In 30 seconds: say Buenas tardes, Encantado de conocerles (or Encantada), ¡Qué casa más bonita!, and Sí, un café, gracias to greet her parents, compliment the home, and accept a drink.
Greeting
- Buenas tardes, señora. — Good afternoon, ma’am.
- Buenas tardes, señor. — Good afternoon, sir.
- Me llamo Alex. — My name is Alex. (Your name.)
- Soy la pareja de su hija. — I’m your daughter’s partner.
- Encantado de conocerles. — Delighted to meet you (male speaker).
- Encantada de conocerles. — Delighted to meet you (female speaker).
- ¿Cómo están ustedes? — How are you?
Handshake or two kisses
- Mucho gusto. — Pleased to meet you.
Home
- Gracias por invitarme. — Thank you for inviting me.
- ¡Qué casa más bonita! — What a lovely house.
- ¡Qué piso más bonito! — What a lovely flat.
- ¡Qué bonito está todo! — Everything looks lovely.
Drink
- Sí, gracias. — Yes, thanks.
- Un café, por favor. — A coffee, please.
- Un vaso de agua, gracias. — A glass of water, thanks.
- Yo lo mismo, gracias. — I’ll have the same, thanks.
One polite line
- ¿Llevan mucho tiempo viviendo aquí? — Have you lived here long?
- Su hija me ha hablado mucho de ustedes. — Your daughter has told me a lot about you.
Only after they switch
- ¿Cómo estás? — How are you? (tú, one parent)
- ¿Cómo estáis? — How are you? (vosotros, both parents)
Usted until they switch
Line 7 is ustedes, and line 17 uses llevan. Encantado or encantada agrees with you. La pareja is feminine for any speaker. Ustedes uses conocerles.
Many families switch quickly. ¿Quiere un café? (Do you want a coffee?) is usted. ¿Quieres un café? (tú) or tutéame (use tú with me) means switch. One parent: estás. Both, in Spain: estáis (vosotros). Están is ustedes. VerbPal’s spaced-repetition drills make you say those estar forms.
Two cheek kisses are common in much of Spain. A handshake is also normal. Match that parent and say line 8. If neither moves, offer your hand.
Pro tip: Say line 7 until the switch, then 20.
One compliment, one drink, one question
Bonita with casa, bonito with piso or todo. Está in line 12 is how it looks. Line 13, then one drink. Ask 17, or say 18.
Vosotros: ¿Lleváis mucho tiempo viviendo aquí? (Have you lived here long?). Type ha hablado (she has told) in VerbPal. Same stall as why you freeze speaking Spanish.
Pro tip: One compliment. One question.
Try it now:
Cover the English. Say Buenas tardes, señora, Encantado de conocerles, and ¡Qué casa más bonita!.
Then say Sí, un café, gracias.
Type the form you missed in VerbPal.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use tú or usted with her parents in Spain?
Start with usted: Buenas tardes, ¿cómo están ustedes?, and señor or señora. If they say tutéame, or they use tú first, switch. One parent is ¿Cómo estás? Both parents, in Spain, is vosotros: ¿Cómo estáis? Many families switch quickly. Some stay on usted, and that is still polite.
Do I kiss her parents or shake hands?
Match what each parent starts. Two cheek kisses are common in much of Spain, and a handshake is also normal the first time you meet, especially when they offer a hand. Say Mucho gusto either way. Families differ, so follow the parent in front of you.