Spanish word of the day: Sobremesa

What does sobremesa mean?

Sobremesa (feminine noun) – The time spent sitting at the table after finishing a meal, enjoying conversation with others. The word sobremesa literally means “over the table”.

Today’s word is a quite unique one! It’s about the time you spend with your cherished ones. Let’s dive in!

Example sentences with sobremesa

• Nos quedamos con mis tíos hablando de mi nuevo trabajo en la sobremesa.

  💬 (I stayed talking with my uncles about my new job for the sobremesa)

• Las mejores conversaciones tienen lugar durante la sobremesa, cuando nadie tiene prisa.

  🥘 (The best conversations take place during the sobremesa, when no one is in a rush.)

• Después de la cena, tuvimos una sobremesa animada discutiendo sobre películas y libros.

  📚️ (After dinner, we had a long sobremesa where we discussed movies and books.)

Sobremesa in context

In Spain and Latin America, sobremesa is more than just lingering at the table—it’s a cherished tradition of bonding over conversation. It often happens naturally, with people chatting over coffee and sweets. Some may leave to clean up or move on to other tasks, but others stay, enjoying the company.

It’s not something you schedule—it just happens!

Sobremesa is a compound word made up of two simple words: “sobre” (over) and mesa “table”. Its literal translation to english would be something like “Over the table”. Its origins date back to medieval times, where big groups of people would gather around a big table full of delicious food.