Spanish Matters - a blog in English and Spanish for those learning the language

By Pablo de Ronda

I’d always thought that one of the many advantages of getting older in Spain, in addition to retirement, grandchildren, mortgage paid off and time to travel, was significant tax breaks for over 65s.

An alarming report in one of the free English-language newspapers down here in southern Spain – the Euro Weekly News - seems to indicate that may not be the case.

Selling your property

The Spanish tax office, Hacienda, has issued a reminder to homeowners over 65 about the dos and don’ts of selling property, warning they could have problems with the taxman if they’re not careful.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom – some golden exemptions could save savvy pensioners from paying a fortune in taxes.

Tax in general

A third of your income in Spain goes on taxes. A new study reveals that the average Spanish household spends between 31% and 35% of its income on taxes.

Valentí Pich, of Spain’s General Council of Economists, has called the findings “eye-opening,” pointing out that whether it’s council tax (IBI), vehicle duty, electricity levies, or IVA (VAT), families are feeling the squeeze.

Are pensioners in property paradise?

When it comes to selling your house, Hacienda has laid down the law. Homeowners must reconcile taxes on the profits from their property sale. This includes:

Capital gains tax (included in IRPF - Impuesto de la Renta sobre las Personas Físicas) on any profit made. But who makes a profit these days? When I sold a property in 2019 and made a small capital gain, the notary in Ronda remarked that mine was the first property sold in years in the town that had shown a capital gain.

Municipal tax (plusvalía) on the rise in the value of the property.

Pro-rated IBI - This form of council tax is payable on a yearly basis. This is up for negotiation between seller and purchaser. When I sold the apartment referred to above, the IBI had just fallen due. We negotiated and the buyers agreed to take it on. Later in the year and that would be unlikely to happen, although a pro-rata arrangement sometimes works.

But here’s the silver lining for the silver generation. If you’re over 65 and selling your primary residence, or suffering from severe dependency, you should be able to dodge this tax bullet altogether.

‘Golden get-out clauses’ for those in their golden years

Hacienda provides generous exemptions for pensioners over 65 who sell their primary residence, helping them avoid hefty capital gains tax. Here’s how it works:

If you sell your home and receive payment as a lump sum or a lifetime annuity, any capital gains from the sale are exempt from taxation.

You can also sell the ownership rights (nuda propiedad) of your home while keeping the right to live there for life. This is called usufruct.

In this case, the sale qualifies for the exemption because the ownership transfer happens as part of the sale process.

What’s the catch?

The rules change if the property’s ownership is already split between two parties. For example, if one person owns the property (nudo propietario) and another person has the right to live there (usufructuario), neither party can claim the exemption, even if the property is their primary home.

This is a complex matter, so seek professional advice if you are in that situation. The best and cheapest option is the notary.

Note on “usufruct”:

Because I wholly own our domicilio (primary residence), my Spanish will states that my widow, although she has no financial interest in our home, would benefit from usufruct and could continue living there until she too dies or decides to leave. My heirs, my children, cannot force her to leave.

Watch out for unfair charges by Hacienda

Spanish homeowners were handed a lifeline by the courts in a trio of rulings that blew the lid off unfair plusvalía municipal charges.

In 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled (Sentencia 59/2017) that taxing a property sale with no profit – or even a loss – is unreasonable, allowing homeowners to challenge such demands.

Two years later, the court struck again (Sentencia 126/2019), declaring the tax unconstitutional if it exceeds the profit made from the sale, branding it ‘confiscatory.’

Then, in 2021, the Constitutional Court delivered another decisive ruling (Sentencia 182/2021), declaring that the method used to calculate the plusvalía municipal was fundamentally flawed.

The court found that it did not accurately measure the real increase – or lack thereof – in property value. As a result, the tax was suspended temporarily, forcing authorities to create a new and fairer calculation method before it could be reinstated.

The bottom line

If you’re over 65 or struggling to make ends meet, the rules might work in your favour.

But beware – there’s no room for mistakes. Mis-steps could see the taxman chasing you.

Once again, use the notary. Don’t waste money on expensive, and sometimes slapdash, lawyers.

And don't believe everything you read in the Euro Weekly News!

   Pablo, Rita and their kitten Paulinchen

© Pablo de Ronda

Further reading:

Foreigners who pay tax in Spain stand to cash in from next year

HOW TO ….. do your Spanish INCOME TAX return?

N.B. Notary Bene

N.B. Nota(ry) bene - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Where there’s a WILL … the process in Spain - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Photos and images:

Premier Consultants

Shutterstock

Symbolic

TeleAdhesivo

URBGIS

YouTube

Acknowledgements:

Euro Weekly News

Eye on Spain

Marc Menéndez-Roche 

Notaria Isabel Colominas Rivas

Secret Serrania

Tags:

capital gain, capital gains tax, Constitutional Court, council tax, dos and don’ts of selling property, electricity levies, English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News, exempt from taxation, Eye on Spain, General Council of Economists, ‘golden get-out clause’, grandchildren, Hacienda, IBI, IRPF, IVA, Isabel Colominas Rivas, lifetime annuity, lump sum,  Marc Menéndez-Roche , mortgage paid off, municipal tax, Notaria, nuda propiedad, ownership rights, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, pensioners over 65, plusvalía, plusvalía municipal, Premier Consultants, primary residence, professional advice, retirement, Secret Serrania, selling your property, Shutterstock, silver generation, silver lining, Spanish taxman issues warning to pensioners, Symbolic, tax breaks, TeleAdhesivo, time to travel, URBGIS, usufruct, usufructario, Valentí Pich, VAT, vehicle duty, YouTube

Nero fiddling ... [Photo courtesy of Reddit]

By  Don Pablo

In a similar manner, “Mazón lunched while Valencia flooded”.
 

The British daily ‘The Financial Times' has accused the president of the Generalitat Valenciana of being responsible for failing to manage the catastrophic impact of la DANA last week.

Mazón lunching with a female journalist? [Photo courtesy of Facebook]

In an article in Spanish published by the HuffPost on 14 November 2024, journalist Rodrigo Carretero highlights the main points of the FT article.

It makes interesting reading.

What follows is an abridged version. Spanish-learners should be able to read and understand it, perhaps with the help of a dictionary or Google Translate. 

Good luck!

***

El 'Financial Times' señala sin dudar al "responsable" del "fracaso" de la gestión de la DANA
 

    [Photo copyright GETTY Images]

El periódico económico británico Financial Times ha señalado el "largo almuerzo" de Carlos Mazón, presidente de la Generalitat Valenciana, como el "responsable del fracaso de la alerta de inundaciones en España".

El texto alerta de que "las devastadoras inundaciones que mataron a más de 220 personas en España han sido una dura advertencia sobre cómo los errores oficiales pueden provocar el fracaso de los sistemas de alerta de desastres en una era de catástrofes difíciles de predecir".

[Photo courtesy of The Evening Standard]

Mazón no envió una alerta de emergencia a los teléfonos móviles hasta después de las 18h00 del primer día, casi 13 horas después de que la agencia meteorológica estatal advirtiera de lluvias “muy intensas".

"Gran parte de la ira de los supervivientes se ha dirigido contra Carlos Mazón, el conservador jefe del Gobierno regional. El día de las inundaciones, Mazón mantuvo un almuerzo de tres horas con una periodista que, según los medios locales, no terminó hasta las seis de la tarde, cuando algunas localidades ya estaban inundadas y habían llegado las primeras noticias de personas desaparecidas", dice el texto.

Anti-Mazón  demo  in Valencia City [Photo: Europa Press]

El FT avisa de que "los expertos en desastres dicen que el trauma de España contiene lecciones para otros países, incluidos los del Mediterráneo, donde el cambio climático está creando nuevas amenazas que son tan peligrosas como difíciles de predecir".

"La lentitud de la respuesta indicó que algunos encargados de tomar decisiones no comprendían bien el fenómeno meteorológico extremo y tuvieron dificultades para evaluar la magnitud de la amenaza y decidir qué hacer, dijeron los expertos", avisa el diario inglés.

^{Devastation caused by la DANA in Valencia [Diario Publico]}

How did you get on?

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:
 

Financial Times

Diario Publico

Getty Images

HuffPost

Rodrigo Carretero

Tags:
almuerzo de tres horas, cambio climático, Carlos Mazón, Diario Publico, Don Pablo, fenómeno meteorológico, FT, Financial Times, "fracaso", Generalitat Valenciana, gestión, Getty Images, HuffPost, ira de los supervivientes, la DANA, lecciones para otros países, Mediterráneo, Nero fiddled while Rome burned, periódico económico británico, "responsable", Rodrigo Carretero, trauma

By Spanish Matters

In an article in Spanish published online the other night by 20 Minutos, there was a weather warning for seven Spanish provinces for yesterday Friday 15 November 2024.

Weather map of Spain [Courtesy of The Olive Press]

Apart from bringing us important news, it strikes me that this text is an ideal one for Spanish-learners to get their teeth into. 

You should be able to read and understand it, perhaps with a little bit of help from a dictionary or Google Translate. 

¡Buena suerte!

[Image courtesy of Wikipedia]

UNA BORRASCA FRÍA TRAERÁ LLUVIAS, TORMENTAS Y OLEAJE ESTE VIERNES A GRAN PARTE DE ESPAÑA: HAY SIETE PROVINCIAS EN ALERTA
AGENCIAS
 

    Flooding in Valencia [Photo courtesy of YouTube]

Más detalles
Una borrasca fría aislada traerá este viernes precipitaciones fuertes y persistentes en el Sistema Central occidental y Extremadura, que vendrán acompañadas de tormenta en Huelva y en el litoral de Cádiz. En este sentido, las intensas lluvias, tormentas y oleaje pondrán en aviso a siete provincias, según la predicción de la Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (Aemet).

Devastation [Photo courtesy of El Periodico Mediterraneo]

En lo que se refiere a las temperaturas, la predicción recoge un predominio de ascensos térmicos. El incremento de las máximas será más acusado en el sudoeste, donde el aumento puede ser notable, así como en el Cantábrico interior. 

Por lo demás, los valores del mercurio descenderán en el alto Ebro, Ibérica sur y en el sur del Pirineo y en el Pirineo se registrarán heladas débiles.

Las capitales de provincia que registrarán valores más altos serán Santa Cruz de Tenerife con 25 grados centígrados; Granada y Málaga con 24; y Almería, Córdoba, Melilla, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria y Sevilla con 23.

Predominarán los vientos del este y sureste en la Península y Baleares, con intervalos de fuertes y rachas muy fuertes en los litorales de Andalucía y del sureste, que no se descartan en los litorales gallegos, mientras que en Canarias soplarán de componente oeste. Asimismo, la Aemet ha indicado que continuará la entrada de calima en la Península y se prevén brumas y bancos de niebla matinales en zonas montañosas.

[Image courtesy of Farmers' Almanac]

***

How did you get on?

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:

20 Minutos

Photos:

Facebook

Farmers' Almanac

The Olive Press

Wikipedia

YouTube

Tags:

20 Minutos, Aemet, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Almería, alto Ebro, Andalucía, Baleares, borrasca, Cádiz, calima,  Canarias, Cantábrico, Córdoba, dictionary, Don Pablo, Extremadura, Facebook, Farmers' Almanac, Google Translate, Granada, Huelva, Ibérica sur, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, litorales gallegos, lluvias, Málaga, Melilla, oleaje, Península, Pirineo, precipitaciones, rachas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Sevilla, Sistema Central occidental, Spanish Matters, sudoeste, The Olive Press, tormentas, vientos del este y sureste, weather warning, Wikipedia, YouTube, zonas montañosas

We are now well into Autumn in Spain. In Andalucia pupils started school on 15 September, public swimming pools closed, the temperature dropped, and much-needed rains came.

Puente Nuevo, Ronda

After the August/September holiday period life has returned to normal, with shops opening for more hours and businesses and companies working longer. On 27 October the clocks go back one hour.

Autumn in the Serranía de Ronda

It’s now an ideal time for those who are retired, have no children in school and who enjoy walking, cycling, bird-watching and other country pursuits.

So, why not come to Montejaque?

There is lots of accommodation available: some small for two people, others larger sleeping six or more; some at the top of the village where no car can reach, others well-located; some pretty basic, others well-renovated and well-equipped; some without adequate heating, some with pellet stoves and open fires; some accommodation is cheap, other places are more expensive; some with no outside space, others with patios and terraces; some noisy, others peaceful and quiet.

Montejaque [Photo: Karl Smallman]

Casa Real

This recently completed village house meets the second of all the above criteria.

Casa Real sleeps six plus a child in three double bedrooms.

Casa Real is well-located, half a minute from the village square, yet with stunning views all round.

Casa Real has been renovated and equipped to a high standard, with all new beds, new towels and bedding, etc. The kitchen and laundry room have all new appliances.

Casa Real has a new pellet burner plus several oil-filled electric radiators.

Casa Real’s prices reflect what is offered and the quality of the accommodation. HOWEVER, generous autumn discounts are available if you book directly with the owner (see below).

Casa Real has an internal patio and a huge roof terrace. There is also a sitting area to the side of the house.

Casa Real is very tranquil. There is no noisy bar nearby and the main house is double-glazed.

Guest Reviews

Casa Real has proved popular with guests from many countries and nationalities.

To date guests from Albania, Britain, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, South Africa, Ukraine, USA and from various parts of Spain, including Alicante, Bilbao, Extremadura, Jimera de Libar, Madrid and Ubrique.

Autumn/Winter 2024

I am able to offer a generous discount of 20 per cent per night, if you book direct with me. With booking.com, AirBnb, VRBO and the rest you will pay even more than my normal price, to allow for the fees I have to pay them.

As of today my prices are as follows:

Up to 6 nights 80€ per night.

At least 7 nights, one night is free.

Over 14 nights, two nights free.

Please note that for Christmas and New Year, prices return to the normal 100€ per night.

All prices are fully inclusive. There are no extra charges for electricity, gas, and water; pellets; cleaning; welcome pack.

Breakages are chargeable if significant.

How to book:

By phone: (+34) 636 52 75 16

By email: paulwhitelock@hotmail.com

Via WhatsApp: (+34) 636 52 75 16

Further information:

www.help-me-ronda.com

www.simplyowners.net

Photos:

AirBnb

Ayuntamiento de Montejaque

Facebook

Paul Whitelock

Secret Serrania

thinkSPAIN

Tags:

Albania, Alicante, Ayuntamiento de Montejaque, Bilbao, Britain, Casa Real, Croatia, Denmark, Extremadura, Facebook, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Jimera de Libar, Joe  King, Karl Smallman, Madrid, Málaga, Montejaque, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, Paul Darwent, Paul Whitelock, pueblos blancos, Secret Serrania, Serrania de Ronda, Simply Owners, South Africa, Spain, thinkSPAIN, Travelnest, Ubrique, Ukraine, USA, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.simplyowners.net

They say that the English love to talk about the weather. Well, after 15 years as a resident of Spain Don Pablo can confirm that the Spanish are just as bad ... or good ... at it!

Photo courtesy of Benito Link

Drought

After three years of near drought in Andalucia, water is back on the agenda in a big way. The remains of Hurricane Leslie and Storm Berenice have brought much needed rain to Spain, causing flooding and damage but, more importantly, starting to fill the reservoirs again, especially in Andalucia and Murcia.

Here are several links in the Press which give an up-to-date overview of the current situation.

Three articles are in the original Spanish yet should be accessible to those readers who are learning or have learned some castellano. The other two are in English.

Flooded Ronda [Photos: La Sexta]                       The A7 near Marbella [Photos: The Olive Press]

Aemet eleva a naranja el aviso por fuertes lluvias en toda Málaga: hasta 50 litros en una hora (malagahoy.es)

Downpours have already left more than 130mm of rain in Malaga province and they will continue until Thursday | Sur in English

Estas son las horas y municipios en los que más lluvia se espera en Málaga (malagahoy.es)

Las lluvias ya dejan más de 100 l/m2 en la provincia de Málaga y seguirán hasta el jueves | Diario Sur

Watch: Roads flood on Spain's Costa del Sol as Storm Berenice lashes Andalucia with rain - before ex-hurricane Leslie arrives tomorrow - Olive Press News Spain (theolivepress.es)

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:

AEMET

Benito Link

Conchi Garcia (Malaga Hoy)

Diario Sur

Ignacio Lillo (Diario Sur)

Laurence Dollimore (The Olive Press)

Luis Vertedor (Malaga Hoy)

Malaga Hoy

SUR in English

The Olive Press

Tags:

AEMET, Benito Link, Berenice, Conchi Garcia, Diario Sur, Hurricane Leslie, Ignacio Lillo, La Sexta, Laurence Dollimore, Leslie, Luis Vertedor, Malaga, Malaga Hoy, Ronda, Storm Berenice, SUR in English, The Olive Press

One of Spain's most important religious festivals begins today with the start of Holy Week (Semana Santa). Lasting a week until next Sunday, Easter Sunday (Domingo de Resurrección), the week continues through Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo) and Good Friday (Viernes Santo).

A major feature of Semana Santa in Spain are the processions. Each church has its own cofradía which parades its trono depicting the Virgin Mary or Christ through the streets of most towns and cities in Spain. The processions in Andalucía are amongst the most spectacular.

This article in Spanish should be accessible to most learners of Spanish, maybe with a little help from Google Translate.

Enjoy!

SEMANA SANTA

La Semana Santa en España se celebra con la salida a la calle de las procesiones organizadas por hermandades y cofradías. Las manifestaciones de fe están influidas por la tradición, que a su vez está vinculada con las costumbres de cada pueblo.

La Semana Santa coincide con la última semana de Cuaresma del calendario católico. Está situada entre el Domingo de Ramos y el Domingo de Resurrección.

Las procesiones hasta el Sábado Santo reciben el nombre de estación de penitencia. Las procesiones que tienen lugar el Domingo de Resurrección no son de penitencia, sino de gloria.

El cortejo cuenta con unas andas, llamadas pasos - en algunas localidades llamadas "tronos" - , sobre las que procesionan esculturas con los personajes evangélicos relacionados con la detención, muerte y resurrección de Cristo.

Los hermanos de las cofradías que participan en el cortejo lo suelen hacer ataviados con túnicas y gorros cónicos forrados con una tela que les sirve de antifaz. Estos hermanos suelen conocerse como cofrades, nazarenos o penitentes.

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:

National Geographic

Slidesgo

The Culture Vulture

Wikipedia

YouTube

Tags:

Christ, cofrades, cofradía, Cristo, Cuaresma, Domingo de Ramos, Domingo de Resurrección, Don Pablo, Easter Sunday, estación de penitencia, Good Friday, Holy Week, Jueves Santo, Maundy Thursday, National Geographic, gorros cónicos, manifestaciones de fe, nazareno, paso, penitente, procesiones, Sábado Santo, Semana Santa, Slidesgo, trono, túnicas, Viernes Santo, Virgin Mary, Wikipedia, YouTube

By Don Pablo

Here’s an article from yesterday’s Diario Ronda telling us that Ronda is the happiest town in Spain, heading a list that includes other favourites of mine, such as Nerja (2^nd), Chipiona (3rd), Tarifa (4^th), Santillana del Mar (6^th), San Vicente de la Barquera (7^th), Ribadesella (9th) and Zahara de los Atunes (10^th).

The other two on the list are Peñíscola and Sanxenxo, which I have not visited. They have been added to my bucket list for later this year.

There are other great places, such as Arcos de la Frontera, Frigiliana, Montejaque, Setenil de las Bodegas and Zahara de la Sierra, but maybe the inhabitants of these villages are not HAPPY!

I have published the article in the original Spanish version. It should be accessible to most of you.

Enjoy the read:

Ronda es la ciudad más feliz de España, según un estudio

La compañía Azucarera ha llevado a cabo un análisis, junto con la consultora YouGov, en el que se presenta a los pueblos más alegres del país, y la Ciudad del Tajo está a la cabeza.

DIARIO RONDA

20 de marzo de 2024

Hoy, 20 de marzo, se ha celebrado el Día Internacional de la Felicidad, como proclamó la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas en 2013.

Y con motivo de esta efeméride, cada año se presenta el ranking internacional de los países más felices del mundo, en el que tradicionalmente España no sale nada bien parada.

Para ayudar a España a mejorar su puesto en el índice Mundial de Felicidad, Azucarera ha llevado a cabo un estudio, junto con la consultora YouGov, en el que descubre cuáles son los pueblos más felices de España y por qué. Para su elaboración, han participado más de 1.000 habitantes que con su voto han elegido los 35 pueblos más felices de España, y el resultado ha sido, por este orden: Ronda, Nerja, Chipiona, Tarifa, Peñíscola, Santillana del Mar, San Vicente de la Barquera, Sanxenxo, Ribadesella y Zahara de los Atunes, seguidos por otros 25 municipios.

El estudio concluye que, a pesar de sus diferencias, en todas estas localidades se dan unas condiciones concretas que favorecen el bienestar de sus vecinos, entre las que destacan un ambiente afectuoso y cordial, un ritmo lento y tranquilo, libre de estrés, el disfrute al aire libre, una cocina de proximidad…

Un Recetario para elevar a España en el índice Mundial de la Felicidad

Una vez realizado dicho estudio, cuyo ranking incluye hasta 35 poblaciones, Azucarera ha dado voz a los maestros de la felicidad cotidiana, a través de los fogones y el arte de vivir, y ha recogido tanto sus consejos de vida como sus recetas de repostería, que son algunas de sus claves para ser más felices.

Todo ello se ha incluido en el Recetario de los pueblos más felices de España (Plataforma Editorial), coescrito por el experto en bienestar emocional Francesc Miralles, junto con los vecinos de los municipios que, a partir de hoy, 20 de marzo, estará en todas las librerías, a un precio de 12€ (disponible en e-book por 5,99€). También se podrá adquirir accediendo a la web www.recetariopueblosfelices.es . Los beneficios de su venta se destinarán a la Fundación Grandes Amigos, que lucha contra la soledad de las personas mayores.

Como el propio Francesc Miralles afirma, “no hay nada que nos dé más felicidad que estar con otras personas y compartir lo mejor de la vida con ellas, y así lo demuestra un estudio de Harvard, realizado a lo largo de 80 años”. Según el escritor, “los motivos de que España no esté más arriba en los índices de felicidad pueden ser socioeconómicos, ya que hay más desempleo que en otros países, pero lo compensamos con una vida social mucho más rica y con más actividad al aire libre, por lo que España tiene el potencial incluso de ser el país número uno en el ranking mundial”.

Con este recetario, Azucarera quiere poner en valor la sabiduría popular como fuente de bienestar emocional y ofrecer consejos para ayudar a que los españoles sean más felices. En este libro, Miralles recuerda que “existe una relación directa entre el propósito y la realización personal que lleva a la alegría de vivir y que, cuando identificas el motivo por el que te levantas de la cama, los días adquieren sentido y encuentras placer en tus actividades cotidianas”. Para el autor, tres de las actitudes fundamentales para llevar una vida feliz son mantenerse activo, tomarse las cosas con calma y rodearse de buenos amigos.

Como explica la responsable de Comunicación de Azucarera, Alejandra Hernández, “la repostería de toda la vida contribuye a la felicidad. Sabemos que hacer repostería tiene efectos terapéuticos: nos ayuda a conectarnos con nosotros mismos y a desestresarnos. Y si son recetas de toda la vida, que hacemos pensando en nuestros seres queridos para disfrutarlas y compartirlas juntos, no hay nada mejor”.

El Recetario de los pueblos más felices de España incluye desde recetas tradicionales de los municipios más felices del país, como las Yemas del Tajo, de Ronda; el Pastisset, de Peñíscola; la Bica Gallega, de Sanxenxo; o la Garlanda, de Sitges, hasta la valiosísima sabiduría popular de Eloísa, de Santillana del Mar (Cantabria), quien nos invita a “practicar la gratitud y valorar las cosas buenas que te da la vida” o de Josetxo y José Ramón, de Aínsa (Huesca), entre otros vecinos, que afirman que la felicidad se encuentra en “el sol, las actividades en la naturaleza, las tradiciones o unas tapas en la terraza del casco antiguo”.                                           

                                                                                                                     Yemas del Tajo

Acknowledgements:

Diario Ronda

EuroWeekly News

Instagram

Paul Whitelock

Tags:

Arcos de la Frontera, Chipiona, Diario Ronda, Don Pablo, Frigiliana, índice Mundial de la Felicidad, Instagram, Montejaque, Nerja, Paul Whitelock, Peñíscola,  Ribadesella, Ronda, Santillana del Mar, San Vicente de la Barquera, Sanxenxo, Setenil de las Bodegas, Spanish Matters, Tarifa, Zahara de la Sierra, Zahara de los Atunes

Most Western European languages have two ways of saying "you". A formal/polite way and an informal/familiar mode. This happens with all of the so-called Romance languages, ie those derived from Latin and spread across Europe by the Roman legions during their long-standing eponymous empire.  This occurs in French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and, of course, Spanish. It also happens in the Germanic languages, ie German, Dutch and Flemish, but strangely NOT in English.

So, what are the rules?

In my experience, which only extends to Dutch, French, German and Spanish, the "rules" are different. In France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, you'd better stick to "vous" and "Sie" until such time as you come to an agreement to switch to "tú" and "du" and their equivalents.

Oddly, though, abroad, eg here in Spain, Germans are happy to go striaight for "du" and "ihr". Not the French, though.

Many years ago I had a professional friendship for many years with French counterparts from Chalon-sur Saone (Burgundy). It was the twin town link with St Helens (Merseyside) where I was in charge of educational and work experience exchanges for students.

When, after some time, I had the temerity to suggest we dropped the formality and used Christian names and the familiar form, you could have heard a pin drop!

Nevertheless, we did try it from that point on, but one lady, my main contact, Marguerite Ligier (Guite) occasionally called me Monsieur Whitelock and used "vous". She found it really hard to maintain the switch.

España es diferente

The situation in Spain is totally different, particularly since the death of the dictator Franco in 1975 and Spain's return to democracy.

Here, it's mostly "tú" and "vosotros", although, as I get older, I am more often addressed as "usted". I hate that. When I ask my interlocutors why they don't use "tú", I am told the use of "usted" is a mark of respect for an older person (I am 73).

My strategy for years has been to only use the familiar form. Well, most people are younger than me, so that's ok, according to the "rules of the game".

What to do, then?

My colleague, Peter Edgerton, a long-time Spanish resident, runs a bar, The Shakespeare, in Malaga City (see below), as well as being a columnist for SUR in English. He's just published an article (09/02/2024) that tackles the problem in an amusing manner.

Here's a link to his piece: Peter Edgerton: To use 'tú' or not to use 'tú' | Sur in English

What more can I say? A great article. Thanks, Peter.

©  Don Pablo

The Shakespeare

C/ Muro de Puerta Nueva, 5, Distrito Centro, 29005 Málaga

English-style pub in the heart of Malaga, The Shakespeare is a hub for expat activity. Run by Peter Edgerton, musician and writer, there is a strong sense of community here.

Right in the centre of Malaga, just off Plaza de la Constitución, there is always something going on with a full itinerary of events each week (follow The Shakespeare on Facebook for events). They include live music (with weekly ‘open mic’ nights), bilingual pub quizzes and language exchanges.

Major live football and rugby are also shown on the two screens.

With a selection of beers, both bottled and on tap, and spirits, your more international tastes are catered for here.

***

Acknowledgements:

Peter Edgerton

SUR in English

The Shakespeare

Photos:

Facebook

InfoAlemania

Interlenguas

Nathalie FLE

Skapago

Wikipedia

YouTube

Tags:

Austria, Belgium, Chalon-sur-Saône, Don Pablo, du, Dutch, English, Facebook, Flemish, Franco, French, German, Germanic, Germany, Guite, Interlenguas, Italian, Marguerite Ligier, Netherlands, Peter Edgerton, Portuguese, Roman, Romance, Romanian, St Helens, Sie, Spanish, SUR in English, Switzerland, tu, tú, ud, usted, vosotros, vous, Whitelock, Wikipedia

Friday, September 22, 2023 @  06:35 AM
 

This is a review, in Spanish, of a recent book published by Ronda residents and actors Charo Carrasco and Emma Cherry. It should be accessible to intermediate students of Spanish. Good luck!

Reseña de un nuevo libro concebido y nacido en Ronda: “Yo soy teatro”

Review by The Culture Vulture

Yo conocí a Charo Carrasco y a Emma Cherry cuando empecé a asistir a un curso teatral en Ronda durante la pandemia de Coronavirus. El curso se realizó en la Pequeña Compañía de Proyecto Platea  bajo la dirección de actor profesional rondeño Marcos Marcell. 

Emma, inglesa y también actor profesional, y su buena amiga Charo, mujer de negocios de Ronda, colaboran durante un par de años en escribir obras de teatro. Una de las primeras, “Novias”, vi yo tres veces en dos años en tres distintos espacios: en el Convento de Ronda, al aire libre en Atajate y en el Pequeño Teatro de Proyecto Platea de Ronda. Es una obra muy entretenida con música y humor. 

Ahora acaban de publicar estas amantes del teatro un libro, “Yo soy teatro”, que es una antología de obras de pequeño, mediano y gran formato que han escrito juntas estas dos mujeres talentadas. Emma y Charo son dos mujeres independientes con el deseo de contar historias en la que sus personajes siempre tienen algo que decir. 

Según Charo Carrasco: “Tras más de cinco años de colaboración, mi compañera Emma Cherry y yo presentamos esta recopilación de algunas de las obras de teatro que hemos escrito juntas.   

“Con toda la ilusión del mundo y recién salida del horno, este libro representa la pasión, el esfuerzo, el amor y nuestra pasión infinita por el teatro.”  

“Yo soy Teatro” está disponible ya en AMAZON. 

Otros comentarios: 

Marta Pérez Tirado: 

“Mis queridas Charo Carrasco García y Emma Cherry Rolf acaban de estrenar su primera obra. Si sois amantes del teatro no os la podéis perder y si nunca habéis leído teatro tampoco porque descubriréis un mundo maravilloso. ¡¡Yo ya tengo la mía!! 

“Estoy orgullosa de vosotras, chicas.” 

Jose Antonio Rios: 

“Maravilla teatral. Una visión de futuro a las artes escénicas. 

“Quizás no sea nuevo pensar en una antología de microteatros, pero sí muy novedosa la apuesta de estas dos actrices en la escena literaria. 

“Son obras inclusivas, desde punto de vista humano y personal. A través de sus microteatros y sus personajes, estas actrices, ahora en el papel de dos escritoras independientes, nos muestran una visión de la vida y las relaciones humanas muy especial. Personajes, cada uno con su complejidad e historia y que conviven armónicamente en esta antología preciosa, lista para disfrutar e interpretar. “Ahora, YO también SOY TEATRO, gracias a ellas. Felicidades por esta apuesta y por mostrarnos vuestro arte convertido en un libro. What's next?”

Emma Cherry Rolf:

"¡Número uno en nuestra categoría!

"¡Inesperado y muy agradecido!

"¡Gracias a todos!

Click here

© The Culture Vulture

Note: This article was first published on the website www.help-me-ronda.com on 20 September 2023 and on the same date by The Culture Vulture on www.eyeonspain.com 

Tags: Charo Carrasco, Emma Cherry, Marcos Marcell, Novias, Proyecto Platea, Ronda, Yo soy teatro

You’ve heard the one about the United Kingdom and the United States – two countries divided by the same language. That’s good; witty but true. Not only is the pronunciation quite different, but so is the spelling sometimes (, eg colour v color, honour v honor) and usage. The two versions of English, commonly known as Oxford (or BBC) English and American English, often have different words for the same thing, eg bonnet (of a car) v hood; boot v trunk; curtains v drapes; wardrobe v closet.

They say the same about Portuguese from Portugal and Portuguese in Brazil; also French and Canadian French or Quebequois.

Well, I have to tell you that it’s also similar in the Spanish-speaking world. There are 20 countries or territories around the world where Spanish is the official or de facto language, testament to the success of Spain as a colonial power.

Pronunciation usage and vocabulary vary from country to country. In many isolated areas, the Spanish spoken is closer to the original Spanish spoken by the conquistadores than to modern-day castellano. In others, local languages have had a direct influence on the Spanish they inherited from the colonial invaders.

One word which highlights this difference rather well is tortilla. In Spain this is an omelette; in Central America and Mexico it’s a flat maize pancake. In colloquial usage it can mean lesbian sex and a prostitute.

Countries Where Spanish is an Official Language

There are 19 countries other than Spain where Spanish is an official or de facto language. In fact, Spanish has the largest number of native speakers besides Mandarin Chinese. With 380 million native speakers, Spanish surprisingly surpasses even English for the number of native speakers, to the tune of over 100 million. 

Background

Spain sought to expand its influence into the New World after Christopher Columbus discovered it in 1492. The conquistadores headed to America, as did the other great colonial nations of the time, like the Dutch, English and Portuguese. But Spain was more successful, which is why all but five countries in South and Central America speak Spanish, the exceptions being Belize (English), Brazil (Portuguese), French Guinea (French), Guyana (English) and Surinam (Dutch).

The 20 countries

Let’s take a look at the 20 countries that have Spanish as an official or de facto language. They are organised by continents and regions.

Africa

Equatorial Guinea- a small country in central Africa, this country is named for its location on the Equator.

Caribbean Sea

Cuba - island that sits where the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean meet.

Dominican Republic - on an island shared with Haiti (French-speaking).The original name of the island was Hispaniola.

Puerto Rico - territory owned by the United States, both English and Spanish are official languages.

Central America

Costa Rica - means "rich coast" due to the amount of gold jewellery worn by the natives when discovered by Christopher Columbus.

El Salvador - means "the Saviour”, ie Jesus Christ. 

Guatemala - largest population in Central America.

Honduras - means "depths". The country has a high poverty index.

Nicaragua - Spanish is the de facto language. It is the largest Central American country by area.

Panamá - bridge between Central and South America, broke away from Colombia with the help of the United States Army, which then oversaw the completion of the Panama Canal.

Belize - formerly British Honduras, does not recognise Spanish as its official language, yet it is the de facto language, but it is not officially recognized by the government as the official language of Belize, which remains English. 

Europe

Spain - country where Spanish originated that colonised all other future Spanish-speaking countries

North America

Mexico - the 13th largest country in the world by area, has over 126 million inhabitants, Spanish is the de facto language.

South America

Argentina - Spanish is the de facto language. It  is the largest Spanish-speaking country by area.

Bolivia - has two capitals, a constitutional one (Sucre) and an executive one (La Paz).

Chile - Spanish is the de facto language. It is a long strip of land with the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Colombia - second only to Brazil in its level of biodiversity, it is categorised as a "megadiverse" country due to so much biodiversity.

Ecuador - named for its location on the Equator.

Paraguay - 90% of the population also speaks a dialect of Guaraní in addition to Spanish.

Perú - considered a megadiverse (biodiversity) country.

Uruguay - Spanish is the de facto language. Despite territorial disputes involving Spain and Portugal and Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay has remained independent.

Venezuela - one of the first countries to declare independence from Spain. Named after Venice in Italy.

***

There are a few other places where Spanish holds significant influence, such as Andorra in the Pyrenees between Spain and France, Gibraltar, on the southern tip of Spain, which  belongs to the United Kingdom, and the United States, which is second only to Mexico when it comes to the number of native Spanish speakers.

A word or two on the Philippines, which was a Spanish colony for some four centuries. Spanish was the official language of the archipelago from the beginning of Spanish rule in the late 16th century, through the Philippine–American War (1899-1902) and subsequent colonisation by the USA and remained co-official after independence in 1946, along with Filipino and English, until 1973. Its status was initially removed in 1973 by a constitutional change, but after a few months it was re-designated an official language again by a presidential decree. Under the current constitution, Spanish is designated as an auxiliary or "optional and voluntary language".

They used to say that the sun never set on the Spanish Empire. Now that it's empire is long gone, you could say that the sun never sets on a Spanish speaker.

©  Don Pablo

Additional material courtesy of corelanguages.com, geology.com, Pinterest, Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia, and World Maps.