Vocabulary - celebrations and parties
Spain is well-known for its fiestas and festivals. Almost every city, town and village has its own festival of some kind, which is usually a big street party for all the residents. Some festivals are famous all over the world, such as the fireworks of Las Fallas in Valencia and the tomato throwing at La Tomatina.
Here are some useful verbs to use when talking about celebrations:
| brindar | to toast |
| celebrar | to celebrate |
| decorar | to decorate |
| disfrazarse | to dress up |
| regalar | to give a present |
| brindar |
| to toast |
| celebrar |
| to celebrate |
| decorar |
| to decorate |
| disfrazarse |
| to dress up |
| regalar |
| to give a present |
As in the UK, Christmas and New Year are big celebrations for many people. Here is some useful vocabulary to get started talking about them:
| el A帽o Nuevo | New Year |
| el 谩rbol de Navidad | Christmas tree |
| la costumbre | custom/tradition |
| el d铆a festivo | public holiday/bank holiday |
| la fiesta | party/festival |
| los fuegos artificiales | fireworks |
| la Navidad | Christmas |
| la Nochebuena | Christmas Eve |
| la Nochevieja | New Year's Eve |
| el Pap谩 Noel | Father Christmas |
| la tradici贸n | tradition |
| el villancico | Christmas carol |
| el A帽o Nuevo |
| New Year |
| el 谩rbol de Navidad |
| Christmas tree |
| la costumbre |
| custom/tradition |
| el d铆a festivo |
| public holiday/bank holiday |
| la fiesta |
| party/festival |
| los fuegos artificiales |
| fireworks |
| la Navidad |
| Christmas |
| la Nochebuena |
| Christmas Eve |
| la Nochevieja |
| New Year's Eve |
| el Pap谩 Noel |
| Father Christmas |
| la tradici贸n |
| tradition |
| el villancico |
| Christmas carol |
Read this passage about Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve celebrations in Spain:
La cena de Nochebuena en Espa帽a tiene lugar cada 24 de diciembre. Esta cena se celebra en los hogares de los espa帽oles junto a toda la familia.
La Nochevieja se despide del a帽o entre fuegos artificiales, fiestas, tradiciones familiares, y las famosas 12 uvas de la suerte. La costumbre de las 12 uvas tiene su origen en el a帽o 1909 y se considera un rito para entrar en el a帽o nuevo con suerte.
Answer the questions in English.
Question
What do most Spaniards do on Christmas Eve in Spain?
They have dinner with their family at home.
La cena de Nochebuena ... se celebra en los hogares de los espa帽oles junto a toda la familia (Christmas Eve dinner ... is celebrated in Spanish homes with all the family).
Question
Apart from eating 12 grapes on the strokes of midnight, note two ways that Spaniards celebrate New Year's Eve.
Here are three examples: fireworks (fuegos artificiales), fiestas (parties) and family traditions (tradiciones familiares).
Question
Why are grapes traditionally eaten?
They are eaten to bring luck: para entrar en el a帽o nuevo con suerte (to start the new year with luck).