This document provides guidance on customs and etiquette to be mindful of in Bolivia. It discusses appropriate ways to greet others through handshakes and hugs. When introducing people, it suggests being clear about sharing names. It also offers tips for meeting friends with others, showing interest in people, saying goodbye, courtesy at the table, using "permiso", offering chairs to guests, giving and receiving gifts. The document aims to educate non-Bolivians on cultural norms around social interactions and manners in Bolivia.

1. APRENDAMOS A ORAR EN ESPAÑOL
INICIO
Padre Santo Señor
Padre Bueno Señor Jesús
Padre Nuestro Padre Celestial
Dios y Señor Nuestro
ALABANZA.
Glorificado sea tu nombre
Bendito sea tu nombre
|Ensalzado sea tu nombre
Alabado seas, Oh Dios
Alabado sea tu Santo nombre
Bendito seas Señor por siempre
Digno eres Señor de todo honor, de toda gratitud, de toda alabanza, de toda gloria
ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS
Gracias Señor por...
Quiero agradecerte Señor por...
Te agradezco Señor…
Te agradecemos Señor...
PETICIÓN DE PERDÓN
Perdónanos Señor por... Ten misericordia de nosotros…
Te pedimos perdón por... Ten piedad de nosotros…
Me arrepiento Señor de/por... Ten compasión de mí…
PETICIONES PERSONALES
Queremos pedirte Señor en este día, en este momento, en esta ocasión, en esta
celebración, etc...
Te pedimos que nos ayudes con...
Te pedimos que nos guíes, que nos acompañes, que nos protejas, que nos dirijas...
Ayúdanos con o en… Protégenos. Escúchanos. Dirígenos.
Derrama Tu gracia sobre nosotros. Derrama Tu poder, Tu Espíritu, Tu bendición,
Tu luz.
Danos, concédenos, permítenos...
INTERCESIÓN Y FINAL
Protégelo, Ilumínalo, señálale el camino, sánalo, guíalo, dale Señor…
TODO ESTO TE LO PEDIMOS EN EL NOMBRE DE NUESTRO SEÑOR
JESUCRISTO.

2. Bolivian Customs
A few suggestions to be mindful of...
Handshakes and "Abrazos":
Learn to be free with handshakes (apretón de manos) and abrazos, especially in small towns
and with rural people. It is always proper to start every encounter at least with a handshake.
Learn from others the abrazo (hug) until you can do it spontaneously. It involves the
handshake first, then the same right hand reaches out to pat the other's shoulder, followed
by the handshake again. Abrazos are used for greetings or good-byes and on special
occasions such as congratulating others on their birthday, at Christmas, after New Year, etc.
Introducing a Friend:
As there are various levels of relationships, so too, there are several ways of introducing
people. Among youth, there is a very informal manner that often does not include the
exchanging of names. The person who knows each of the previously unacquainted parties
will simply introduce one as "a friend" (un amigo). The two parties generally nod their head
with a "hi" (hola) or "how are you?" (que tal?) and the conversation continues. In this
setting it is not impolite to ask at some later moment for the name of the person introduced.
A second level would be a more formal level especially seen in rural settings or with people
that come from the campo. In this case, the person who introduces another does not give the
names of his friends. The person being introduced should give his own name whether he
says "How do you do?" or not. Just as in English, one may say, "How do you do?" while
another says "Pleased (or glad) to meet you", so there are many forms in Spanish. The
essential is the surname, and if possible, a simple "Mucho gusto". At times, the one you
meet may be stringing off a "pleased to meet you, Jorge Mendez at your service, etc.", at
the same time you are saying your name. The main point is for you to get your name out
clearly. The "mucho gusto" may precede or follow. Too long a speech would often be out
of place.
A third level would be the very formal level of business, etc. At this level it is most proper
to proceed as in North America, with the introducer giving the names of the parties being
introduced. Upon shaking hands a "mucho gusto" is always appropriate.
Meeting Your Friend:
When you meet a friend on the street, do not ignore the friend he/she may have with them.
It is rude to speak to one person and not acknowledge the other, whether you know him/her
or not. In the same way, after you have chatted with your friend, you should not only take
careful leave of him/her, but also say goodbye or excuse yourself from the friend also.
Be Interested In Others:
In encounters with friends or co-workers, it is very appropriate to ask about the family.
Even if the reply is very general, "Ahi está" or "Está bien, gracias", it is common courtesy
to inquire about them.

3. To ask what they are doing is usually regarded as interest in them rather than curiosity,
unless it would get to the point of prying into their personal affairs.
In more rural settings, it is polite to ask one's age so do not be embarrassed to reply when
you are asked to tell your age. Also, do not be embarrassed if you are told how fat you are!
Robustness is a sign of health, and it is therefore a compliment. In the city, the situation is
more similar to North America where one would not necessarily ask another's age. In
commenting on weight, the compliment would regard the loss of weight and not on gaining
as in the rural setting.
Goodbye:
Good-byes are said according to when you expect to meet your friend again. The most
casual is "Chau", the most common is "Hasta luego", and the most final goodbye is
"Adiós". If you are going on a trip, your goodbye could be "Hasta la vuelta" (until the
return). If you expect to see your friend tomorrow or soon following, you may say your
goodbye as:
Hasta mañana (Until tomorrow)
Hasta el lunes (Until Monday, etc.)
If you stop to talk again after saying goodbye, you should repeat the goodbye all over again
when you do leave.
Courtesy at the Table:
When one comes into a room or to a table where others are eating, the greeting is regularly,
"Provecho" (enjoy your meal), to which the one at the table replies "Gracias". A bit more
formal would be "Buen Provecho", and one may at any time say "Muchas Gracias".
When one enters a restaurant where many are eating, it is also good to have the word
'provecho" on the tip of one's tongue. In this setting, "provecho" is offered to a friend that
one might encounter, to someone who by chance might catch your eye, and/or to the people
in the immediate vicinity of the table. It would not be proper to try to offer "provecho" to
everyone in the restaurant.
When one leaves the table while others remain seated (even though they may actually have
finished eating), "provecho" is said, and anyone who hears answers "gracias". It is also
necessary to ask to be excused by simply saying "permiso" (permission).
Remember to thank the hostess,for every single meal. She may simply tell you that you are
welcome or she may answer "provecho", when being thanked for the meal. In the campo,
most hostesses will respond to thanks with an "Excuse me", (“Va a disculpar” or
"Disculpe"). This means she is sorry she could not serve something better. The proper
response to her in this situation would be to assure her that the meal was fine ("No se
preocupe, estuvo rico").
Regarding table etiquette, sometimes in the past it was considered more popular to stand up
and reach for seconds or the salt and pepper rather than bother someone else in asking them

4. to pass it. It was also considered polite to use the border of the tablecloth to wipe-one's
mouth when no napkins were provided. This is no longer the situation in either case. Table
manners would be roughly the same as those observed in North America. One exception
would be that it is better to keep both hands on the table as you eat, rather than keeping one
in your lap.
Use of "Permiso":
There is more than one way to excuse yourself in Spanish. The use of the word "Permiso"
or more formal "Con su permiso" (with your permission) is all that is necessary to excuse
oneself from another's presence or conversation. The usual response to this is "Siga no
más" or "Adelante" ("Go ahead"). The other way to excuse yourself is with the word
disculpe, more closely related to the verb "to excuse". Disculpe is used more when you are
leaving a conversation or encounter in a permanent sense, while permiso is asking
permission to leave for a short interruption (telephone call, etc.).
Offering a Chair:
It is important that you offer a chair to your guest as soon as he/she comes to visit. This is
true even if you are not yet sure for what motive he has come for. If the person is in a hurry,
he might say "vengo apurado", and quickly relate his motive.
Do not offer your guest a warm chair that has been in the sun, or one that you were just
sitting on. If you have no other chair, it is proper to spread a bag or a blanket on the chair,
or else (especially in the Bolivian tropics) to fan it a minute before giving it to your guest.
Besides just offering a chair, it is also very appropriate to offer something to drink. Water,
refresco (kool-aid), or coffee, depending on the weather will make the guest feel that one is
glad to see him.
Gifts:
A friend bringing a chicken does not come and say, "Here is a gift for you." When one
brings a plate of food one usually says, "This is for you to try (para probar). A parting gift
would be called a remembrance or something to remember one by (un recuerdo) rather than
a gift. The receiver may refer to it as a gift though the giver does not glorify it by that name
(Examples to use: Algo para ti, Esto es para usted, Traigo algo para que usted pruebe.)
Here in Bolivia it is not polite to open a gift in front of the giver unless specifically asked
to. The giver is thanked, the gift is taken out of the limelight, and normal conversation
ensues.
In some settings, wedding presents are not taken to the wedding or the reception, but to the
house before or immediately after the wedding. In the city it is becoming more common to
take the gift to the wedding. It is not common to include your name or a card on the gift.
Use of "Tener'
You should take care in using the possessive.pronoun (my, your, his, etc,) nor the verb
“tener” with the words huevos, pan or leche, and in the lowland, pájaro. Evil minds
misconstrue your meaning. It is more appropriate and safer to say, "Hay huevos?" or "Hay

5. pan?" In the lowlands especially, the verb haber is more commonly used in asking for
items in stores or restaurants.
Speak Softly:
North Americans are often regarded as very loud compared to Latin Americans and are
encouraged to cultivate more modesty in public. It is important not to yell at your friend in
public or call him over to you with a yell as you would a dog. If one sees a friend walking
on the sidewalk across the street, a small wave or nod of the head is appropriate. Even to
speak two words, one should cross the street in order to converse at close range with the
friend. Do not yell in order to catch the attention of a friend. It is insulting to yell friends or
guests into the house at dinnertime, instead of either sending for them or going out after
them.
Bartering Over Prices:
In Cochabamba and in La Paz, it is more customary to barter (come to an agreement on a
price) in the marketplace, but do not go overboard with always trying to get the bargain.
You should not carry this into other stores where prices are set. In the markets in Santa
Cruz, most prices are set and if one wants to get a bargain, one should compare prices of
similar items in various stalls, and not by bartering. This is also true in drugstores, hardware
stores, etc. When buying larger items such as guitars or household items, it is all right to
ask politely if there is a final offer or discount sin factura (without the tax receipt).
Turning your back on someone ("Dar la espalda"):
If, in talking to someone, you turn your back on someone else, be sure and turn your body
enough so that you include the other person in your conversation. Even when someone else
enters the room, it is considered more polite to do this.
Feet:
There is some sensitivity regarding feet. They are considered unclean and smelly. It is not
considered polite to take your shoes off in public places (meetings, buses, airplanes,
restaurants, etc.), not to mention putting your feet on the table, shod or not. In most circles,
people try to keep their shoes washed or polished.
Revised January 2005
• Offering an invitation (the use of the verb querer)
• Offering one´s seat on the bus
• Religion