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Getting to know you - Lesson 1 - Conversation:

Saludos y Presentaciones 

(Greetings and Introductions)

(photo by  Oleg Mirabo used under terms of Creative Commons license.)

 

Sargento Hudson:	Buenas tardes. Señor Alvarez.  êsta es Kathrene, mi mujer.	Good afternoon. Mr.Alvarez, this is Kathrene, my wife.
Señor Alvarez:	Mucho gusto. ¿Cómo está usted?	Pleased to meet you. How are you?
Señora Hudson:	Muy bien, gracias. Esto es precioso...la casa, el jardín.	Very well, thank you. This is beautiful...the house, the garden.
Señor Alvarez:	Muy amable. Miren. Vengan por aquí.  Quiero presentarles a unos amigos.	[You are] very kind. Look. Come this way. I would like to introduce some friends to you.
Sargento Hudson:	¡Estupendo!	Great!
Señor Alvarez:	Pilar, Manolo, Este es el Señor Hudson y su señora.	Pilar, Manolo. This is Mr. Hudson and his wife.
Señor Serrano:	Mucho gusto. gusto. Manuel Serrano. Pilar, mi mujer.	Pleased to meet you. Manuel Serrano. Pilar, my wife.
Sargento Hudson:	Encantado.	Delighted.
Señora Hudson:	Encantada.	Delighted.
Señora Serrano:	Encantada.	Delighted.

 

Notes on conversation

Buenas tardes. Equivalent to "good "good afternoon" and/or "good evening."It is used any time after lunch until dusk. Remember that lunch in Spain is any time from one to three in the afternoon.

Este es el Señor  Hudson y su señora . El "the," is used when introducing a man with a title. Señor, "Mr." is considered a title. When introducing, a woman, la is used before the title señora. For example: la señora Hudson.

Señor, señora and señorita may be used without names. They are used by servants, and they are equivalent to "sir" and "ma'am". When a woman is introduced, her full name may be used. Note that spanish women, officially, keep their maiden names; therefore if a couple have different names this does not necessarily mean that they are not married to each other. Some women, especially in the older generation, still use their husbands' name preceded by de, "of."

For example: Señora de Felipe Díaz or Señora de Diáz. When talking about a woman or a man, her or his title should be used unless she or he is very young, your own age, belongs to the circle of your friends or co-workers, is a servant of yours, or a well known politician or entertainer. You may talk about: el señor Giménez, Giménez, la señora Suârez, Suárez, but when referring to well known people, you say: Julio Iglesias, Nuria Espert, Felipe González.

 

When introducing yourself, you say your first and last names without any title. When introducing your wife, you say her name and you may add: mi mujer. You may also say: mi esposa as is customary in Latin America. You should never say: mi señora. When speaking to your servants, you refer to your wife as la señora.

 

Kathrene, Manolo, Pilar. First names are used among friends and in the family. In Spanish schools the students are called by their last names. Often old schoolmates continue calling each other by their last names all their lives.