B2 – Upper intermediate
Stereotypes are nothing new. We all have fixed ideas of different cultures. Fortunately, most of them aren’t true. The article below shows an interesting view of Spanish stereotypes that are interestingly true.
Read the different points and be ready to express your points about them.
12 Stereotypes About The Spanish That Are DEFINITELY True
Discuss:
1. What was your initial reaction when you read the title?
2. Which of the stereotypes mentioned in the article do you think are true?
3. What other Spanish stereotypes do you know of that were not mentioned?
4. Share some of the stereotypes that you have of other culture.
8 replies on “Stereotypes About The Spanish That Are True”
Discuss:
1. What was your initial reaction when you read the title?
Well, I tried to imagine before read the article some of them, for me is difficult to stablish some Spanish stereotypes because in Spain there are different custom/habits according to each region (there are a lot of differences between us). But after I have read the article I agree with a lot of them… other simply we share with others countries (p.e. A lot of countries like to drink even more than us)..
2. Which of the stereotypes mentioned in the article do you think are true?
Our English is pretty bad
We like to drink…
And we also love eating.
We’re very family-oriented.
We have SO MANY bars.
We cook well (very well)
We speak very loudly.
We are on a different schedule from much of the rest of Europe.
We love free stuff
3. What other Spanish stereotypes do you know of that were not mentioned?
We like BIG Celebrations, we have some of the best in all over the world, for example: San Fermines, Fallas, La Tomatina, Feria de Sevilla, Semana Santa, etc., etc…
I think ENVY is our most important problem. I don’t know why but I think we are envious…
Also we think we are very friendly, very nice, very lovely, but I realised that we are very rude sometime with people of other cultures (p.e.: south American people), with not very good manners sometimes and very straightforward way of talk.
After being part of the European Union Spain have become a very stressed country, with a lot of overwhelmed people.
4. Share some of the stereotypes that you have of other culture.
Lot of them, but a don’t think they are completely true, for example:
Germans have a very square mind, they are pretty punctual, inflexible people, etc.
French, are very proud of themselves, not very nice, they think they are the best in the world…
English are drinkers, hooligans, poor educated, they don’t know how to cook, etc… but the best in music…
Italian are the best selling their products even though they know their product are not the best, they are able to sell them like gold.
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Surprisly i`m agree with the most spanish stereotypes. Specially with “we have so many bars” and “we´re always late” altought it´s difficult choose only one. My first reaction was laughing, it´s very funny feel identificate with all items. Another stereotypes thats come to my mind is “we love the public holiday” and don´t just love it if not that we have about twelve public holidays a year in addition to the twenty-two or so vacation days.
I from Ecuador, and one of the stereotypes that hear about my countrymen is “we are shorties”.
About black men the most often heard is that they have “well endowed”, you know.
Obviusly the streroypes are beliefs and generalizations tha we can´t have like absolute truths. Each person each goes beyond what you may think of him or her.
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Answer 1. My first reaction was curiosity because I don’t believe in stereotypes but I feel very shocked when I finished it because this article reflects very well the Spain reality! I totally agree with some of these stereotypes.
Answer 2. In general all of them have a part of true. But in my opinion: our language skills in general are bad , our passion for drink and eat due to, in part, good weather that allow us to live out and help in our personality or have a lot of bars because they will be always full!,, also the idea to love accumulate stuffs when are free, though you have never use them!
There are others that depends more of people, for example be late or be very family oriented o love fútbol…. in general Spaniards love soccer but it is more common in men. We usually eat lately but I disagree with the comment about we begin day late because I think we usually begin to work at the same time that other European countries.
Answer 3. I have heard that Spanish people are lazy and I totally disagree with this statement. I think we are very committed with people and work in general. Perhaps this wrong idea is due to we love drink, dance And expend time until early morning but when we have a responsibility we usually are responsable.
Answer 4. For example Italian men are romantic. After some years meeting Italians I can say that they wants the some that other men, their secret is they use better words!
German people very severe or rude, I think this affirmation is a bit true…
Thank you for sharing your reaction and thoughts on stereotypes about the Spanish people. Good job writing your responses.
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1. At the first time when I read the title I had curiosity about what type of stereotypes they have been pointed in the article.
Normally I not believe a lot in the stereotypes in general but I think that have a part of true but as well I think that it’s not fair to generalize or have a mental image about something or someplace only because we have a lot of stereotypes.
2. In general I’m agree with many stereotypes of the article. In the point that say that the spaniards drink a lot of alcohol I’m agree with this but I think that don’t drink more than other countries of Europe or America.
I think the same for the free gifts. In what country don’t like the free gifts?
Probably the point that I’m totally agree is when say that Spain have a lot of bares. It’s an evidence. When you walk for the streets of any city of Spain you can observe that are a lot of bares. More than the cities of other countries. Probably is one of the things that you miss more when you are in other country.
3. I heared a lot of times that the Spaniards are lazy in general. I don’t believe this. I know that many Spaniards have a different point of view for the work in his lifes. Probably for many Spaniards the job it’s a secondary matter and they prefer to try to enjoy the life.
Other Spaniards have another way of thinking and they put the work in the first place in the most important things of his lifes. In this case probably this type of persons works more than the average in the occidental countries.
But in general is true that the spaniards surely we have another way to see the life in compare with the Germans or the Russians for example. The explanation can be in the climate or in the hours of sun. I don’t know.
4. For example is typical to say that the Germans are more methodical in compare with the spaniards and have an strong sense of the reponsibility.
Another stereotype that I heard is in relation with the Americans. The people say that they don’t know a lot of things about the history or about the other countries of the world. Only they know about his history and the things that happens in his country.