Dialogues

Beginner Dialogue: habitual actions

Short, scripted dialogue in Spanish, focusing on talking about habitual actions.
Luis

Luis

Colombiano

Ana

Ana

Colombiana

Contents

Transcript

Ana

[00:00:00]
Luis.
Conocer, meaning 'to know', is only used with nouns. You'll never see it followed by a verb.
¿Conoces
a alguna persona que trabaja limpiando casas?
Translation

Luis, do you know anyone who works cleaning houses?

Luis

[00:00:04]
No, honestamente, no.
por qué means 'why'. It's two words, with an accent ('tilde') on the 'e'. Don't confuse it with porque, meaning 'because', which is one word, with no tilde.
¿Por qué?
Translation

No, honestly, no. Why?

Ana

[00:00:08]
cansado/a - 'tired'. It's used with estar - estoy cansado - as it refers to a temporary condition.
Estoy cansada.
En mi casa tengo que hacer todo yo y la verdad ya no puedo más.
Translation

I'm tired. In my house I have to do everything myself and I really can't do it anymore.

Luis

[00:00:14]
¿Como así? No
entender, meaning 'to understand'. It's a stem changing verb, where the e becomes ie in all forms except for nosotros: Yo entiendo, tú entiendes, él, ella, usted entiende, nosostros entendemos, ustedes, ellos, ellas entienden
entiendo.
Translation

How come? I don't understand.

Ana

[00:00:16]
Translation

Well, in the mornings I always have to prepare breakfast, wash the dishes and take the dog out. In the afternoons I almost always have to make lunch, organize the house and do the laundry and in the evenings I have to take out the garbage, take out the dog, prepare dinner and my sister never helps. Do you understand me?

Luis

[00:00:35]
¿En serio? Es mucho. Voy a llamar a mi mamá. Quizás ella
When used with a person, we follow the verb conocer with a (known as the 'personal a') - conoce a alguien
conoce a alguien.
Translation

Really? It's a lot. I'm going to call my mum. Maybe she knows someone.

Exercises

Coming soon!

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