In short
- Lunch with colleagues is where relationships are built — say yes to ¿Comemos?
- Offices are informal: tú is normal, even with managers.
- Small talk runs on weekends, food and plans: ¿Qué tal el finde?
Your first day: introductions
Spanish colleagues will come over to say hello, and they'll ask where you're from and what you do. A short introduction in Spanish — even with mistakes — makes a big impression: it says you're here to stay.
Hola, me llamo Alex. Empiezo hoy.
Hi, I'm Alex. I start today.
Soy de Canadá y trabajo en el equipo de ventas.
I'm from Canada and I work in the sales team.
Encantado/a.
Nice to meet you.
Pick the form that matches you.
¿Dónde está la sala de reuniones?
Where's the meeting room?
Perdona, ¿cómo te llamas?
Sorry, what's your name?
Lunch is a big deal
Spaniards usually eat lunch around 2 pm, and many colleagues go out together for the menú del día or eat in the office kitchen. Saying yes to lunch is the fastest way to stop being “the new person”.
¿Comemos juntos?
Shall we have lunch together?
¿A qué hora coméis?
What time do you (all) have lunch?
¿Vamos a tomar un café?
Shall we go for a coffee?
¡Vale, me apunto!
OK, count me in!
Meetings and schedules
Many international teams in Madrid hold meetings in English, but the planning — times, rooms, who's coming — often happens in Spanish. Learn to ask about times and to say when you didn't catch something.
¿A qué hora es la reunión?
What time is the meeting?
¿Quién viene?
Who's coming?
Perdona, ¿me lo puedes explicar otra vez?
Sorry, can you explain it again?
Te mando un correo.
I'll send you an email.
Un saludo.
Best regards.
The standard way to sign off an email.
Small talk and plans
Monday mornings start with the weekend; Friday afternoons end with plans. Short, friendly questions are all you need.
Javier
¡Buenos días! ¿Qué tal el finde?
Morning! How was the weekend?
You
Muy bien. Fui al Retiro. ¿Y tú?
Very good. I went to the Retiro. And you?
Javier
Tranquilo. ¿Quedamos el viernes después del trabajo?
Quiet. Shall we meet up on Friday after work?
You
¡Vale! ¿Dónde quedamos?
OK! Where shall we meet?
Questions
Do I need Spanish if my company works in English?
For the work itself, maybe not. For lunch, small talk, the building's reception and everything outside the office — yes. A basic level changes how included you feel.
Should I use tú or usted with my boss?
In most Spanish offices, tú is normal even with managers. Listen to how colleagues speak to them and follow that. With clients, start with usted.
Can my company pay for the course?
Yes — Aterriza works with companies relocating staff to Madrid. Your HR team can request a quote on our For companies page.
Free PDF · printable
50 Survival Spanish Phrases for Madrid
The pocket guide for your first weeks — printable, offline, ready for the fridge door.