INFORMACIÓN CULTURAL

Cápitulo 7A/7B

La moda de hispanohablantes

It is common in many Spanish-speaking countries for young adults to dress more formally than do young people in the United States. This applies not only to special events but also to instances not normally associated with dressing up, such as concerts, walks in the park, or just visiting family.

El Corte Inglés Spain’s most famous department store.

You can find almost everything you need at El Corte Inglés.

Las tallas – Sizes

If you ever get the chance to shop in a Spanish speaking country, you need to be aware that the clothing and shoe sizes will appear different than they do in the U.S.

For example,

A size 12 dress would be a size 46 in Spain. It will also be a different size depending on the Spanish-speaking country you are in.

A 9½ men’s shoe size in the U.S. is the equivalent of a size 43 in Spain and a size 27 in Mexico.

There are websites that can help with the conversion.

Ir de compras

For over 130 years, Spain used the peseta as its currency. In 2002, the euro replaced the peseta as Spain joined eleven other members of the EU to create a common currency. Euros and eurocents are similar to dollars and cents, ie 100 eurocents=1 euro. A euro coin or bill can be spent in any EU country.

Currencies of other Spanish speaking countries

The currencies of Bolivia, Peru, and Costa Rica are all different. Latin American countries have special names for their national currency and use different symbols as abbreviations.

Cents in most Latin American countries are either centimos or centavos. The images on each kind of currency honor its country’s history and culture.

Bolivia

The official

currency of

Bolivia is the

boliviano.

Perú The Nuevo sol is the official currency of Perú.

Costa RicaCosta Rica’s money is

called the colón.

The colón comes

from the name

Cristobal Colón,

or Christopher

Columbus, who

had a profound

impact on the

Americas.

Many people in Spanish-speaking countries still prefer to shop in traditional specialty stores. These stores are often owned and operated by families, and customer loyalty is built over generations.

-ería These specialty stores are

easily identifiable by their name.

Panadería

Zapatería

Papelería

All specialty stores end with –ería, but the first part of the word gives the clue as to what type of store it is.

Bakery (bread store)

Shoe store

Paper (school supply) store

El Rastro is said to be the world’s largest flea market. Located in one of the oldest sections of Madrid, it attracts thousands

of visitors every Sunday of the year.