Recurso gratuitoGuía
Linguistic & Cultural Onboarding Guide
Your First 30 Days in a Local Company
- Publicado por
- Linguoria — Corporate Language Solutions
- Dirigido a
- Foreign professionals, engineers and executives joining companies in Euskadi / Spain.
Welcome to your new team!
Dear Colleague,
Welcome to your new company! Joining a team in a new country means adapting to local workplace customs, unwritten rules, and language habits that you won't find in traditional textbooks.
We have created this practical guide to help you navigate your first weeks with confidence, overcome initial language barriers, and connect smoothly with your colleagues from day one.
Key phrases when your Spanish is still limited
| Spanish Phrase | English Meaning | When / How to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| «¿Puedes repetirlo más despacio, por favor?» | Could you repeat that more slowly, please? | Use it in meetings or calls when people speak too fast. |
| «¿Cómo se dice [word] en español?» | How do you say [word] in Spanish? | Ask colleagues when you lack a specific word. |
| «Te lo envío por correo para confirmarlo.» | I'll send it via email to confirm. | Great way to double-check agreements or technical details. |
| «¿Me lo puedes poner por escrito?» | Could you write that down for me? | Very useful for complex instructions or numbers. |
| «Disculpa, no he entendido esta parte.» | Sorry, I didn't catch that part. | Polite way to interrupt and ask for clarification. |
- «¿Puedes repetirlo más despacio, por favor?»
- English Meaning: Could you repeat that more slowly, please?
- When / How to Use It: Use it in meetings or calls when people speak too fast.
- «¿Cómo se dice [word] en español?»
- English Meaning: How do you say [word] in Spanish?
- When / How to Use It: Ask colleagues when you lack a specific word.
- «Te lo envío por correo para confirmarlo.»
- English Meaning: I'll send it via email to confirm.
- When / How to Use It: Great way to double-check agreements or technical details.
- «¿Me lo puedes poner por escrito?»
- English Meaning: Could you write that down for me?
- When / How to Use It: Very useful for complex instructions or numbers.
- «Disculpa, no he entendido esta parte.»
- English Meaning: Sorry, I didn't catch that part.
- When / How to Use It: Polite way to interrupt and ask for clarification.
Real Workplace Spanish & Jargon
Expressions you will hear in daily meetings
- Poner en copia (en CC)
- To CC someone in an email.
- «Ponme en copia en el correo al cliente»
- Estar desbordado/a
- To be overwhelmed with work.
- «Esta semana estoy un poco desbordado»
- Dar una vuelta a algo
- To review, rethink, or refine something.
- «Vamos a darle una vuelta a la propuesta»
- Cerrar un tema
- To finalize or wrap up a task.
- «Necesitamos cerrar este tema hoy»
- ¿Cómo lo ves?
- What do you think? / What's your take?
- A tope
- At full capacity / Working hard.
- «Estamos trabajando a tope con el proyecto»
- Coger el hilo
- To get the hang of something / Catch up on context.
- «Poco a poco voy cogiendo el hilo de la reunión»
- Quedar en nada
- To come to nothing / Without resolution.
- «Al final el acuerdo quedó en nada»
- Estar al tanto
- To be kept in the loop / Up to date.
- «Manténme al tanto de la negociación»
Communication style and workplace culture in Euskadi
- Direct and pragmatic communication
- Communication is honest, clear and result-oriented. Being direct is transparency and professionalism, not rudeness.
- The value of a commitment (“Palabra de ley”)
- Trust and reliability are core pillars in local business relationships. Meeting deadlines and honoring verbal agreements carry significant weight.
- The Coffee Break (10:30–11:00 AM)
- An informal networking moment where team relationships are built and quick alignments happen.
- Addressing people (“Tú” vs. “Usted”)
- Modern companies generally use tú, while usted is more common for official institutions or very formal external clients.
- “Pintxo-pote” (After-work social bonding)
- An informal social gathering involving drinks and local tapas/pintxos: an opportunity to connect with colleagues outside the office.
Your 30-Day Onboarding Checklist
0 de 14 tareas completadas
Week 1 — Arrival, Language & Administrative Setup
Language & Communication Setup
Practical & Administrative Setup
Week 2 — Social & Workplace Immersion
Week 3 — Gaining Communication Autonomy
Week 4 — Professional Language Strategy
Linguistic & Cultural Onboarding Guide (PDF)
Entrega este documento a tu nuevo empleado internacional en su primer día.
Accelerate your Spanish for business with Linguoria
At Linguoria, we help international professionals, engineers and executives master the exact Spanish they need for their specific job role.
- Tailored Business Spanish Programs
- 1-to-1 or small groups.
- Focused on real work situations
- Meetings, presentations, technical emails and negotiations.
- Flexible formats
- On-site at the company or online.