Parties (Fiestas – [fee-es-taws]) in Latin America are very different from fiestas en países donde hablan inglés.

[custom_script adID=149]

To give you un breve ejemplo, a friend from Latin America vino a quedarse conmigo y con mi esposa and yo le dije that we were going to a family party. When we got there, we ate, talked, and played games.

Mi amigo looked muy confuso and said, “Where’s the dancing?” I said, “What you mean ‘Where’s the dancing?'” Él dijo, “This is a party isn’t it? — So, where’s the dancing?” To Latin Americans, the word “fiesta” means that, among other activities, siempre habrá dancing. No podía entender how there could be a “fiesta” without “dancing.”

[custom_script adID=151]

La cultura Hispana is rich with música y baile. They have salsa music, merengue [meh-rang-geh], tango and many other types of música y baile. It is a wonderful experiencia cultural to watch these types of baile and hear su música.

Si alguna vez ha tenido the chance to walk down the streets of a Latin American pueblo in the evening, especially en un fin de semana, the air will most likely be filled with Latin music. A typical setting is to see a house con las ventanas y puertas abiertas so you can hear the music from the street and see a true “fiesta” in progress — con baile of course.



Any fiesta in Latin America, whether con amigos, parientes, o grupos de escuela will have music and dancing. If not, it’s simply not a “fiesta.”

Remember, si invita a native Spanish speaker to a “Fiesta” (party), you should either make sure there is baile or be prepared to explain why our culture no tiene baile at “parties.”

Just a little side note, if any of you ever tiene preguntas about our complete Visual Link Spanish™ course, please let us know and we’ll answer them as respuestas in the newsletters cada semana. I don’t personally know of any other Spanish courses disponibles that provide this type of service. We are here to provide you complete support y ayudarle to be successful in learning Spanish!

Try A Free Spanish Lesson Here!

Vocabulario de la semana – Vocabulary of the Week

hagamos fiesta – let’s party!

en países donde hablan inglés – in English speaking countries

un breve ejemplo – a brief example

vino a quedarse conmigo y con mi esposa – came to stay with me and my wife

yo le dije – I told him

mi amigo – my friend

muy confuso – very confused

él dijo – he said

fiesta – party

siempre habrá – there will always be

no podía entender – he couldn’t understand

la cultura Hispana – the Spanish culture

música – music

y – and

baile – dance (dancing)

experiencia cultural – cultural experience

su música – their music

si alguna vez ha tenido – if you’ve ever had

pueblo – village

en un fin de semana – on a weekend

con las ventanas – with the windows

y puertas – and doors

abiertas – opened

con baile – with dancing

con amigos – with friends

parientes – relatives

o grupos de escuela – or school groups

si invita – if you invite

baile – dancing

no tiene – doesn’t have

tiene preguntas – has questions

respuestas – responses

cada semana – each week

disponible(s) – available

y ayudarle – and help you

¡Hasta luego! (“Until later”)

[custom_script adID=153]

[custom_script adID=97]


Written by David S. Clark President/Director, U.S. Institute of Languages. Copyright © 1999-2010 US Institute of Languages All rights reserved.



Are you into beautiful Costa Rica?

All interesting things you want to know about Costa Rica are right here in our newsletter! Enter your email and press "subscribe" button.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *