A1 Spanish

Stories completed

3. El consejo de Juan

(Juan's Advice)

Roberto can't find work. His friend Juan has a suggestion: add some lies to your CV. What's the worst that could happen?

Illustration of two men in blazers shaking hands, one holding a briefcase, in a minimalist black and white style

Spanish version

Roberto camina por Córdoba.

Está <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="near the" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">cerca del Puente Romano.

Ve a su amigo Juan.

—¡Juan! ¿Qué tal?

—Bien, ¿y tú? ¿Cómo estás?

—No estoy bien. No tengo trabajo.

—¿Estás <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="looking for" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">buscando trabajo?

—Sí. <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">Envío mi <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="résumé" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">CV a muchas empresas. Pero <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="nobody" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">nadie me responde.

Juan mira a Roberto.

—¿Puedo ver tu CV?

—Sí, claro.

Roberto le <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="shows" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">muestra su CV en su móvil.

—Roberto, necesitas más <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="experience" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">experiencia.

—¿Cómo?

—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="add" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Añade cinco años de experiencia. En una buena empresa.

—Pero no es verdad.

—No pasa nada. Muchas <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="people" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">personas lo hacen.

—No sé... No estoy <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="sure" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">seguro.

—Mira, Roberto. Es una buena idea.

Roberto va a casa.

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="changes" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Cambia su CV en el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="computer" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">ordenador. Lo envía a tres empresas.

Tiene <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="hunger" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">hambre. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="eats" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Come y <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="afterwards" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">después hace la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="nap" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">siesta.

Una hora después, Roberto <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="wakes up" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">se despierta. Mira su móvil.

Tiene un <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="email" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">correo. Es de la empresa Nube Azul.

"<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="interview" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Entrevista mañana, a las cinco de la tarde."

Roberto está muy <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="happy" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">feliz.

—¡Tengo una entrevista!

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="the next day" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Al día siguiente, Roberto <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="leaves" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">sale de casa. Va al <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="building" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">edificio de Nube Azul, cerca de la Mezquita de Córdoba.

Señora Vargas está en la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="entrance" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">entrada del edificio.

—¿Señor Martínez?

—Sí, buenas tardes.

—Mucho gusto. Soy la señora Vargas.

Entran en la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="office" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">oficina.

—Su CV es muy bueno. Tiene mucha experiencia.

—Gracias, señora Vargas.

—Tengo <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="some" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">algunas <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="questions" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">preguntas. ¿Cuántos años tiene?

—Tengo 32 años.

—¿Tiene <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="car" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">coche?

—Sí, tengo coche.

—¿Tiene experiencia con el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="program" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">programa ProVentas?

—Ehh... Sí, tengo mucha experiencia con el programa.

—Excelente. ¿Y usted <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="speaks" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">habla inglés?

—Sí, sí. Hablo inglés muy bien.

—Perfecto. Tenemos muchos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="clients" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">clientes ingleses.

—También hablo francés.

—Muy bien. ¿Y usted tiene cinco años de experiencia en Empresas Iberia?

—Sí, sí.

—¿<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Do you know" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Conoce al señor Ramírez, de Empresas Iberia?

—Eh... ¿Señor Ramírez? Sí, claro.

—Perfecto. Él trabaja aquí <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="now" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">ahora.

Roberto está nervioso.

Vargas toma el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="telephone" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">teléfono.

—¿Señor Ramírez? ¿Puede venir aquí, por favor?

Roberto se levanta.

—¡<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="excuse me" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Disculpe! ¡Tengo una <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="emergency" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">emergencia!

Ella mira a Roberto.

—¿<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="pardon" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Perdón?

—Mi <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="dog" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">perro... tengo un perro en casa... no tiene <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="food" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">comida...

—¿Su perro? Pero—

—¡Tengo que irme! ¡Lo siento! ¡Adiós!

Roberto sale muy rápido del edificio.

Mira su móvil. Tiene un correo nuevo.

"<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="invitation" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Invitación para entrevista."

Roberto <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="turns off" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">apaga su móvil.

No quiere más entrevistas.

Spanish story with English translation

Roberto camina por Córdoba.

Roberto walks through Córdoba.

Está cerca del Puente Romano.

He is near the Roman Bridge.

Ve a su amigo Juan.

He sees his friend Juan.

—¡Juan! ¿Qué tal?

"Juan! How are you?"

—Bien, ¿y tú? ¿Cómo estás?

"Good, and you? How are you?"

—No estoy bien. No tengo trabajo.

"I'm not well. I don't have work."

—¿Estás buscando trabajo?

"Are you looking for work?"

—Sí. Envío mi CV a muchas empresas. Pero nadie me responde.

"Yes. I send my CV to many companies. But no one responds to me."

Juan mira a Roberto.

Juan looks at Roberto.

—¿Puedo ver tu CV?

"Can I see your CV?"

—Sí, claro.

"Yes, of course."

Roberto le muestra su CV en su móvil.

Roberto shows him his CV on his phone.

—Roberto, necesitas más experiencia.

"Roberto, you need more experience."

—¿Cómo?

"How?"

—Añade cinco años de experiencia. En una buena empresa.

"Add five years of experience. At a good company."

—Pero no es verdad.

"But it's not true."

—No pasa nada. Muchas personas lo hacen.

"It's no big deal. Many people do it."

—No sé... No estoy seguro.

"I don't know... I'm not sure."

—Mira, Roberto. Es una buena idea.

"Look, Roberto. It's a good idea."

Roberto va a casa.

Roberto goes home.

Cambia su CV en el ordenador. Lo envía a tres empresas.

He changes his CV on the computer. He sends it to three companies.

Tiene hambre. Come y después hace la siesta.

He is hungry. He eats and then takes a nap.

Una hora después, Roberto se despierta. Mira su móvil.

One hour later, Roberto wakes up. He looks at his phone.

Tiene un correo. Es de la empresa Nube Azul.

He has an email. It is from the company Nube Azul.

"Entrevista mañana, a las cinco de la tarde."

"Interview tomorrow, at five in the afternoon."

Roberto está muy feliz.

Roberto is very happy.

—¡Tengo una entrevista!

"I have an interview!"

Al día siguiente, Roberto sale de casa. Va al edificio de Nube Azul, cerca de la Mezquita de Córdoba.

The next day, Roberto leaves home. He goes to the Nube Azul building, near the Mosque of Córdoba.

Señora Vargas está en la entrada del edificio.

Mrs. Vargas is at the entrance of the building.

—¿Señor Martínez?

"Mr. Martínez?"

—Sí, buenas tardes.

"Yes, good afternoon."

—Mucho gusto. Soy la señora Vargas.

"Nice to meet you. I am Mrs. Vargas."

Entran en la oficina.

They enter the office.

—Su CV es muy bueno. Tiene mucha experiencia.

"Your CV is very good. You have a lot of experience."

—Gracias, señora Vargas.

"Thank you, Mrs. Vargas."

—Tengo algunas preguntas. ¿Cuántos años tiene?

"I have some questions. How old are you?"

—Tengo 32 años.

"I am 32 years old."

—¿Tiene coche?

"Do you have a car?"

—Sí, tengo coche.

"Yes, I have a car."

—¿Tiene experiencia con el programa ProVentas?

"Do you have experience with the ProVentas program?"

—Ehh... Sí, tengo mucha experiencia con el programa.

"Ehh... Yes, I have a lot of experience with the program."

—Excelente. ¿Y usted habla inglés?

"Excellent. And do you speak English?"

—Sí, sí. Hablo inglés muy bien.

"Yes, yes. I speak English very well."

—Perfecto. Tenemos muchos clientes ingleses.

"Perfect. We have many English clients."

—También hablo francés.

"I also speak French."

—Muy bien. ¿Y usted tiene cinco años de experiencia en Empresas Iberia?

"Very good. And you have five years of experience at Empresas Iberia?"

—Sí, sí.

"Yes, yes."

—¿Conoce al señor Ramírez, de Empresas Iberia?

"Do you know Mr. Ramírez, from Empresas Iberia?"

—Eh... ¿Señor Ramírez? Sí, claro.

"Eh... Mr. Ramírez? Yes, of course."

—Perfecto. Él trabaja aquí ahora.

"Perfect. He works here now."

Roberto está nervioso.

Roberto is nervous.

Vargas toma el teléfono.

Vargas picks up the phone.

—¿Señor Ramírez? ¿Puede venir aquí, por favor?

"Mr. Ramírez? Can you come here, please?"

Roberto se levanta.

Roberto stands up.

—¡Disculpe! ¡Tengo una emergencia!

"Excuse me! I have an emergency!"

Ella mira a Roberto.

She looks at Roberto.

—¿Perdón?

"Pardon?"

—Mi perro... tengo un perro en casa... no tiene comida...

"My dog... I have a dog at home... it doesn't have food..."

—¿Su perro? Pero—

"Your dog? But—"

—¡Tengo que irme! ¡Lo siento! ¡Adiós!

"I have to go! I'm sorry! Goodbye!"

Roberto sale muy rápido del edificio.

Roberto leaves the building very quickly.

Mira su móvil. Tiene un correo nuevo.

He looks at his phone. He has a new email.

"Invitación para entrevista."

"Invitation for interview."

Roberto apaga su móvil.

Roberto turns off his phone.

No quiere más entrevistas.

He doesn't want more interviews.

Part 2

Vocabulary Flashcards

Part 3

Story Challenge

Part 4

Patterns Challenge

Part 5

Listening Challenge

Part 6

Writing Challenge

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Question 1

Your friend asks about Roberto before the interview. Reply in Spanish: He doesn't have a job. He is hungry. He has an interview tomorrow.

Example: (Él) no tiene trabajo. Tiene hambre. Tiene una entrevista mañana.

Notes:

"Tiene hambre" literally means "he has hunger." Spanish uses TENER where English uses "to be" for things like hungry, thirsty, cold, hot.
Three uses of TENER in one answer: not having something (no tiene trabajo), a physical state (tiene hambre), and having something concrete (tiene una entrevista).
"No tiene trabajo" works without an article. "No tiene un trabajo" is also fine, but the shorter version sounds more natural here.

Question 2

You are Señora Vargas interviewing Roberto. Ask him formally in Spanish: How old are you? Do you have a car? Do you have experience with ProVentas?

Example: ¿Cuántos años tiene? ¿Tiene coche? ¿Tiene experiencia con ProVentas?

Notes:

This whole interview uses usted, so every question uses "tiene" (not "tienes"). The verb form carries the formality. Adding "usted" is optional.
"¿Cuántos años tiene?" literally asks "how many years do you have?"

Question 3

Roberto asks about your situation. Answer in Spanish: I am [your age] years old. I have a job. I don't have a car.

Example: (Yo) tengo [number] años. Tengo trabajo. No tengo coche.

Notes:

To say you don't have something, put "no" right before "tengo." That's it: "No tengo coche." Same pattern for anything you don't have.

Question 4

Translate to Spanish: I am 32 years old. You have a car. She is hungry. We have an interview. They have to work.

Example: (Yo) tengo 32 años. (Tú) tienes coche. Ella tiene hambre. (Nosotros) tenemos una entrevista. Ellos tienen que trabajar.

Notes:

The full set: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen. Each form matches its subject.
"Tienen que trabajar" is TENER QUE + infinitive, meaning "they have to." Only TENER conjugates. The second verb (trabajar) always stays in infinitive form.
Pronouns are helpful in this situation because there are five different subjects. In normal conversation you wouldn't use most of them.

Question 5

Translate to Spanish: Roberto doesn't have a job. He sends the CV to many companies. He is hungry. He has a new email from Nube Azul.

Example: Roberto no tiene trabajo. Envía el CV a muchas empresas. Tiene hambre. Tiene un correo nuevo de Nube Azul.

Notes:

"Envía" is a regular AR verb (enviar), third person: the -a ending tells you it's él/ella.
"Correo nuevo" puts the adjective after the noun. That's the default word order in Spanish, the opposite of English.

Question 6

Translate to Spanish: Señora Vargas is from Córdoba. She has many questions. Roberto is 32 years old. He speaks English and French. He doesn't have real experience.

Example: La señora Vargas es de Córdoba. Tiene muchas preguntas. Roberto tiene 32 años. Habla inglés y francés. No tiene experiencia real.

Notes:

This mixes SER and TENER. "Es de Córdoba" uses SER for origin. Everything else uses TENER for possession and age.
"Habla inglés y francés" needs no article before the languages. Just "habla inglés," not "habla el inglés."
Five sentences, three patterns: SER (es de), TENER (tiene), and an AR verb (habla). If you can combine these comfortably you've got a solid foundation!

Reply in Spanish and join the discussion!

Roberto is nervous in interviews, has a "good" friend Juan and has a dog at home. What about you?

Are you a nervous person or a calm person? (at work, in interviews, in life...)
Do you have a best friend? What is his or her name?
Do you have an animal at home? Which one?

Part 7

Speaking Challenge

You're in Córdoba now. Roberto needs a friend. Señora Vargas needs answers. Marta needs career advice (maybe not from Juan). Practice all of it in Spanish.

Meeting Roberto

You're near the Puente Romano in Córdoba when you notice Roberto sitting alone. He looks miserable. You sit down next to him.

Your task - speak with Roberto:

Greet him and ask how he's doing
Say you're not doing well
Say you don't have a job
Say you're hungry
Say you have to find work

Speak for 30-45 seconds

Reveal sample answer

¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?
1. Hi! How's it going?
No estoy bien.
1. I'm not doing well.
No tengo trabajo.
1. I don't have a job.
Tengo hambre.
1. I'm hungry.
Tengo que buscar trabajo. / Necesito trabajo.
1. I have to look for work. / I need work.

Your Interview with Señora Vargas

You're sitting in señora Vargas's office at Nube Azul. She has your CV in front of her. Unlike Roberto, everything on YOUR CV is true!

Your task - answer señora Vargas's interview questions:

Greet señora Vargas formally
Say your name and your age
Say whether you have a car
Say what languages you speak
Say what you do and how many years of experience you have
Thank señora Vargas

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

Buenas tardes, señora Vargas. Mucho gusto.
1. Good afternoon, señora Vargas. Nice to meet you.
Soy [nombre]. / Me llamo [nombre]. Tengo [X] años.
1. I'm [name]. / My name is [name]. I'm [X] years old.
Sí, tengo coche. / No, no tengo coche.
1. Yes, I have a car. / No, I don't have a car.
Hablo español, inglés y francés.
1. I speak Spanish, English, and French.
Soy [profesión]. / Soy estudiante. Tengo [X] años de experiencia.
1. I'm a [profession]. / I'm a student. I have [X] years of experience.
Gracias, señora Vargas.
1. Thank you, señora Vargas.

A Beer and a Story

You're at a bar in Córdoba drinking a beer with a friend after a long day. You mention you met someone interesting earlier. Your friend leans in: "Who?"

Your task - tell your friend about Roberto:

Say his name is Roberto and he's 32 years old
Say what Roberto's problem is
Say Roberto changes his CV and gets an interview
Say who interviews Roberto and where that person works
Say two questions señora Vargas asks Roberto

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

Se llama Roberto. Tiene 32 años.
1. His name is Roberto. He's 32 years old.
Roberto no tiene trabajo. Envía su CV a muchas empresas, pero nadie responde.
1. Roberto doesn't have a job. He sends his CV to many companies, but nobody responds.
Roberto cambia su CV y ahora tiene una entrevista.
1. Roberto changes his CV and now he has an interview.
La señora Vargas. Ella trabaja en Nube Azul.
1. Señora Vargas. She works at Nube Azul.
"¿Tiene coche?" "¿Habla inglés?" / "¿Tiene experiencia con ProVentas?"
1. "Do you have a car?" "Do you speak English?" / "Do you have experience with ProVentas?"

Juan's Big Idea... Again

You are Juan. You're at a café when your friend Marta sits down looking stressed. She doesn't have a job either.

Your task - tell Marta what she needs to do:

Say she needs to say she has more experience (Necesitas decir que...)
Say she needs to say she has three years of experience at a good company
Say she needs to say she speaks Italian and German
Say she needs to say she has a lot of experience with a program
Say it's a good idea

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

Necesitas decir que tienes más experiencia.
1. You need to say you have more experience.
Necesitas decir que tienes tres años de experiencia en una buena empresa.
1. You need to say you have three years of experience at a good company.
Necesitas decir que hablas italiano y alemán.
1. You need to say you speak Italian and German.
Necesitas decir que tienes mucha experiencia con un programa.
1. You need to say you have a lot of experience with a program.
Es una buena idea.
1. It's a good idea.

Roberto's Disaster

You're at dinner with a friend. They want to add fake experience to their CV. You know a story about exactly what happens when someone tries that.

Your task - tell your friend what happens to Roberto:

How old Roberto is and what his problem is (age? job?)
What idea Juan has for Roberto's CV (what does Roberto need?)
What Roberto decides to do (does he change his CV? where does he send it?)
What Roberto now has on his new CV (Ahora Roberto tiene… experience? languages? what company?)
What happens when Roberto sends his new CV (does he get a response?)
Who interviews Roberto at Nube Azul
What Roberto tells the interviewer he has (experience? languages? what program?)
Why does Roberto have a big problem at the end (who knows Roberto?)
Roberto's excuse when he leaves
What you think about this story (Esta historia es...)

Speak for 1.5 - 2 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Roberto tiene 32 años. No tiene trabajo.
1. Roberto is 32 years old. He doesn't have a job.
Juan tiene una idea: Roberto necesita más experiencia en su CV.
1. Juan has an idea: Roberto needs more experience on his CV.
Roberto cambia su CV. Envía su CV a tres empresas.
1. Roberto changes his CV. He sends his CV to three companies.
Ahora Roberto tiene cinco años de experiencia en Empresas Iberia. Tiene experiencia con ProVentas. Y habla inglés y francés.
1. Now Roberto has five years of experience at Empresas Iberia. He has experience with ProVentas. And he speaks English and French.
Roberto tiene un correo de Nube Azul. Tiene una entrevista.
1. Roberto has an email from Nube Azul. He has an interview.
La señora Vargas.
1. Señora Vargas.
Roberto dice que tiene cinco años de experiencia. Dice que habla inglés y francés. Dice que tiene mucha experiencia con el programa ProVentas.
1. Roberto says he has five years of experience. He says he speaks English and French. He says he has a lot of experience with ProVentas.
Porque el señor Ramírez conoce a Roberto. Roberto no tiene experiencia en Empresas Iberia.
1. Because señor Ramírez knows Roberto. Roberto doesn't have experience at Empresas Iberia.
Roberto dice que tiene una emergencia. Dice que su perro no tiene comida.
1. Roberto says he has an emergency. He says his dog doesn't have food.
Esta historia es muy divertida. / Esta historia es interesante. / Esta historia es muy aburrida.
1. This story is very funny. / This story is interesting. / This story is very boring.

Part 8

Culture

1. Why Does Roberto Go to Sleep After Lunch?

Roberto just lied on his CV, sent it to three companies and now he's… eating lunch and taking a nap.

If you're reading that thinking "how is this guy sleeping right now?" then you're not Spanish.

Because in Spain… that's just what you do after lunch.

He eats. He sleeps.. He wakes up to good news.

That's a very Spanish response to a very human problem. And honestly… it worked out for him. Well… for about five minutes.

What the siesta actually is

Remember when we talked about Spanish meal times in the last story?

How lunch is the big meal around 2 to 3:30 PM and dinner doesn't start until 9 or 10?

That gap in between? That's siesta territory.

The word comes from the Latin hora sexta ("sixth hour")… people have been napping after lunch in this part of the world for over two thousand years.

And in Córdoba, the hottest city in Europe during summer… it makes even more sense. Honestly Roberto… I'd be taking that nap too.

But what about the stereotype of all Spain shutting down for a two-hour nap?

Well that’s not quite true anymore. Here's the reality:

60% of Spaniards say they never take a siesta
70% of younger Spaniards (18 to 34) don't nap at all
The ideal siesta is about 20 to 30 minutes on the couch. Some people go longer (an hour or two on weekends), but sleep experts say 30 minutes is the sweet spot
The rhythm still exists though - shops close between 2 and 5 PM, streets go quiet and some people consider it’s rude to phone someone during siesta hours… even if you know they're not sleeping

That last one is a fun comparison. In most countries, calling someone late at night is the rude move.

In Spain? Calling at 10 PM is totally fine.

Calling at 3 PM on a Sunday? That's the real crime.

2. Let's Talk About Córdoba

Roberto lives in Córdoba. A small city today… about 325,000 people.

Aerial view of Córdoba at dusk with the Mezquita-Cathedral illuminated in the centre of the old town.

Córdoba from above. You can see the Mezquita, the Puente Romano and the river.

But don't let the size fool you.

In the 10th century, this was the largest city in all of Europe. Hundreds of thousands of people.

A massive library. Running water. Street lighting. Muslim, Jewish and Christian scholars working side by side.

The bridge where Roberto meets Juan

Roberto is near the Puente Romano (Roman Bridge) when he bumps into Juan.

Which means their whole terrible conversation about faking a CV happened next to one of the oldest structures in Spain.

The Roman Bridge of Córdoba at sunset with the Mezquita-Cathedral visible in the background.

The Puente Romano and the Mezquita. Two thousand years of history in one view.

The bridge was first built in the 1st century BC. That's over two thousand years ago.

247 metres long - 16 stone arches crossing the Guadalquivir River
Most of it isn't actually Roman anymore - the bridge has been rebuilt so many times (especially by the Moors in the 8th century) that only two of the original arches survive
It was the only bridge across the river in Córdoba for nearly 2,000 years. A second bridge (Puente de San Rafael) wasn't built until the mid-20th century
Game of Thrones fans - it was used in Season 5 as the Long Bridge of Volantis.

So if you ever watched Tyrion and Varys walking across a packed bridge in Essos… that's where Roberto was standing when Juan told him to lie on his CV.

Standing on the Puente Romano and looking up at the Mezquita at sunset is unbelievable.

Roberto's interview was next to one of the most beautiful buildings on Earth

The Mezquita de Córdoba.

One of the most visited monuments in Spain. Right outside the window of Roberto's disastrous interview.

Inside the Mezquita. Red-and-white arches stretching in every direction, held up by 856 columns of stone.

Built as a mosque in 785 by Abd al-Rahman I, then expanded over 200 years into one of the largest mosques in the world
856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble and granite, with red-and-white striped arches that seem to go on forever. People call it a "forest of stone." Photos don't do it justice
Turned into a cathedral in 1236 after Córdoba was taken by Christian forces
Then in 1523… they built an entire Renaissance cathedral inside the mosque. Right in the middle of it

When King Carlos V finally saw what they'd done, he reportedly said something like:

"You have built what you could have built anywhere… but you have destroyed something that was unique in the world."

Whether or not he actually said it (historians have debated this for centuries)... the feeling is real.

You walk through these endless Islamic arches and suddenly there's a baroque altar and a vaulted ceiling rising up out of nowhere.

It's strange. It's beautiful. It's a little sad.

And there's nothing else like it on the planet.

And right next to the Mezquita… the Judería

The Judería (Jewish Quarter) is a maze of narrow white-walled streets covered in flower pots, right next to the Mezquita.

A narrow street in Córdoba's Jewish quarter lined with colourful flower pots on white walls, with the Mezquita bell tower visible in the background.

A street in the Judería. The kind of street where you forget what century you're in.

This is where Córdoba's Jewish community lived from roughly the 10th to the 15th century… during the time when Muslims, Christians and Jews shared the city.

A couple of things worth knowing:

The synagogue - built in 1315, it's the only surviving medieval synagogue in all of Andalusia and one of just three in Spain. Tiny. Beautiful.
Maimonides - one of the most important Jewish philosophers in history, born right here in Córdoba in the 12th century. There's a bronze statue of him in the quarter

After the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, the synagogue was turned into a hospital, then a shoemakers' guild, then a school. It wasn't rediscovered as a synagogue until 1884.

The streets themselves are a piece of art. You turn a corner and there's just… white walls, flowers and silence.

If you ever visit Córdoba (and I think you should)

Take your time.

Go inside the Mezquita early in the morning when it's quiet. Get lost in the Judería. Walk the Puente Romano at sunset.

Sit in a square. Have a cold beer and watch the sun go down.

And maybe… skip the career advice if you bump into a guy named Juan.

Did You Know?

🌡️ Córdoba holds one of the highest temperatures ever recorded in Spain: 46.9°C (116.4°F) in August 2021. No wonder they take siestas
🌸 Every May Córdoba holds the Festival de los Patios, where locals open their private courtyards to the public for free. Flowers everywhere. Flamenco guitar. Free wine. UNESCO declared it Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012
🏛️ Córdoba has four separate UNESCO designations (the Mezquita, the historic centre, the Festival de los Patios and Medina Azahara). That puts it among the cities with the most in the world
🕌 The Mezquita originally had 1,293 columns. Today 856 remain. Many were recycled from Roman and Visigothic buildings that stood in the area before
😴 Spaniards actually sleep about an hour less per night than the European average. The country famous for napping is one of the most sleep-deprived in Europe

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