# yawning in public in Spain = bad behaviour?



## hanbaked

This isn't a vocab question, but a cultural one:

I've just been told that it's seen as rude to yawn or stretch in public in Spanish speaking countries.  Are there any other types of behaviour, which may be considered normal in the UK, but are not acceptable in public in Spanish-speaking countries (apart from the obvious)? 

Muchas gracias


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## CarlosPerezMartinez

hanbaked said:


> This isn't a vocab question, but a cultural one:
> 
> I've just been told that it's seen as rude to yawn or stretch in public in Spanish speaking countries. Are there any other types of behaviour, which may be considered normal in the UK, but are not acceptable in public in Spanish-speaking countries (apart from the obvious)?
> 
> Muchas gracias


Yawning is bad if you show your teeth (you may use your hand to hide them) and also if you give your companion the impression that you are bored of him/her. 
But nevertheless the educational level in Spain is changing and now many things considered before rude are normal.


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## Fernita

I agree with Carlos unless you are with very close friends. They wouldn´t feel offended though if you don´t put your hand to hide your mouth, it is considered "bad manners" anyway.


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## maxiogee

Yawning in company is bad form almost everywhere. As I understand it the question is about yawning in public - which is very different.

Here, for example, if A and B were on a bus, going home from an evening out and if A were to yawn that would be rude to B. However, were X, sitting opposite them and going home after an 16-hour work shift, that would not be rude.
Would X be rude in other countries?


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## pickypuck

I think if you are speaking with a friend, he or she is telling you their problems, etc., and you yawn showing boredom, it is universally bad manners, and not a cultural thing of Spain.



			
				maxiogee said:
			
		

> However, were X, sitting opposite them and going home after an 16-hour work shift, that would not be rude.
> Would X be rude in other countries?


 
I don't see any rudeness in this but that person should cover their mouth. Doesn't it work the same everywhere?

¡Olé!


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## CarlosPerezMartinez

maxiogee said:


> Would X be rude in other countries?


In Spain yes, if he shows his teeth. But again, things are changing and now everything goes.


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## don maico

Dont mind yawning but I find spitting in public disgusting. Unfortunately some Argies are incined to do that tooo often.


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## maxiogee

pickypuck said:


> I don't see any rudeness in this but that person should cover their mouth. Doesn't it work the same everywhere?



Yes, one should cover one's mouth. But - even covering one's mouth would not be enough to "undo" the rudeness of yawning in company.


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## pickypuck

maxiogee said:


> Yes, one should cover one's mouth. But - even covering one's mouth would not be enough to "undo" the rudeness of yawning in company.


 
In Ireland?


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## maxiogee

pickypuck said:


> In Ireland?



Yes! One would also need to apologise, and to explain why one yawned, and it would need to be a good excuse totally unconnected with the person or persons one is with.

Why are you  ?


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## pickypuck

I thought you were referring to your second sentence "However, were X, sitting opposite them and going home after an 16-hour work shift, that would not be rude.", that's why  

¡Olé!


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## belén

I don't know if this happens in other countries / languages but in Spain, we even have common sentences that you'll hear if you yawn in front of someone, such as:

- I can see your feet!!


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## pickypuck

belen said:


> I don't know if this happens in other countries / languages but in Spain, we even have common sentences that you'll hear if you yawn in front of someone, such as:
> 
> - I can see your feet!!


 
¿Puedo verte los pies? Never heard of it! Is it said when you yawn with your mouth wide open so you could see the feet through the mouth? Or in which context?

¡Olé!


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## danielfranco

The Mexicans I've known (in Mexico and elsewhere), were they to yawn in public, they'd offer a perfunctory "pardon me" and go on with the rest of their days.
Here in the USA I haven't noticed anybody even muttering a "pardon me" or trying to cover their teeth with their hand, I mean, not particularly, or as if it were expected of them.

[******]

Sorry, had to yawn.


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## don maico

In  Argentina they just say "mococito mal educado"and then spit on the street


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## mytwolangs

here is something interesting, if you tell someone to yawn or if someone even sees the word, the yawn will happen unless the person poses great resistance. 
It is the same as telling someone "you are doing good!" and they inevitably make a mistake soon after.


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## belén

pickypuck said:


> ¿Puedo verte los pies? Never heard of it! Is it said when you yawn with your mouth wide open so you could see the feet through the mouth? Or in which context?
> 
> ¡Olé!




La frase que yo he oído/usado es "¡se te ven los pies!"


Saludos,
Belén


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## pickypuck

belen said:


> La frase que yo he oído/usado es "¡se te ven los pies!"
> 
> 
> Saludos,
> Belén


 
Imagino que se dirá cuando uno bosteza sin taparse ni nada con la boca completamente abierta ¿no?  

¡Olé!


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## .   1

hanbaked said:


> This isn't a vocab question, but a cultural one:
> 
> I've just been told that it's seen as rude to yawn or stretch in public in Spanish speaking countries. Are there any other types of behaviour, which may be considered normal in the UK, but are not acceptable in public in Spanish-speaking countries (apart from the obvious)?
> 
> Muchas gracias


What is the behaviour that is normal in the U.K. but obviously unacceptable in Spanish?  I am boggled .

.,,


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## Víctor Pérez

Talking about yawning, could somebody tell me why we yawn when we see somebody else yawning? This doesn't happen when somebody sneeze or cough.
Read you


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## belén

Víctor Pérez said:


> Talking about yawning, could somebody tell me why we yawn when we see somebody else yawning? This doesn't happen when somebody sneeze or cough.
> Read you




If you google "por qué bostezar es contagioso" or similar, you get plenty of theories about the phenomenon.


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## Víctor Pérez

belen said:


> If you google "por qué bostezar es contagioso" or similar, you get plenty of theories about the phenomenon.


Gracias Belén, pero aún no he encontrado una respuesta científica o, por lo menos, creíble.


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## belén

Ahí está la cosa, he estado mirando también y parece que no hay ninguna respuesta científica, como decía uno de los artículos que encontré, dado que no es una cuestión vital, no se están gastando en dinero en investigar sobre el fenómeno.
De todos modos, esto es un poco off topic.
Belén


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## hanbaked

. said:


> What is the behaviour that is normal in the U.K. but obviously unacceptable in Spanish? I am boggled .
> 
> .,,


 
Let me preface this by saying that because something is common place, it's not necessarily a good thing!  One example is being drunk in public, which no one bats an eyelid at here in the UK, but which seems to be much more frowned upon in southern Europe.

Actually my original question was whether anyone knew about behaviour - other than yawning - which might be considered rude.  It came as a surprise to learn about yawning in Spain and I realised I could be doing something that caused offence without knowing I'd done it because I wasn't 'culturally in tune'.

As an example, (although this is language rather than behaviour), after 8 years living in Germany, my brother was finally told to cut down on his use of 'please' and 'thank you' in the German language because it sounded too subservient, whereas if it's not part of a request in the UK, it sounds too abrupt and rude.

I just wondered whether anyone had extensive experience on both English and Spanish cultures and could shed light on these differences.


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