As soon as we learned about sobremesa, the Spanish word for over the table, we immediately felt like pulling up a chair. Camila enchantingly explained the concept in more detail, and lucky for us, she soon invited us over to experience sobremesa for ourselves.

You see, sobremesa – which translates to over the table – is so much more than its literal meaning. Camila tells us,

“It’s the time spent at the table after a meal with friends or family, chatting, relaxing and drinking coffee or wine. It reminds me of long and fun conversations with friends and family, either on a nice and hot summer day or a cozy winter afternoon.”

Now, whenever we hear sobremesa, we envision friends and family leaning back in their seats, swirling wine and stirring coffee, tables strewn with emptied plates, skewed forks, and breadcrumbs, conversation emboldened by the joyous occasion of the meal. 

She continues, “Nos quedamos dos horas conversando en la sobremesa,” meaning, “we spent two hours talking over the table.” It’s those moments that you never want to end, no matter how late the time is.

Next time you find yourself in a similar experience, remember that cleanup can wait until tomorrow...sobremesa awaits you.

Language tip: Chileans are very loose with their Bs, they usually sound like a V or even a D. Have a listen to her pronunciation, you catch a bit of that there. Someone from Spain, for example, would say sobremesa with a recognizable B.

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This article is part of DIMMI Digest: Together. Of all the things that language has the ability to do, the one we are most grateful for is community. After all, it’s what we are all here for in the first place, isn’t it? Because of language, we are able to share experiences, ideas, and stories to make our communities a better place. It is language that brings us together, builds us up, and supports us. And it’s what makes dinner parties all the more spectacular.