sobremesa
Spain
/sˌoβɾemˈesa/
/sˌoβɾemˈesa/
Latin America
/sˌoβɾemˈesa/
the time spent chatting at the table after finishing a meal
Definitions
-
1
the after-meal period when people stay at the table talking, often over coffee or drinks
“Nos quedamos de sobremesa charlando durante casi dos horas.”
We stayed at the table chatting for almost two hours after eating.
-
2
(less common) a tablecloth or table covering
“Mi abuela bordó a mano esa sobremesa tan bonita.”
My grandmother hand-embroidered that very pretty tablecloth.
Word forms
- Gender
- feminine
- Plural
- sobremesas
- Usage
- Very common as 'de sobremesa', e.g. 'charla de sobremesa' (after-dinner chat). Reflects a strong cultural custom in Spain and Latin America of lingering at the table after eating.
This word describes a cultural practice with no exact single-word equivalent in English; it is often left untranslated or explained as 'after-dinner conversation/time'.