In this workshop you practise a short, polite exchange about holiday food. You will ask what is customarily eaten, listen to a reply that mentions tamales and ponche, and then ask who cooks in the family. The recordings give you the exact lines to say and to understand, so you can rehearse both roles without inventing new phrases. Work through the three tasks in order: first a guided exchange, then a reply-comprehension choice, and finally a recall task with the roles swapped.
Asking what is eaten on holidays
Start with a general question about holiday food. The line «¿Qué come la gente aquí en los días festivos?» means "What do people eat here on holidays?" Use it when you want a broad answer about local customs. If you want to be more specific about a particular holiday, use «¿Qué se acostumbra comer en Navidad?», which means "What is customarily eaten at Christmas?" Both questions are polite and open. After you hear an answer, you can narrow the focus to the person's own family with «¿Y en tu familia, qué preparan?», meaning "And in your family, what do you all make?" These three questions move from general to personal, so the conversation stays natural. Practise saying each line slowly, then at a normal speed, keeping a friendly rising intonation on the question words.
Understanding a reply about family cooking
When you ask about Christmas food, a common reply is «Depende de la familia, pero muchas preparan tamales y ponche.», which means "It depends on the family, but many make tamales and ponche." Notice that the speaker does not give one fixed answer; the phrase about depending on the family signals variety. To find out who does the work, ask «¿Quién cocina eso normalmente?», meaning "Who usually cooks that?" A fuller version that names the dish is «¿Y en tu familia quién cocina los tamales?», meaning "And in your family, who cooks the tamales?" A possible answer is «Mi abuela y mis tías; nos reunimos desde la noche anterior.», which means "My grandmother and my aunts; we get together from the night before." This reply names two groups of people and adds when they start. Listen for the family words and the time expression, because they tell you who cooks and when the preparation begins.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
¿Qué come la gente aquí en los días festivos?
What do people eat here on holidays?
keh KOH-meh lah HEN-teh ah-KEE en los DEE-as fes-TEE-vos
¿Qué se acostumbra comer en Navidad?
What is customarily eaten at Christmas?
keh seh ah-kos-TOOM-brah koh-MEHR en nah-vee-DHAD
¿Y en tu familia, qué preparan?
And in your family, what do you all make?
ee en too fah-MEE-leeah keh preh-PAH-rahn
¿Quién cocina eso normalmente?
Who usually cooks that?
KYEN koh-SEE-nah EH-so nor-mahl-MEN-teh
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
¿Qué se acostumbra comer aquí en Navidad?
What is customarily eaten here at Christmas?Depende de la familia, pero muchas preparan tamales y ponche.
It depends on the family, but many make tamales and ponche.¿Y en tu familia quién cocina los tamales?
And in your family, who cooks the tamales?Mi abuela y mis tías; nos reunimos desde la noche anterior.
My grandmother and my aunts; we get together from the night before.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: ask about Christmas food
You are talking with a neighbour about holiday customs. You will play the person who asks the questions. Your partner, or the recording, plays the person who answers.
Your task: Say the question «¿Qué se acostumbra comer en Navidad?». Then listen to the reply «Depende de la familia, pero muchas preparan tamales y ponche.». After the reply, ask the follow-up question «¿Y en tu familia quién cocina los tamales?». Finally, listen to the answer «Mi abuela y mis tías; nos reunimos desde la noche anterior.». Repeat the whole exchange once more, trying to keep a calm, curious tone.
Reply comprehension: choose the matching answer
You hear someone answer a question about Christmas food. You must decide which recorded reply fits the question you asked.
Your task: Read the question «¿Qué se acostumbra comer en Navidad?». Now choose the reply that matches it: either «Depende de la familia, pero muchas preparan tamales y ponche.» or «Mi abuela y mis tías; nos reunimos desde la noche anterior.». Say your choice out loud, then say the question «¿Y en tu familia quién cocina los tamales?» and choose the reply that matches it from the remaining option.
Recall with roles swapped
Now you play the person who answers. A partner, or the recording, asks the questions. The order of the conversation stays the same: question, reply, follow-up, answer.
Your task: Listen to the question «¿Qué se acostumbra comer en Navidad?». Reply with «Depende de la familia, pero muchas preparan tamales y ponche.». Listen to the follow-up «¿Y en tu familia quién cocina los tamales?». Reply with «Mi abuela y mis tías; nos reunimos desde la noche anterior.». Then swap back and do the same exchange again, so you have practised both roles.
Common questions
Can I practise alone if I have no partner?
Yes. Play the recording of the question, pause, and say your reply out loud. Then play the next question and reply again. You can also read both roles yourself, but keep the order: question first, then reply, then follow-up, then answer.
What should I listen for in the replies?
Listen for two things. In «Depende de la familia, pero muchas preparan tamales y ponche.», listen for the foods named and the idea that customs vary by family. In «Mi abuela y mis tías; nos reunimos desde la noche anterior.», listen for the family members and the time expression that tells you when the preparation starts.
Sources and further reading
- spanish: ask about local food customsChecked September 2026
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