Learning a foreign language opens new doors and new perspectives in life. Did you know that among the benefits of language learning is the ability to manage problem-solving tasks easier or the strengthening of your memory function and creative thinking?

In Spain, it is polite to always greet people when you enter a room, an elevator, or the like. A simple buenos días or buenas tardes will do. (Use buenos días until lunchtime—about 1 p.m. or so. After that, use buenas tardes. If it’s evening, a simple buenas will do.)

Likewise, if you are getting on a bus, preparing to order in a restaurant, or addressing a shop attendant, it’s polite to greet them with a buenos días before launching into your request. And when you’re trying to attract the attention of that waiter or shop attendant, a polite por favor spoken in their direction is appreciated.

What about the language? Again, it’s polite to address them in Spanish…even if it’s just to say that you don’t speak it. (Try “Por favor, habla inglés?” That is, “Please, do you speak English?”) And don’t worry if you’re in a region like Valencia or Galicia, which has a second official language; Spanish is spoken by all citizens, and they won’t expect you to know their local tongue.