CoffeeBreakSpanish.com
In this edition:
listening
practice;
review of
present and
perfect tenses
Lesson 71
Notes
¿Estás aquí de vacaciones?
Are you on holiday here?
Programme Notes
Coffee Break Spanish notes guide you through the content of each lesson. Lesson 71 introduces the
lessons of unit 8 in which you will be improving your listening skills and building your vocabulary
and range of expression. Most of the lessons of unit 8 follow the story of Andrew, a student from
the north of England, who meets Spanish girl María-José, while on a Spanish course in Spain.
In this first conversation, Andrew meets María-José and they start chatting about where they come
from.
Conversation
Andrew
Hola. Soy Andrew. ¿Cómo te llamas?
María-José
Buenos días. Me llamo María-José.
Andrew
Mucho gusto.
María-José
Encantada.
Andrew
¿Qué tal hoy?
María-José
Estoy bien. No me puedo quejar. Y tú, Andrew, ¿qué tal hoy?
Andrew
¡Estoy fenomenal hoy!
María-José
¡Muy bien!
Andrew
Dime, ¿de dónde eres?
María-José
Soy de Granada - es una ciudad en el sur de España. ¿Dónde vives tú?
Andrew
Yo vivo en Preston - está situada en el noroeste de Inglaterra. ¿Ya has visitado
Inglaterra?
María-José
Sí, he visitado Inglaterra algunas veces. Me gusta mucho. Pero no he visitado
Preston.
Andrew
¿Vives con tu familia?
María-José
Sí, vivo con mis padres y mi hermana menor. Tengo otra hermana mayor pero ella
vive con su marido.
Andrew
Muy bien. ¿Cuántos años tienes?
María-José
Tengo 24 años. ¿Y tú?
Andrew
Yo tengo 28.
María-José
¿Estás aquí de vacaciones?
Andrew
Bueno, estoy aquí para aprender español. Estudio en la escuela de idiomas.
María-José
¡Ya hablas bien!
Andrew
Gracias. Bueno, me tengo que ir. Gracias por charlar conmigo.
Coffee Break Spanish: Lesson 71
page 1
Conversation
María-José
De nada. Hasta la próxima.
Andrew
Hasta luego.
The following language notes should help you get more out of the conversation and will outline
any difficult or noteworthy points of grammar and vocabulary covered.
Language notes
mucho gusto
pleased to meet you
This literally means “much
pleasure” and is commonly
used to mean “pleased to
meet you”.
encantado/a
pleased to meet you
Literally, “enchanted”.
Because this is actually an
adjective it changes form
depending on whether the
speaker is male or female.
no me puedo quejar
I can’t complain
The word quejarse means “to
complain” and is a reflexive
verb. You could equally say no
puedo quejarme, following the
rules we learned in a previous
episode. However, no me
puedo quejar is possibly more
natural.
está situada ...
it’s situated ...
Note that Andrew is speaking
about Preston which is una
ciudad and therefore he uses
the feminine form of situada.
Had he been referring to a
village - un pueblo - he would
have said está situado...
¿ya has visitado Inglaterra?
have you already visited
England?
Straightforward example of the
perfect tense used with ya
meaning “already”.
algunas veces
some / a few times
menor
younger
mayor
older
pero ella vive con su marido
but she lives with her husband
Note the use of the pronoun
ella, reinforcing the fact that
María-José is referring to her
sister.
estar de vacaciones
to be on holiday/vacation
Note the use of de in this
construction
me tengo que ir
I have to go
The verb irse means “to go
away” (from here), and, as
we’ve seen in previous
lessons, it can be combined
with tengo que ... to convey
the meaning of “I have to go”.
Note also that this could take
the alternative form tengo que
irme.
Coffee Break Spanish: Lesson 71
page 2
Language notes
gracias por charlar conmigo
thanks for chatting to me
Strictly speaking, the most
grammatically correct way of
saying this would be gracias
por haber charlado conmigo
(thanks for having chatted with
me), but the straightforward
infinitive charlar can be used.
Note also that charlar is more
common in Spain: in many
parts of Latin America the
words platicar and/or chatear
are used for “to chat”
Test yourself
This exercise features in the bonus podcast and provides learners with the opportunity to test their
understanding of the content of this week’s lesson. The statements and phrases you are being
asked to translate will take some of the constructions featured in this week’s dialogue and challenge
you to reuse these constructions in other situations, often involving different tenses or different
items of vocabulary. Remember to listen to the bonus podcast before you look at these phrases!
English
Spanish
1
I have visited Spain a few times
(Ya) he visitado España algunas veces.
2
I can’t have a shower
No me puedo duchar / no puedo
ducharme
3
New York is situated in the northeast of
the United States of America.
Nueva York está situada en el noreste
de los Estados Unidos
4
Thanks for coming to the party
Gracias por venir a la fiesta
5
I’m here to chat with my friend
Estoy aquí para charlar/platicar/chatear
con mi amigo/a.
All materials ©Copyright Radio Lingua Ltd
Coffee Break Spanish: Lesson 71
page 3