Body Language When Presenting in Spain
Idiomatic Spanish for talking about nerves, posture and gestures before, during and after a presentation.
In Spanish offices people gesture a lot, stand close and expect eye contact; a speaker who freezes behind the slides comes across as cold. These cards follow a rehearsal with a colleague in Madrid, the nervous minutes before going on, a question from the boss and the debrief at the coffee machine.
- 1
Mira a la gente a los ojos cuando hables.
Look people in the eye when you speak.
- 2
No te cruces de brazos, que parece que estás a la defensiva.
Don't cross your arms, it looks defensive.
- 3
Madre mía, tengo un nudo en el estómago.
Oh God, my stomach's in knots.
- 4
Ponte recto y relaja los hombros.
Stand up straight and relax your shoulders.
- 5
Las manos te delatan.
Your hands give you away.
- 6
No te estás quieto ni un segundo.
You can't keep still for a second.
- 7
Sonríe, que eso rompe el hielo.
Smile, it breaks the ice.
- 8
No hables de espaldas al público.
Don't talk with your back to the audience.
- 9
Aquí la gente habla mucho con las manos.
People here talk with their hands a lot.
- 10
Nadie se va a dar cuenta de que estás nervioso.
Nobody's going to notice you're nervous.
- 11
El lenguaje corporal dice más que mil palabras.
Body language says more than words.
- 12
Tú haz como si nada.
Just act like it's nothing.
- 13
No levantaba la vista de los papeles.
He didn't look up from his notes once.
- 14
Estaba temblando como un flan.
I was shaking like a leaf.
- 15
Te lo digo yo: los tienes en el bote.
You've got them in the palm of your hand.
- 16
Perdón, me he quedado en blanco.
Sorry, my mind's gone blank.
- 17
Tómate tu tiempo, no hay prisa.
Take your time, there's no rush.
- 18
No te metas las manos en los bolsillos.
Don't put your hands in your pockets.
- 19
Has transmitido mucha seguridad.
You came across as really confident.
- 20
¡Lo has bordado!
You nailed it!