Many think the value of speaking Spanish in the workplace is to increase clientele. While this undoubtedly adds value, it’s not the driving factor leading professionals to learn it.
The true value to understanding Spanish-only speaking individuals is in establishing trust. Removing the language barrier not only lets you become better acquainted with a person, it also helps you better understand an entire culture. For a company, better cohesion among employees means fewer mistakes and more efficiency. For an individual, the value can extend beyond the workplace—bilingualism opens doors to new people, places and experiences as much as it keeps the mind young.
If you already speak a few words in Spanish but have a hard time connecting with your employees or clientele, you can try these simple tips.
1. Address Spanish speakers with a complete greeting. Unlike American English, where, “Hi, how are you?” is a common opening, Spanish often reserves this for when there’s true familiarity. A proper Spanish greeting is “Hola, buenos días/buenas tardes/buenas noches.”
2. Start with “usted” (not “tú”). It’s better to be too formal than not formal enough in Spanish. “Usted” is a sign of respect or unfamiliarity. It’s similar to using “sir, madam, miss, Mr. or Ms.” in English. Start with “usted” and, if the person wants to be addressed as “tú,” he or she will tell you so.
3. Give instructions by using the expression “¿Me hace usted el favor de….” If you’ve forgotten the Spanish imperative or never learned it, you can still instruct your employees or clients to do something without having to conjugate verbs. You can say, “¿Me hace usted el favor de…?” and then insert a verb to effectively communicate what you need the person to do. For example: ¿Me hace el favor de sentarse aquí por favor? means “Will you do me the favor of sitting here, please?”
If you seek a connection with your Spanish-speaking clients and employees, learning their language is a powerful way to extend the olive branch. Recently, a student came to us from an office where, while no one spoke any Spanish, they constantly received a stream of customers who were Spanish-only speakers. She immediately put to use what she learned and, after just a few weeks management, her coworkers and clients were all grateful. The more she practiced, the better she spoke, and clients both complimented her and practiced with her to help her continue to improve.
Leonela V. Santiago is the owner of Lingua Franca Academy, a private language teaching academy in Santa Rosa that she operates with her father, Jorge V. Santiago. Her family is from Puerto Rico and, after obtaining her bachelor’s degree in communications and languages, she lived in Spain where she developed her passion to teach English as a foreign language. Learn more about her work at www.linguafranca-academy.com or call (707) 623-9197.
