Bolivia situation guide
Usted for the elders, vos for your own generation, now from the door side
As host you run the same register split you've been living as a guest since notebook one: usted for doña Carmen, don René, la abuela Elsa, and tía Mery, vos for tío Marco and Camila, except now you're the one deciding who gets which door greeting, in what order. When a guest arrives with something despite being told 'no traigan nada', the correct host move is to receive it warmly with 'no se hubieran molestado' and integrate it immediately (dessert to the table, flowers into water) never 'later'. The house tour is close to mandatory at a first hosting, so lead it rather than let guests wander, and the gaseosa-first drink offer works safely across every generation at the table.
Essential vocabulary
- pasen, pasen: come in, come in The warm door-opening formula you say as each wave of guests arrives.
- qué gusto tenerlos acá: what a pleasure to have you here The warm line that follows right after you open the door.
- no se hubieran molestado: you shouldn't have gone to the trouble The ritual line you say while already accepting a gift you told the guest not to bring.
- esto va derecho a la mesa: this goes straight to the table How you fold a guest's dish or dessert into the meal instantly, instead of setting it aside.
- vengan, les muestro: come, I'll show you around The line that starts the house tour, which is close to expected at a first hosting.
- ¿qué les sirvo?: what can I get everyone (to drink)? The standard host question for offering drinks to the whole group at once.
- siéntese acá: sit here (usted) The usted host-imperative, softened into an invitation, used to seat an elder guest.
- ¿están todos? ¡a la mesa!: is everyone here? to the table! The check-and-call pair that closes the arrival round and starts the meal.
Bolivian Spanish terms
- por si acaso: just in case A very Bolivian way to justify bringing extra of something (like tío Marco's bag of ice) without it sounding excessive.
- la silla buena: the good chair The informal household term for whichever chair is quietly reserved as the most comfortable, usually for the eldest guest present.
Useful phrases
- ¡Bienvenidos! Pasen, pasen.: Welcome! Come in, come in. Opening the door to the first arrivals.
- No se hubieran molestado.: You shouldn't have gone to the trouble. Receiving a gift you already told the guest to skip, while you're already taking it.
- Esto va derecho a la mesa, doña Carmen.: This goes straight to the table, doña Carmen. Instantly integrating a dish or dessert a guest brought.
- ¿Qué les sirvo? Hay gaseosa, jugo...: What can I get everyone? There's soda, juice... Offering drinks to the whole group at once, gaseosa first as the safe multigenerational default.
- Siéntese acá, abuela, esta silla es la buena.: Sit here, abuela, this is the good chair. Seating an elder guest in the most comfortable spot you set up in advance.
- ¿Están todos? ¡A la mesa!: Is everyone here? To the table! Closing the arrival round once everyone's seated and starting the meal.
Learn this in the app
Host Your Bolivian Family, Practical Spanish