/A1%20Collection/es-a1-story-5.webp)
Spanish version
Raquel está en el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="airport" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">aeropuerto</span> de Madrid.
Va a Perú con su <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="boyfriend" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">novio</span>, Gustavo. Van a estar dos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="weeks" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">semanas</span>.
Quieren <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="to visit" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">visitar</span> Machu Picchu, Lima y Cusco.
Son las <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="vacation" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">vacaciones</span> perfectas.
El <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="flight" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">vuelo</span> sale en cincuenta minutos.
Pero Gustavo no está.
Raquel mira su móvil. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="calls" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Llama</span> a Gustavo.
—¿Gustavo? ¿Dónde estás?
—Estoy en casa.
—¿¡En casa!?
—Sí. Raquel... tengo un problema.
—¿Qué problema?
—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="I can't find" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">No encuentro</span> mi <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="passport" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">pasaporte</span>.
—¡¿Cómo que no lo encuentras?!
—No lo encuentro.
—¡Gustavo! El vuelo sale en cincuenta minutos.
—Vale, vale. Estoy buscando.
Raquel <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="breathes" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">respira</span>.
—Vale. ¿Está en tu <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="suitcase" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">maleta</span>?
—No, mi maleta está aquí. El pasaporte no está <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="inside" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">dentro</span>.
—¿Está <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="on top of" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">sobre</span> la mesa?
—No.
—¿Está en la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="kitchen" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">cocina</span>? ¿<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="next to the" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Al lado del</span> <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="microwave" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">microondas</span>?
—Espera... no, no está aquí.
—¿Está en tu <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="bedroom" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">habitación</span>? ¿<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="under" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Debajo de</span> unos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="papers" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">papeles</span>?
—Voy a la habitación, espera... No, nada.
—¿Dentro del <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="closet" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">armario</span>?
—No.
—¿En el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="bathroom" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">baño</span>?
—¿El baño? No, no está en el baño.
Raquel mira el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="clock" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">reloj</span>. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="there are forty minutes left" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Faltan cuarenta minutos.</span>
—Gustavo, <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="think" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">piensa</span>. ¿Dónde está tu <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="jacket" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">chaqueta</span>?
—Mi chaqueta está en el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="living room" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">salón</span>. ¿Por qué?
—¡Mira en los <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="pockets" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">bolsillos</span>!
Silencio.
—¡Raquel! ¡Está aquí! ¡El pasaporte está en el bolsillo de mi chaqueta!
—¡Por fin! ¡Coge un taxi ahora! ¡Rápido!
Gustavo va en taxi al aeropuerto.
Raquel está muy nerviosa. El <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="time" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">tiempo</span> pasa muy rápido.
"<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="last" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Último</span> <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="call" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">llamado</span>. Vuelo a Lima, Perú. La <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="gate" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">puerta</span> 12 cierra en diez minutos."
Raquel <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="receives" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">recibe</span> un mensaje de Gustavo: "Estoy <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="running" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">corriendo</span> <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="towards" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">hacia</span> la puerta."
Raquel mira la puerta. Ve a Gustavo.
Corre muy rápido. Está <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="tired" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">cansado</span>.
—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="here I am!" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¡Aquí estoy!</span> —dice Gustavo.
—Por fin, Gustavo. Solo cinco minutos. ¡Vamos, vamos!
Van a la puerta.
—Pasaportes, por favor. Rápido —dice el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="employee" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">empleado</span>.
Raquel da su pasaporte.
Gustavo da su pasaporte.
El empleado mira el pasaporte.
Mira a Gustavo. Mira el pasaporte otra vez.
—Señor, este pasaporte no es <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="valid" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">válido</span>. Está <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="expired" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">caducado</span>.
—¿¡Qué!?
—No puede viajar.
Gustavo mira su pasaporte.
—¿Y ahora qué hacemos? —dice Gustavo.
Raquel no dice nada.
Coge su maleta y entra en el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="airplane" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">avión</span>.
—Ehh... ¿Raquel? Raquel, espera...
Raquel mira a Gustavo.
—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="don't worry" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">No te preocupes</span>, Gustavo. Te <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="I send" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">mando</span> <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="photos" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">fotos</span> de Machu Picchu.
Spanish story with English translation
Raquel está en el aeropuerto de Madrid.
Raquel is at the Madrid airport.
Va a Perú con su novio, Gustavo. Van a estar dos semanas.
She is going to Peru with her boyfriend, Gustavo. They are going to be there for two weeks.
Quieren visitar Machu Picchu, Lima y Cusco.
They want to visit Machu Picchu, Lima, and Cusco.
Son las vacaciones perfectas.
It is the perfect vacation.
El vuelo sale en cincuenta minutos.
The flight leaves in fifty minutes.
Pero Gustavo no está.
But Gustavo is not there.
Raquel mira su móvil. Llama a Gustavo.
Raquel looks at her phone. She calls Gustavo.
—¿Gustavo? ¿Dónde estás?
"Gustavo? Where are you?"
—Estoy en casa.
"I'm at home."
—¿¡En casa!?
"At home!?"
—Sí. Raquel... tengo un problema.
"Yes. Raquel... I have a problem."
—¿Qué problema?
"What problem?"
—No encuentro mi pasaporte.
"I can't find my passport."
—¡¿Cómo que no lo encuentras?!
"What do you mean you can't find it?!"
—No lo encuentro.
"I can't find it."
—¡Gustavo! El vuelo sale en cincuenta minutos.
"Gustavo! The flight leaves in fifty minutes."
—Vale, vale. Estoy buscando.
"Okay, okay. I'm looking."
Raquel respira.
Raquel breathes.
—Vale. ¿Está en tu maleta?
"Okay. Is it in your suitcase?"
—No, mi maleta está aquí. El pasaporte no está dentro.
"No, my suitcase is here. The passport is not inside."
—¿Está sobre la mesa?
"Is it on the table?"
—No.
"No."
—¿Está en la cocina? ¿Al lado del microondas?
"Is it in the kitchen? Next to the microwave?"
—Espera... no, no está aquí.
"Wait... no, it's not here."
—¿Está en tu habitación? ¿Debajo de unos papeles?
"Is it in your bedroom? Under some papers?"
—Voy a la habitación, espera... No, nada.
"I'm going to the bedroom, wait... No, nothing."
—¿Dentro del armario?
"Inside the closet?"
—No.
"No."
—¿En el baño?
"In the bathroom?"
—¿El baño? No, no está en el baño.
"The bathroom? No, it's not in the bathroom."
Raquel mira el reloj. Faltan cuarenta minutos.
Raquel looks at the clock. Forty minutes left.
—Gustavo, piensa. ¿Dónde está tu chaqueta?
"Gustavo, think. Where is your jacket?"
—Mi chaqueta está en el salón. ¿Por qué?
"My jacket is in the living room. Why?"
—¡Mira en los bolsillos!
"Look in the pockets!"
Silencio.
Silence.
—¡Raquel! ¡Está aquí! ¡El pasaporte está en el bolsillo de mi chaqueta!
"Raquel! It's here! The passport is in the pocket of my jacket!"
—¡Por fin! ¡Coge un taxi ahora! ¡Rápido!
"Finally! Get a taxi now! Quick!"
Gustavo va en taxi al aeropuerto.
Gustavo goes by taxi to the airport.
Raquel está muy nerviosa. El tiempo pasa muy rápido.
Raquel is very nervous. Time passes very quickly.
"Último llamado. Vuelo a Lima, Perú. La puerta 12 cierra en diez minutos."
"Last call. Flight to Lima, Peru. Gate 12 closes in ten minutes."
Raquel recibe un mensaje de Gustavo: "Estoy corriendo hacia la puerta."
Raquel receives a message from Gustavo: "I am running toward the gate."
Raquel mira la puerta. Ve a Gustavo.
Raquel looks at the gate. She sees Gustavo.
Corre muy rápido. Está cansado.
He is running very fast. He is tired.
—¡Aquí estoy! —dice Gustavo.
"Here I am!" says Gustavo.
—Por fin, Gustavo. Solo cinco minutos. ¡Vamos, vamos!
"Finally, Gustavo. Only five minutes. Let's go, let's go!"
Van a la puerta.
They go to the gate.
—Pasaportes, por favor. Rápido —dice el empleado.
"Passports, please. Quickly," says the employee.
Raquel da su pasaporte.
Raquel gives her passport.
Gustavo da su pasaporte.
Gustavo gives his passport.
El empleado mira el pasaporte.
The employee looks at the passport.
Mira a Gustavo. Mira el pasaporte otra vez.
He looks at Gustavo. He looks at the passport again.
—Señor, este pasaporte no es válido. Está caducado.
"Sir, this passport is not valid. It is expired."
—¿¡Qué!?
"What!?"
—No puede viajar.
"You cannot travel."
Gustavo mira su pasaporte.
Gustavo looks at his passport.
—¿Y ahora qué hacemos? —dice Gustavo.
"And now what do we do?" says Gustavo.
Raquel no dice nada.
Raquel says nothing.
Coge su maleta y entra en el avión.
She grabs her suitcase and enters the airplane.
—Ehh... ¿Raquel? Raquel, espera...
"Ehh... Raquel? Raquel, wait..."
Raquel mira a Gustavo.
Raquel looks at Gustavo.
—No te preocupes, Gustavo. Te mando fotos de Machu Picchu.
"Don't worry, Gustavo. I'll send you photos of Machu Picchu."
Vocabulary Flashcards
Story Challenge
Patterns Challenge
Listening Challenge
Writing Challenge
Question 1
Your best friend asks you about the story. Reply in Spanish: Gustavo is at home. He is not at the airport. Raquel is very nervous.
Example: Gustavo está en casa. No está en el aeropuerto. Raquel está muy nerviosa.
Note:
- "Está en casa" literally means "is at home." Location = ESTAR, always.
- Nerviosa ends in -a because Raquel is a woman. A man would be nervioso.
- Notice how ESTAR does double duty here: where someone is (en casa, en el aeropuerto) and how someone feels (nerviosa).
Question 2
You are at the airport with Raquel. You call Gustavo. Ask him in Spanish: Where are you? Are you at home? Is the passport in the kitchen?
Example 1: ¿Dónde estás? ¿Estás en casa? ¿El pasaporte está en la cocina?
Example 2: ¿Dónde estás? ¿Estás en casa? ¿Está el pasaporte en la cocina?
Note:
- Notice how "¿El pasaporte está...?" and "¿Está el pasaporte...?" both work. Spanish is flexible with word order in questions.
- Don't forget both question marks: ¿ at the start, ? at the end.
Question 3
Raquel calls you before a trip. She asks where you are and how you feel. Answer in Spanish: I am at home. I am not at the airport. I am not nervous.
Example: (Yo) estoy en casa. No estoy en el aeropuerto. No estoy nervioso(a).
Note:
- Same verb, two jobs: "estoy en casa" (where I am) and "estoy nervioso" (how I feel). ESTAR handles both.
Question 4
Translate to Spanish: I am nervous. You are at the airport. She is tired. We are at home. They are in the kitchen.
Example: (Yo) estoy nervioso(a). (Tú) estás en el aeropuerto. (Ella) está cansada. (Nosotros) estamos en casa. (Ellos) están en la cocina.
Note:
- Here's the full set: estoy, estás, está, estamos, están. The endings do the heavy lifting, which is why the pronouns are optional.
Question 5
Translate to Spanish: The suitcase is in the bedroom. The passport is not inside the suitcase. It is not next to the microwave. The passport is in the pocket.
Example: La maleta está en la habitación. El pasaporte no está dentro de la maleta. No está al lado del microondas. El pasaporte está en el bolsillo.
Note:
- "Dentro de" = inside, "al lado de" = next to. These prepositions always pair with ESTAR for location.
- Watch "al lado del": when "de" meets "el," they merge into "del." You can't say "al lado de el."
- You can shorten "dentro de la maleta" to just "dentro" if it's already clear what you mean.
Question 6
Translate to Spanish: Gustavo is at the airport. He is very tired. He has the passport. The passport is expired. Raquel is in the plane.
Example: Gustavo está en el aeropuerto. Está muy cansado. Tiene el pasaporte. El pasaporte está caducado. Raquel está en el avión.
Note:
- "Caducado" = expired. You might also hear "no es válido" for the same idea.
- "Tiene el pasaporte" uses TENER for possession, while everything else here is ESTAR. Two different verbs, two different jobs.
Speaking Challenge
The flight to Peru is boarding and Gustavo can't find his passport. It's time to describe where things are, ask the right questions and retell how it all went wrong.
Where Is Everything?
Imagine someone calls you and asks where things are in your room.
Your task - describe where your things are:
- Say where your phone is (on the desk)
- Say where your bag is (on the floor)
- Say where your keys are (inside your jacket)
- Say where your jacket is (in the room)
- Say where your passport is (in the kitchen, next to the microwave)
Speak for 30-45 seconds
Reveal sample answer
- Mi teléfono está sobre la mesa.
- My phone is on the desk.
- Mi bolsa está en el suelo.
- My bag is on the floor.
- Mis llaves están dentro de mi chaqueta.
- My keys are inside my jacket.
- Mi chaqueta está en la habitación.
- My jacket is in the bedroom.
- Mi pasaporte está en la cocina, al lado del microondas.
- My passport is in the kitchen, next to the microwave.
Helping Gustavo Search
You're Gustavo's roommate. He's panicking because he can't find his passport and he asks you to help search.
Your task - search the apartment and tell Gustavo what you find:
- Tell Gustavo you are in the kitchen and that the passport is not there.
- Tell him you're in the living room. Say the passport is not on the sofa and not next to the TV.
- Tell him you're in the bedroom. Say it's not under the bed and not on the chair.
- Tell him you're in the bathroom. Say it's not there.
- Go back to the living room and tell Gustavo where you are and where his passport actually is (in his jacket!)
Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute
Reveal sample answer
- Estoy en la cocina. El pasaporte no está aquí.
- I'm in the kitchen. The passport isn't here.
- Estoy en el salón. No está sobre el sofá. No está al lado de la televisión.
- I'm in the living room. It's not on the sofa. It's not next to the TV.
- Estoy en la habitación. No está debajo de la cama. No está sobre la silla.
- I'm in the bedroom. It's not under the bed. It's not on the chair.
- Estoy en el baño. No está aquí.
- I'm in the bathroom. It's not here.
- Estoy en el salón. ¡El pasaporte está en el bolsillo de tu chaqueta!
- I'm in the living room. The passport is in the pocket of your jacket!
Mom Calls Gustavo
You ARE Gustavo. You're at home, panicking about your passport when your mom calls. She wants to know where everyone is and what's happening.
Your task - tell your mom where everyone is:
- Say where you are
- Say where Raquel is and how she feels
- Say where your dad is (at work)
- Say where your brother is (in his room)
- Say where your sister is (at school)
- Say you have a problem and explain what it is (your passport)
Speak for 30-45 seconds
Reveal sample answer
- Estoy en casa.
- I'm at home.
- Raquel está en el aeropuerto. Está muy nerviosa.
- Raquel is at the airport. She's very nervous.
- Papá está en el trabajo.
- Dad is at work.
- Mi hermano está en su habitación.
- My brother is in his room.
- Mi hermana está en la escuela.
- My sister is at school.
- Tengo un problema. No encuentro mi pasaporte.
- I have a problem. I can't find my passport.
Marta Calls Raquel
You ARE Marta, Raquel's best friend. You call your friend Raquel and you can hear she's stressed. Something is clearly wrong.
Your task - ask Raquel questions:
- Ask Raquel how she is
- Ask Raquel where she is
- Ask where Gustavo is
- Ask why Gustavo is at home
- Ask where the passport is. Is it inside the suitcase? On the table? Next to the microwave?
- Ask where Raquel's suitcase is and if it's at the airport
- Ask where Gustavo's suitcase is (at home? in the bedroom?)
Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute
Reveal sample answer
- ¿Cómo estás, Raquel?
- How are you, Raquel?
- ¿Raquel? ¿Dónde estás?
- Raquel? Where are you?
- ¿Dónde está Gustavo?
- Where is Gustavo?
- ¿Por qué está en casa?
- Why is he at home?
- ¿Dónde está el pasaporte? ¿Está dentro de la maleta? ¿Está sobre la mesa? ¿Está al lado del microondas?
- Where is the passport? Is it inside the suitcase? Is it on the table? Is it next to the microwave?
- ¿Dónde está tu maleta? ¿Está en el aeropuerto?
- Where is your suitcase? Is it at the airport?
- ¿Y la maleta de Gustavo? ¿Está en casa? ¿Está en la habitación?
- And Gustavo's suitcase? Is it at home? Is it in the bedroom?
Tell Your Classmate
A classmate in your Spanish class didn't read this story. They ask: "What's it about? Is it good?"
Your task - tell the story in your own words:
- Who is Raquel? Where is she?
- Describe the vacation (where is she going? who is going with her? what cities they want to visit?)
- What is the problem? Where is Gustavo?
- Raquel calls Gustavo. Where does she tell him to look? (name at least 3 places)
- Where is the passport finally?
- Describe what is the problem at the gate
- What does Raquel do at the end? And what does she say to Gustavo?
- Raquel gets on the plane alone. Is that a good idea or a bad idea? Why?
- What do you think about the story? (Esta historia es...)
- And you? Do you have a passport? Where is it right now?
Speak for 1.5-2 minutes
Reveal sample answer
- Raquel está en el aeropuerto de Madrid.
- Raquel is at the Madrid airport.
- Raquel va a Perú con su novio, Gustavo. Quieren visitar Lima, Cusco y Machu Picchu.
- Raquel is going to Peru with her boyfriend, Gustavo. They want to visit Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu.
- Gustavo no está en el aeropuerto. Está en casa. No encuentra su pasaporte.
- Gustavo isn't at the airport. He's at home. He can't find his passport.
- Raquel dice: ¿Está en la maleta? ¿Está sobre la mesa? ¿Está en la cocina, al lado del microondas? ¿Está en la habitación, debajo de unos papeles? ¿Está dentro del armario?
- Raquel says: Is it in the suitcase? Is it on the table? Is it in the kitchen, next to the microwave? Is it in the bedroom, under some papers? Is it inside the wardrobe?
- El pasaporte está en el bolsillo de la chaqueta de Gustavo.
- The passport is in the pocket of Gustavo's jacket.
- El empleado dice: el pasaporte no es válido. Está caducado.
- The employee says: the passport isn't valid. It's expired.
- Raquel coge su maleta y entra en el avión sola. Dice: "Te mando fotos de Machu Picchu."
- Raquel takes her suitcase and gets on the plane alone. She says: "I'll send you photos of Machu Picchu."
- Es buena idea. / Es mala idea. Porque…
- It's a good idea. / It's a bad idea. Because…
- Esta historia es muy divertida. / Esta historia es buena. / Esta historia es aburrida.
- This story is very funny. / This story is good. / This story is boring.
- Sí, tengo un pasaporte. Está en mi habitación.
- Yes, I have a passport. It's in my room.
Culture
1. Gustavo and the Very Spanish Art of Running Late
Gustavo's flight leaves in fifty minutes. His passport is somewhere in his apartment.
And instead of being at the gate with Raquel… he's tearing through every drawer in his house looking for it.
In Spain… this is not as unusual as you'd think.
How late is late?
Spain has a reputation for being late. And unlike a lot of national stereotypes… this one holds up.
A survey by Wave Application found that 64% of Spaniards admit to being between five and fifteen minutes late to any given meetup.
Friends wait the longest. Partners come second. Work meetings come last.
There's even an unwritten rule: the "15 minutes of courtesy."
If someone says "let's meet at 5"… everyone mentally adds fifteen minutes. Nobody panics at 5:02. You just wait. Maybe order a beer.
And the phrases Spaniards use when they're running late?
- "Estoy en camino" ("I'm on my way") - I have not left the house yet
- "Estoy llegando" ("I'm arriving") - I just left
- "No pasa nada" ("It's fine") - I know I'm late and we're going to pretend this is normal
- "No hay prisa" ("No rush") - there is absolutely a rush and I'm the reason for it
If I had to guess… Gustavo used all four in that taxi to the airport.
But only sometimes
Here's the thing though. Spanish lateness has very clear rules.
92% of Spaniards said they would never be late to a job interview. Eight out of ten are punctual for work. And 39% said they wouldn't dream of being late to a wedding.
So it's not that Spaniards don't care about time. They just have an unwritten system:
- Friends at a bar? 5 to 20 minutes late. Normal
- A date? You try. First impressions matter
- Work? You show up (though Spain's Supreme Court ruled that up to 15 minutes late can't be penalised… so there's that)
- A flight? You absolutely cannot be late. The gate closes. The plane leaves
If you see Gustavo… tell him that last one.
And remember when I told you about Spain being in the wrong time zone since 1940?
Some researchers think that partly explains why the whole country runs an hour behind its natural rhythm.
2. Two Weeks in Peru (Well… for Raquel)
Gustavo is in his apartment. Holding an expired passport.
Raquel is on a plane to Lima. Two weeks of Machu Picchu, Cusco and some of the best food on Earth.
Peru is the kind of place that changes how you think about South America.
The history is deep. The food is unreal. The mountains make you stop talking mid-sentence.
The Spanish Raquel will hear there
Peru is one of 20 countries where Spanish is the official language.
It's been spoken there since 1532, when Spanish conquistadors arrived and colonised the Inca Empire.
But the Spanish in Lima sounds different from what Raquel speaks at home. A few things she'll notice:
- No vosotros. Everyone uses ustedes, even with friends
- No "th" sound. The C and Z are just an "S." So "gracias" sounds like "gra-see-as" not "gra-thee-as"
- Diminutives everywhere. A moment becomes "un momentito." A coffee becomes "un cafecito." Everything sounds warmer
Lima's Spanish is actually considered one of the clearest and most neutral in all of Latin America.
Three stops, three different worlds
Lima is the capital.
Over 10 million people, right on the Pacific coast at sea level.
Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
And then there's the food.
Peru has been voted the World's Best Culinary Destination at the World Travel Awards over a dozen times… and Lima is the city that leads the charge. Raquel is going to eat extremely well.
But Peru is a lot more than its restaurants.
The history, the Andes, the Amazon… it's one of those countries where you could spend months and still feel like you've barely scratched it.
Cusco is where things get intense.
It sits at 3,400 metres above sea level. Former capital of the Inca Empire.
It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And it looks like one.
But the altitude hits most tourists within the first 24 hours...
Headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath.
The locals drink mate de coca (tea brewed from coca leaves) to help. Raquel will probably need a cup.
And then there's...
Machu Picchu.
A 15th-century Inca citadel built around 1450, sitting on a mountain ridge at 2,430 metres.
It was likely an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti… abandoned about a century later during the Spanish conquest.
The world didn't really know about it until 1911.
Today it's one of the most visited places on the planet:
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983
- One of the New Seven Wonders of the World since 2007
- Over 1.5 million visitors a year
- Daily cap of 5,600 in peak season
- Tickets sell out months in advance
And you can't just drive there.
Most people take a train from Cusco to the town of Aguas Calientes… then a bus up the mountain.
Or if you're feeling brave, there's the Inca Trail: a four-day trek through the Andes that peaks at 4,200 metres.
I'm tired just imagining that… let's hope Raquel picked the train.
Anyway... she's going to stand on that ridge and look out over the Sacred Valley and feel like she's at the edge of the world.
Don't worry about Gustavo though… Raquel will send him the photos.
The quick guide Gustavo won't need for a while
Most travellers do it in exactly the order Raquel planned.
Start in Lima at sea level. Eat ceviche (raw fish cured in citrus… trust me on this one) by the ocean. Let the city surprise you.
Fly to Cusco. Take it slow the first day… your body needs time to adjust to the altitude. Drink the coca tea. Wander the old streets.
Then get yourself to Machu Picchu. Go early. Watch the clouds lift off the mountains.
Just… check your passport before you leave the house.
Did You Know?
- 🥔 Peru has over 3,000 varieties of potato. Three thousand. The country where the potato comes from takes it very seriously
- 🗣️ Around 4 million people in Peru still speak Quechua, the language of the Inca Empire. It's one of Peru's official languages alongside Spanish
- 🦙 Llamas and alpacas are everywhere in Peru's highlands. You will see them in Cusco. They will not be impressed by you
- 🍽️ The phrase "la hora inglesa" (English time) is used in Spain to mean "actually on time"… because Spaniards assume punctuality is a foreign concept
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Raquel is at the airport on time and very organized. Gustavo is disorganized, arrives late, and with an expired passport!
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