What is a Gringo or a Guiri? You might ask yourself. If you are learning Spanish, you’ll have the urge to want to test that formal education Spanish in real life. The goal for many language learners is to be understood by the locals and for others, it’s to sound like the locals. Some of us who get the opportunity to travel and practice our Spanish skill end up sounding like a Guiri (Tourist) or a Gringo(a) ( Non-native Spanish speaker). The worst part is when we make an attempt to speak the language and the Native speaker replies in English or asks if you want an English.
Below are the Five mistakes that make us stand out as a Guiri or Gringo. The content of this video was picked up from my recent article How to order in Spanish like a local
[…] Check out the Video version of this article: How not to order like a Guiri or Gringo […]
It´s hard to learn the accent! I often get asked by native speakers if I am from Mexico (I am not) because apparently, I have a similar accent, in spite of having learned my Spanish in Colombia :-)
This video is hilarious!!! Loved it!
I had a problem with the verb “ligar” when I first got here… In portuguese ligar means to turn something on (the tv, the lights) or to call (on the phone).
I imagine that living here you know what ligar means in Spain… So imagine me just saying to someone I just met “yo te ligo más tarde!” Hahahahaha
Omg dying of laughter! That’s is hilarious :)
Very handy! I know what you mean about trying to speak the language and people just reply in English haha. Happens all the time in Portugal!
This is amazing! I visited Spain last year and was seriously terrible at speaking Spanish. I love that you broke all of the different instances down. It’s so helpful.
I’m glad that it was helpful :)
I live in Spain also and all these are true. You do just have to be demanding. I have heard that when Spaniards are traveling outside of Spain, the rest of the world thinks of them as demanding. Hahaha.
The Spanish approve of this message hahaha
This is hilarious! I have lived in latin america most of my life and I can tell you right now that I would have made most of these faux pas! I guess just because you speak the language, doesn’t mean you know the lingo. And yes, I agree with a previous comment that the Spanish come across as demanding outside of their native Spain. Colloquialisms vary so much from region to region, even in a country as small as Honduras we have a range of colloquial terms that vary greatly every couple hundred kilometers!