Meeting Your Partner's Family in Spanish: What to Say

Dinner with your partner's family, a holiday with the in-laws, a video call with their abuela: few things motivate learners more. Here's how to make a great impression, even with basic Spanish.

Before you arrive

• Ask your partner: tú or usted with their parents? When in doubt, start with usted. See tú vs usted.
• Learn everyone's names and roles: suegra, cuñado, tía. See family vocabulary.
• Bring something: flowers, dessert or a bottle of wine.

Greetings

• Mucho gusto, señora. Soy Alex. — Nice to meet you, ma'am.
• Encantado/a de conocerles. — Delighted to meet you all.
• Gracias por invitarme. — Thanks for inviting me.
• Les traje un postre. — I brought you a dessert.

Greet everyone individually, including the kids and grandparents.

At the table

• ¡Qué rico huele! — It smells delicious!
• Está riquísimo, señora. — It's delicious.
• ¿Usted lo preparó? — Did you make it?
• ¿Me pasa la sal, por favor? — Could you pass the salt?
• Ya estoy lleno/a, gracias. Estuvo delicioso. — I'm full, thanks. It was delicious.
• Provecho. — Enjoy your meal.

See Spanish compliments.

Questions they'll ask you

• ¿A qué te dedicas? — What do you do?
• ¿De dónde es tu familia? — Where's your family from?
• ¿Cómo se conocieron? — How did you two meet?
• ¿Estás aprendiendo español? — Are you learning Spanish?
• ¿Y para cuándo la boda? — So when's the wedding? (classic!)

Prepare short answers:

• Soy maestro/a. — I'm a teacher.
• Nos conocimos en el trabajo / en una fiesta.
• Sí, estoy aprendiendo. ¡Tengan paciencia conmigo!
• ¡Ay, todavía no sabemos! — Oh, we don't know yet!

Helping and leaving

• ¿Le ayudo a recoger? — Can I help clear up?
• Muchas gracias por todo, la pasé muy bien. — Thanks for everything, I had a great time.
• Espero verlos pronto. — I hope to see you soon.

The most important tip

Effort beats perfection. Families notice when you try, and a few sentences in Spanish usually mean more than fluent English.

Rehearse first

Lolo has a "My partner's family" goal built in. Practice dinner conversations, family calls and polite questions out loud, then get gentle corrections. See Spanish for family gatherings and overcome the fear of speaking.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use usted with my partner's parents?

Usually yes at first, unless they tell you háblame de tú.

What should I bring to a family dinner?

Dessert, flowers or a drink are common and appreciated.

What if I don't understand their questions?

Smile and ask: Perdón, ¿me lo repite más despacio? Your partner can help too.