Spain is considered to be a high context culture, meaning people take the context of the place you are in both physically and geographically to interpret what you are saying. Verbal cues are important, but they are not the only things to remember to consider when talking to a Spaniard!
https://www2.pacific.edu/sis/culture/pub/context_cultures_high_and_lo.htm
Take a look at the quiz above to calculate your high vs low context communication scores. The bigger the difference between the two, the harder it can be to communicate across that barrier. Tips for traditionally low context people travelling in a high context culture include:
- Consider social differences between you and the person you are communicating with
- Understand social pressures that you or they may be facing
- Try to read the context around what they say, rather than taking everything at face value
- Confirm what you mean with the person you are communicating with to avoid unnecessary confusion
Keep these tips in mind, and you should be set up to communicate effectively with Spaniards abroad!
