Dinner party conversation in Spanish: news, holidays, food
¿Y a ti qué te parece?
“And what do you think?”
When: After summarizing news or a custom
The moment
You are at a long dinner in Madrid, well into the sobremesa, seated next to a very curious neighbour. She opens with a story from the telediario, moves on to how your country celebrates Christmas, and finishes by insisting that Spanish food beats yours.
B1 · Unit 4 · Culture & conversation · Checkpoint
This is the unit’s checkpoint: one roleplay that puts the unit’s scenes together.
The lines
Handing over the question
The engine of any Spanish dinner table: after you summarize something, pass it back with "¿Y a ti qué te parece?" It buys you thinking time and makes you sound genuinely interested.
¿Y a ti qué te parece?
“And what do you think?”
When to use it: After summarizing news or a custom
What you’ll hear back: Pues mira, yo lo veo de otra manera. (Well look, I see it differently.)
Give ground, then push back
Concede before you counter and the disagreement stays warm: "Ya, en eso te doy la razón, pero sigo pensando que la nuestra tiene su punto." Keep the ya and the pero, and swap the ending to fit the argument.
Ya, en eso te doy la razón, pero sigo pensando que la nuestra tiene su punto.
“Yes, you're right about that, but I still think ours has something special.”
When to use it: Defending your cuisine over dinner
What you’ll hear back: ¿Su punto? ¡Anda ya! (Its charm? Come off it!)
Words for this scene
| Spanish | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| Por lo visto | por loh BEES-toh | Apparently |
Por lo visto han cerrado el bar de la esquina de toda la vida. Apparently they've closed the corner bar that's been there forever. Tip: Lets you share news without being on the hook for it. | ||
| ¿Y aquí cómo se celebra la Nochevieja? | ee ah-KEE KOH-moh seh theh-LEH-brah lah noh-cheh-BYEH-hah | And how is New Year's Eve celebrated here? |
Oye, ¿y aquí cómo se celebra la Nochevieja, en casa o en la calle? Hey, and how is New Year's Eve celebrated here, at home or out? Tip: Asking about a fiesta is the safest icebreaker at any table. | ||
| Para gustos, colores. | PAH-rah GOOS-tos, koh-LOH-res | To each their own. |
Venga, para gustos, colores. Brindemos y en paz. Come on, to each their own. Let's toast and leave it there. Tip: Land it with a smile and the argument ends as friends. | ||
Your objective
Give your take on the news story, explain a holiday from home, and defend your country’s food while granting them one point.
- your take on the news
- a holiday from home
- a point you concede
Lines that get it done
- Por lo visto han cerrado el bar de la esquina de toda la vida. · Apparently they've closed the corner bar that's been there forever.
- Ya, en eso te doy la razón, pero sigo pensando que la nuestra tiene su punto.
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. Your neighbour mentions a story you only half heard. How do you pass it on without vouching for it?
- Según lo visto, han cerrado el bar de la esquina.
- Por lo visto, han cerrado el bar de la esquina.
- Por lo visto, hayan cerrado el bar de la esquina.
- Por lo ve, han cerrado el bar de la esquina.
Show the answer
Por lo visto, han cerrado el bar de la esquina.
Por lo visto is fixed and is followed by a normal indicative verb.
2. She describes a local Christmas custom that sounds like yours. How do you say so?
- Se parece bastante con lo que hacemos nosotros.
- Nos parece bastante a lo que hacemos nosotros.
- Se parece bastante a lo que hacemos nosotros.
- Se parece bastante a lo que hacimos nosotros.
Show the answer
Se parece bastante a lo que hacemos nosotros.
Parecerse takes a before the thing being compared, never con.
3. The food argument is going in circles. How do you close it warmly?
- Para colores, gustos.
- Por gustos, colores.
- Para gustos, los colores.
- Para gustos, colores.
Show the answer
Para gustos, colores.
The saying is fixed in that order and with no article.