Bolivia situation guide
The invitation that repays two notebooks
A year of Sunday almuerzos at doña Carmen's table comes due at yours: you message her to invite the family to your own apartment for the first time. This chat is the whole choreography of a Bolivian hosting invitation in miniature, the enthusiastic offer, declining her contribution reflex, welcoming the guest-list growth, arranging abuela's ride, teasing the menu, and closing her counter-invitation with warmth. Write in usted throughout, doña Carmen, don René, la abuela Elsa, and tía Mery all earn it.
Essential vocabulary
- Queremos recibirlos en la casa.: We want to have you over at our place. The reverse-hospitality opener, a year of being guests now flips into being the host.
- ¿Qué llevamos?: What should we bring? The reflex question every host must be ready to answer, and the only correct answer is 'nada'.
- Esta vez les toca a ustedes ser los invitados.: This time it's your turn to be the guests. The line that declines a gift-in-kind without sounding rude, the whole chapter's core move.
- Mientras más, mejor.: The more, the better. The only answer to a growing guest list that doesn't echo for years.
- ¿Cómo llega la abuela?: How does grandma get there? The question a good host asks before anyone else has to, abuela's transport is part of the invitation.
- Esta vez no, doña Carmen, es nuestra casa la que quiere conocerlos.: Not this time, doña Carmen, it's our home that wants to meet you all. The line that firmly closes her counter-invitation reflex, without it, the notebook ends at chapter 1.
- Los esperamos a la una.: We'll expect you at one o'clock. The time-setting line the host now owns, with the same hora boliviana buffer built in.
- Ya está todo pensado.: Everything's already planned. The confident closer that ends the negotiation and settles the plan.
Bolivian Spanish terms
Useful phrases
- Queremos recibirlos en la casa el domingo a almorzar.: We want to have you over at our place for lunch on Sunday. Issuing the first-ever hosting invitation in usted.
- Nada, doña Carmen, esta vez les toca a ustedes ser los invitados.: Nothing, doña Carmen, this time it's your turn to be the guests. Declining a guest's offer to bring something, warmly and firmly.
- ¡Claro que sí! Mientras más, mejor.: Of course! The more, the better. Welcoming a growing guest list without a hint of hesitation.
- Esta vez no, doña Carmen, es nuestra casa la que quiere conocerlos.: Not this time, doña Carmen, it's our home that wants to meet you all. Firmly closing a suegra's counter-invitation reflex.
- Los esperamos a la una.: We'll expect you at one o'clock. Setting the arrival time as the host.
- Ya está todo pensado, doña Carmen. ¡Nos vemos el domingo!: Everything's already planned, doña Carmen. See you Sunday! Closing the invitation chat with confidence.
Learn this in the app
Host Your Bolivian Family, Practical Spanish