\u2019t mean that they are completely, without a doubt, 100% true 100% of the time. So, what do people […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"","tve_custom_css":"","tve_user_custom_css":"","tve_globals":{},"tcb2_ready":1,"tcb_editor_enabled":0,"tve_landing_page":"","_tve_header":"","_tve_footer":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[32,20,22,21],"class_list":["post-198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spanish-culture","tag-common-spanish-stereotypes","tag-spanish-habits","tag-spanish-people","tag-spanish-traditions","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=198"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15663,"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198\/revisions\/15663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydailyspanish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}