Do you know how to give directions in Spanish?
Apr 12, 2024
In our premium lessons, we practice giving directions in Spanish within a hospital. In this post, I will review the essential questions, verbs, prepositional phrases, adverbs and places we learned in this series.
Asking for Directions
Here is a list of all the different ways practiced asking for directions in the audio lessons: (I will use the USTED conjugation for this list. We also practice the tú conjugation in the audio lessons.)
Disculpe. Perdone. (Excuse me.)
¿Me puede decir .... ? (Can you tell me...?)
¿Me podría decir...? (Could you tell me...?
¿Podría indicar me.... ? (Could you show me...?)
¿Cómo llego a....? (How do I get to...?)
¿Cómo se llega.... ? (How do you (does one) get to...?)
¿Sabe dónde está.... (Do you know where ____ is?)
¿Por dónde se va... (How do you (does one) go to ....?)
¿Por dónde voy....? (How do I go to .... ?)
Notes:
Using the conditional of poder, PODRÍA, makesthe request more formal and polite, but is certainly not necessary.
It is common to use the IMPERSONAL SE, as in questions #6 and #8, when asking for directions.
Notice how we use the verb LLEGAR A to say "to get to." I remember when I used to stumble over how to say this in Spanish, until I realized it was simply LLEGAR!
Common Verbs for Giving Directions
During the exchanging we use the following verbs when asking and giving directions in the audio lesson, and we practice both the usted and tú conjugation of the verbs and their respective commands.
As discussed above, LLEGAR is the Spanish equivalent of " to get to" in English. Note that we use the preposition " a" before the location to which we arrive. It is common to use the subjunctive of llegar when giving directions.
" Cuando llegues a.... " (When you get to... )
Doblar/Girar
Both are used in Spain and Latin America to say " to turn." My impression is that DOBLAR is
more common in Latin America and GIRAR is more common in Spain.
" Dobla a la izquierda. " (Turn left.)
Pasar
This verb can be used to say " to pass" or to simply express movement, as in " to enter, to move, to go, etc."
" Pasa adelante. “(Come in or go ahead.)
" Pasa por recepción." (Go through reception.)
" Pasarás la sala de urgencias a la izquierda." (You will pass the emergency room on your left.)
Tomar
On the street you can simply say, " toma la segunda a la derecha" and it is understood that you are referring to the street.
" Toma la segunda (calle) a la derecha." (Take the second right.)
" Toma el segundo pasillo a la derecha." (Take the second hallway on your right.)
" Toma el ascensor o las escaleras." (Take the stairs or the elevators.)
" Toma la derecha." (Take a right.)
Subir
" Sube al cuarto piso." (Go up to the 4th floor.)
Bajar
" Baja al sótano." (Go down to the basement.)
Dar(se)lavuelta
" Da la vuelta y sigue derecho." (Turn around and go straight.)
Ver
" Verás los rótulos adelante." (You'll see the signs ahead.) "¿Ves ese pasillo?" (Do you see that hallway? )
Entrara
To express entering a location you follow it with the preposition EN or A. Many Spanish speakers prefer the preposition A as it sounds less redundant than EN.
" Entra al hospital." (Enter the hospital.)
Cruzar
" Cruza el puente. " (Cross the bridge.)
When
You
Need
to
Get
There
Quickly
Tardarsemucho/pocoenllegar.
(To take a long / short time to get there.)
¿Se tarda mucho en llegar? (Does it take a long time to get there? )
Se[indirectobjectpronoun]hacetarde.
(___ running late. )
Se me hace tarde. (I am running late.)
Estáa[periodoftimeordistance].
(It's ___ away.)
Está a dos horas de aquí. (It is two hours from here.)
Prepositional
Phrases,
Adverbs
&
Adjectives
for
Giving
Directions
Do you know how to say Happy Holidays in Spanish? In this lesson, we practice saying Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and more in Spanish.
Bruises, Cuts, Ruptures, Breaks, Tears, and Sprains
Mar 23, 2023
I am back with Rory Foster for an interactive lesson focused on discussing injuries in Spanish. This lesson builds upon one of Rory's lessons at Common Ground International. In this lesson, we practice talking about bruises, cuts, ruptures, breaks, tears, and sprains. We will first present a verb, a noun, and an adjective that all share the same root. Then, we will use this vocabulary in phrases as we discuss these different types of injuries.
A big shout out to La Comunidad's teachers, Nelly from Colombia, Gloria from Mexico, and Daniela from Mexico, for reviewing the phrases in this lesson.
Common Ground International is an excellent resource for learning medical Spanish. They offer courses from beginner to advanced and Medical Spanish Immersion Trips to Ecuador and Costa Rica. Their Spanish Immersion Programs are for all levels and include:
Spanish immersion classes
Volunteer programs in the community
Homestays with local families
Weekend excursions
They just returned from their winter program in Costa Rica in February. On June 16, they travel to Ecuador to begin a 2-week program. On July 1st, they head to Costa Rica, where they offer a 6-week program. You can adjust the duration of your trip to your schedule. Learn more in the interview.
In this lesson, we explore verbs with the body and learn when to use the pronominal (reflexive) vs the non-pronominal form of the verb.
While working on our latest series covering common orthopedic injuries in Spanish, I noticed how the verb to say, "I injured my knee," is pronominal: "Me lesioné la rodilla." Whereas the verb to say, "I bent my knee," is not: "Doblé la rodilla." So why is that? We learn this and more in this audio lesson. It’s a tricky subject, so I will try to make it clear through lots of examples.
It's been a while since I published the last lesson in the Spanish Grammar Review podcast. However, that’s not because I haven’t been podcasting about Spanish grammar. I just decided to dedicate the time I have outside of the hospital to my Medical Spanish Podcast and in the Medical Spanish Podcast, we cover a ton of advanced grammar within the context of clinical dialogues. Today’s podcast is an excerpt from our latest Medical Spanish podcast on the Covid vaccines. In this excerpt, we practice making a hypothetical if-then statement using the imperfect subjunctive and the conditional.
For this Spanish Grammar Review podcast, I have added a couple of examples where we then practice how to make and if-then statement that is not hypothetical, but reflects a real possibility.
Además, la vacuna nunca entra en el núcleo donde se encuentra el ADN y aun si entrara en el núcleo, no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN.
aun si even if
Y aun si entrara en el núcleo, no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN. And even if it did enter the nucleus, it would have no way to change your DNA.
This is a CONDITIONAL (IF-THEN) STATEMENT, where we use the IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE to present the HYPOTHETICAL condition (“y aun si entrara en el núcleo”) and we use the CONDITIONAL to present the result of that condition (“no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN”).
Hypothetical vs Possible and AUNQUE
3:29
When making a conditional statement using AUN SI it acts just like SI, where we can use either the IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE (hypothetical possibility) or the INDICATIVE (likely possibility). It canNOT be followed by the PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE.
In this premium lesson we explain AUNQUE + SUBJUNTIVO = “even if”: Quiz # 4 – The Subjunctive in Adverbial Clauses (Free lesson). Spanish Grammar members see: Subj14 How and Where. AUNQUE, unlike AUN SI, it can be used with either the imperfect or the present subjunctive.
Practice
4:05
Y aun si entrara en el núcleo, no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN. And even if it did enter the nucleus, it would have no way to change your DNA.
Aunque la vacuna entre en el núcleo, no tendrá manera de cambiar su ADN. Even if the vaccine enters the nucleus, it will not have a way to change your DNA.
Aun si la vacuna entra en el núcleo no tiene manera de cambiar su ADN. Even if the vaccine enters the nucleus, it does not have a way to change your DNA.
Review
5:29
Hypothetical
AUN SI / SI + IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE > CONDITIONAL
Y aun si entrara en el núcleo, no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN.
Possible
AUN SI / SI + PRESENT INDICATIVE > PRESENT / FUTURE INDICATIVE
Aun si la vacuna entra en el núcleo no tiene / tendrá manera de cambiar su ADN.
AUNQUE + PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE > PRESENT / FUTURE INDICATIVE
Aunque la vacuna entre en el núcleo, no tiene / tendrá manera de cambiar su ADN.
Note: There are other possible combinations (e.g. Si + present indicative > conditional), but these represent the most common ones.
Special thanks to Elizabeth Cortéz, my Spanish teacher at the San Pedro Spanish School in Guatemala who provided most of the Spanish for this lesson.
The lessons offered at docmolly.com are a fun way to practice medical Spanish. They are not intended to teach medicine or provide medical advice. These lessons are intended to improve communication with Spanish-speaking patients, but they are not intended to substitute for a qualified medical interpreter.
¿Recuerda qué estaba haciendo cuando le dieron mareos las otras veces? (Do you remember what you were doing when you got dizzy the other times?)
I am guessing that some of you struggled with the following phrase:
cuando le dieron mareos (when you experienced dizziness -o- when you got dizzy)
Here, we use LE to refer to “you” (used), and the verb DAR acts like the verb GUSTAR, where the subject of the verb in English corresponds to the object of the verb in Spanish.
You got dizzy. >>> Le dieron mareos.
In English, “you” is the subject of the verb. In Spanish, you (usted) is the object of the verb and is expressed by the pronoun “le.”
Let’s look at another example.
I get chills. >>> Me dan escalofríos.
In English, “I” is the subject of the verb. When we interpret this in Spanish, I become the object of the verb, which is expressed by the pronoun “me.”
Ejemplos Interactivos
3:23
¿Te dieron escalofríos? Did you get chills?
Me da dolor de estómago después de comer. I get a stomach ache after eating.
¿Cuándo le da dolor en el pecho? When do you get pain in your chest? (addressing the patient as usted)
Me dan calambres en las piernas por la noche. I get leg cramps at night.
¿Recuerda qué estaba haciendo cuando le dieron mareos las otras veces? Do you remember what you were doing when you got dizzy the other times?
¿Quieres Practicar Más?
4:43
Join our membership and unlock access to over 400 interactive lessons across all our courses. Learn Medical Spanish by listening and responding in real-life scenarios, which will help you build confidence and fluency quickly.
Hola! Me alegra mucho estar de vuelta. I am very happy to be back podcasting about Spanish grammar! My last grammar podcasts were in June, when we covered Spanish verbs with prepositions. In this lesson, we are going to learn why the adjective sometimes goes before the noun in Spanish.
Where have I been all summer?
I also host the Medical Spanish Podcast and with the help of my Spanish teacher from the San Pedro Spanish School, Elizabeth Cortez and my friend and interpreter, Sonja Um-Siri, I have been busy making audio lessons that cover Spanish for prenatal care. We cover a lot of grammar in the medical Spanish lessons and they are made to help us communicate with our patients. Therefore, even non-medical providers understand them and find them useful for learning conversational Spanish.
What motivated me to start podcasting about Spanish grammar again?
I just took part in an incredible course called Deliberate Spanish offered by a guy named Nacho from Spain. He also has a fantastic YouTube channel: NachoTime Spanish. As the name implies, the Deliberate Spanish course taught me to be more deliberate when I practice Spanish. For example, instead of just watching Casa de Flores, I often make it into a study session. When I hear a new word or phrase, I write it down to study later. Then I organize what I learn into mi cuaderno de dudas, and mi cuaderno de dudas has now become the inspiration for the Spanish Grammar Podcast!
Why does the adjective sometimes go before the noun?
2:25
Now let’s talk about adjectives and the where and why of adjective placement. When you are first learning Spanish, you learn that the you must place the adjective after the noun. However, as you advance in your Spanish-speaking ability, you start to notice that the adjective often goes before the noun. You may even find yourself instinctively placing an adjective before a noun, but when you stop to wonder why, you can’t say. Well, in this lesson, we are going to learn why the adjective sometimes goes before the noun through interactive examples. I hope you find it helpful. Onward!
Inherent Characteristic
3:03
Usually adjectives follow the nouns they describe, but when an adjective describes an inherent or assumed quality it is usually placed before the noun.
The city is covered in WHITE snow. La ciudad está cubierta de BLANCA nieve.
OJO: Note the use of the preposition DE in this phrase: “cubierta de nieve.”
I want to see the TALL building of New York. Quiero ver los ALTOS edificios de Nueva York.
Be careful in the STRONG mountain winds. Ten cuidado con el FUERTE viento de las montañas.
OJO: Note the use of the preposition CON in this phrase: “ten cuidado con….”
We must take advantage of this PRECIOUS life. Hay que aprovechar esta PRECIOSA vida.
OJO: Note the absence a preposition after APROVECHAR: “aprovechar esta vida”
In all the above examples, the adjective adds unnecessary information. O sea… If you omit the adjective, the meaning of the sentence would not change.
Subjective, Opinion
5:20
Adjectives may also precede the nouns they describe when they reflect a subjective characteristic or opinion about something.
I love these BEAUTIFUL gardens. Me encantan estos hermosos jardines.
I’m enjoying a WONDERFUL day. Estoy disfrutando de un MARAVILLOSO día.
It left me with this LONG scar. Me dejó con esta LARGA cicatriz.
They always have GOOD parties. Los Hernandez siempre tienen BUENAS fiestas.
I have GOOD news. Tengo BUENAS noticias.
Qualifying something as the BEST or WORST
It’s the WORST movie of 2008. Es la PEOR película del 2008.
It’s the BEST coffee in town. Es el MEJOR café de la ciudad.
Followinng the Exclamation QUÉ
7:20
Often we give our opinion about something in an exclamation preceded by the word “qué.” In this case, the adjective falls before the noun.
What a beautiful country. ¡Qué hermoso país!
What a cute puppy! ¡Qué lindo cachorro!
However, when you throw in an adverb, such as más or tan, the adjective then follows the noun.
What a cute puppy! (más) ¡Qué cachorro más lindo!
What a boring lesson! (tan) ¡Qué lección tan aburrida!
Quantity
8:36
When we use adjectives to describe the quantity of something we place them before the nouns.
We have SOME books. Tenemos ALGUNOS libros.
The snow covers the ENTIRE city. La nieve cubre TODA la ciudad.
You have a LOT of patience. Tienes MUCHA paciencia.
I don’t have ENOUGH time. No tengo SUFICIENTE tiempo.
As in many of the examples in the earlier sections, you could also place SUFICIENTE after the noun here.
I have LITTLE energy today. Tengo POCA energía hoy.
I’m looking for ANOTHER opportunity. (Busco o) Estoy buscando OTRA oportunidad.
Turn right at the FIRST stoplight. Gire / Doble a la derecha en el PRIMER semáforo.
I’m carrying TOO MANY books. Llevo DEMASIADOS libros.
I have SEVERAL ideas. Tengo VARIAS ideas.
Gracias por escuchar y Hasta la próxima.
Si tienes alguna pregunta, no dudes en dejar un comentario.
Welcome to another lesson covering Spanish Verbs. In this Spanish grammar audio lesson, we practice using common Spanish verbs with prepositions. As with all my audio lessons, I invite you to speak Spanish with me. This lesson will focus on verbs with prepositions, followed by the infinitive of another verb.
Table of Contents
1:24 Verbo + A
3:40 Verbo + CON
4:59 Verbo + DE
6:35 Verbo + EN
In this free audio lesson, we practice many of the verbs below.
Member? In the premium lesson, Spanish Verbs with Prepositions, we practice all the verbs below. The full transcript is included in the show notes, and a quizlet is included to reinforce what you learn.
Verbo + A
1:24
ACOSTUMBRARSE A
ENSEÑAR A, APRENDER A (To teach / learn)
ATREVERSE A
AYUDAR A
EMPEZAR A, COMENZAR A, ECHARSE A, PONERSE A (To begin)
DISPONERSE A.
DECIDIRSE A
INVITAR A
OBLIGAR A
NEGARSE A
RESOLVERSE A
LIMITARSE A
VOLVER A
Verbo + CON
3:40
AMENAZAR CON
CONTAR CON
SOÑAR CON
CONTENTARSE CON
Verbo + DE
4:59
ACABAR DE
ACORDARSE DE, OLVIDARSE DE
ARREPENTIRSE DE
CANSARSE DE
DEJAR DE, PARAR DE (To stop doing something)
ENCARGARSE DE, OCUPARSE DE (To take charge of something)
CONSENTIR EN, CONVENIR EN, QUEDAR EN (To agree to do something)
EMPEÑARSE EN
INSISTIR EN
ESFORZARSE EN
TARDAR EN
Rellenemos los Huecos
This audio quiz is part of the premium lesson: Spanish Verbs with Prepositions. I read a short story about our cat Schnookies. As I read, I leave pauses for you to fill in the blanks with the correct preposition.
Nuestro gato siempre insiste __ salir. Se niega __ quedarse en casa más de cuatro horas por vez. Y si tardamos __ llegar a la puerta para dejarlo salir, se pone __ llorar. ¿Y por qué se empeña __ salir? Porque sueña __ cazar conejitos y pajaritos. Justo después de salir por la puerta se echa __ correr al bosque para cazar. Mi marido, a quien le encantan los pajaritos, se cansa __ ver a nuestro gato cazándolos. Por eso, se esfuerza __ enseñar a nuestro Schnookies __ no cazar los pajaritos. Cuando ve a Schnookies persiguiendo a un pajarito, comienza __ gritar, “¡No! ¡No!” Y amenaza __ mojarlo con un balde de agua. ¿Qué opinas? ¿Schnookies va a dejar __ cazar pajaritos? ¡Lo dudo mucho!; Schnookies es muy listo pero es un gato, No puedes entrenar a un gato.
¡Gradias por Escuchar!
If you have any questions about this lesson, please leave a comment below.
How People Are Named in Guatemala (from Medical Spanish Podcast)
May 17, 2019
This episode is a rerun from my Medical Spanish Podcast. If you have already heard it there, I do have more to come for the Spanish Grammar Podcast. I will be back within the week to cover common verbs followed by prepositions.
Ever wonder why people from Spanish-speaking countries have long names? Today's episode is an off-the-cuff interview with my teacher at the San Pedro Spanish School, Jesus Elizabeth Cortez Cox. She tells us how people are named in Guatemala. I hope you enjoy!
Table of Contents
Introducción a la Entrevista 2:21
Su nombre completo 2:55
¿De dónde viene cada nombre en tu nombre completo? 3:03
El segundo nombre 3:51
Los dos apellidos 5:53
Machismo tras los nombres 7:33
Origen de cada nombre 8:39
Conclusión 9:13
Upcoming Audio Lessons 9:34
Elizabeth and I studying at the San Pedro Spanish School.
Entrevista
Molly
2:55
OK. Tu nombre. Yo quiero escuchar tu nombre completo.
Eliza
Bien. Me llamo Jesús Elizabeth Cortez Cox.
Molly
3:03
¿Y nos podrías explicar de dónde viene cada nombre en tu nombre completo?
Eliza
Perfecto. Generalmente nosotros siempre pienso que vamos a estar hablando con respecto a las costumbres, a las tradiciones. Aquí específicamente una de las costumbres es que cuando en una familia nace un bebé, sea niño o una niña. Por lo general, lleva el primer nombre tiene que ser el nombre del abuelo de este bebé. En mi caso, por ser niña, mi primer nombre es el nombre de mi abuela, la madre de mí, de mi padre.
3:51
Y el segundo, pues, fue la elección de ellos. Y esto es algo muy común para nosotros. Siempre es eso y ya llevamos muchos años. Y quizás por esa misma razón, en nuestra comunidad, hay muchas personas que llevan el mismo nombre. Tenemos muchas Marías, muchas personas que se llaman Juana, Juan, José, Pedro, porque se van repitiendo. En las familias, por ejemplo en mi familia habemos 5....6 personas con mi primer nombre. Entonces, para hacer la diferencia se nos da el segundo nombre. Tengo primas que se llaman Jesús, Elvira Jesús, Leyda Jesús, Zulmy Jesús.... todas estas llevan Jesús en su nombre.
Molly
Jesus el nombre de tu abuelo.... Oh, de tu abuela?
Eliza
Es el nombre de mi abuela. Um hm, de mi abuela. Entonces esto es muy común en estos lugares.
5:04
O también otra de las costumbres y quizás esto es más religioso, porque a veces se le da el nombre al bebé que nace dependiendo del día que nace. Si hay una fiesta... Entonces, por ejemplo, hoy estamos en día 25 de abril es la fiesta de San Marcos. Entonces, si un niño nace en esta fecha o hoy, estas personas le dan el nombre de Marcos, como para recordar el día que el niño... o el día de su santo. Entonces, esas son algunas de las tradiciones, de las costumbres con referencia al nombre.
Molly
5:53
¿Y los dos apellidos de dónde vienen?
Eliza
Bien, los dos apellidos. El primer apellido es de mi padre y el segundo apellido es de mi made. Y el segundo apellido se va perdiendo con el tiempo. ¿Cómo? Al momento de que la mujer se casa, se le otorga el apellido del esposo. Entonces, de esta manera se va perdiendo el segundo apellido, y generalmente el de la madre. Pero siempre contamos con dos apellidos.
Molly
6:28
Y cuando tú me dijiste tu nombre completo.... ya no, ya no sale el nombre de tu madre.
Eliza
Todavía yo lo conservo porque no estoy casada legalmente. Ahora vivo con mi pareja. No tenemos una boda civil, ni religiosa. Entonces, todavía lo sigo conservando.
Molly
Entonces, en tu nombre completo no sale el nombre de tu pareja.
Eliza
Exacto. Al momento en que yo contraiga matrimonio. Ahora ya es una opción. Anteriormente, era diferente. Era casi como ley agregar el nombre del esposo. En mi caso, habría sido Cortés de Quiacain, le agregamos la palabra “de,” como de posesión. Entonces... pero ahora ya es una opción. Si al momento de casarme quisiera adoptar este apellido, bien, lo puedo hacer o seguir conservando el apellido de mi madre.
7:33
Molly
Ok bueno. Porque esto de añadir el apellido de tu esposo y con “de” antes del apellido me parece un poco machista.- ¿No?
Eliza
No. Yo pienso que sí. No es un poco. Para mí es muy machista.
Molly
Entonces, es bueno que la costumbre está... esté cambiando
Eliza
Exacto, y es igual con los nombres ahora. Ahora en esta nueva generación ya no se da mucho de darle el nombre del padre o de los abuelos. Quizás en cierto modo hay pequeños conflictos en la familia porque se está rompiendo esta forma de tradición. Ahora hay nombres diferentes, nombres muy... Por supuesto, los nombres de nuestros abuelos son bonitos pero son muy repetitivos. En una familia hay muchas personas con este nombre. Ahora se está cambiando también. Las nuevas generaciones van buscando nombres diferentes a sus hijos.
Molly
8:39
¿Y puedes repetir tu nombre completo? Y vamos a decir de dónde venía cada nombre.
Eliza
Sí. Jesús que es por parte de mi abuela. Elizabeth fue la elección de mis padres. Les gustó ese nombre. Y mi apellido que es Cortés es por parte de mi padre y Cox es por parte de mi madre.
Molly
Perfecto. Muchísimas gracias.
Eliza
No hay problema.
9:34
What's to come!
Creating audio with my friend Sonja in Guatemala. We interviewed la comadrona Ester Pop (upper left) and Dr. Francisco Méndez (lower right). We also created clinical dialogues in Spanish with our teachers, Francisco González Yojcóm and Elizabeth Cortez, and Eliza’s daughter Nicole (middle right).
This interview is just a taste of what's to come. My friend Sonja Um-Siri, who is an interpreter, and I recorded interviews and clinical dialogues while studying at the San Pedro Spanish School. I will be using these recordings to make audio lessons... coming soon! This was a return trip to the San Pedro Spanish School, which I highly recommend. (See previous episode Podcasts from Guatemala.) Be sure to stay with a family when you're there!
I will be back soon with more lessons from our trip to Guatemala. While in San Pedro....
Interviews with Dr. Francisco Méndez and la comadrona Ester Pop about prenatal care.
Vocabulary and phrase review lessons for prenatal care.
Clinical dialogue on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Clinical dialogue on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
A few more off-the-cuff interviews with mi profesora Jesus Elizabeth Cortez Cox.
I hope you enjoy all this. We will also finish up the series on Spanish for COPD soon. So there is a lot to look forward to.. Hasta pronto!
Creating audio with my friend Sonja in Guatemala. We interviewed la comadrona Ester Pop (upper left) and Dr. Francisco Méndez (lower right). We also created clinical dialogues in Spanish with our teachers, Francisco González Yojcóm and Elizabeth Cortez, and Eliza’s daughter Nicole (middle right).
Prior lessons from my first trip to San Pedro, Guatemala
In this audio lesson, we practice when to use the Spanish verbs TRAER and LLEVAR. TRAER is used to say “to bring,” and LLEVAR is used to say “to bring” or “to take.” Unlike their English counterparts, the Spanish verbs TRAER and LLEVAR imply a certain direction of movement. This can be a bit confusing for non-native Spanish speakers. Pero no pasa nada. After listening to this audio Spanish lesson packed with examples, you’ll know exactly when to use TRAER and when to use LLEVAR.
But wait! There’s more! After we pin down when to use TRAER vs. LLEVAR, we’ll focus on the reflexive verb LLEVARSE and then practice conjugating the irregular verb TRAER in the present and preterite tenses.
Sample Dialogue
0:55
Molly (M) está en la sala de estar y Aaron (A) está en la cocina.
M: ¿Me traes una cerveza? A: Cómo no. Te la llevo.
(Aaron va a la sala de estar y ahora está con Molly en la sala de estar.)
A: Aquí tiene. ¿Te traigo algo más? M: Gracias mi amor. ¿Me traes un sandwich?
(Aaron regresa a la cocina.)
A: Te lo llevo enseguida.
Direction Implied with Llevar and Traer
2:27
LLEVAR Llevar is used when you are taking something from your current location to another location. Llevar often translates as “to take” in English.
If I’m in the cocina and my husband is in the sala de estar, how would I say, “I’ll bring it to you”?
Te lo llevo.
TRAER Traer is used when you are bringing something to your current location. In English, it usually translates as “to bring.”
If I’m in the living room with my husband, how would I say, “I’ll bring it to your”?
Te lo traigo.
Situation 1 – Bring Your Books to Class
3:48
(En clase)
Profesora: Por favor, traigan sus libros a clase mañana.
(En casa)
Estudiante: Llevo mi libro a clase hoy.
Situation 2 – I Brought the Dog to the Vet
4:28
A husband is talking to his wife. They are both at home.
Llevé al perro al veterinario ayer. Y cuando llegué, vi que nuestro vecino había traído a su perro también.
Situation 3 – Bring Me the Report
5:10
(En la oficina) Two colleagues are at work. Colleague A goes up to the desk of Colleague B and asks…
A: ¿Tienes el informe que te traje ayer? B: No. Lo llevé a casa. A: ¿Me lo traes mañana?
(Colega B en casa) Colleague B says to her husband…
B: Tengo que llevar este informe al trabajo mañana.
6:19
OJO: When you could use “take” instead of “bring,” use LLEVAR.
The Reflexive Verb LLEVARSE
6:40
LLEVARSE – to take away, to take with you.
When you notice your purse (cartera) is missing….
Alguien se la llevó.
More examples:
Llévate a tu hermano.
Puedes llevarte las sobras a casa.
Conjugate the Irregular Verb TRAER
8:16
Present Traigo Traes Trae Traemos Traéis Traen
Preterite Traje Trajiste Trajo Trajimos Trajisteis Trajeron
¡Gracias por escuchar!
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10:02
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Become a member! We cover the subjunctive in depth with a series of 20 premium audio lessons. Instead of sitting in front of a grammar book or computer, you can be on a walk as you interact with the audio lessons, speak Spanish, and master tricky grammatical concepts.
Giving Directions in Spanish Within a Hospital
Jun 26, 2018
This free Spanish audio lesson introduces the "Giving Directions in Spanish" module at docmolly.com. As requested by Bien, a listener, we will practice giving directions in Spanish within a hospital.
First, we will review the vocabulary. Then, we will use this vocabulary to give directions in Spanish. Normally we are speaking with strangers when we ask for and give directions. Therefore, we will use the Usted conjugation for all the verbs.
Vocabulary
Perdone Excuse me.
La cafeteria Cafeteria
El sótano Basement
Baje al sótano. Go down to the basement.
El pasillo, el corredor Hall(way)
Siga el pasillo. Follow the hall.
A la derecha / izquierda To the right / left
El ascensor Elevator
Al salir del ascensor As you leave the elevator
Doble/gire a la derecha/izquierda Turn right/left
A mano derecha/izquierda On the right-hand/left-hand side
Asking for and Giving Directions
Perdone, ¿Dónde está la cafetería? Excuse me. Where is the cafeteria?
Está en el sótano. It’s in the basement.
¿Cómo se va / se llega allí? How do you get there?
Siga (por) este pasillo y usted verá el ascensor a la derecha. Follow this hallway and you’ll see the elevator to your right.
Baje al sótano. Go down basement.
Al salir del ascensor, doble/gire a la izquierda. As you exit the elevator, turn left.
Verá la cafeteria a mano derecha. You will see the cafeteria on the right-hand side.
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Today’s podcast is a quiz on the Spanish prepositions POR y PARA. It kicks off a series of audio lessons that will cover these two prepositions at docmolly.com.
This podcast reviews some of the grammar points covered during an interview I did for the Medical Spanish Podcast. I interviewed folk healer Francisco Chavajay while studying at the San Pedro Spanish School in Guatemala. The clinical dialogues and interviews presented in the Medical Spanish Podcast provide an effective method of learning key grammatical concepts used in everyday Spanish conversation. In this free grammar podcast, we go over a sampling of the grammar points covered in my interview with don Francisco.
Don Francisco and I
Grammar Points from the Interview
“Fíjese que para ser curandero uno no aprende, no le enseñan.”
Fijarse
Fíjate que son muy caros. Look, they are very expensive.
Fíjese que para ser curandero uno no aprende. You see, to be a curandero one doesn’t learn.
The Third Person Plural to Express a Passive Action in Spanish
“No le enseñan.” One is not taught.
Me ingresaron en el hospital. I was admitted to the hospital.
Le enseñaron a respetar a los mayores. She was taught to respect her elders.
Sino Que
“No le enseñan, sino que lo trae desde el vientre de la madre.” One isn’t taught, rather one gets it from the womb of the mother.
No me riñeron, sino que me animaron. They did not scold me, instead, they encouraged me.
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I highly recommend San Pedro Spanish School in Guatemala. My niece and I had an amazing experience living with a host family and studying at the school. Listen to this podcast to hear more about our experience.
Are you ready to take on some advanced Spanish grammar? This audio quiz reviews the material covered in the following premium audio lessons.
Subjunctive 15 – Conditional (If… then… ) Statements About the Present Subjunctive 16 – Conditional Statements About the Past Subjunctive 17 – The Subjunctive Following “Como Si” Subjunctive 18 – The Subjunctive Following “Ojalá” Subjunctive 19 – “No Matter How Much” in Spanish Subjunctive 20 – La Forma Reduplicativa
Quiz # 3 – The Subjunctive in Adjective Clauses
Mar 26, 2015
This lesson is a quiz that reviews the use of the subjunctive in adjective clauses covered in the last two lessons.
A subordinate adjective clause describes a noun or pronoun in the main clause of a sentence. When it describes something KNOWN AND SPECIFIC, we use the INDICATIVE. When the subordinate adjective clause describes something NOT YET IDENTIFIED, which may or may not exist, we use the SUBJUNCTIVE.
Quiz #2 – The Subjunctive in Noun Clauses
Dec 05, 2014
Do you know when to use the subjunctive in noun clauses?
If not, you've come to the right place. Learn to identify the noun clause in a sentence, and then when to use the subjunctive vs the indicative within the noun clause. We cover this in depth in the Subjunctive series offered through the Spanish Grammar Subscription at docmolly.com.
Subscribe to the premium Spanish Grammar subscription at docmolly.com.
What is a Noun Clause?
A subordinate noun clause is introduced by the conjunction QUE. It contains a subject and a conjugated verb and takes the role of a noun within the sentence. Just like a noun, it can act as the subject or the direct object of the verb in the main clause. It answers the question, “What?”
1:45
Identify the subordinate noun clause:
1. Deseo que me acompañes al baile. ¿Qué deseas? … que me acompañes al baile.
2. Es cierto que te voy a acompañar. ¿Cuál es cierto? …. que te voy a acompañar.
3. Me sorprende que Francisco vaya a clase todos los días. ¿Qué te sorprende? … que Francisco vaya a clases todos los días.
When do we use the subjunctive in the subordinate noun clause?
3:07
1. When the main clause expresses INFLUENCE over the action expressed in the subordinate noun clause. For example, when you want, hope, or need something to occur, you express that action or event in the subjunctive. Ej: Necesito que asistas a clase.
2. When the main clause expresses an EMOTIONAL RESPONSE OR VALUE JUDGEMENT regarding the action or event expressed in the subordinate noun clause. Ej: Me enfada que ellos fumen en case.
3. When the main clause expresses DENIAL, DOUBT OR UNCERTAINTY regarding the action or event expressed in the subordinate noun clause. Ej: No estoy segura que puedan ir.
We otherwise use the indicative to simply state our perceived reality.
QUIZ
6:27
Es probable It will likely rain this afternoon. Es probable que llueva esta tarde.
Necesito I need you to come with me. Necesito que me acompañes.
Deseo I want to live in Italy. Deseo vivir en Italia. I want you to visit me in Italy. Deseo que me visites en Italia.
Es cierto It’s true that I work here. Es cierto que trabajo aqui.
Es importante It’s importante to keep still. Es importante quedarse quieto.
It’s important that you keep still. Es importante que te quedes quieto/a.
No era posible It wasn’t possible for her to continue working. No era posible que siguiera / siguiese trabajando.
Me molestó It bothered me that they hadn’t study for the test. Me molestó que no hubieran / hubiesen estudiado para el examen.
Te ruego I beg you to stop. Te ruego que pares.
Tengo miedo I’m afraid that they can hear us. Tengo miedo que nos puedan oír.
Me temo I’m afraid there are no rooms available. Me temo que no hay habitaciones disponibles.
Más vale It’s better to tell the truth. Más vale decir la verdad.
You better tell the truth. Más vale que digas la verdad.
Dudaba I doubted that we could do it. Dudaba que pudiéramos hacerlo.
EXTRA CREDIT: (Not included in the podcast, as not to cause confusion.)
I doubted that I could do it. Dudaba que pudiera hacerlo.* -OR- Dudaba poder hacerlo.
*Unlike in the examples above involving verbs and expressions of influence, the subjunctive sometimes follow verbs of emotion and doubt even when the subject remains the same.
Quiz # 1 – Choose the Correct Tense of the Subjunctive
Sep 05, 2014
Check out our Subjunctive Course for a comprehensive review of the Spanish subjunctive. This audio quiz reviews the first module of the course, where we review the conjugation of the subjunctive in its four tenses and when to use each tense.
Present Subjunctive
Present Perfect Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Pluperfect Subjunctive
In each example of the quiz, choose the correct tense of the subjunctive.
Learn the different uses of the Spanish verb ACABAR. In this audio lesson we practice using the verb ACABAR in different grammatical constructs to mean different things.
ACABAR + DE + INFINITIVE = to have just done something
Acabo de hablar con mamá. (I just spoke to mom.)
Acabamos de comer. (We have just eaten.)
Acaba de sacar a pasear al perro. (He just took the dog for a walk.)
Acaban de regresar. (They just got back.)
ACABAR + NOUN = to finish something
Acabé mi tarea. (I finished my homework.)
Acabamos el proyecto. (We finished the project.)
¿Acabaste el libro? (Did you finish the book?)
ACABARSE = Something has run out or has been used up
Se acabaron los fondos. (The funds have been used up.)
Se acabó la batería de mi móvil. (The battery has run out on my cellphone.)
ACABARSE + pronombre de objeto indirect (TE, ME, LE , NOS) = Someone has run out of something
Se nos acabó la comida. (We’ve run out of food.)
Se me acabaron las ideas. (I have run out of ideas.)
Algún día se le va acabar la suerte. (Someday he is going to run out of luck.)
ACABAR CON = to do away with or put an end to
Quiere acabar con las regulaciones innecesarias. (She wants to do away with unnecessary regulations.)
La lesión acabó con su carrera deportiva. (The injury put an end to his careers in sports.)
Acabamos con el odio. (We put an end to the hatred.)
ACABAR POR + INFINITIVO = to end up doing something
¿Acabaste por volver a pie? (Did you end up walking back?)
Acabé por no ir a la reunión. (I ended up not going to the meeting.)
Acabaron por hablar de sus familias. (They ended up talking about their families.)
ACABAR + GERUNDIO = to end up dong something
Siempre acabamos hablando de trabajo. (We always end up talking about work.)
Acabaste cantando en el coro. (You ended up singing in the chorus.)
Acabó enseñando inglés en Ecuador. (He ended up teaching English in Ecuador. )
¿Acabaste llorando? (Did you end up crying?)
No, acabé riéndome. (No, I ended up laughing.)
Want to learn more?
Check out the following free lessons covering Spanish verbs:
In this audio lesson we practice phrases describing body language in Spanish. While reading in Spanish recently, I took note of several phrases describing gestures or body language, so I decided to make a podcast out of them. First, we’ll practice naming the gestures in Spanish and then we’ll use them in sentences.
In English, we use the present perfect tense, “I have been…,” followed by a gerund (e.g., studying).
In Spanish, we usually use the simple present tense. Three common variations express an action that started in the past and continues into the present.
Hace… que…
Hace + período de tiempo + que + verbo en el presente. Hace años que estudio español.
¿Cuánto (tiempo) hace que + verbo en el presente? ¿Hace cuánto (tiempo) que + verbo en el presente? (otra opción) ¿Cuánto (tiempo) hace que estudias español?
(How long have you been studying Spanish?)
Desde
Verbo en el presente + desde hace + período de tiempo. Estudio español desde hace años.
And making this into a question using “desde:” ¿Desde cuándo + verbo en el presente? ¿Desde cuándo estudias español?
Llevar
Levar + gerundio + período de tiempo. Llevo años estudiando español.
OJO: The period of time can go BEFORE OR AFTER the gerund. Also, as we will see in the examples below, the gerund can be replaced by an adjective, an adverb, or a prepositional phrase.
¿Cuánto tiempo + llevar + gerundio? ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas estudiando español?
We can also use llevar, followed by a location or description, to describe a state that started in the past and continues into the present.
¿Cuánto tiempo llevas en este país? (How long have you been in this country?)
Ya llevo unos cuantos días. (I’ve now been here for a few days.)
Hace que
¿Cuánto (tiempo) hace que eres vegetariana? (How long have you been a vegetarian?)
Hace ocho años que soy vegetariana. (I have been a vegetarian for eight years.)
¿Cuánto (tiempo) hace que vives aquí? (How long has he been living here?)
Hace tres años que vivo aquí. (I’ve been living here for 3 years.)
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que tiene problemas con la bebida? (How long has she had a drinking problem?)
Hace años que tiene problemas con la bebida. (She’s had a drinking problem for years.)
Hace mucho tiempo que no nos vemos. (We haven’t seen each other for a long time.)
Hace años que no hablamos. (We haven’t spoken for years.)
¿Cuánto (tiempo) hace que te sientes así? (How long have you felt this way?)
Hace unos cuantos meses que me siento así. (I’ve been feeling this way for a few months.)
Desde
¿Desde cuándo trabajas para esa empresa? (How long have you been working for that company?)
Trabajo para esa empresa desde hace tres años. (I have been working for that company for three years?)
¿Desde cuándo esperan? (How long have they been waiting?)
Esperamos desde hace más de una hora. (We’ve been waiting for more than an hour.)
¿Desde cuándo vive en ese departamento? (How long has she lived in that apartment?)
Vive en ese departamento desde hace menos de un año. (She’s lived in that apartment for less than a year.)
¿Desde cuándo entrenas al equipo de fútbol? (How long have you been coaching the soccer team?)
Entreno al equipo de fútbol desde hace un año. (I’ve been couching the soccer team for a year.)
¿Desde cuándo tiene estos síntomas? (How long have you had these symptoms?)
Tengo estos síntomas desde hace una semana. (I’ve had these symptoms for a week.)
¿Desde cuándo tocas la guitarra? (How long have you played the guitar?)
Toco la guitarra desde que tenía 11 años. (I’ve played the guitar since I was 11 years old.)
Llevar
¿Cuánto tiempo llevas entrenándote para el maratón? (How long have they been training for the marathon?)
Llevo cinco meses entrenándome para el maratón. (I have been training for the marathon for five months.)
¿Cuánto tiempo lleva comportándose así? (How long has he been behaving like this?)
Lleva más de un mes comportándose así. (He’s been acting this way for over a month.)
¿Cuánto tiempo lleva en la cárcel? (How long has she been in prison?)
Lleva dos semanas en la cárcel. (She’s been in prison for two weeks.)
¿Cuánto tiempo llevamos aquí? (How long have we been here?)
Llevamos una semana aquí. (We’ve been here for a week.)
¿Cuánto tiempo llevas con esta llaga? (How long have you had this sore?)
Llevo por lo menos un mes con esta llaga. (I’ve had this sore for at least a month.)
¿Cuánto tiempo llevan casados? (How long have you been married?)
Llevamos cincuenta y dos años casados. (We have been married for 52 years.)
¿Cuánto meses llevas de embarazo? (How many months pregnant are you?)
Llevo seis meses de embarazo. (I am 6 months pregnant.)
SER vs ESTAR – Intro to the Spanish Grammar Review Podcast
Jun 23, 2012
Do you know when to use SER vs ESTAR?
Some of you may remember my original Spanish Grammar Review podcast, which I started in 2007. I took a break to focus on the Medical Spanish Podcast and resumed podcasting about Spanish grammar in June 2012. In this first podcast of the “new” Spanish Grammar Review, we take an audio quiz covering when to use SER and when to use ESTAR. I hope you enjoy it.
El concierto ____ en Minneapolis. (The concert is in Minneapolis.)
¡El pescado ___ rico! (The fish is delicious!)
Mi casa ____ a 10 kilómetros del centro. (My house is 10 kilometers from downtown.)
___ yo. (It’s me.)
El trabajo ____ hecho. (The work is done.)
Ya ___ tarde. (It’s already too late.)
¿Cómo ___ el dolor? (What is the pain like?)
Lo más importante ___ los niños. (The most important thing is the children.
El cielo ___ azul. (The sky is blue.)
¡El cielo ___ anaranjado! (The sky is orange!)
Want to learn more?
Listen to more free Spanish Grammar lessons. Members: Access the Ser y Estar module in our Spanish Grammar course!
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Learn the different uses of the Spanish verb ACABAR. In this audio lesson we practice using the verb ACABAR in different grammatical constructs to mean different things.
In this audio lesson we practice phrases describing body language in Spanish. While reading in Spanish recently, I took note of several phrases describing gestures or body language, so I decided to make a podcast out of them. First, we’ll practice naming the gestures in Spanish and then we’ll use them in sentences.
