The heart of a Spaniard does not belong primarily to all of Spain as a whole, but to the region where he was born. The devotion of a resident to his village or city comes first, then comes the region, and finally the country. There is also no such thing as a "typical Spaniard"; Spaniards are a nation of individualists. But despite the peculiarities of the inhabitants of each of the Spanish provinces, they also have common features of the national character.

Spaniards are open, gallant and have a good sense of humor. Although sometimes it may seem that they never think about tomorrow, but simply enjoy every moment of life. They are hospitable and friendly, they will never miss the opportunity to have fun or have a party. The Spaniards love risk and romance - they always admire those who risk their lives in the bullring during a bullfight.

Family ties are very strong in Spain - family is of paramount importance to a Spaniard. A large family, consisting of 20-30 relatives, often gathers under one roof to celebrate someone's birthday or other holiday. Spaniards prefer not to talk about their personal lives, and they solve problems that arise only within the family circle.

By nature, Spaniards are very sociable and spend most of their free time in their favorite bars or restaurants, where they can strike up a conversation with anyone. Having made friends with one Spaniard, you will soon be introduced to his entire company or family.

If you are considered a friend, then you will be treated with all the warmth and at the same time familiarity, so polite phrases will no longer be obligatory. The Spaniards are quite straightforward people, and if you don't look very good today, they will definitely tell you about it. However, their straightness has another, positive side. The Spaniards are great at saying nice words and compliments not only to their close friends and relatives, but also to just passers-by.

So, on the street, a Spaniard will not hesitate to express his admiration for the woman he likes.

Cheerful “Hello, beauty!” (“Hola, guapa!”) can be heard everywhere. But it’s best to accept such a compliment with a smile and go about your business.

One of the common words in Spain is “mañana” - “tomorrow” or “the day after tomorrow”, in a word, “later”.

If they promised to do something to you “magnano” and still shrugged their shoulders, then do not forget that this word is synonymous with “sometime later”, but not “tomorrow”!

Spaniards very rarely say directly “no” and always promise to do something so as not to disappoint their interlocutor, believing that the problem will resolve itself, so do as everyone else does - exaggerate the urgency and create a stir around your problem or business.

Business style of the country

The most business areas of the country are Madrid and central Spain, as well as Barcelona and Andalusia.

When starting a business with the Spaniards, it is worth knowing that the attitude to work of the residents of Barcelona and all of Catalonia is very different from the attitude of the rest of the country. Catalans may strike you as straightforward, sometimes even harsh and more expressive people than other Spaniards, although the people of Spain themselves consider them hardworking, thrifty and completely devoid of a sense of humor. Catalans, on the other hand, consider the residents of Madrid to be arrogant bureaucrats and tricksters who like to show off. Andalusians are leisurely and are more inclined to take long lunch breaks and conduct business outside of the office. But what all Spaniards have in common is the desire to establish good personal relationships, on the basis of which they try to build their business.

As a rule, offices in Spain are open from 9.00 to 13.00 and after the siesta they open only at 16.00 or 17.00 and work for no more than an hour and a half.

It is also common for decision makers to be out of the office after lunch. Therefore, it is better to schedule negotiations before lunch. And despite the fact that the Spanish government has established an official lunch break from 12.00 to 13.00 for government agencies, this had little effect on private enterprises, where quite often business issues are resolved over lunch or dinner. But paperwork and details are clarified later, in the office itself.

The main goal of a Spaniard in business is to earn enough to not have to work at all. It is almost impossible to motivate a Spaniard to move up the career ladder; they only listen to reprimands and criticism from the highest authorities, but pay little attention to it.

The Spanish style of business management itself can be described as top-down management. All key decisions are made directly by company managers or department heads, if this is within their competence. And despite Spanish impulsiveness, subordinates will not criticize their leader or speak out against him in front of strangers. And they will be extremely surprised if you try to do it in public. It is better to resolve all controversial issues over lunch or dinner in an informal setting, but not in front of your subordinates. Spanish pride does not tolerate public controversy.

In addition, for Spaniards in business, family relationships and long-term friendship are much more important than education, intelligence and work experience. Ambition in business is foreign to a Spaniard.

In order to do business in Spain, you first need to gain the trust of your Spanish partner. The human factor is extremely important for a Spaniard, and a cup of coffee with you can mean more than the exchange of a hundred emails or faxes. A personal phone call to your Spanish colleague can serve the same role.

Since in Spain many issues are resolved through personal connections, Spaniards can achieve more in a few days than an American or German can achieve in a few months. One call to the right person- and your issue is resolved!

During your first business trips, you may initially be shocked by the unpunctuality of the Spaniards, their failure to comply with any rules and instructions, as well as their manner of communication. Spaniards are accustomed to standing quite close to their interlocutor, actively gesticulating and talking very loudly. Sometimes it even becomes unclear whether two people are arguing or having a normal dialogue.

When communicating with Spaniards, it is better not to touch on topics such as:

• Spanish Civil War;
• Second World War;
• comparison of different provinces of Spain;
• Basque terrorism;
• Catholic Church;
• problems and topics of a personal nature (health, wage etc.);
• bullfight;
• policy;
• the social status of women.

If you want to support small talk, it is better to talk about the following topics:

• sports, especially football, motorcycle racing, Formula 1 auto racing;
• your family;
• historical places;
• trips;
• history of Spain (until the 20th century);
• Spanish architecture and art;
• music, literature;
• food and wine.

Appointment and conduct of business negotiations

When making an appointment with your Spanish partner, be sure to confirm your visit by phone in advance. And the most appropriate way to announce your arrival is to hand over your business card to the secretary, who will report your arrival to the office. You should be punctual and not get annoyed if you have to wait 15-30 minutes, because the Spaniards themselves are not known for punctuality.

The further ceremony of acquaintance is not much different from the traditional one - a handshake, an exchange of business cards. As a rule, the negotiations themselves take place with the participation of several partners at once and begin with communication on general topics: sports, weather, etc.

The Spaniards attach great importance to the fact that negotiations are conducted with persons equal in position. Since the representatives of this nation themselves like to talk a lot, the rules of meetings are often not respected. In addition, the Spaniards are not attentive listeners, and they pay more attention not to the content of the conversation, but to your appearance and style.

At the first meeting, the Spaniards begin business communication with a long introduction, talking about the status of their company, activities, and also define their goals. For your part, you must do the same. The main thing is to find common ground during the meeting, which can be discussed later. But only discuss, not argue!

During negotiations, it is very important to establish eye contact with your interlocutor: Spaniards want to know who they are dealing with.

Keep in mind that negotiations with Spanish managers take place in a rather noisy environment, with constant interruptions and other employees who want to contribute to the discussion process every now and then looking into the meeting room. But the final decision will rest with the boss.

Greetings, titles and forms of address

A greeting in Spain, in addition to the traditional handshake typical of business meetings, is often accompanied by hugs and a loud expression of joy (the latter is more typical for meetings of friends and good acquaintances).

When women meet, they greet each other and men by kissing both cheeks. In addition to shaking hands, men can also pat each other loudly on the shoulder. In addition, in order to focus on what was said, quite often in a conversation, the Spaniards can touch your hand.

In Spain, there is a rather diverse and complex system of personal names and addresses. Conventionally, three most typical forms can be distinguished:

1. Simple binomial model- personal name and family name, for example: Mario Diaz.
2. Three-term model, composed of two personal names and one family name, for example: Carlos Romiro Fernandez.
3. Polynomial model, composed of one or more personal names and two surnames, the first of which is patronymic in nature, indicating the relationship of the son to the father, and the second comes from the place of residence or place of birth, for example: Carlos Sanchez Malaga.

In a business conversation, the Spaniards use only the first surname, which makes it much easier to communicate with them.

When referring to close friends, relatives and children, the Spaniards use the personal pronoun "you" ("tu" - [tu]). The accepted official address “your grace” (“vuestra mersed”) is usually shortened to “you” (“usted” - [uste]), and you can switch to “you” only after the Spaniard himself suggested that you do this.

Forms of appeal:

Mister - Señor

Mistress - Senora

To an unmarried girl - Senorita

To the young man - Senorito

The addresses "don" or "donia" were originally used in the sense of a royal title, and later began to indicate aristocratic origin. Currently, the title "don" is used to address academics, doctors, lawyers and other people with higher education.

It must be remembered that the treatment "senor / señora / señorita / señorito" can only be combined with the full name or surname, and the appeal “don” can only be combined with the given name.

Language, the most common words of greetings and addresses in Russian transcription

Most common phrases:

Cloth

Despite the fact that Spain is a rather hot country by Russian standards, at a business meeting for Spanish men, a strict business dark suit or a dark blue blazer, a white shirt with a tie, and polished shoes are required.

A woman should come to a business meeting in a strict business suit or a dress with a semi-fitting silhouette and always wear nylon stockings. Expensive clothes, watches, cars and expensive jewelry for women are considered symbols of success.

Your expensive Mont Blanc pen or Cartier watch will certainly be noticed, and they will serve as a reason to treat you with more respect.

Present

Gifts are usually not given at the first meeting, but later they can serve as a sign of attention and a sign of a desire to establish closer friendships. A gift can also be given at the end of successful negotiations.

Having received a gift, you should open it immediately.

The most acceptable gifts for a Spanish partner:

• illustrated albums with views of their native country or locality;
• various music recordings and discs related to your homeland;
• products of folk craftsmen;
• gifts that advertise your company.

If you were invited to visit a Spaniard at home, it is best to present to the hostess of the house:

• box of good chocolates;
• exquisite sweets for tea;
• a bottle of good wine;
• flowers, but not dahlias and chrysanthemums - they symbolize mourning, and not in the amount of 13 pieces (to bad luck).

You should not give too expensive or extravagant gifts - they may be regarded as a bribe.

We wish you successful business with partners from Spain, and also - to understand and love this country, to be imbued with its hospitality, friendliness, passion and unforgettable beauty!