Easy Learning Spanish Conversation
Easy Learning Spanish Conversation
Collins Dictionaries
A unique guide to communicating in Spanish. It will help you to find out more about Spanish culture and to practise your spoken Spanish with a free downloadable audio file.An ideal tool for learners of Spanish at all levels, whether at school, in evening classes or at home, and is indispensable for business or leisure.The text consists of 12 units, each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which gives all the key phrases covered throughout the book. The One-stop phrase shop unit gives you all the everyday expressions and language structures you need to speak in natural Spanish. Finally, the short grammar and verb supplement and the glossary give you further help and ensure that you have everything you need at your fingertips, and the free audio download helps you to communicate with confidence.• Easy to use: all the phrases you need in order to communicate effectively in natural Spanish.• Easy to read: clear layout ensures that you find what you are looking for quickly and easily.• Easy to understand: thousands of examples show how Spanish is really used.
Published by Collins
An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Westerhill Road
Bishopbriggs
Glasgow G64 2QT
Second Edition 2015
© HarperCollins Publishers 2006, 2015
eBook Edition © May 2015 ISBN 978-0-00-811881-5
Version: 2015-04-02
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.
MANAGING EDITOR
Janice McNeillie
CONTRIBUTOR
Eduardo Vallejo
FOR THE PUBLISHER
Gerry Breslin
Hannah Dove
Contents
Cover (#u9759e06a-1707-5fe8-82f9-d26d2ef7d09b)
Title page (#u27aa36f4-4315-54c4-bd04-f04f8cbe7fd8)
Copyright (#ue9921896-f1ab-59b9-9c45-9b778274a0b9)
Introduction (#ulink_384a25ae-af83-5fc5-bab0-24f8a45a0503)
What is it?
Why do you need it? (#ulink_99549c82-411a-5bd9-8e43-7ca2f00d8c31)
How is it structured? (#ulink_e078857a-2ea0-59ae-9a62-24cdaa73b2df)
How does it work? (#ulink_2bd37b9e-6ce0-536f-badf-8b8e91877067)
Why choose Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation? (#ulink_5cde5219-37cd-5744-af03-f4e7f8dae8ee)
The Collins Easy Learning range (#ulink_4eb28cb3-20af-5a09-af4a-c742c2368600)
Spanish pronunciation (#ulink_c3e01934-70b3-5a0b-8ce5-7dc3dfd6823d)
Spanish vowels (#ulink_3000d34d-c6b6-559d-8c53-00f8e613e79f)
Spanish consonants (#ulink_26a45c16-fea2-515c-858d-77939ee44128)
Which syllable to emphasize (#ulink_b86b4bbd-946d-5f7a-ba58-41445c18ed03)
Units (#u89bb7c1f-d0d0-5d6a-abc9-cedced6ed581)
Small talk (#ulink_b3c726e2-8882-5767-8392-6c576705aa51)
¿Qué tal? – How are things?
Greetings (#ulink_742412c1-0026-5357-9791-5f2fac3cc521)
Introducing people (#ulink_d8d95682-ff1e-53d6-b4ae-19ad570a4cf0)
Talking about yourself (#ulink_8c6482cb-847c-5d9d-83f9-5b15c2a87a80)
Apologizing (#ulink_ca2164e0-446a-53b7-8b5e-d4f2185c8ee3)
Asking for information (#ulink_98347949-9507-5924-9479-7a9283249095)
Saying what you want to do (#ulink_5ad07d71-900e-5b03-9bcc-4f9be8f46d4f)
Expressing opinions (#ulink_871e21f3-eb75-5047-b547-686230557190)
Making suggestions (#ulink_692f36a1-e84b-549c-81ad-90e35f2980fc)
Talking about your plans (#ulink_32e8887d-a0ab-5626-9a90-d7661d69152d)
Making arrangements (#ulink_1b86816c-3e94-5f41-869a-2f9d36b331ef)
Saying what you have to do (#ulink_dd94a536-15f6-5525-95e8-d07866bcfc2a)
Listen out for (#ulink_1fb29a94-feb2-5f45-b93c-50e918a7c136)
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_6d44d753-f433-5682-906d-791c8283c1ba)
Getting there (#ulink_515ac029-5195-5f50-8a14-0bbcacbfbbce)
¡Buen viaje! – Have a good trip!
Talking about your plans (#ulink_ef661188-d11c-5c73-9747-5c6b493db5ad)
Saying what you want to do (#ulink_202ee887-dcfd-52ac-aaa9-b3a649387621)
Making suggestions (#ulink_1ce6c216-80d3-5db9-ad99-e86e69541909)
Asking for information (#ulink_273da59d-be8f-5313-8b91-caa116d83165)
Asking for things (#ulink_6826a833-4384-5138-8181-31e8230f5279)
Asking for permission (#ulink_52288916-055a-584e-ae6d-3006ddbf87bb)
Saying what you have to do (#ulink_7b41ddb4-d481-5ebd-887c-3b1762aaa457)
Listen out for (#ulink_677ad092-ebc5-5c0f-8401-15f27949e5da)
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_d0cc5fa4-e5fd-59be-97e5-6f8724838b67)
Home from home (#ulink_4a1a1f2a-6386-537a-b5be-49ea445771d8)
¡Que descanses! – Sleep well!
Saying what you want (#ulink_2d0132ab-82d2-5c24-92b1-056141387745)
Asking for information (#ulink_2345a925-bcb6-5edf-9909-7c86365c0ead)
Talking about yourself (#ulink_c1951bb2-c32b-5791-989d-6fb70e13390e)
Asking for things (#ulink_7d3ae999-3478-53a7-90fa-c996c9f8cad5)
Saying what you have to do (#ulink_3d544c45-911c-59d8-8708-b6767d89d23f)
Asking for permission (#ulink_e7b67e2c-4ebc-59a5-bca4-710be981bdec)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#ulink_a9dda709-db99-5caa-93bc-7ed3347ea159)
Making suggestions (#ulink_be7696f6-7ecd-50ea-adf8-5a761d98c73d)
Talking about your plans (#ulink_fadbb3ac-a456-5501-b35a-346967a580ff)
Complaining (#ulink_3060b914-74fb-5cc1-bc74-7340a847aa49)
Listen out for (#ulink_88b7719b-b13f-59fb-8a59-60f5e84da3ed)
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_af40ead8-3859-5dff-8c33-d0c523397587)
Wining and dining (#ulink_3f115437-86b4-5b39-8c67-aca495536ffe)
¡Buen provecho! – Enjoy your meal!
Making arrangements (#ulink_27f9dc54-094e-5db6-8adf-b52372a80c87)
Asking for information (#ulink_e7c55488-a892-5b20-b6df-5b03fb310e10)
Asking for things (#ulink_5ecb4f96-f9b9-5cd4-b288-912b8fd5e7f0)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#ulink_cb2b0c06-343f-579a-bcc9-ca323036cdd3)
Making suggestions (#ulink_f9c7dae9-41cf-563d-ac48-8b734c189588)
Complaining (#ulink_cf7c6cf2-1c1d-5079-9725-2838023241e3)
Listen out for (#ulink_1daa2d4e-b848-5d56-bd55-bed107c94647)
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_19be1d46-1605-572d-aa9f-40f07b983047)
Hitting the town (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Que te diviertas! – Enjoy yourself!
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Museums, monuments and much more (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Que lo pases bien! – Have a good time!
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Complaining (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Retail therapy (#litres_trial_promo)
¿Necesita alguna cosa? – Can I help you?
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Service with a smile (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Un servicio excelente! – Excellent service!
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about yourself (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for advice (#litres_trial_promo)
Making arrangements (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Ouch! (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Que te mejores! – Get well soon!
Explaining the problem (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what happened (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Help! (#litres_trial_promo)
¡No pasa nada! – Don’t worry about it!
Explaining the problem (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what’s happened (#litres_trial_promo)
Describing people and things (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Getting in touch (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Dígame! – Hello!
Making a telephone call (#litres_trial_promo)
When the number you’re calling answers (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying why you’re calling (#litres_trial_promo)
Giving information (#litres_trial_promo)
Answering the telephone (#litres_trial_promo)
Ending a telephone call (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Writing emails and letters (#litres_trial_promo)
Addressing an envelope (#litres_trial_promo)
Texting (#litres_trial_promo)
Social media (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Time, numbers, date (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Uno, dos, tres, ya! – One, two, three, go!
Los números – Numbers
La hora – The time (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying how long (#litres_trial_promo)
Las estaciones – The seasons (#litres_trial_promo)
Los meses del año – The months of the year (#litres_trial_promo)
Las fechas – Dates (#litres_trial_promo)
Los días de la semana – The days of the week (#litres_trial_promo)
El alfabeto – The alphabet (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Interesting days and dates (#litres_trial_promo)
In summary… (#litres_trial_promo)
Bueno, resumiendo… – So, to sum up…
Apologizing (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for and giving explanations (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Complaining (#litres_trial_promo)
Describing people and things (#litres_trial_promo)
Explaining a problem (#litres_trial_promo)
Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what’s happened (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
One-stop phrase shop (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Mucho gusto! – Pleased to meet you!
Hellos and goodbyes (#litres_trial_promo)
Please and thank you (#litres_trial_promo)
Attracting someone’s attention (#litres_trial_promo)
Making sure you’ve understood (#litres_trial_promo)
Checking facts (#litres_trial_promo)
Wishing someone something (#litres_trial_promo)
Apologizing (#litres_trial_promo)
Reassuring someone (#litres_trial_promo)
Opinions (#litres_trial_promo)
Agreeing, disagreeing and declining (#litres_trial_promo)
Congratulating someone (#litres_trial_promo)
Reacting to good and bad news (#litres_trial_promo)
Exclamations (#litres_trial_promo)
Surprise (#litres_trial_promo)
Encouraging someone (#litres_trial_promo)
Handing someone something (#litres_trial_promo)
Dangers and emergencies (#litres_trial_promo)
Speaking your mind (#litres_trial_promo)
Conversational words (#litres_trial_promo)
Grammar (#litres_trial_promo)
Nouns (#litres_trial_promo)
Articles (#litres_trial_promo)
Pronouns (#litres_trial_promo)
Adjectives (#litres_trial_promo)
Questions (#litres_trial_promo)
Negatives (#litres_trial_promo)
Some common translation difficulties (#litres_trial_promo)
Verbs (#litres_trial_promo)
Verb tenses (#litres_trial_promo)
Verb tables (#litres_trial_promo)
Hablar: to speak, to talk (#litres_trial_promo)
Deber: to have to, to owe (#litres_trial_promo)
Vivir: to live (#litres_trial_promo)
Lavarse: to wash (oneself) (#litres_trial_promo)
Dar: to give (#litres_trial_promo)
Decir: to say, to tell (#litres_trial_promo)
Entender: to understand (#litres_trial_promo)
Estar: to be (#litres_trial_promo)
Haber: to have (#litres_trial_promo)
Hacer: to do, to make (#litres_trial_promo)
Ir: to go (#litres_trial_promo)
Oír: to hear (#litres_trial_promo)
Pensar: to think (#litres_trial_promo)
Poder: to be able (to) (#litres_trial_promo)
Poner: to put (#litres_trial_promo)
Querer: to want, to love (#litres_trial_promo)
Saber: to know (#litres_trial_promo)
Sentir: to feel, to be sorry about (#litres_trial_promo)
Ser: to be (#litres_trial_promo)
Tener: to have (#litres_trial_promo)
Traer: to bring (#litres_trial_promo)
Ver: to see (#litres_trial_promo)
Vocabulary builder (#litres_trial_promo)
About the publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Introduction (#ulink_ee53fd49-3d77-5cfe-901a-fa9800ae907e)
What is it? (#ulink_5a0964fb-9693-53d0-8ed1-024ce7d8f83e)
Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is a book for learners of Spanish of all ages. It will increase your confidence in holding a conversation in Spanish, whether you are just starting to learn Spanish, studying at school or at an evening class, or brushing up your language skills. You may be going on holiday or planning to go travelling in a Spanish-speaking country, go there on business, or live there. Whatever your situation, you’ll want to be able to communicate effectively and naturally in Spanish.
Why do you need it? (#ulink_bb66d9bf-e59c-5961-8fbc-539540c81cd1)
Becoming proficient in a foreign language means being able to use and understand a number of different aspects – vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and so on. However, it takes a while to be able to put all these elements together and be sure that what you are saying sounds like natural Spanish. The Easy Learning Spanish Conversation has been carefully designed to bring these aspects together and give you language structures which you can use in conversation with confidence, knowing that you will be speaking Spanish as spoken by Spanish speakers.
How is it structured? (#ulink_53c1d1b6-f70f-5e2e-abee-74147148a8ab)
Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is made up of 12 units, each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which brings together the key phrases covered throughout the units. You’ll also find the One-stop phrase shop (#litres_trial_promo) – a unit which contains all the important expressions and turns of phrase that help you to sound more natural in Spanish.
A short grammar and verbs supplement gives you additional language support, ensuring that you have everything at your fingertips. Finally, the English-Spanish glossary covers the most important vocabulary you may need to personalize your conversation.
How does it work? (#ulink_e1515b72-b7de-5e56-a651-33d0b2f1de31)
Language allows us to express ourselves and interact with others. In any given situation, we perform different language tasks, such as asking for information, agreeing and disagreeing, complaining, making suggestions and so forth. To do this, we use linguistic structures (How…?, When…?, Could I…?, I’d like… and so on) which can be used in a variety of contexts. Each unit in Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation gives you all the phrases you might need in a given situation, grouped by structure. English headings help you navigate through the structures to enable you to find what you want quickly and easily. Throughout the units, there are also tips headed ¿Lo sabías? which highlight important differences in the way English and Spanish work.
A conversation, by definition, is a two-way process. It is as important to understand what is being said to you as it is to be able to respond. At the end of each unit, there is a section headed Listen out for. Each of these sections gives you a variety of the most typical phrases which you might hear in a given situation. Becoming familiar with these will allow you to have a successful conversation with a Spanish speaker. For further help with pronunciation, a free download with all the important structures recorded is available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources.
Communicating effectively in Spanish isn’t just about linguistic competence – it’s also about cultural knowledge. For you to feel confident in a Spanish-speaking country, it is also useful to know more about Spanish culture and lifestyle. At the end of each unit, the Lifestyle Tips will give you the information you need to gain a deeper insight into the language, the country and its people.
Why choose Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation? (#ulink_007ded2e-92cb-5c28-8488-d20c063c38a9)
• easy to use all the key language structures you need to give you the confidence to hold a conversation in natural Spanish
• easy to read a clear, modern layout which allows you to find what you need quickly and easily
• easy to understand the language you may hear from Spanish speakers in a given situation
• easy to speak free audio download available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources
The Collins Easy Learning range (#ulink_03f0606e-0735-5424-bc09-7012f29e7052)
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is part of the best-selling Collins Easy Learning range, which includes the highly acclaimed Collins Easy Learning Spanish Dictionary. Collins Easy Learning Spanish Grammar and Collins Easy Learning Spanish Verbs support you with all your grammatical needs, and the Collins Easy Learning Spanish Words allows you to learn and practise your Spanish vocabulary. The Collins Easy Learning series is the ideal language reference range to help you learn Spanish.
Spanish pronunciation (#ulink_eecbec77-4991-5212-bc3e-ef096bf18b9c)
Spanish pronunciation is easier than you might think. First, words are written pretty much as they sound. So, when you see a new word written you’ll know how to pronounce it and when you hear a new word you’ll know immediately how to spell it. Second, there are no sounds which are radically different from English ones. Below we give some tips to help you pronounce Spanish naturally.
Spanish vowels (#ulink_e03bec82-1282-5aa6-915a-c54cb401300c)
In English, vowels we don’t emphasize tend to sound like the –er in mother, for example central, January. In Spanish this never happens. Spanish vowels are always clearly pronounced.
This is how Spanish vowels are generally pronounced:
Spanish consonants (#ulink_8c21e911-58b9-5d10-bfd7-392a5033c8ac)
This is how Spanish consonants are generally pronounced:
Which syllable to emphasize (#ulink_5d0697f5-725c-5f20-8dd6-bf52f63df4ba)
To make your Spanish sound more fluent, it’s important to emphasize the right syllable. The rules for this are very simple.
• If a word ends in a vowel, in –s or in –n, and has no written accent, you emphasize the last syllable but one:
• If a word ends in any consonant other than –s or –n, and has no written accent, you emphasize the last syllable:
• Any words which are exceptions to these rules have a written accent to show which syllable you need to emphasize:
¿LO SABÍAS?
There may be an accent on the singular form of a word but not on the plural and vice versa: ración, raciones; joven, jóvenes.
Small talk (#ulink_9026ab59-a9dc-5f29-a268-e0c3b4073c9f)
¿Qué tal? – How are things? (#ulink_3a2848c5-4019-58ba-9803-39e5e010e064)
Whether you’re going to be working in a Spanish-speaking country or spending some time with your Spanish-speaking friends, you’ll want to be able to chat with people and get to know them better. The phrases in this unit will help you communicate with acquaintances, friends, family and colleagues in a variety of everyday situations.
GREETINGS (#ulink_26eaf8b4-61bc-5840-b8d3-477fe4fdf3a2)
To get you off on the right footing, you need to know how to say hello to people properly. Just as in English, there are several ways of doing this in Spanish. You can simply use hola (hello or hi) on its own. You can also use buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon or good evening – provided it’s still light), and buenas noches (good evening – once it’s dark). Spanish-speakers often use both together, as in hola, buenos días and hola, buenas tardes.
Hello
¿LO SABÍAS?
When you pass friends and acquaintances in the street and don’t stop to talk, rather than saying hola you say hasta luego or adiós.
You’ll also want to ask the people you know how they are. The simplest way to do this is by using ¿Qué tal? This is quite informal, and suitable when you know the person quite well. If you want to be more formal you say ¿Cómo está? to someone you speak to as usted.
How are you?
Use adiós(goodbye) or hasta pronto (see you soon) to say goodbye to people you don’t know well. You can just say hasta luego(see you) if you want to sound more informal.
Goodbye
¿LO SABÍAS?
Buenas noches means both good evening and good night. So you use it both when arriving and leaving somewhere in the evening. When saying goodbye to someone you know you’ll see tomorrow, such as a colleague, you say hasta mañana (see you tomorrow).
See you…!
INTRODUCING PEOPLE (#ulink_d0476125-acac-53e7-8f66-59e731784b1f)
You’ll want to introduce people you know to one another. The simplest way is by saying éste es (this is) when introducing a man, and ésta es when introducing a woman.
This is…
¿LO SABÍAS?
When you’re introduced to someone, you’ll want to know how to react. The traditional encantado should only be used in formal or business situations these days, and very often people just say ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?. You would reply in the same way – ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?.
TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF (#ulink_bb89975c-b79d-5422-84fc-d0bd2af6fd90)
To get the conversation going, you’ll need to be able to say at least what your name is, who you are or what you do, and where you’re from. Saying what your name is is rather different in Spanish from English. You say me llamo (literally I call myself). me llamo comes from the verb llamarse. If you want to say what someone else is called you use se llama. For more information on reflexive verbs like llamarse, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
My name is…
I’m…
¿LO SABÍAS?
When you say what you do in Spanish, don’t include a word for a or an before your job: soy maestro (I’m a teacher), soy enfermera (I’m a nurse).
To say how old you are, use tengo followed by your age and then años (literally I have… years). tengo comes from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m…years old
I have…
I live…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Remember to say vivo sola rather than vivo solo if you’re female.
I’m staying…
To talk about yourself, you’ll need to be able to say how long you’ve been doing something, such as learning Spanish! One way to do this is to use hace followed by the length of time and then que and the verb in the present. For more information on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo). You can also use llevo to mean I’ve been in examples like these.
I’ve been…for…
APOLOGIZING (#ulink_a935494c-a900-57ed-9d8b-1ad3847f9848)
There may be times when you wish to make an apology to somebody. The simplest way to do this is to say perdona (to someone you speak to as tú) and perdone (to someone you speak to as usted).
I’m sorry…
¿LO SABÍAS?
If you need to get past someone, or if you bump into them, just say perdón (excuse me or sorry).
I’m afraid that…
ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_0a95ec07-ff3a-5f14-aa70-df5ac93a2198)
In social situations you will often want to find out more about someone or their family, job and so on. To do this use háblame (tell me).
Tell me…
You can use the next questions when chatting socially.
What’s…?
You’ll often want to find out where things are. Remember that when you use ¿Dónde…?, está is how you generally translate the word is.
Where…?
When…?
How long have…?
One very versatile way of asking someone socially how something is going or has gone is to use the phrase ¿Qué tal…? and then the noun in question. You don’t need to use any verb at all.
How…?
Sometimes you’ll want to ask why a friend or acquaintance did or didn’t do something. You can use ¿Por qué…? and a past tense to ask the question (Why…?).
Why…?
SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO (#ulink_ca8cb19b-8122-5bbf-883f-19339bc4a67b)
When talking to friends and colleagues there’ll be plenty of things you’ll want to do together. To say what you would like to do, you can use me gustaría (I’d like). This comes from the verb gustar.
I’d like to…
Alternatively, you can use quiero followed by the infinitive. If you want someone else to do something for you, use quiero que followed by a verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I want to…
You may want to ask people you know what you should do. One way to do this is to use ¿Crees que debo…? (Should I…?) followed by a verb in the infinitive. debo comes from the verb deber. For more on deber, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Should I…?
EXPRESSING OPINIONS (#ulink_91bf8f3b-2455-50d4-b143-2c77bfaf1037)
When talking to people you know, you’ll want to say what you think of things. In Spanish there are two main ways of doing this. You can either use creo or pienso, both of which mean literally I think. Or you can use me parece, which means literally it seems to me.
I think…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Don’t forget to add que (that) after me parece, creo and pienso. It’s optional in English, but not in Spanish.
MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_7f75c8b6-5de0-5221-96b6-812ee2b309eb)
When you’re with friends and colleagues, you’ll probably want to suggest doing things together. One simple way of doing this is to use podríamos (we could) followed by the infinitive. podríamos comes from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
We could…
Just as in English, you can also make a suggestion simply by asking ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).
Why don’t…?
Another way to make suggestions is to use ¿Y si… ? (How about…?) and a verb in the present tense.
How about…?
If you want to state your opinion, the Spanish en mi opinión is just like the English in my opinion.
In my opinion…
When you want to ask someone what they think of something, you can use the verb parecer again, only this time in the phrase ¿Qué te parece…? (What do you think of…?).
What do you think of…?
To agree or disagree with what other people say, you can use estoy de acuerdo (I agree) or no estoy de acuerdo (I don’t agree).
I agree…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Remember that contigo is the way to say with you to someone you speak to as tú.
In Spanish, the verb tener (to have) is used in the phrase tener razón (to be right). For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
You’re right…
TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_b436f6c3-b1bb-5175-8f41-b09bce34b6d4)
You’ll want to make plans with business associates and friends. If you want to talk about a definite arrangement, for instance I’m seeing him tonight, you often use the future tense in Spanish. For more on the future tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m…ing
¿LO SABÍAS?
As you’ll see in the first example above, in Spanish you say ver a alguien. For more on this use of a, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
In English, to talk about the future we often say I’m going to. Spanish works the same way. To say that you’re going to do something, put voy a (I’m going to) or vamos a (we’re going to) before the verb. voy and vamos come from the verb ir. For more information on ir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m going to…
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS (#ulink_78fd4d04-95d6-5f16-b7bd-b224db92670d)
When organizing things with people you know, you can use ¿Qué te parece si…? (Will it be all right if…?) to ask if something suits them. parece comes from the verb parecer (to seem).
Will it be all right…?
To ask somebody if they would prefer you to do something, use prefieres or prefiere (depending on whether you speak to them as tú or usted) with que and the verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Would you rather…?
Would it be better to…?
Are we agreed…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
¡Vale! is used to accept or to agree: ¿Vamos juntos? – ¡Vale! (Shall we go together? – OK!).
SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_c3d35a3b-252d-5e3d-89a5-35fb8aebd64c)
To say that you have to do something in Spanish, you can use tengo que (I have to) followed by the infinitive.
I have to…
To say that you have to do something in Spanish, you can also use debo (I must) and then the infinitive. debo comes from the verb deber. For more information on deber, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I must…
To say that you should do something, use debería (I should) and then the infinitive.
I should…
¿LO SABÍAS?
As you’ll see in the first example above, in Spanish you say llamar a alguien for to call somebody. For more on this use of a, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_883d2312-deb0-593c-91d7-f0e45eb78d67)
These are some of the questions you are likely to be asked by people you meet, and some of the comments they might make.
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_7fae4c7c-a4b5-521b-9266-e90bc50401f7)
• When you want to talk to people that you either don’t know at all, or don’t know very well, the way to say you is usted. Nowadays, younger people in Spain tend not to use usted in this way, however it is always still used in Latin America.
• People who work together every day usually say tú to each other, but it’s always safer to wait a little before taking that step, especially with older or more senior colleagues. Many people don’t like to be called usted, because they think it’s too formal. They will usually suggest you call them tú by saying: puedes tutearme (you can call metú) or nos podemos tutear (we can call each othertú). If you think that the other person will be more comfortable using the tú form, you can make the first move and ask: ¿Nos tuteamos? (Shall we call each othertú?).
• When meeting someone socially for the first time, you usually shake hands – darse la mano – if it’s a man, or kiss if it’s a woman. In business and formal situations, everybody would shake hands.
• Men who are on friendly terms usually shake hands or pat each other on the back, while women kiss - darse un beso. Men also kiss female friends and in some cases other men, for instance when they belong to the same family. Spanish people usually kiss twice, once on each cheek.
• If you hear someone talking about their pareja (partner), remember that, although it’s a feminine noun, it is used for both men and women.
Getting there (#ulink_4008e345-7bb0-5e8a-9eaf-bdcc67af0c9a)
¡Buen viaje! – Have a good trip! (#ulink_4683764b-2256-5dcb-95b5-54ea3c620401)
Whether you’re hitting the road, boarding a train, catching a plane or heading for the high seas, this unit will help you check out the timetables and find the best routes using natural, confident Spanish.
TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_79fdb5e1-4fbb-52e4-b317-2cd17c326b82)
In English we use I’m going to to talk about where we’re going and what we’re going to do. It’s just the same in Spanish. You use voy a (I’m going to) before the name of a place or before another verb.
I’m going to…
If you want to say what you’re planning to do on your travels, you can use tengo la intención de (I’m planning to) followed by the infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener (to have). For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m planning to…
SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO (#ulink_d89214f6-941c-5291-a082-1ad6e9300e1f)
To talk about things that you want to do, use quiero (I want) followed by the infinitive. quiero comes from the verb querer (to want). For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I want to…
If you want to say what you feel like doing, you can use tengo ganas de (I feel like) followed by an infinitive.
I feel like…
When you want to explain what you’re hoping to do, use espero (I’m hoping) followed by an infinitive.
I’m hoping to…
When discussing your travel plans, you may want to say what you’d like to do. To do this you can use me gustaría (I’d like) followed by a verb in the infinitive.
I’d like to…
When planning your trip, of course you won’t just want to say what you like and what you’d like to do, you’ll want to say what you’d rather do. Use prefiero (I prefer or I’d rather) or preferiría (I’d prefer or I’d rather) to talk about your preferences.
I’d rather…
MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_10bc08e1-fa02-5bb6-ba1b-c0efb3f8bd63)
To make suggestions about what you could do, use podríamos (we could) and podemos (we can). They are both from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
We could…
You can also make a suggestion in the same way as English, simply by asking ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).
Why don’t…?
How about…?
To find out what someone wants to do, you can ask ¿Te gustaría…? (Would you like…?) or ¿Te apetece…? (Do you fancy…?) followed by an infinitive.
Would you like…?
To say Let’s…!, you can use ¡Vamos a…! and the infinitive form of the verb.
Let’s…!
To offer to do something, you can just use the present tense of the verb. You can also use voy a (I’m going to) and vamos a (we’re going to) and the infinitive.
I’ll…
ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_744f3149-298f-52fd-b78f-cf43ff17b70c)
When travelling around in an unfamiliar place, you’re quite likely to have to ask for directions or advice. Use perdone (excuse me) or perdone, por favor (excuse me, please) to attract someone’s attention before asking them a question.
How do I get to…?
Am I going…?
Where is…?
To ask which bus, which platform, which line, and so on, you use ¿Qué…? followed by a noun.
Which…?
You may need to find out what time something is due to happen at or what time your bus, train or flight is scheduled to go. To do this, you can use ¿A qué hora…? (What time…?).
What time…?
On your travels, you may also need to find out if something is available in a particular area. Just use the same Spanish word, ¿Hay…? to ask Is there…? and Are there…?.
Is there…?
Don’t forget that there are two verbs which both mean to be in Spanish – ser and estar. For information on when to use them, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Is it…?
To ask how much something is, use ¿Cuánto cuesta…? or ¿Cuánto vale…? (How much is…?) with a singular noun and ¿Cuánto cuestan…? or ¿Cuánto valen…? (How much are…?) with a plural noun.
How much is…?
How long…?
When travelling, you’re very likely to want to ask about how often buses, trains and so on run. To do this you can use ¿Cada cuánto tiempo…? (How often…?) with a verb in the present tense.
How often…?
To find out if something’s available, whether you’re asking an assistant about car hire, timetables, or seating, you’ll need to use the question ¿Tienen…? (Do you have…?). It’s from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Do you have…?
ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_456ce98a-08c4-5352-99a1-78dc4b43a7af)
Just as in English we can ask for something by saying a…, please, in Spanish you can say un…, por favor or una…, por favor, depending whether the thing you’re asking for is masculine or feminine. Alternatively, another very natural way to ask for things is using ¿Me da…? (Can I have…?).
Can I have…?
To say what you’d like or what you want, you can use either quiero or quisiera (I’d like). They come from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’d like…
You can also use ¿Puede…? and ¿Podría…? (Can you…? and Could you…?) when asking whether someone can do something for you. They are both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can you…?
Can you take me…?
ASKING FOR PERMISSION (#ulink_ab177e73-ee4e-5436-92d9-a9a4170f1488)
Use ¿Puedo…? or ¿Se puede…? (Can I…?) to ask whether you can do something. These come from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can I…?
To ask someone if they mind if you do something, you can use ¿Le importa que…? (Do you mind if…?) followed by a verb in the present subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Do you mind if…?
SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_b9684466-11b1-537d-897e-819895128e62)
To say what you have to do, you can use tengo que (I have to) followed by an infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener (to have). For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I have to…
Another way to say what has to be done is to use the expression hay que (you have to or we have to).
You have to…
If you want to say what you should do, you can use debería followed by an infinitive. debería comes from the verb deber. For more information on deber, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I should…
LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_97a37f68-8175-5e66-b99a-cb905e475381)
Here are some key phrases you are likely to be given when you are travelling around.
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_0b6129e6-114d-5e5e-9def-a35c8d33b4cc)
• Spaniards are expected to carry identity cards at all times, so they take it for granted that anyone might need to prove their identity. Be prepared to present your passport when checking into a campsite or going to a hotel. You may be asked: ¿Su carnet? (Your ID card, please) or ¿Su pasaporte? (Your passport, please). As you’ll need to carry your passport with you, don’t forget to keep it in a safe place.
• If you’re in charge of a car, be ready to produce your driving licence if asked for it by the police. If you’ve left it behind, you may well be fined. The police officer might ask you: ¿Me deja ver su carnet de conducir? (Can I see your driving licence?).
• When planning your journey, remember that in Spain autopistas (motorways) are often toll motorways. Every so often you will come to a peaje (toll barrier) where you will be required either to take a ticket or to hand over some money. When paying, you’ll need to choose a lane marked manual if you haven’t got the exact change or you aren’t paying by card. Otherwise, you can go into an automático lane. Nowadays, there are also Telepeaje (teletoll) lanes identified by a sign showing a white T on a blue background. These are for cars fitted with a chip allowing journeys to be tracked and paid for automatically.
• Queues tend to be informal in Spanish-speaking countries. So if you’re at the bus stop or trying to get to an information desk and don’t know who’s last in line, just ask ¿Quién es el último? (Who’s last in the queue?).
• If there’s no timetable at the bus stop, you can ask people waiting if they’ve seen your bus go past. Just ask ¿Ha pasado el número 33? (Has the number 33 been yet?).
Home from home (#ulink_469994de-e60b-5fdd-8c0a-2cce49e2d8ad)
¡Que descanses! – Sleep well! (#ulink_7b103422-2fe6-57c9-96d8-79f4e6d81180)
If you’re going to stay in a Spanish-speaking country, the phrases in this unit will help you find the sort of accommodation you want (hotel, hostel, self-catering, or a flat to rent) and ensure everything remains to your satisfaction when you’re there. We’ll also give you a few tips on what the receptionist or your landlord or landlady may say to you.
SAYING WHAT YOU WANT (#ulink_b2de28b8-79d9-59c0-b9b7-506cacf88adf)
When looking for somewhere to stay, for instance in the local tourist office, you’ll want to specify the type of accommodation you’re looking for. The way to say this is busco (I’m looking for), from the verb buscar.
I’m looking for…
I need…
To say what kind of room you’d like, how long you want to stay and so forth, you can use quiero or quisiera (I’d like). They are both from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’d like…
¿LO SABÍAS?
As in the first example above, when saying how long you’ll need your room for, you use para.
ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_6c5e3563-4b60-5e1a-8041-d574ad2a825e)
Before choosing your accommodation, you’ll want to find out some basic information by asking Is it near?, Is it expensive? and so forth. Don’t forget that Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar. You use ser to talk about how things are permanently and estar to talk about temporary states and where things are located. For more information on these two verbs, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Is it…?
The way to ask what something is like in Spanish is to use ¿Cómo…? (How…?) and the verb ser.
What’s it like…?
You can use ¿Cuánto cuesta…? (How much is…?) to ask the price of something.
How much is…?
When deciding where to stay, you’ll need to find out what facilities are on offer. Remember that asking Is there…? and Are there…? in Spanish couldn’t be easier. The word ¿Hay…? covers them both.
Is there…?
Once you’re in your accommodation one of the first things you’ll need to do is find out where things are. Remember that when you use ¿Dónde…? (Where…?), estar is the verb you generally use with it.
Where’s…?
What’s…?
How…?
To find out what time services are available where you’re staying, the phrase you need is ¿A qué hora…? meaning At what time…?.
What time…?
To find out whether you can do something, use ¿Puedo…? or ¿Se puede…? (Can I…?). They are both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can I…?
TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF (#ulink_d61f804e-30d7-56d2-896a-b17746c0553a)
Wherever you stay you’ll probably need to give some basic information about yourself, such as your name and nationality.
My name’s…
I’m…
¿LO SABÍAS?
As you’ll see from the last two examples, when talking about your reasons for being in Spain, you use estoy rather than soy.
I’m…ing
ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_7f13baff-9584-5cf4-99f7-67be880e97c9)
¿Tienen…? (Have you got…?) is the right verb form to use whenever asking if something is available in hotels, guesthouses, hostels, tourist offices, and so on. It is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Have you got…?
Use ¿Puede…? and ¿Podría…? (Can you…? and Could you…?) when asking someone to do something. They are both from poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can you…?
Could you…?
Would you mind…?
When asking for things in Spanish, very often all you need to do is use the present tense and make it a question: ¿Me da…? (Can I have…?).
Can I have…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
When you ask for something extra in Spanish, such as two more towels más (more) comes after what you’re asking for.
SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_2af1f299-4b90-5e66-89c9-38060040db8a)
You’ll often need to let the people where you’re staying know about things you have to do, so that they can help you. To say what you have or need to do, use tengo que (I have to) and the infinitive. tengo is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I have to…
ASKING FOR PERMISSION (#ulink_a21731e8-382f-57dd-923c-99060a8cb13d)
Wherever you stay you’ll need to find out what’s allowed and what isn’t, such as where you can park, where you can camp and so on. Use ¿Puedo…? (Can I…?) and ¿Podemos…? (Can we…?) to ask if you can do something. They’re both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can I…?
Do you mind if…?
SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER (#ulink_9037bed3-8fb9-5c40-9849-35cf4200da79)
When talking about what kind of accommodation you like, remember that the Spanish for I like works rather differently from English. You use me gusta with singular words and me gustan with plural ones.
I like…
And to say what you don’t like, you simply put the word no in front of me gusta or me gustan.
I don’t like…
To say what you prefer, you can use prefiero (I’d prefer).
I’d prefer…
MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_ab573c21-d4a2-53ad-a857-6614ab1d4dab)
If you’re with Spanish-speaking friends or colleagues when looking for somewhere to stay, you’ll need to be able to suggest things. One way of doing this is to use ¿Qué te parece si…? ¿ or ¿Y si…? (How about…?) followed by a verb in the present tense. For more on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
How about…?
Why don’t…?
To make a suggestion about what you could do, use podríamos (we could).
We could…
TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_635353f1-3c19-5add-9558-9f4d1e36c1ea)
Deciding on where you’re going to stay is a major part of planning a trip or holiday, so you may well want to talk about those plans in Spanish. Use voy a (I’m going to) or vamos a (we’re going to) and the infinitive to talk about what you’re planning to do. They’re from the verb ir (to go). For more on ir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m going to…
Another way of talking about your plans is to use tengo pensado (I’m planning to) followed by the infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m planning to…
COMPLAINING (#ulink_dc4dac73-5d3b-5e56-8734-a9908495feb4)
Unfortunately the service you get in your accommodation may not always be perfect. A very simple way of complaining is to say what the problem is using hay, meaning there is or there are, and no hay (there isn’t or there aren’t).
There’s…
There isn’t…
In the next examples notice how the verb ser is used to describe things which won’t change, such as the beds being uncomfortable, and estar is used for things which can change, such as the room being dirty. For more on ser and estar, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
is…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Remember that in Spanish to talk about the weather or the temperature inside, you use the verb hacer (to do, to make). For more on hacer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_4cea1dd9-1611-5530-a526-6aeaaf42db55)
Here are some key phrases you are likely to hear when you’re looking for somewhere to stay.
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_6426461a-c71f-5579-859b-ce3320782b84)
• The most economical hotels and guesthouses in Spain are pensiones and hostales, which offer no-frills accommodation. Unlike British B&Bs, they do not normally include breakfast so you may have to go elsewhere to get some.
• At the other end of the scale are the paradores nacionales de turismo, hotels which are located in places of interest and which are often historic buildings such as castles or monasteries.
• Accommodation in casas rurales has become very popular in Spain. These are country houses and cottages that have been converted for holiday lets or that have been turned into guesthouses.
• If you’re a man, you’re likely to hear receptionists and waiting staff call you caballero (literally gentleman). If you’re a woman, you’ll hear señora (literally lady) used in the same way. If the staff are young, you can call them tú rather than usted, even when they call you usted back.
• If you want to rent a flat to live in in Spain, you’ll probably have to sign a contrato de alquiler or de arrendamiento (lease) and leave a fianza (deposit) of one or two months’ rent with the dueño or propietario (landlord).
Wining and dining (#ulink_ba90ed05-5f17-5e22-89fc-eb5a60e92b7b)
¡Buen provecho! – Enjoy your meal! (#ulink_e8baeed8-b002-5a89-b2cf-41f56d1f5b20)
If you’re going out for a meal in Spain, the phrases in this unit will give you the confidence to talk to the waiter and chat with your Spanish friends in easy, natural Spanish. We’ll also give you some tips on getting advice about what to order, and a few key phrases the waiters are likely to use.
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS (#ulink_b6548d06-e4cf-51e6-aed8-3e48e7ed37e2)
If you’re going out for a meal with Spanish-speaking friends or colleagues and you want to make arrangements such as where and when to meet, you can use the verb quedar (meaning to meet or to arrange to meet).
Shall we meet…?
What time…?
When making arrangements to eat, you’ll want to check what suits other people. Use ¿No te importa que…? followed by the subjunctive or ¿No te importa si…? followed by the ordinary present to ask Is it ok with you if…? Of course you should only use te with someone you call tú. Change it to le if you call them usted. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Would it be ok if…?
To say what would suit you better, you can use me vendría mejor (it would suit me better). vendría comes from venir (to come).
It would suit me better…
ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_3ea05e0f-5b90-5002-ba77-a486134abab0)
One of the pieces of information you may need to find out is where things are. Remember that when you ask where something is, estar is the verb you generally use.
Where’s…?
Before you decide where to eat or what to eat, you may want to find out what the restaurant or the food is like. Don’t forget that Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar. For more on these verbs, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Is…?
To ask more specifically about the menu, you can use ¿Qué…? (What…?).
What…?
If you want to ask the price of something, you can use ¿Cuánto vale…? (How much is…?).
How much is…?
ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_3526652e-ba6e-5aa0-af66-75403b4e64b2)
If you haven’t already got a reservation at the restaurant where you’re planning to eat, you’ll need to ask if there’s a table you can have. ¿Tienen…? is the right verb form to use whenever asking if something is available in hotels, restaurants and shops. It is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Have you got…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
Of course if you have made a reservation, instead of asking if there’s a table free, you’ll be able to say he reservado una mesa para dos a nombre de… (I’ve booked a table for two in the name of…).
To say what you’d like or what you want, you can use either quisiera or quiero (I’d like). They are both from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo). To attract the waiter’s attention, you just need to say ¿Puede venir, por favor? (Can you come over?) or ¡Oiga, por favor! (Excuse me, please!).
I’d like…
¿LO SABÍAS?
To a Spanish ear, you may sound unnatural, overformal and foreign if you pepper your requests with por favor the way we use please in English. So don’t overuse it, and don’t keep repeating it.
To say what you’ve chosen, you can use voy a tomar (I’ll have).
I’ll have…
¿LO SABÍAS?
If you haven’t made up your mind what you want to eat when the waiter appears with a notebook, you’ll want to send him or her away temporarily. To do this you can say todavía no he decidido (I’m not ready to order yet) or todavía no hemos decidido (we’re not ready to order yet).
When you’re at your table, a very natural way to ask the waiter for what you want is by using ¿Me trae…? (Can I have…? or Can you bring me…?). If you’re being served at the bar, use ¿Me pone…? for Can I have?.
Can I have…?
You can also use ¿Puede…? (Can you…?) or ¿Podría…? (Could you…?) when asking for things. They are both from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Could you…?
Would you mind…?
SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER (#ulink_73f3803f-0a11-524a-82f8-1c57c98edf3c)
When you’re eating out, you may want to talk about what you like and dislike when it comes to food. Don’t forget that the Spanish for I like works rather differently from English. You use me gusta with singular words and me gustan with plural ones. And it’s the same story with me encanta and me encantan (I love). To say what you don’t like, use no me gusta or no me gustan (I don’t like).
I like…
I don’t like…
Do you like…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
Note that in Spanish when you talk about things that you like in general, you need to say the equivalent of I like the gazpacho, I don’t like the ham even though in English it’s I like gazpacho and I don’t like ham.
I’d rather…
If you have specific dietary requirements, you can sometimes describe them using soy (I’m).
I’m…
MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_329f16f4-a9e2-53d0-8625-e7bc0ca21cc3)
You may want to make suggestions to Spanish-speaking companions. One way to do this is to use podemos and podríamos (we can and we could). podemos and podríamos come from poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
We could…
To ask a friend or young person if they would like something, you can use ¿Quieres…? (Would you like…?). Alternatively, you can use ¿Te apetece…? (Do you fancy…?) with a singular noun and ¿Te apetecen…? with a plural one.
Would you like…?
Another way of making a suggestion is to use ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).
Why don’t…?
You could also try making suggestions about where or what you should eat using ¿Qué te parece si…? or ¿Qué tal si…?, which both mean How about…?
How about…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
Don’t use un or una in front of otro and otra (another). To say another glass of wine, for instance, you just say otra copa de vino.
To ask someone what they think, use ¿Crees que deberíamos…? (Do you think we should…?).
Do you think we should…?
What would you recommend?
COMPLAINING (#ulink_df9b1569-9ce3-5217-ac5b-f0824294b089)
If you’re unfortunate enough to have something to complain about, remember that estar is the verb to use to talk about temporary, changeable qualities. For more on ser and estar, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
…is…
You may want to say that there’s too much of something or that there isn’t enough of something. You can use demasiado and suficiente to do this.
…too much…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Don’t forget to change the endings of demasiado and suficiente to go with the noun they describe. For more information on agreement of adjectives, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
You can also use demasiado to mean too. In this case, the ending always stays the same.
…too…
You can say that something has run out by using no queda… (there isn’t any…left).
There isn’t any…left
LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_e9047b9f-193e-5335-a604-4e7dc1f0f7e9)
Here are some of the key phrases you may hear when going out for a meal.
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_5a74fefd-996d-5a40-803f-fe0a87856285)
• Spaniards usually don’t have lunch till around two or three and may not start their evening meal till nine, ten or even later. So it isn’t advisable to go out for dinner too early. If you can’t wait, however, you will find bars serving tapas
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Collins Dictionaries
A unique guide to communicating in Spanish. It will help you to find out more about Spanish culture and to practise your spoken Spanish with a free downloadable audio file.An ideal tool for learners of Spanish at all levels, whether at school, in evening classes or at home, and is indispensable for business or leisure.The text consists of 12 units, each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which gives all the key phrases covered throughout the book. The One-stop phrase shop unit gives you all the everyday expressions and language structures you need to speak in natural Spanish. Finally, the short grammar and verb supplement and the glossary give you further help and ensure that you have everything you need at your fingertips, and the free audio download helps you to communicate with confidence.• Easy to use: all the phrases you need in order to communicate effectively in natural Spanish.• Easy to read: clear layout ensures that you find what you are looking for quickly and easily.• Easy to understand: thousands of examples show how Spanish is really used.
Published by Collins
An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Westerhill Road
Bishopbriggs
Glasgow G64 2QT
Second Edition 2015
© HarperCollins Publishers 2006, 2015
eBook Edition © May 2015 ISBN 978-0-00-811881-5
Version: 2015-04-02
Collins® is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers Limited
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.
MANAGING EDITOR
Janice McNeillie
CONTRIBUTOR
Eduardo Vallejo
FOR THE PUBLISHER
Gerry Breslin
Hannah Dove
Contents
Cover (#u9759e06a-1707-5fe8-82f9-d26d2ef7d09b)
Title page (#u27aa36f4-4315-54c4-bd04-f04f8cbe7fd8)
Copyright (#ue9921896-f1ab-59b9-9c45-9b778274a0b9)
Introduction (#ulink_384a25ae-af83-5fc5-bab0-24f8a45a0503)
What is it?
Why do you need it? (#ulink_99549c82-411a-5bd9-8e43-7ca2f00d8c31)
How is it structured? (#ulink_e078857a-2ea0-59ae-9a62-24cdaa73b2df)
How does it work? (#ulink_2bd37b9e-6ce0-536f-badf-8b8e91877067)
Why choose Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation? (#ulink_5cde5219-37cd-5744-af03-f4e7f8dae8ee)
The Collins Easy Learning range (#ulink_4eb28cb3-20af-5a09-af4a-c742c2368600)
Spanish pronunciation (#ulink_c3e01934-70b3-5a0b-8ce5-7dc3dfd6823d)
Spanish vowels (#ulink_3000d34d-c6b6-559d-8c53-00f8e613e79f)
Spanish consonants (#ulink_26a45c16-fea2-515c-858d-77939ee44128)
Which syllable to emphasize (#ulink_b86b4bbd-946d-5f7a-ba58-41445c18ed03)
Units (#u89bb7c1f-d0d0-5d6a-abc9-cedced6ed581)
Small talk (#ulink_b3c726e2-8882-5767-8392-6c576705aa51)
¿Qué tal? – How are things?
Greetings (#ulink_742412c1-0026-5357-9791-5f2fac3cc521)
Introducing people (#ulink_d8d95682-ff1e-53d6-b4ae-19ad570a4cf0)
Talking about yourself (#ulink_8c6482cb-847c-5d9d-83f9-5b15c2a87a80)
Apologizing (#ulink_ca2164e0-446a-53b7-8b5e-d4f2185c8ee3)
Asking for information (#ulink_98347949-9507-5924-9479-7a9283249095)
Saying what you want to do (#ulink_5ad07d71-900e-5b03-9bcc-4f9be8f46d4f)
Expressing opinions (#ulink_871e21f3-eb75-5047-b547-686230557190)
Making suggestions (#ulink_692f36a1-e84b-549c-81ad-90e35f2980fc)
Talking about your plans (#ulink_32e8887d-a0ab-5626-9a90-d7661d69152d)
Making arrangements (#ulink_1b86816c-3e94-5f41-869a-2f9d36b331ef)
Saying what you have to do (#ulink_dd94a536-15f6-5525-95e8-d07866bcfc2a)
Listen out for (#ulink_1fb29a94-feb2-5f45-b93c-50e918a7c136)
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_6d44d753-f433-5682-906d-791c8283c1ba)
Getting there (#ulink_515ac029-5195-5f50-8a14-0bbcacbfbbce)
¡Buen viaje! – Have a good trip!
Talking about your plans (#ulink_ef661188-d11c-5c73-9747-5c6b493db5ad)
Saying what you want to do (#ulink_202ee887-dcfd-52ac-aaa9-b3a649387621)
Making suggestions (#ulink_1ce6c216-80d3-5db9-ad99-e86e69541909)
Asking for information (#ulink_273da59d-be8f-5313-8b91-caa116d83165)
Asking for things (#ulink_6826a833-4384-5138-8181-31e8230f5279)
Asking for permission (#ulink_52288916-055a-584e-ae6d-3006ddbf87bb)
Saying what you have to do (#ulink_7b41ddb4-d481-5ebd-887c-3b1762aaa457)
Listen out for (#ulink_677ad092-ebc5-5c0f-8401-15f27949e5da)
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_d0cc5fa4-e5fd-59be-97e5-6f8724838b67)
Home from home (#ulink_4a1a1f2a-6386-537a-b5be-49ea445771d8)
¡Que descanses! – Sleep well!
Saying what you want (#ulink_2d0132ab-82d2-5c24-92b1-056141387745)
Asking for information (#ulink_2345a925-bcb6-5edf-9909-7c86365c0ead)
Talking about yourself (#ulink_c1951bb2-c32b-5791-989d-6fb70e13390e)
Asking for things (#ulink_7d3ae999-3478-53a7-90fa-c996c9f8cad5)
Saying what you have to do (#ulink_3d544c45-911c-59d8-8708-b6767d89d23f)
Asking for permission (#ulink_e7b67e2c-4ebc-59a5-bca4-710be981bdec)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#ulink_a9dda709-db99-5caa-93bc-7ed3347ea159)
Making suggestions (#ulink_be7696f6-7ecd-50ea-adf8-5a761d98c73d)
Talking about your plans (#ulink_fadbb3ac-a456-5501-b35a-346967a580ff)
Complaining (#ulink_3060b914-74fb-5cc1-bc74-7340a847aa49)
Listen out for (#ulink_88b7719b-b13f-59fb-8a59-60f5e84da3ed)
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_af40ead8-3859-5dff-8c33-d0c523397587)
Wining and dining (#ulink_3f115437-86b4-5b39-8c67-aca495536ffe)
¡Buen provecho! – Enjoy your meal!
Making arrangements (#ulink_27f9dc54-094e-5db6-8adf-b52372a80c87)
Asking for information (#ulink_e7c55488-a892-5b20-b6df-5b03fb310e10)
Asking for things (#ulink_5ecb4f96-f9b9-5cd4-b288-912b8fd5e7f0)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#ulink_cb2b0c06-343f-579a-bcc9-ca323036cdd3)
Making suggestions (#ulink_f9c7dae9-41cf-563d-ac48-8b734c189588)
Complaining (#ulink_cf7c6cf2-1c1d-5079-9725-2838023241e3)
Listen out for (#ulink_1daa2d4e-b848-5d56-bd55-bed107c94647)
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_19be1d46-1605-572d-aa9f-40f07b983047)
Hitting the town (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Que te diviertas! – Enjoy yourself!
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Museums, monuments and much more (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Que lo pases bien! – Have a good time!
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Complaining (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Retail therapy (#litres_trial_promo)
¿Necesita alguna cosa? – Can I help you?
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Service with a smile (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Un servicio excelente! – Excellent service!
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about yourself (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for advice (#litres_trial_promo)
Making arrangements (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Ouch! (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Que te mejores! – Get well soon!
Explaining the problem (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what happened (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Help! (#litres_trial_promo)
¡No pasa nada! – Don’t worry about it!
Explaining the problem (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what’s happened (#litres_trial_promo)
Describing people and things (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Getting in touch (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Dígame! – Hello!
Making a telephone call (#litres_trial_promo)
When the number you’re calling answers (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying why you’re calling (#litres_trial_promo)
Giving information (#litres_trial_promo)
Answering the telephone (#litres_trial_promo)
Ending a telephone call (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Writing emails and letters (#litres_trial_promo)
Addressing an envelope (#litres_trial_promo)
Texting (#litres_trial_promo)
Social media (#litres_trial_promo)
Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)
Time, numbers, date (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Uno, dos, tres, ya! – One, two, three, go!
Los números – Numbers
La hora – The time (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying how long (#litres_trial_promo)
Las estaciones – The seasons (#litres_trial_promo)
Los meses del año – The months of the year (#litres_trial_promo)
Las fechas – Dates (#litres_trial_promo)
Los días de la semana – The days of the week (#litres_trial_promo)
El alfabeto – The alphabet (#litres_trial_promo)
Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)
Interesting days and dates (#litres_trial_promo)
In summary… (#litres_trial_promo)
Bueno, resumiendo… – So, to sum up…
Apologizing (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for and giving explanations (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)
Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)
Complaining (#litres_trial_promo)
Describing people and things (#litres_trial_promo)
Explaining a problem (#litres_trial_promo)
Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)
Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what’s happened (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)
Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)
Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)
One-stop phrase shop (#litres_trial_promo)
¡Mucho gusto! – Pleased to meet you!
Hellos and goodbyes (#litres_trial_promo)
Please and thank you (#litres_trial_promo)
Attracting someone’s attention (#litres_trial_promo)
Making sure you’ve understood (#litres_trial_promo)
Checking facts (#litres_trial_promo)
Wishing someone something (#litres_trial_promo)
Apologizing (#litres_trial_promo)
Reassuring someone (#litres_trial_promo)
Opinions (#litres_trial_promo)
Agreeing, disagreeing and declining (#litres_trial_promo)
Congratulating someone (#litres_trial_promo)
Reacting to good and bad news (#litres_trial_promo)
Exclamations (#litres_trial_promo)
Surprise (#litres_trial_promo)
Encouraging someone (#litres_trial_promo)
Handing someone something (#litres_trial_promo)
Dangers and emergencies (#litres_trial_promo)
Speaking your mind (#litres_trial_promo)
Conversational words (#litres_trial_promo)
Grammar (#litres_trial_promo)
Nouns (#litres_trial_promo)
Articles (#litres_trial_promo)
Pronouns (#litres_trial_promo)
Adjectives (#litres_trial_promo)
Questions (#litres_trial_promo)
Negatives (#litres_trial_promo)
Some common translation difficulties (#litres_trial_promo)
Verbs (#litres_trial_promo)
Verb tenses (#litres_trial_promo)
Verb tables (#litres_trial_promo)
Hablar: to speak, to talk (#litres_trial_promo)
Deber: to have to, to owe (#litres_trial_promo)
Vivir: to live (#litres_trial_promo)
Lavarse: to wash (oneself) (#litres_trial_promo)
Dar: to give (#litres_trial_promo)
Decir: to say, to tell (#litres_trial_promo)
Entender: to understand (#litres_trial_promo)
Estar: to be (#litres_trial_promo)
Haber: to have (#litres_trial_promo)
Hacer: to do, to make (#litres_trial_promo)
Ir: to go (#litres_trial_promo)
Oír: to hear (#litres_trial_promo)
Pensar: to think (#litres_trial_promo)
Poder: to be able (to) (#litres_trial_promo)
Poner: to put (#litres_trial_promo)
Querer: to want, to love (#litres_trial_promo)
Saber: to know (#litres_trial_promo)
Sentir: to feel, to be sorry about (#litres_trial_promo)
Ser: to be (#litres_trial_promo)
Tener: to have (#litres_trial_promo)
Traer: to bring (#litres_trial_promo)
Ver: to see (#litres_trial_promo)
Vocabulary builder (#litres_trial_promo)
About the publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Introduction (#ulink_ee53fd49-3d77-5cfe-901a-fa9800ae907e)
What is it? (#ulink_5a0964fb-9693-53d0-8ed1-024ce7d8f83e)
Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is a book for learners of Spanish of all ages. It will increase your confidence in holding a conversation in Spanish, whether you are just starting to learn Spanish, studying at school or at an evening class, or brushing up your language skills. You may be going on holiday or planning to go travelling in a Spanish-speaking country, go there on business, or live there. Whatever your situation, you’ll want to be able to communicate effectively and naturally in Spanish.
Why do you need it? (#ulink_bb66d9bf-e59c-5961-8fbc-539540c81cd1)
Becoming proficient in a foreign language means being able to use and understand a number of different aspects – vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and so on. However, it takes a while to be able to put all these elements together and be sure that what you are saying sounds like natural Spanish. The Easy Learning Spanish Conversation has been carefully designed to bring these aspects together and give you language structures which you can use in conversation with confidence, knowing that you will be speaking Spanish as spoken by Spanish speakers.
How is it structured? (#ulink_53c1d1b6-f70f-5e2e-abee-74147148a8ab)
Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is made up of 12 units, each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which brings together the key phrases covered throughout the units. You’ll also find the One-stop phrase shop (#litres_trial_promo) – a unit which contains all the important expressions and turns of phrase that help you to sound more natural in Spanish.
A short grammar and verbs supplement gives you additional language support, ensuring that you have everything at your fingertips. Finally, the English-Spanish glossary covers the most important vocabulary you may need to personalize your conversation.
How does it work? (#ulink_e1515b72-b7de-5e56-a651-33d0b2f1de31)
Language allows us to express ourselves and interact with others. In any given situation, we perform different language tasks, such as asking for information, agreeing and disagreeing, complaining, making suggestions and so forth. To do this, we use linguistic structures (How…?, When…?, Could I…?, I’d like… and so on) which can be used in a variety of contexts. Each unit in Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation gives you all the phrases you might need in a given situation, grouped by structure. English headings help you navigate through the structures to enable you to find what you want quickly and easily. Throughout the units, there are also tips headed ¿Lo sabías? which highlight important differences in the way English and Spanish work.
A conversation, by definition, is a two-way process. It is as important to understand what is being said to you as it is to be able to respond. At the end of each unit, there is a section headed Listen out for. Each of these sections gives you a variety of the most typical phrases which you might hear in a given situation. Becoming familiar with these will allow you to have a successful conversation with a Spanish speaker. For further help with pronunciation, a free download with all the important structures recorded is available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources.
Communicating effectively in Spanish isn’t just about linguistic competence – it’s also about cultural knowledge. For you to feel confident in a Spanish-speaking country, it is also useful to know more about Spanish culture and lifestyle. At the end of each unit, the Lifestyle Tips will give you the information you need to gain a deeper insight into the language, the country and its people.
Why choose Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation? (#ulink_007ded2e-92cb-5c28-8488-d20c063c38a9)
• easy to use all the key language structures you need to give you the confidence to hold a conversation in natural Spanish
• easy to read a clear, modern layout which allows you to find what you need quickly and easily
• easy to understand the language you may hear from Spanish speakers in a given situation
• easy to speak free audio download available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources
The Collins Easy Learning range (#ulink_03f0606e-0735-5424-bc09-7012f29e7052)
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is part of the best-selling Collins Easy Learning range, which includes the highly acclaimed Collins Easy Learning Spanish Dictionary. Collins Easy Learning Spanish Grammar and Collins Easy Learning Spanish Verbs support you with all your grammatical needs, and the Collins Easy Learning Spanish Words allows you to learn and practise your Spanish vocabulary. The Collins Easy Learning series is the ideal language reference range to help you learn Spanish.
Spanish pronunciation (#ulink_eecbec77-4991-5212-bc3e-ef096bf18b9c)
Spanish pronunciation is easier than you might think. First, words are written pretty much as they sound. So, when you see a new word written you’ll know how to pronounce it and when you hear a new word you’ll know immediately how to spell it. Second, there are no sounds which are radically different from English ones. Below we give some tips to help you pronounce Spanish naturally.
Spanish vowels (#ulink_e03bec82-1282-5aa6-915a-c54cb401300c)
In English, vowels we don’t emphasize tend to sound like the –er in mother, for example central, January. In Spanish this never happens. Spanish vowels are always clearly pronounced.
This is how Spanish vowels are generally pronounced:
Spanish consonants (#ulink_8c21e911-58b9-5d10-bfd7-392a5033c8ac)
This is how Spanish consonants are generally pronounced:
Which syllable to emphasize (#ulink_5d0697f5-725c-5f20-8dd6-bf52f63df4ba)
To make your Spanish sound more fluent, it’s important to emphasize the right syllable. The rules for this are very simple.
• If a word ends in a vowel, in –s or in –n, and has no written accent, you emphasize the last syllable but one:
• If a word ends in any consonant other than –s or –n, and has no written accent, you emphasize the last syllable:
• Any words which are exceptions to these rules have a written accent to show which syllable you need to emphasize:
¿LO SABÍAS?
There may be an accent on the singular form of a word but not on the plural and vice versa: ración, raciones; joven, jóvenes.
Small talk (#ulink_9026ab59-a9dc-5f29-a268-e0c3b4073c9f)
¿Qué tal? – How are things? (#ulink_3a2848c5-4019-58ba-9803-39e5e010e064)
Whether you’re going to be working in a Spanish-speaking country or spending some time with your Spanish-speaking friends, you’ll want to be able to chat with people and get to know them better. The phrases in this unit will help you communicate with acquaintances, friends, family and colleagues in a variety of everyday situations.
GREETINGS (#ulink_26eaf8b4-61bc-5840-b8d3-477fe4fdf3a2)
To get you off on the right footing, you need to know how to say hello to people properly. Just as in English, there are several ways of doing this in Spanish. You can simply use hola (hello or hi) on its own. You can also use buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon or good evening – provided it’s still light), and buenas noches (good evening – once it’s dark). Spanish-speakers often use both together, as in hola, buenos días and hola, buenas tardes.
Hello
¿LO SABÍAS?
When you pass friends and acquaintances in the street and don’t stop to talk, rather than saying hola you say hasta luego or adiós.
You’ll also want to ask the people you know how they are. The simplest way to do this is by using ¿Qué tal? This is quite informal, and suitable when you know the person quite well. If you want to be more formal you say ¿Cómo está? to someone you speak to as usted.
How are you?
Use adiós(goodbye) or hasta pronto (see you soon) to say goodbye to people you don’t know well. You can just say hasta luego(see you) if you want to sound more informal.
Goodbye
¿LO SABÍAS?
Buenas noches means both good evening and good night. So you use it both when arriving and leaving somewhere in the evening. When saying goodbye to someone you know you’ll see tomorrow, such as a colleague, you say hasta mañana (see you tomorrow).
See you…!
INTRODUCING PEOPLE (#ulink_d0476125-acac-53e7-8f66-59e731784b1f)
You’ll want to introduce people you know to one another. The simplest way is by saying éste es (this is) when introducing a man, and ésta es when introducing a woman.
This is…
¿LO SABÍAS?
When you’re introduced to someone, you’ll want to know how to react. The traditional encantado should only be used in formal or business situations these days, and very often people just say ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?. You would reply in the same way – ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?.
TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF (#ulink_bb89975c-b79d-5422-84fc-d0bd2af6fd90)
To get the conversation going, you’ll need to be able to say at least what your name is, who you are or what you do, and where you’re from. Saying what your name is is rather different in Spanish from English. You say me llamo (literally I call myself). me llamo comes from the verb llamarse. If you want to say what someone else is called you use se llama. For more information on reflexive verbs like llamarse, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
My name is…
I’m…
¿LO SABÍAS?
When you say what you do in Spanish, don’t include a word for a or an before your job: soy maestro (I’m a teacher), soy enfermera (I’m a nurse).
To say how old you are, use tengo followed by your age and then años (literally I have… years). tengo comes from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m…years old
I have…
I live…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Remember to say vivo sola rather than vivo solo if you’re female.
I’m staying…
To talk about yourself, you’ll need to be able to say how long you’ve been doing something, such as learning Spanish! One way to do this is to use hace followed by the length of time and then que and the verb in the present. For more information on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo). You can also use llevo to mean I’ve been in examples like these.
I’ve been…for…
APOLOGIZING (#ulink_a935494c-a900-57ed-9d8b-1ad3847f9848)
There may be times when you wish to make an apology to somebody. The simplest way to do this is to say perdona (to someone you speak to as tú) and perdone (to someone you speak to as usted).
I’m sorry…
¿LO SABÍAS?
If you need to get past someone, or if you bump into them, just say perdón (excuse me or sorry).
I’m afraid that…
ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_0a95ec07-ff3a-5f14-aa70-df5ac93a2198)
In social situations you will often want to find out more about someone or their family, job and so on. To do this use háblame (tell me).
Tell me…
You can use the next questions when chatting socially.
What’s…?
You’ll often want to find out where things are. Remember that when you use ¿Dónde…?, está is how you generally translate the word is.
Where…?
When…?
How long have…?
One very versatile way of asking someone socially how something is going or has gone is to use the phrase ¿Qué tal…? and then the noun in question. You don’t need to use any verb at all.
How…?
Sometimes you’ll want to ask why a friend or acquaintance did or didn’t do something. You can use ¿Por qué…? and a past tense to ask the question (Why…?).
Why…?
SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO (#ulink_ca8cb19b-8122-5bbf-883f-19339bc4a67b)
When talking to friends and colleagues there’ll be plenty of things you’ll want to do together. To say what you would like to do, you can use me gustaría (I’d like). This comes from the verb gustar.
I’d like to…
Alternatively, you can use quiero followed by the infinitive. If you want someone else to do something for you, use quiero que followed by a verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I want to…
You may want to ask people you know what you should do. One way to do this is to use ¿Crees que debo…? (Should I…?) followed by a verb in the infinitive. debo comes from the verb deber. For more on deber, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Should I…?
EXPRESSING OPINIONS (#ulink_91bf8f3b-2455-50d4-b143-2c77bfaf1037)
When talking to people you know, you’ll want to say what you think of things. In Spanish there are two main ways of doing this. You can either use creo or pienso, both of which mean literally I think. Or you can use me parece, which means literally it seems to me.
I think…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Don’t forget to add que (that) after me parece, creo and pienso. It’s optional in English, but not in Spanish.
MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_7f75c8b6-5de0-5221-96b6-812ee2b309eb)
When you’re with friends and colleagues, you’ll probably want to suggest doing things together. One simple way of doing this is to use podríamos (we could) followed by the infinitive. podríamos comes from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
We could…
Just as in English, you can also make a suggestion simply by asking ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).
Why don’t…?
Another way to make suggestions is to use ¿Y si… ? (How about…?) and a verb in the present tense.
How about…?
If you want to state your opinion, the Spanish en mi opinión is just like the English in my opinion.
In my opinion…
When you want to ask someone what they think of something, you can use the verb parecer again, only this time in the phrase ¿Qué te parece…? (What do you think of…?).
What do you think of…?
To agree or disagree with what other people say, you can use estoy de acuerdo (I agree) or no estoy de acuerdo (I don’t agree).
I agree…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Remember that contigo is the way to say with you to someone you speak to as tú.
In Spanish, the verb tener (to have) is used in the phrase tener razón (to be right). For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
You’re right…
TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_b436f6c3-b1bb-5175-8f41-b09bce34b6d4)
You’ll want to make plans with business associates and friends. If you want to talk about a definite arrangement, for instance I’m seeing him tonight, you often use the future tense in Spanish. For more on the future tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m…ing
¿LO SABÍAS?
As you’ll see in the first example above, in Spanish you say ver a alguien. For more on this use of a, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
In English, to talk about the future we often say I’m going to. Spanish works the same way. To say that you’re going to do something, put voy a (I’m going to) or vamos a (we’re going to) before the verb. voy and vamos come from the verb ir. For more information on ir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m going to…
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS (#ulink_78fd4d04-95d6-5f16-b7bd-b224db92670d)
When organizing things with people you know, you can use ¿Qué te parece si…? (Will it be all right if…?) to ask if something suits them. parece comes from the verb parecer (to seem).
Will it be all right…?
To ask somebody if they would prefer you to do something, use prefieres or prefiere (depending on whether you speak to them as tú or usted) with que and the verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Would you rather…?
Would it be better to…?
Are we agreed…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
¡Vale! is used to accept or to agree: ¿Vamos juntos? – ¡Vale! (Shall we go together? – OK!).
SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_c3d35a3b-252d-5e3d-89a5-35fb8aebd64c)
To say that you have to do something in Spanish, you can use tengo que (I have to) followed by the infinitive.
I have to…
To say that you have to do something in Spanish, you can also use debo (I must) and then the infinitive. debo comes from the verb deber. For more information on deber, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I must…
To say that you should do something, use debería (I should) and then the infinitive.
I should…
¿LO SABÍAS?
As you’ll see in the first example above, in Spanish you say llamar a alguien for to call somebody. For more on this use of a, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_883d2312-deb0-593c-91d7-f0e45eb78d67)
These are some of the questions you are likely to be asked by people you meet, and some of the comments they might make.
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_7fae4c7c-a4b5-521b-9266-e90bc50401f7)
• When you want to talk to people that you either don’t know at all, or don’t know very well, the way to say you is usted. Nowadays, younger people in Spain tend not to use usted in this way, however it is always still used in Latin America.
• People who work together every day usually say tú to each other, but it’s always safer to wait a little before taking that step, especially with older or more senior colleagues. Many people don’t like to be called usted, because they think it’s too formal. They will usually suggest you call them tú by saying: puedes tutearme (you can call metú) or nos podemos tutear (we can call each othertú). If you think that the other person will be more comfortable using the tú form, you can make the first move and ask: ¿Nos tuteamos? (Shall we call each othertú?).
• When meeting someone socially for the first time, you usually shake hands – darse la mano – if it’s a man, or kiss if it’s a woman. In business and formal situations, everybody would shake hands.
• Men who are on friendly terms usually shake hands or pat each other on the back, while women kiss - darse un beso. Men also kiss female friends and in some cases other men, for instance when they belong to the same family. Spanish people usually kiss twice, once on each cheek.
• If you hear someone talking about their pareja (partner), remember that, although it’s a feminine noun, it is used for both men and women.
Getting there (#ulink_4008e345-7bb0-5e8a-9eaf-bdcc67af0c9a)
¡Buen viaje! – Have a good trip! (#ulink_4683764b-2256-5dcb-95b5-54ea3c620401)
Whether you’re hitting the road, boarding a train, catching a plane or heading for the high seas, this unit will help you check out the timetables and find the best routes using natural, confident Spanish.
TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_79fdb5e1-4fbb-52e4-b317-2cd17c326b82)
In English we use I’m going to to talk about where we’re going and what we’re going to do. It’s just the same in Spanish. You use voy a (I’m going to) before the name of a place or before another verb.
I’m going to…
If you want to say what you’re planning to do on your travels, you can use tengo la intención de (I’m planning to) followed by the infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener (to have). For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m planning to…
SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO (#ulink_d89214f6-941c-5291-a082-1ad6e9300e1f)
To talk about things that you want to do, use quiero (I want) followed by the infinitive. quiero comes from the verb querer (to want). For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I want to…
If you want to say what you feel like doing, you can use tengo ganas de (I feel like) followed by an infinitive.
I feel like…
When you want to explain what you’re hoping to do, use espero (I’m hoping) followed by an infinitive.
I’m hoping to…
When discussing your travel plans, you may want to say what you’d like to do. To do this you can use me gustaría (I’d like) followed by a verb in the infinitive.
I’d like to…
When planning your trip, of course you won’t just want to say what you like and what you’d like to do, you’ll want to say what you’d rather do. Use prefiero (I prefer or I’d rather) or preferiría (I’d prefer or I’d rather) to talk about your preferences.
I’d rather…
MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_10bc08e1-fa02-5bb6-ba1b-c0efb3f8bd63)
To make suggestions about what you could do, use podríamos (we could) and podemos (we can). They are both from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
We could…
You can also make a suggestion in the same way as English, simply by asking ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).
Why don’t…?
How about…?
To find out what someone wants to do, you can ask ¿Te gustaría…? (Would you like…?) or ¿Te apetece…? (Do you fancy…?) followed by an infinitive.
Would you like…?
To say Let’s…!, you can use ¡Vamos a…! and the infinitive form of the verb.
Let’s…!
To offer to do something, you can just use the present tense of the verb. You can also use voy a (I’m going to) and vamos a (we’re going to) and the infinitive.
I’ll…
ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_744f3149-298f-52fd-b78f-cf43ff17b70c)
When travelling around in an unfamiliar place, you’re quite likely to have to ask for directions or advice. Use perdone (excuse me) or perdone, por favor (excuse me, please) to attract someone’s attention before asking them a question.
How do I get to…?
Am I going…?
Where is…?
To ask which bus, which platform, which line, and so on, you use ¿Qué…? followed by a noun.
Which…?
You may need to find out what time something is due to happen at or what time your bus, train or flight is scheduled to go. To do this, you can use ¿A qué hora…? (What time…?).
What time…?
On your travels, you may also need to find out if something is available in a particular area. Just use the same Spanish word, ¿Hay…? to ask Is there…? and Are there…?.
Is there…?
Don’t forget that there are two verbs which both mean to be in Spanish – ser and estar. For information on when to use them, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Is it…?
To ask how much something is, use ¿Cuánto cuesta…? or ¿Cuánto vale…? (How much is…?) with a singular noun and ¿Cuánto cuestan…? or ¿Cuánto valen…? (How much are…?) with a plural noun.
How much is…?
How long…?
When travelling, you’re very likely to want to ask about how often buses, trains and so on run. To do this you can use ¿Cada cuánto tiempo…? (How often…?) with a verb in the present tense.
How often…?
To find out if something’s available, whether you’re asking an assistant about car hire, timetables, or seating, you’ll need to use the question ¿Tienen…? (Do you have…?). It’s from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Do you have…?
ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_456ce98a-08c4-5352-99a1-78dc4b43a7af)
Just as in English we can ask for something by saying a…, please, in Spanish you can say un…, por favor or una…, por favor, depending whether the thing you’re asking for is masculine or feminine. Alternatively, another very natural way to ask for things is using ¿Me da…? (Can I have…?).
Can I have…?
To say what you’d like or what you want, you can use either quiero or quisiera (I’d like). They come from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’d like…
You can also use ¿Puede…? and ¿Podría…? (Can you…? and Could you…?) when asking whether someone can do something for you. They are both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can you…?
Can you take me…?
ASKING FOR PERMISSION (#ulink_ab177e73-ee4e-5436-92d9-a9a4170f1488)
Use ¿Puedo…? or ¿Se puede…? (Can I…?) to ask whether you can do something. These come from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can I…?
To ask someone if they mind if you do something, you can use ¿Le importa que…? (Do you mind if…?) followed by a verb in the present subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Do you mind if…?
SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_b9684466-11b1-537d-897e-819895128e62)
To say what you have to do, you can use tengo que (I have to) followed by an infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener (to have). For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I have to…
Another way to say what has to be done is to use the expression hay que (you have to or we have to).
You have to…
If you want to say what you should do, you can use debería followed by an infinitive. debería comes from the verb deber. For more information on deber, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I should…
LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_97a37f68-8175-5e66-b99a-cb905e475381)
Here are some key phrases you are likely to be given when you are travelling around.
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_0b6129e6-114d-5e5e-9def-a35c8d33b4cc)
• Spaniards are expected to carry identity cards at all times, so they take it for granted that anyone might need to prove their identity. Be prepared to present your passport when checking into a campsite or going to a hotel. You may be asked: ¿Su carnet? (Your ID card, please) or ¿Su pasaporte? (Your passport, please). As you’ll need to carry your passport with you, don’t forget to keep it in a safe place.
• If you’re in charge of a car, be ready to produce your driving licence if asked for it by the police. If you’ve left it behind, you may well be fined. The police officer might ask you: ¿Me deja ver su carnet de conducir? (Can I see your driving licence?).
• When planning your journey, remember that in Spain autopistas (motorways) are often toll motorways. Every so often you will come to a peaje (toll barrier) where you will be required either to take a ticket or to hand over some money. When paying, you’ll need to choose a lane marked manual if you haven’t got the exact change or you aren’t paying by card. Otherwise, you can go into an automático lane. Nowadays, there are also Telepeaje (teletoll) lanes identified by a sign showing a white T on a blue background. These are for cars fitted with a chip allowing journeys to be tracked and paid for automatically.
• Queues tend to be informal in Spanish-speaking countries. So if you’re at the bus stop or trying to get to an information desk and don’t know who’s last in line, just ask ¿Quién es el último? (Who’s last in the queue?).
• If there’s no timetable at the bus stop, you can ask people waiting if they’ve seen your bus go past. Just ask ¿Ha pasado el número 33? (Has the number 33 been yet?).
Home from home (#ulink_469994de-e60b-5fdd-8c0a-2cce49e2d8ad)
¡Que descanses! – Sleep well! (#ulink_7b103422-2fe6-57c9-96d8-79f4e6d81180)
If you’re going to stay in a Spanish-speaking country, the phrases in this unit will help you find the sort of accommodation you want (hotel, hostel, self-catering, or a flat to rent) and ensure everything remains to your satisfaction when you’re there. We’ll also give you a few tips on what the receptionist or your landlord or landlady may say to you.
SAYING WHAT YOU WANT (#ulink_b2de28b8-79d9-59c0-b9b7-506cacf88adf)
When looking for somewhere to stay, for instance in the local tourist office, you’ll want to specify the type of accommodation you’re looking for. The way to say this is busco (I’m looking for), from the verb buscar.
I’m looking for…
I need…
To say what kind of room you’d like, how long you want to stay and so forth, you can use quiero or quisiera (I’d like). They are both from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’d like…
¿LO SABÍAS?
As in the first example above, when saying how long you’ll need your room for, you use para.
ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_6c5e3563-4b60-5e1a-8041-d574ad2a825e)
Before choosing your accommodation, you’ll want to find out some basic information by asking Is it near?, Is it expensive? and so forth. Don’t forget that Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar. You use ser to talk about how things are permanently and estar to talk about temporary states and where things are located. For more information on these two verbs, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Is it…?
The way to ask what something is like in Spanish is to use ¿Cómo…? (How…?) and the verb ser.
What’s it like…?
You can use ¿Cuánto cuesta…? (How much is…?) to ask the price of something.
How much is…?
When deciding where to stay, you’ll need to find out what facilities are on offer. Remember that asking Is there…? and Are there…? in Spanish couldn’t be easier. The word ¿Hay…? covers them both.
Is there…?
Once you’re in your accommodation one of the first things you’ll need to do is find out where things are. Remember that when you use ¿Dónde…? (Where…?), estar is the verb you generally use with it.
Where’s…?
What’s…?
How…?
To find out what time services are available where you’re staying, the phrase you need is ¿A qué hora…? meaning At what time…?.
What time…?
To find out whether you can do something, use ¿Puedo…? or ¿Se puede…? (Can I…?). They are both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can I…?
TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF (#ulink_d61f804e-30d7-56d2-896a-b17746c0553a)
Wherever you stay you’ll probably need to give some basic information about yourself, such as your name and nationality.
My name’s…
I’m…
¿LO SABÍAS?
As you’ll see from the last two examples, when talking about your reasons for being in Spain, you use estoy rather than soy.
I’m…ing
ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_7f13baff-9584-5cf4-99f7-67be880e97c9)
¿Tienen…? (Have you got…?) is the right verb form to use whenever asking if something is available in hotels, guesthouses, hostels, tourist offices, and so on. It is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Have you got…?
Use ¿Puede…? and ¿Podría…? (Can you…? and Could you…?) when asking someone to do something. They are both from poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can you…?
Could you…?
Would you mind…?
When asking for things in Spanish, very often all you need to do is use the present tense and make it a question: ¿Me da…? (Can I have…?).
Can I have…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
When you ask for something extra in Spanish, such as two more towels más (more) comes after what you’re asking for.
SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_2af1f299-4b90-5e66-89c9-38060040db8a)
You’ll often need to let the people where you’re staying know about things you have to do, so that they can help you. To say what you have or need to do, use tengo que (I have to) and the infinitive. tengo is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I have to…
ASKING FOR PERMISSION (#ulink_a21731e8-382f-57dd-923c-99060a8cb13d)
Wherever you stay you’ll need to find out what’s allowed and what isn’t, such as where you can park, where you can camp and so on. Use ¿Puedo…? (Can I…?) and ¿Podemos…? (Can we…?) to ask if you can do something. They’re both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Can I…?
Do you mind if…?
SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER (#ulink_9037bed3-8fb9-5c40-9849-35cf4200da79)
When talking about what kind of accommodation you like, remember that the Spanish for I like works rather differently from English. You use me gusta with singular words and me gustan with plural ones.
I like…
And to say what you don’t like, you simply put the word no in front of me gusta or me gustan.
I don’t like…
To say what you prefer, you can use prefiero (I’d prefer).
I’d prefer…
MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_ab573c21-d4a2-53ad-a857-6614ab1d4dab)
If you’re with Spanish-speaking friends or colleagues when looking for somewhere to stay, you’ll need to be able to suggest things. One way of doing this is to use ¿Qué te parece si…? ¿ or ¿Y si…? (How about…?) followed by a verb in the present tense. For more on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
How about…?
Why don’t…?
To make a suggestion about what you could do, use podríamos (we could).
We could…
TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_635353f1-3c19-5add-9558-9f4d1e36c1ea)
Deciding on where you’re going to stay is a major part of planning a trip or holiday, so you may well want to talk about those plans in Spanish. Use voy a (I’m going to) or vamos a (we’re going to) and the infinitive to talk about what you’re planning to do. They’re from the verb ir (to go). For more on ir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m going to…
Another way of talking about your plans is to use tengo pensado (I’m planning to) followed by the infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
I’m planning to…
COMPLAINING (#ulink_dc4dac73-5d3b-5e56-8734-a9908495feb4)
Unfortunately the service you get in your accommodation may not always be perfect. A very simple way of complaining is to say what the problem is using hay, meaning there is or there are, and no hay (there isn’t or there aren’t).
There’s…
There isn’t…
In the next examples notice how the verb ser is used to describe things which won’t change, such as the beds being uncomfortable, and estar is used for things which can change, such as the room being dirty. For more on ser and estar, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
is…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Remember that in Spanish to talk about the weather or the temperature inside, you use the verb hacer (to do, to make). For more on hacer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_4cea1dd9-1611-5530-a526-6aeaaf42db55)
Here are some key phrases you are likely to hear when you’re looking for somewhere to stay.
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_6426461a-c71f-5579-859b-ce3320782b84)
• The most economical hotels and guesthouses in Spain are pensiones and hostales, which offer no-frills accommodation. Unlike British B&Bs, they do not normally include breakfast so you may have to go elsewhere to get some.
• At the other end of the scale are the paradores nacionales de turismo, hotels which are located in places of interest and which are often historic buildings such as castles or monasteries.
• Accommodation in casas rurales has become very popular in Spain. These are country houses and cottages that have been converted for holiday lets or that have been turned into guesthouses.
• If you’re a man, you’re likely to hear receptionists and waiting staff call you caballero (literally gentleman). If you’re a woman, you’ll hear señora (literally lady) used in the same way. If the staff are young, you can call them tú rather than usted, even when they call you usted back.
• If you want to rent a flat to live in in Spain, you’ll probably have to sign a contrato de alquiler or de arrendamiento (lease) and leave a fianza (deposit) of one or two months’ rent with the dueño or propietario (landlord).
Wining and dining (#ulink_ba90ed05-5f17-5e22-89fc-eb5a60e92b7b)
¡Buen provecho! – Enjoy your meal! (#ulink_e8baeed8-b002-5a89-b2cf-41f56d1f5b20)
If you’re going out for a meal in Spain, the phrases in this unit will give you the confidence to talk to the waiter and chat with your Spanish friends in easy, natural Spanish. We’ll also give you some tips on getting advice about what to order, and a few key phrases the waiters are likely to use.
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS (#ulink_b6548d06-e4cf-51e6-aed8-3e48e7ed37e2)
If you’re going out for a meal with Spanish-speaking friends or colleagues and you want to make arrangements such as where and when to meet, you can use the verb quedar (meaning to meet or to arrange to meet).
Shall we meet…?
What time…?
When making arrangements to eat, you’ll want to check what suits other people. Use ¿No te importa que…? followed by the subjunctive or ¿No te importa si…? followed by the ordinary present to ask Is it ok with you if…? Of course you should only use te with someone you call tú. Change it to le if you call them usted. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Would it be ok if…?
To say what would suit you better, you can use me vendría mejor (it would suit me better). vendría comes from venir (to come).
It would suit me better…
ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_3ea05e0f-5b90-5002-ba77-a486134abab0)
One of the pieces of information you may need to find out is where things are. Remember that when you ask where something is, estar is the verb you generally use.
Where’s…?
Before you decide where to eat or what to eat, you may want to find out what the restaurant or the food is like. Don’t forget that Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar. For more on these verbs, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Is…?
To ask more specifically about the menu, you can use ¿Qué…? (What…?).
What…?
If you want to ask the price of something, you can use ¿Cuánto vale…? (How much is…?).
How much is…?
ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_3526652e-ba6e-5aa0-af66-75403b4e64b2)
If you haven’t already got a reservation at the restaurant where you’re planning to eat, you’ll need to ask if there’s a table you can have. ¿Tienen…? is the right verb form to use whenever asking if something is available in hotels, restaurants and shops. It is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Have you got…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
Of course if you have made a reservation, instead of asking if there’s a table free, you’ll be able to say he reservado una mesa para dos a nombre de… (I’ve booked a table for two in the name of…).
To say what you’d like or what you want, you can use either quisiera or quiero (I’d like). They are both from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo). To attract the waiter’s attention, you just need to say ¿Puede venir, por favor? (Can you come over?) or ¡Oiga, por favor! (Excuse me, please!).
I’d like…
¿LO SABÍAS?
To a Spanish ear, you may sound unnatural, overformal and foreign if you pepper your requests with por favor the way we use please in English. So don’t overuse it, and don’t keep repeating it.
To say what you’ve chosen, you can use voy a tomar (I’ll have).
I’ll have…
¿LO SABÍAS?
If you haven’t made up your mind what you want to eat when the waiter appears with a notebook, you’ll want to send him or her away temporarily. To do this you can say todavía no he decidido (I’m not ready to order yet) or todavía no hemos decidido (we’re not ready to order yet).
When you’re at your table, a very natural way to ask the waiter for what you want is by using ¿Me trae…? (Can I have…? or Can you bring me…?). If you’re being served at the bar, use ¿Me pone…? for Can I have?.
Can I have…?
You can also use ¿Puede…? (Can you…?) or ¿Podría…? (Could you…?) when asking for things. They are both from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
Could you…?
Would you mind…?
SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER (#ulink_73f3803f-0a11-524a-82f8-1c57c98edf3c)
When you’re eating out, you may want to talk about what you like and dislike when it comes to food. Don’t forget that the Spanish for I like works rather differently from English. You use me gusta with singular words and me gustan with plural ones. And it’s the same story with me encanta and me encantan (I love). To say what you don’t like, use no me gusta or no me gustan (I don’t like).
I like…
I don’t like…
Do you like…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
Note that in Spanish when you talk about things that you like in general, you need to say the equivalent of I like the gazpacho, I don’t like the ham even though in English it’s I like gazpacho and I don’t like ham.
I’d rather…
If you have specific dietary requirements, you can sometimes describe them using soy (I’m).
I’m…
MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_329f16f4-a9e2-53d0-8625-e7bc0ca21cc3)
You may want to make suggestions to Spanish-speaking companions. One way to do this is to use podemos and podríamos (we can and we could). podemos and podríamos come from poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
We could…
To ask a friend or young person if they would like something, you can use ¿Quieres…? (Would you like…?). Alternatively, you can use ¿Te apetece…? (Do you fancy…?) with a singular noun and ¿Te apetecen…? with a plural one.
Would you like…?
Another way of making a suggestion is to use ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).
Why don’t…?
You could also try making suggestions about where or what you should eat using ¿Qué te parece si…? or ¿Qué tal si…?, which both mean How about…?
How about…?
¿LO SABÍAS?
Don’t use un or una in front of otro and otra (another). To say another glass of wine, for instance, you just say otra copa de vino.
To ask someone what they think, use ¿Crees que deberíamos…? (Do you think we should…?).
Do you think we should…?
What would you recommend?
COMPLAINING (#ulink_df9b1569-9ce3-5217-ac5b-f0824294b089)
If you’re unfortunate enough to have something to complain about, remember that estar is the verb to use to talk about temporary, changeable qualities. For more on ser and estar, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
…is…
You may want to say that there’s too much of something or that there isn’t enough of something. You can use demasiado and suficiente to do this.
…too much…
¿LO SABÍAS?
Don’t forget to change the endings of demasiado and suficiente to go with the noun they describe. For more information on agreement of adjectives, see here (#litres_trial_promo).
You can also use demasiado to mean too. In this case, the ending always stays the same.
…too…
You can say that something has run out by using no queda… (there isn’t any…left).
There isn’t any…left
LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_e9047b9f-193e-5335-a604-4e7dc1f0f7e9)
Here are some of the key phrases you may hear when going out for a meal.
Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_5a74fefd-996d-5a40-803f-fe0a87856285)
• Spaniards usually don’t have lunch till around two or three and may not start their evening meal till nine, ten or even later. So it isn’t advisable to go out for dinner too early. If you can’t wait, however, you will find bars serving tapas
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Collins Dictionaries
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Отдых, туризм
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 17.04.2024
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О книге: A unique guide to communicating in Spanish. It will help you to find out more about Spanish culture and to practise your spoken Spanish with a free downloadable audio file.An ideal tool for learners of Spanish at all levels, whether at school, in evening classes or at home, and is indispensable for business or leisure.The text consists of 12 units, each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which gives all the key phrases covered throughout the book. The One-stop phrase shop unit gives you all the everyday expressions and language structures you need to speak in natural Spanish. Finally, the short grammar and verb supplement and the glossary give you further help and ensure that you have everything you need at your fingertips, and the free audio download helps you to communicate with confidence.• Easy to use: all the phrases you need in order to communicate effectively in natural Spanish.• Easy to read: clear layout ensures that you find what you are looking for quickly and easily.• Easy to understand: thousands of examples show how Spanish is really used.