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Cultural Etiquette
Cultural Dos and Taboos
1. A firm handshake with direct eye contact is the customary form of greeting. Men will need to wait for a woman to extend her hand first if she wants her hand shaken. Friends and relatives will often greet each other with a kiss and/or a hug. A pat on the shoulder is a sign of friendship.
2. Always address people by their title and last name until invited to do otherwise. Argentines are formal and respectful about such matters.
3. Sports (especially soccer which is called "futball" locally), culture, literature, dance (tango is Argentina's contribution to the world culture), music (opera especially), family and travel make excellent topics of conversation. The visitor may wish to avoid initiating topics that concern political relationships with Argentina's neighboring countries and the Falkland (Malvinas) War. It is also advisable that visitors avoid referring to Argentina's former leader, Peron, as a "dictator." Note that business is not usually discussed at social dinners, although business dinners at restaurants do occur frequently. Know the difference between a social occasion and a business lunch and expect differences in conversation accordingly.
4. The Argentine style of humor may seem a bit strange to visitors, as it may include seemingly derogatory comments about your wardrobe or weight. These comments should be received in the most positive spirit as they suggest that your Argentine counterpart is becoming more comfortable with you.
5. Yawning or coughing in public, especially while in conversation, is very rude. Always cover the mouth if you must yawn or cough. Eating in public is also not advised.
6. Never stand with your hands on your hips, as this will be perceived as a sign you are angry. While such aggressive stances are normal in North America, they do not translate well elsewhere.
7. If invited to dinner it is fine to bring a gift for the host or hostess. Exotic flowers, expensive and imported chocolates, cognacs, whiskey and other upper tier brands of liquor make fine gifts. Inappropriate gifts include knives (they symbolize the dissolution of a friendship) or wines and leather goods, which Argentina produces locally.
8. Dining is formal with diners keeping wrists on the table and elbows off the table. The fork should remain consistently in the left hand and the knife should be used in the right hand. The "fork flip-over" from left-to-right, common in North American usage, is inappropriate in Argentina.
9. Dinner is generally served later in the evening in Argentina (close to 10 pm). Coffee and snacks are often served in the late afternoon, akin to the British tendency to have late afternoon high teas.
10. Dress is generally casual but fashionable and one should always dress with good taste. Argentines are very conscious of self-presentation. Business attire is somewhat more orthodox, including suits for both men and women. Shorts should be confined to private homes and are not generally worn on the street.
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