Learn what topics you should avoid during small talk in Mexico
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Intro |
|---|
| Michael: What topics are taboo in Mexico? |
| Cesar: And what are some things you should avoid doing? |
| Michael: At SpanishPod101.com, we hear these questions often. Imagine the following situation: Mark Lee is talking to his neighbor, Gustavo Gonzalez Brito. He asks, |
| "Whom will you vote for?" |
| Mark Lee: ¿Por quién vas a votar? |
| Dialogue |
| Mark Lee: ¿Por quién vas a votar? |
| Gustavo González Brito: Hablemos de otra cosa. |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| Mark Lee: ¿Por quién vas a votar? |
| Michael: "Whom will you vote for?" |
| Gustavo González Brito: Hablemos de otra cosa. |
| Michael: "Let's talk about something else." |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: Like the people in several other parts of the world, the people of Mexico value having a good time with their family and friends. Therefore, in order to preserve the harmony, it is best to avoid discussing subjects that could cause discomfort or conflict. |
| In this lesson, we'll talk about some topics that are generally best not brought up, as well as some things you should probably avoid doing while in Mexico. |
| In this lesson's dialogue, Mark Lee asked, |
| Cesar: ¿Por quién vas a votar? |
| Michael: meaning, "Whom will you vote for?" to which Gustavo replied, |
| Cesar: Hablemos de otra cosa. |
| Michael: meaning, "Let's talk about something else." |
| Politics, in general, is a delicate subject that may cause disagreement or discomfort, as people may, of course, have different political views. For this reason, as Gustavo suggested in his reply, it's usually better to talk about other things. |
| Another topic that may be better avoided is religion, or, in Spanish, |
| Cesar: religión. |
| Michael: The main religion in Mexico is Catholicism, which is followed by more than 80% of the population. Additionally, there are also many Christian traditions which are practiced in the country, including an annual pilgrimage to |
| Cesar: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, |
| Michael: "Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe," Mexico's patron saint, which is located in Mexico city. Although there are also non-Christian religions followed in the country, discussing religion openly may cause a situation in which something said can be seen as disrespectful, and, therefore, is something best avoided. |
| [Summary] |
| Michael: In this lesson, we've learned that Mexican people value social gatherings with family and friends in a friendly and harmonious environment. For this reason, difficult topics such as politics and religion, should be avoided whenever possible. Now, let's look at some example sentences. Our first sentence is |
| Cesar: No me gusta hablar sobre política. |
| Michael: "I don't like talking about politics." |
| As we've mentioned, people may have different political points of view, so discussing politics may lead to uncomfortable situations or even conflict. Therefore, it's a topic which should be avoided. |
| Michael: Our next sentence is |
| Cesar: Es importante respetar la religión de los demás. |
| Michael: "It's important to respect other people's religion." |
| As we've learned, although non-Christian religions are also represented, Mexico's main religion is Catholicism, which is followed by more than 80% of the country. To avoid uncomfortable situations, caused by openly discussing either religion itself, or topics that may present different views or interpretations based on one's religion, it's better to talk about other general subjects during gatherings of family or friends. |
| Expansion/Contrast |
| Michael: Let's now learn about some things you should not do while in Mexico. Firstly, when invited to a party at someone's home, you should try to remember to arrive about thirty minutes late, and not early or on time. To "arrive early," |
| Cesar: llegar temprano, |
| Michael: or "arrive on time," |
| Cesar: llegar a tiempo, |
| Michael: is often considered inappropriate or rude, as your hosts may not be ready yet. Another important point to pay attention to is to avoid only giving a general "hello" when meeting a group of people in Mexico, as that would also be considered rude. Instead, you should take the time to properly greet each person separately. In Mexico, it's common to make physical contact while greeting others. Between strangers, it's normal to give handshakes during greetings. However, if anyone gives you "a hug," or |
| Cesar: un abrazo, |
| Michael: try to keep in mind that it's a friendly gesture, which often functions as a display of friendship as well. |
| Practice Section |
| Michael: Let's review the sample conversation: Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud, and then listen carefully as Cesar models the correct answer. Repeat after him, with the focus on your pronunciation. Are you ready? |
| How do you say, "Whom will you vote for?" |
| [Beep. Pause 5 seconds.] |
| Cesar: ¿Por quién vas a votar? |
| Michael: Did you get it right? Listen again and repeat. Remember to focus on your pronunciation. |
| Cesar: ¿Por quién vas a votar? |
| [Beep. Pause 5 seconds.] |
| Cesar: ¿Por quién vas a votar? |
| Michael: Let's move on to the second sentence. How do you say, "Let's talk about something else." |
| [Beep. Pause 5 seconds.] |
| Cesar: Hablemos de otra cosa. |
| Michael: Did you get it right this time? Listen again and repeat. |
| Cesar: Hablemos de otra cosa. |
| [Beep. Pause 5 seconds.] |
| Cesar: Hablemos de otra cosa. |
| Cultural Insight/Expansion |
| Michael: Speaking Spanish while in Mexico, even if it's only basic greetings, like "Good day!" or |
| Cesar: ¡Buen día! |
| Michael: which can be used at any time of the day, is certain to show your interest in the culture, and will certainly be appreciated by the people around you. To learn more about Basic Mexican Spanish Greetings, please see the lesson recommended in our Lesson Notes pdf. |
Outro |
| Michael: Do you have any more questions? We're here to answer them! |
| Cesar: ¡Hasta la próxima! |
| Michael: Until next time! |
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