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SPANISH TRADITIONS

Spanish superstitions: Why Tuesday 13th (not Friday) is unlucky in Spain

It's not Friday 13th that is considered a day of bad luck in Spain but Tuesday 13th. Read on for the lowdown on why this is and some of the strangest Spanish superstitions.

Published: 13 December 2019 09:46 CET
Updated: 13 February 2024 08:30 CET
Spanish superstitions: Why Tuesday 13th (not Friday) is unlucky in Spain
Photo: freestocks-photos/Pixabay.

If you’re the kind of superstitious soul who never walks under a ladder and is always confused about whether black cats are meant to bring bad luck or good, then you will want to know what twists of fate await you according to Spanish beliefs.

It is Tuesday the 13th that is considered unlucky in Spain, and not Friday the 13th as in Anglo-Saxon countries.

That’s because Tuesday is said to be dominated by Ares, the Greek god of war — known as Mars in Ancient Rome — who gives his name to martes, Tuesday in Spanish.

There is even an old proverb that explains the superstition: “On Tuesday, don’t get married, embark on a journey, or move away (‘En martes, ni te cases, ni te embarques, ni de tu casa te apartes‘)

But there are plenty of other Spanish superstitions you need to know about to make sure your time in Spain is as lucky as possible! Read on to find out more.

HATS ON HEADS, NOT BEDS:


Photo by Mikaela Rae on Unsplash

In Spain, putting a hat on a bed will bring bad luck. This could stem from the time when people believed that evil spirits lived in your hair, so, they could easily be transferred from hair to hat to bed, resulting in evil spirits getting you in the night. Might be best to keep that hat on the hat stand, just in case.

NO SHARP GIFTS:

Don’t buy family or friends knives or scissors as a gift. Tradition says that this means that the relationship will be broken. So think again about that set of knives you bought as a wedding present!

BREAK A LEG:

What is it with wishing harm on people as a sign of good luck? The theatre has always been rife with superstitions and while in many countries “break a leg” is the standard way to wish good luck, in Spain you’ve got to wish that person “mucha mierda” or “loads of shit”.

CACTUS MYSTERY:

Ever wondered why there are so many cactuses on window sills in Spain? That’s because it is widely believed in Spain that a cactus can ward away evil.

SEVEN LIVES:

While most countries have a superstition about cats having multiple lives because of their suppleness and savvy at getting out of difficult situations, poor Iberian kitty’s have two fewer lives than their English counterparts, or just seven.

DON’T BUY YELLOW CLOTHES AS A GIFT: 

This comes from the idea that yellow represents sulphur and the Devil. The colour yellow is also said to bring bad luck in certain situations, so don’t wear yellow on the day of an exam, a job interview or when you are starring in a play.


Photo by Alesia Kazantceva on Unsplash

BEST FOOT FORWARD: 

Misfortune, it is said, enters a room with its left foot. If you do happen to enter a room with your left foot, then don’t worry. Just make sure to make the sign of the cross three times to counter the bad luck!

SWEPT OFF YOUR FEET:


Photo by Daniel von Appen on Unsplash

If you accidentally brush the feet of a single woman while sweeping, it means she’ll never get married. The superstition is related to witches.

PURSE PROBLEMS:

Always make sure there is an extra chair at your table in Spain: for your handbag. Spaniards believe that leaving your handbag on the floor will result in you losing all your money.

LUCKY NEW YEAR! 


Photo: Chris Oakley/Flickr

Spaniards traditionally eat 12 grapes on the 12 strokes of midnight on New Year’s Eve. For even more luck and prosperity for the year ahead, wearing red underwear on the last night of the year will also help.

READ MORE: 

Member comments

  1. “Always make sure there is an extra chair at your table in Spain: for your handbag. Spaniards believe that leaving your handbag on the floor will result in you losing all your money.”
    And leaving it on a nice accessible chair makes it easier for the passing thief to snatch it while passing.

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SPANISH TRADITIONS

Spain to scrap national bullfighting prize

Spain's left-wing government said on Friday it would scrap a national prize for bullfighting, a move which angered supporters of the controversial spectacle but was welcomed by animal rights groups.

Published: 3 May 2024 17:19 CEST
Spain to scrap national bullfighting prize

“A growing majority” of Spaniards are concerned about animal welfare, so “we did not believe it is appropriate to maintain an award that rewards a form of animal abuse”, Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun said.

“I think they understand even less that these forms of animal torture are rewarded with medals that come with monetary prizes using public money,” he added during an interview with private television La Sexta.

The annual prize, which was created in 2011 under a previous Socialist government and was first awarded in 2013, grants 30,000 euros ($32,000) to winners.

Top matadors such as Enrique Ponz and Julián López, known as “El Juli”, have won the prize in the past.

Bullfighting retains a passionate following in some circles in Spain and leading matadors are treated as celebrities.

But the practice’s mass appeal has faded and polls show a rising disinterest across the country, especially among the young.

During the 2021-22 season, the last period for which figures are available, only 1.9 percent of Spain’s population attended a bullfight, according to the culture ministry.

Spain’s main opposition conservative Popular Party (PP) vowed to reinstate the prize if it returns to power.

PP spokesman Boja Semper said bullfighting was a reflection of Spain’s traditions and culture.

IN DEPTH: Will bullfighting ever be banned in Spain?

He accused Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government of being “obsessed with sticking its finger in the eye of those who do not think” as it does.

By contrast, animal rights party PACMA called for the “total abolition” of all public support for bullfighting, saying it “cannot be justified under any circumstance”.

Several regional governments, including one run by the Socialists, said they would create their own bullfighting prizes to replace the one being scrapped.

The Fundación del Toro de Lidia, an NGO that promotes bullfighting in Spain, said the culture minister had the “obligation to promote all cultural manifestations, including bullfighting”.

But animal rights groups welcomed the government’s decision.

“This measure marks a milestone in the fight against bullfighting, a controversial practice that has for years generated debate,” animal rights group Animanaturalis said.

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