A1 Spanish

Stories completed

21. El cumpleaños de Leo

(Leo's Birthday)

Today is Leo's seventeenth birthday. His whole family and friends are here. Want to join the party? Come inside.

Illustration of a curly-haired boy smiling with two small birds

Spanish version

Hola, me llamo Leonardo. Mis amigos me llaman Leo.

Hoy es mi cumpleaños. Tengo diecisiete años.

Toda mi familia y mis amigos están <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="here" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">aquí, en mi casa de Girona.

¿Quieres conocer a todos? Ven conmigo.

Este es el salón. Es grande y tiene ventanas altas.

Mira estos sofás <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="brown" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">marrones. Son <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="old" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">viejos pero muy cómodos.

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Do you see?" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¿Ves ese hombre alto con <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="beard" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">barba? Ese es mi tío Roberto.

Mi tío es muy divertido. Siempre habla mucho.

Y aquel hombre en el sofá es mi padre.

Mira su camisa azul. Es bonita. Y siempre lleva <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="small glasses" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">gafas pequeñas.

¿Ves esa señora con pelo <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="short" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">corto y gris? Es mi tía Carmen.

Ella es <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="serious" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">seria pero muy buena. Siempre me trae libros muy buenos.

Ahora vamos a la cocina. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="It smells" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Huele muy bien, ¿verdad?

La mujer baja con pelo largo y <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="black" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">negro es mi madre. Ella es mi mejor amiga.

Y mira su <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="dress" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">vestido rojo. Es muy bonito, ¿no?

Mi <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="grandmother" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">abuela se llama Rosa. Es pequeña y tiene pelo blanco y <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="curly" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">rizado.

Ella ayuda a mi madre con el pastel.

Ah... y ¿ves el postre en la mesa blanca?

Es un <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="cream-filled pastry" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">xuixo, un dulce de Girona. ¡Es mi favorito!

También hay <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="savory pastries" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">empanadas pequeñas y calientes.

Ahora vamos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="outside" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">fuera.

Ven. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Careful!" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¡Cuidado con la puerta!

Aquí en el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="garden" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">jardín están todos mis amigos.

Ese chico alto con pelo <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="blonde" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">rubio es Marc, mi mejor amigo.

Marc es <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="funny" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">gracioso. Jugamos juntos todos los días.

La chica con ojos verdes grandes es Clara, mi novia.

Clara es simpática y inteligente.

¡Ah, mira! Estos son mis pájaros.

El pájaro azul se llama Cielo.

El pájaro amarillo y verde es Kiko.

Mis pájaros son muy tranquilos.

¿Te gusta el jardín?

Mira todos estos globos de colores: rojos, azules, amarillos y verdes.

Esa mesa grande y blanca es para el pastel y los <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="gifts" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">regalos.

Y aquí, mira. ¿Ves mis regalos?

Hay muchos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="packages" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">paquetes: grandes, pequeños, todos con <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="paper" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">papel de colores.

¡Oh, mira! Este es mi <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="grandfather" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">abuelo. Se llama Josep.

Es alto y <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="elderly" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">mayor, pero todavía es muy fuerte.

Me gusta su <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="moustache" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">bigote blanco. Y mira su <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="hat" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">sombrero marrón. Siempre lleva sombrero.

—¡Leo! ¡Niños! ¡<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="It's time to" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Es hora de cantar '<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Happy Birthday" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Cumpleaños feliz'!

¡Mira! Es mi abuela. Tiene el pastel con las <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="candles" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">velas.

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="I have to go" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Tengo que ir. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Are you coming?" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¿Vienes? ¿Quieres cantar y comer pastel?

Spanish story with English translation

Hola, me llamo Leonardo. Mis amigos me llaman Leo.

Hello, my name is Leonardo. My friends call me Leo.

Hoy es mi cumpleaños. Tengo diecisiete años.

Today is my birthday. I am seventeen years old.

Toda mi familia y mis amigos están aquí, en mi casa de Girona.

All my family and my friends are here, at my house in Girona.

¿Quieres conocer a todos? Ven conmigo.

Do you want to meet everyone? Come with me.

Este es el salón. Es grande y tiene ventanas altas.

This is the living room. It is big and has tall windows.

Mira estos sofás marrones. Son viejos pero muy cómodos.

Look at these brown sofas. They are old but very comfortable.

¿Ves ese hombre alto con barba? Ese es mi tío Roberto.

Do you see that tall man with a beard? That is my uncle Roberto.

Mi tío es muy divertido. Siempre habla mucho.

My uncle is very funny. He always talks a lot.

Y aquel hombre en el sofá es mi padre.

And that man over there on the sofa is my father.

Mira su camisa azul. Es bonita. Y siempre lleva gafas pequeñas.

Look at his blue shirt. It's nice. And he always wears small glasses.

¿Ves esa señora con pelo corto y gris? Es mi tía Carmen.

Do you see that lady with short gray hair? She is my aunt Carmen.

Ella es seria pero muy buena. Siempre me trae libros muy buenos.

She is serious but very kind. She always brings me very good books.

Ahora vamos a la cocina. Huele muy bien, ¿verdad?

Now let's go to the kitchen. It smells very good, right?

La mujer baja con pelo largo y negro es mi madre. Ella es mi mejor amiga.

The short woman with long black hair is my mother. She is my best friend.

Y mira su vestido rojo. Es muy bonito, ¿no?

And look at her red dress. It's very pretty, isn't it?

Mi abuela se llama Rosa. Es pequeña y tiene pelo blanco y rizado.

My grandmother is named Rosa. She is small and has white curly hair.

Ella ayuda a mi madre con el pastel.

She is helping my mother with the cake.

Ah... y ¿ves el postre en la mesa blanca?

Ah... and do you see the dessert on the white table?

Es un xuixo, un dulce de Girona. ¡Es mi favorito!

It's a xuixo, a sweet from Girona. It's my favorite!

También hay empanadas pequeñas y calientes.

There are also small hot empanadas.

Ahora vamos fuera.

Now let's go outside.

Ven. ¡Cuidado con la puerta!

Come. Watch out for the door!

Aquí en el jardín están todos mis amigos.

Here in the garden are all my friends.

Ese chico alto con pelo rubio es Marc, mi mejor amigo.

That tall boy with blond hair is Marc, my best friend.

Marc es gracioso. Jugamos juntos todos los días.

Marc is funny. We play together every day.

La chica con ojos verdes grandes es Clara, mi novia.

The girl with big green eyes is Clara, my girlfriend.

Clara es simpática y inteligente.

Clara is nice and intelligent.

¡Ah, mira! Estos son mis pájaros.

Ah, look! These are my birds.

El pájaro azul se llama Cielo.

The blue bird is named Cielo.

El pájaro amarillo y verde es Kiko.

The yellow and green bird is Kiko.

Mis pájaros son muy tranquilos.

My birds are very calm.

¿Te gusta el jardín?

Do you like the garden?

Mira todos estos globos de colores: rojos, azules, amarillos y verdes.

Look at all these colorful balloons: red, blue, yellow, and green.

Esa mesa grande y blanca es para el pastel y los regalos.

That big white table is for the cake and the gifts.

Y aquí, mira. ¿Ves mis regalos?

And here, look. Do you see my gifts?

Hay muchos paquetes: grandes, pequeños, todos con papel de colores.

There are many packages: big, small, all with colorful paper.

¡Oh, mira! Este es mi abuelo. Se llama Josep.

Oh, look! This is my grandfather. His name is Josep.

Es alto y mayor, pero todavía es muy fuerte.

He is tall and old, but he is still very strong.

Me gusta su bigote blanco. Y mira su sombrero marrón. Siempre lleva sombrero.

I like his white mustache. And look at his brown hat. He always wears a hat.

—¡Leo! ¡Niños! ¡Es hora de cantar 'Cumpleaños feliz'!

"Leo! Kids! It's time to sing 'Happy Birthday'!"

¡Mira! Es mi abuela. Tiene el pastel con las velas.

Look! It's my grandmother. She has the cake with the candles.

Tengo que ir. ¿Vienes? ¿Quieres cantar y comer pastel?

I have to go. Are you coming? Do you want to sing and eat cake?

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

You arrive at Leo's birthday party and see his grandfather. Tell Leo's mother in Spanish: He is tall and strong. He has a white mustache.

Example: Es alto y fuerte. Tiene un bigote blanco.

Notes:

"Alto y fuerte" → two adjectives after SER, both masculine because grandfather is male. If it were grandmother: "alta y fuerte" (alta changes, fuerte stays the same because it ends in -e).
"Bigote blanco" → adjective after the noun, matching gender. Bigote is masculine → blanco. If it were "barba" → "barba blanca."

Question 2

You are in Leo's garden and see his friends. Ask Leo in Spanish: Who is that tall boy (hint: over there)? Is that girl (hint: over there) with green eyes your girlfriend?

Example: ¿Quién es aquel chico alto? ¿Aquella chica con ojos verdes es tu novia?

Notes:

"Aquel chico alto" → demonstrative + noun + adjective. The adjective goes after the noun in Spanish: chico alto, not alto chico.
"Con ojos verdes" = with green eyes. "Con" + body feature is how Spanish describes people: con pelo rubio, con ojos verdes, con barba…

Question 3

Leo asks about your best friend. Reply in Spanish: My best friend is tall. He has short, black hair. He has brown eyes.

Example: Mi mejor amigo es alto. Tiene pelo corto y negro. Tiene ojos marrones.

Notes:

"Pelo corto y negro" → two adjectives describing one noun, both masculine because "pelo" is masculine.
"Mejor" never changes for gender. Mi mejor amigo, mi mejor amiga.

Question 4

Translate to Spanish: Roberto is tall and nice. The green chairs are pretty. The balloons are red and blue.

Example: Roberto es alto y simpático. Las sillas verdes son bonitas. Los globos son rojos y azules.

Notes:

Some adjectives don't change for gender: verde → verdes, azul → azules. They only add -es for plural. Compare with rojo → roja → rojos → rojas, which changes for everything.
"Las sillas verdes son bonitas" → everything feminine plural: las, sillas, verdes, bonitas.

Question 5

Translate to Spanish: The living room is big and has tall windows. Roberto is a tall man with a beard. The brown sofas are old.

Example: El salón es grande y tiene ventanas altas. Roberto es un hombre alto con barba. Los sofás marrones son viejos.

Notes:

"Marrón" works like verde and azul: doesn't change for gender, only adds -es for plural. El sofá marrón, la silla marrón, los sofás marrones.

Question 6

Translate to Spanish: In the garden there are two birds. One is yellow and green. The other is blue. Leo likes birds. On the big, white table there are many gifts of many colors.

Example: En el jardín hay dos pájaros. Uno es amarillo y verde. El otro es azul. A Leo le gustan los pájaros. En la mesa grande y blanca hay muchos regalos de muchos colores.

Notes:

"Uno... el otro" = one... the other. Simple way to compare two things without needing comparatives.
"Mesa grande y blanca" → two adjectives after one noun, both feminine because "mesa" is feminine. "Muchos regalos de muchos colores" → everything masculine plural because "regalos" and "colores" are both masculine.

Reply in Spanish and join the discussion!

Leo describes his whole family at his birthday party. What about you?

Describe one person in your family: What do they look like? What are they like?
Are you like your mother or like your father? The eyes? The hair? The personality?
For your birthday, do you like big parties or small parties?

Part 7

Speaking Challenge

Welcome to the party! From walking a classmate through Leo's family to describing the party, today you'll describe people, places and tell your version of the story.

Leo's Party Tour

You're Leo and your house is full of family and friends. A new classmate has just arrived and doesn't know anyone.

Your task - introduce your family and friends:

Say that man (hint: over there) on the sofa with the blue shirt and small glasses is your father
Say that man with the beard (tall, funny) is your uncle Roberto
Say that woman (hint: over there) with short grey hair (serious but very kind) is your aunt Carmen
Say this woman right here with long black hair and the red dress (your best friend) is your mother
Say that tall boy with blond hair (funny) is your best friend Marc

Speak for 30-45 seconds

Reveal sample answer

Aquel hombre en el sofá con la camisa azul y las gafas pequeñas es mi padre.
1. That man over there on the sofa with the blue shirt and the small glasses is my father.
Ese hombre con barba es mi tío Roberto. Es alto y muy divertido.
1. That man with the beard is my uncle Roberto. He is tall and very funny.
Aquella mujer con pelo corto y gris es mi tía Carmen. Es seria pero muy amable.
1. That woman over there with short grey hair is my aunt Carmen. She is serious but very kind.
Esta mujer baja con pelo largo y negro y el vestido rojo es mi madre. Es mi mejor amiga.
1. This short woman right here with long black hair and the red dress is my mother. She is my best friend.
Ese chico alto con pelo rubio es Marc, mi mejor amigo. Es muy gracioso.
1. That tall boy with blond hair is Marc, my best friend. He is very funny.

Leo's Garden

Leo's mother asks you to help check that everything in the garden is ready before the guests sing "Cumpleaños feliz." She hands you a list. You walk through the garden and describe what you see.

Your task - describe what you see:

Describe the big table (big, white, has the cake and gifts on it)
Say there are ten white chairs next to the big table
Describe the balloons (many, colored - red, blue, yellow, green)
Say what food is on the table (small hot empanadas, one xuixo and the birthday cake)
Say there are also white plates and small glasses on the table
Describe the gift packages (many, big and small, colored paper)

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

La mesa es grande y blanca. Tiene el pastel y los regalos.
1. The table is big and white. It has the cake and the gifts.
Hay diez sillas blancas al lado de la mesa grande.
1. There are ten white chairs next to the big table.
Hay muchos globos de colores: rojos, azules, amarillos y verdes.
1. There are many colored balloons: red, blue, yellow and green.
En la mesa hay empanadas pequeñas y calientes, un xuixo y el pastel de cumpleaños.
1. On the table there are small hot empanadas, a xuixo and the birthday cake.
También hay platos blancos y vasos pequeños en la mesa.
1. There are also white plates and small glasses on the table.
Hay muchos paquetes de regalos: grandes y pequeños, con papel de colores.
1. There are many gift packages: big and small, with colored paper.

Clara's Birthday Photo

You're Clara. It's a quiet afternoon and you're showing your friend a photo from your birthday party on your phone. Your friend doesn't know anyone in the photo.

Your task - describe the five people in the photo:

Point and say this is Leo, your boyfriend (tall, blue eyes, very sweet)
Say this is your mother (short, long black hair, very nice)
Say this is your brother Diego (tall, brown eyes, funny)
Say this is your friend Marta (curly red hair, green eyes, very smart)
Say this is your friend Tomás (short, glasses, very funny)

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

Este es Leo, mi novio. Es alto, tiene ojos azules y es muy cariñoso.
1. This is Leo, my boyfriend. He is tall, has blue eyes and is very sweet.
Esta es mi madre. Es baja, tiene pelo largo y negro y es muy simpática.
1. This is my mother. She is short, has long black hair and is very nice.
Este es mi hermano Diego. Es alto, tiene ojos marrones y es muy gracioso.
1. This is my brother Diego. He is tall, has brown eyes and is very funny.
Esta es mi amiga Marta. Tiene pelo rojo y rizado y ojos verdes. Es muy inteligente.
1. This is my friend Marta. She has red curly hair and green eyes. She is very smart.
Este es mi amigo Tomás. Es bajo, lleva gafas y es muy divertido.
1. This is my friend Tomás. He is short, wears glasses and is very funny.

The People in Your Life

A Spanish friend is visiting your home. They see a few photos on the wall and ask: "Who are these people? Tell me about them." You start describing the important people in your life.

Your task - describe five important people in your life:

Pick five people (a parent, a sibling, a friend, a partner, a grandparent...) and for each one, say their name and who they are to you
Describe what each person looks like
Describe each person's personality
Say what you like to do with your friends or family

Speak for 1-1.5 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Mi madre se llama [Ana]. Es [alta], tiene pelo [largo y negro] y es muy [simpática].
1. My mother's name is [Ana]. She is [tall], has [long black] hair and is very [nice].
Mi hermano se llama [Pedro]. Es [bajo], tiene ojos [marrones] y es muy [gracioso].
1. My brother's name is [Pedro]. He is [short], has [brown] eyes and is very [funny].
Mi mejor amiga se llama [Laura]. Tiene pelo [rubio y rizado] y ojos [verdes]. Es muy [inteligente].
1. My best friend's name is [Laura]. She has [blond curly] hair and [green] eyes. She is very [smart].
Mi abuelo se llama [José]. Es [alto y mayor], tiene bigote [blanco] y es muy [amable].
1. My grandfather's name is [José]. He is [tall and older], has a [white] mustache and is very [kind].
Mi mejor amigo se llama [Carlos]. Es [alto], lleva [gafas] y es muy [divertido].
1. My best friend's name is [Carlos]. He is [tall], wears [glasses] and is very [funny].
Me gusta [hablar] con [mi madre] y [jugar] con [mi hermano].
1. I like to [talk] with [my mother] and [play] with [my brother].

Birthdays in Girona

You're visiting a friend in Girona. Walking through the old town, you pass a house with colorful balloons in the garden and music coming from inside. "That reminds me of a story!" you say.

Your task - tell Leo's story in your own words:

Who is Leo and what is special about today? (name, age, city)
Describe the salón (big? small? what's in it?)
Describe Tío Roberto (what does he look like? what is he like?)
Describe Leo's father and Tía Carmen
Who is in the kitchen? Describe Leo's mother and Abuela Rosa
What food is on the white table?
Who are Marc and Clara? Describe them
Describe Leo's birds and the garden (names, colors, decorations)
Who is Abuelo Josep? What does he look like?
What happens at the end of the story?
Now as yourself - say what you think about the story and why (Esta historia es... porque...)
Say if you like birthday parties and if you like big or small parties
Say if you have a big or small family
Say if you like birthday gifts and what gift you want for your next birthday

Speak for 2.5-3 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Leo tiene diecisiete años y hoy es su cumpleaños. Toda su familia y sus amigos están en su casa de Girona.
1. Leo is seventeen years old and today is his birthday. All his family and his friends are at his house in Girona.
El salón es grande y tiene ventanas altas. Hay sofás marrones. Son viejos pero muy cómodos.
1. The living room is big and has tall windows. There are brown sofas. They are old but very comfortable.
Su tío Roberto es alto y tiene barba. Es muy divertido y siempre habla mucho.
1. His uncle Roberto is tall and has a beard. He is very funny and always talks a lot.
Su padre lleva una camisa azul bonita y gafas pequeñas. Su tía Carmen tiene pelo corto y gris. Es seria pero muy buena.
1. His father wears a nice blue shirt and small glasses. His aunt Carmen has short grey hair. She is serious but very kind.
Su madre está en la cocina. Ella es baja, tiene pelo largo y negro y lleva un vestido rojo muy bonito. Su abuela Rosa es pequeña y tiene pelo blanco y rizado. Ella ayuda a su madre con el pastel.
1. His mother is In the kitchen. She is short, has long black hair and wears a very pretty red dress. His grandmother Rosa is small and has white curly hair. She helps his mother with the cake.
En la mesa blanca hay un xuixo, un dulce de Girona, y empanadas pequeñas y calientes.
1. On the white table there is a xuixo, a sweet from Girona, and small hot empanadas.
Marc es su mejor amigo. Es alto, tiene pelo rubio y es muy gracioso. Clara es su novia. Tiene ojos verdes grandes y es simpática e inteligente.
1. Marc is his best friend. He is tall, has blond hair and is very funny. Clara is his girlfriend. She has big green eyes and is nice and smart.
Leo tiene dos pájaros. El pájaro azul se llama Cielo y el pájaro amarillo y verde se llama Kiko. Son muy tranquilos. En el jardín hay muchos globos de colores: rojos, azules, amarillos y verdes. Y hay una mesa grande y blanca para el pastel y los regalos.
1. Leo has two birds. The blue bird is called Cielo and the yellow and green bird is called Kiko. They are very calm. In the garden there are many colored balloons: red, blue, yellow and green. And there is a big white table for the cake and the gifts.
Su abuelo se llama Josep. Es alto y mayor, pero es muy fuerte. Tiene un bigote blanco y siempre lleva un sombrero marrón.
1. His grandfather is called Josep. He is tall and older, but he is very strong. He has a white mustache and always wears a brown hat.
La abuela Rosa tiene el pastel con las velas. Todos van a cantar "Cumpleaños feliz" y comer pastel.
1. Grandmother Rosa has the cake with the candles. Everyone is going to sing "Happy Birthday" and eat cake.
Esta historia es muy bonita porque la familia de Leo es muy grande y divertida. / Esta historia es buena porque me gustan las fiestas.
1. This story is very nice because Leo's family is very big and fun. / This story is good because I like parties.
Sí, me gustan las fiestas de cumpleaños. Me gustan las fiestas [grandes] con [muchas personas]. / Me gustan las fiestas [pequeñas] con mi familia.
1. Yes, I like birthday parties. I like [big] parties with [many people]. / I like [small] parties with my family.
Tengo una familia [grande/pequeña]. Tengo [dos hermanos y muchos primos]. / Mi familia es pequeña. Somos [tres] personas.
1. I have a [big/small] family. I have [two siblings and many cousins]. / My family is small. We are [three] people.
Sí, me gustan los regalos de cumpleaños. Para mi próximo cumpleaños quiero [un libro nuevo / ropa bonita / un móvil nuevo].
1. Yes, I like birthday gifts. For my next birthday I want [a new book / nice clothes / a new phone].

Part 8

Culture

1. Spain's Birthdays Have a Few Rules

Leo's turning seventeen. Family everywhere. Cake, globos, presents in the garden.

But let's talk about how birthdays actually work in Spain… because there are a few rules you probably don't know about.

You're expected to pay - In Spain (and a lot of Europe actually), when it's your birthday and you go out with friends… you pick up the tab. The verb is invitar. Your birthday, your treat. At work or school? You bring the cake. You bring the snacks. Nobody organizes anything for you… you feed them
They will sing to you - Loudly. The Spanish "Cumpleaños feliz" is the same melody but different lyrics. And they don't sing your name. Where the English version says "dear Leo," the Spanish version just says "te deseamos todos" ("we all wish you").

Everyone sings. Everyone. Here's a flamenco version of "Cumpleaños feliz" to prove it

Your ears will hurt - There's a tradition called tirón de orejas. One pull on your ear for every year… plus one extra for good luck. Leo's getting eighteen today… from everyone
You might get two birthdays - Many Spaniards also celebrate their santo… the feast day of the saint they're named after. José? March 19th. Carmen? July 16th. Leonardo? November 15th. Fading with younger generations but Abuela Rosa probably still marks it
Family comes first - Don't be surprised if a Spanish friend moves their birthday party to a different day. Family lunch on the actual birthday is sacred. The party with friends can wait

Leo's seventeen, so his family is handling the bill today. But once you're old enough to carry some euros in your pocket… you're paying.

2. Leo's City Is Quietly One of the Best in Spain

Leo lives in Girona. About 106,000 people live there.

It's in Catalonia, northeast Spain, an hour by train from Barcelona.

Medieval streets, Roman walls, four rivers and a Jewish quarter that's been standing since the 12th century.

Aerial view of Girona showing the River Onyar, colourful riverside houses and the cathedral on the hill.

Girona from above. The River Onyar, the colourful houses and the cathedral

Girona is a small city that doesn't feel small.

Quick note: Girona is in Catalonia, which has its own language (Catalan) spoken alongside Spanish. You'll see street signs in both. Leo's best friend is called Marc and his grandfather is Josep… both Catalan names.

The postcard you've probably already seen

If you've ever scrolled past a photo of colourful houses reflected in the water and thought "Copenhagen?"… look again. It might be Girona.

The Cases de l'Onyar are rows of buildings hanging over the River Onyar, painted in oranges, yellows, pinks and blues.

They weren't always colourful.

Two local artists came up with the idea during the later years of the Franco era and the houses were finally painted in 1982 using a palette of 29 colours.

Now it's the most photographed spot in the city.

Colourful buildings along the River Onyar in Girona with their reflections in the water.

The Cases de l'Onyar and their 29-colour palette

And the best view?

It's from a red iron bridge built by Gustave Eiffel's company in 1877… over a decade before his slightly more famous project in Paris.

Small city, big list

It's a small city that doesn't run out of things to show you.

The cathedral - widest Gothic nave in the world (nearly 23 metres). Second-widest of any style after St. Peter's in Rome. 90 stone steps to the entrance (and yes… HBO filmed Game of Thrones here. Those steps were the Great Sept of Baelor in Season 6)
El Call - one of the best-preserved medieval Jewish quarters in Europe. Narrow streets, hidden courtyards. The Jewish community shaped this city for centuries until the expulsion in 1492
The Arab Baths - a 12th-century Romanesque building modelled on Islamic bathhouses. Small, beautiful and surprisingly peaceful inside
The city walls - restored medieval walls you can walk along for views over the entire old town
Temps de Flors - every May, the entire old town fills with flower installations. Courtyards, staircases, churches… all covered in blooms. Running since 1954 and now draws around 200,000 visitors in just over a week
El Celler de Can Roca - three Michelin stars. Ranked best restaurant in the world twice. You won't eat there on a seventeen-year-old's budget… but it's there

And then there's the thing Leo couldn't walk past without stopping.

The pastry named after a sneeze

Leo takes you through the kitchen, points at the white table and pauses. "Es un xuixo, un dulce de Girona. ¡Es mi favorito!"

A xuixo (pronounced "SHOO-shoo") is a deep-fried, sugar-coated pastry filled with crema catalana (a custard like crème brûlée but with citrus and cinnamon).

Crispy outside. Creamy inside. Created in the 1920s by pastry chef Emili Puig in his shop in Girona.

A plate of sugar-coated xuixo pastries piled together.

Xuixos. Worth every calorie

But the origin story people love is better than that.

The legend goes: an acrobat called el Tarlà came to Girona to entertain people during a quarantine. He fell in love with a pastry chef's daughter.

One night, hiding in a sack of flour to visit her… the flour made him sneeze.

"Xui-xui!" The father caught him.

And the acrobat?

Proposed on the spot and threw in a pastry recipe to sweeten the deal.

Whether that's true or not… the name stuck. And the pastry became a symbol of the city:

Producte de la Terra - officially recognized by the Catalan government as a protected regional product
Best Xuixo in the World - an annual competition held in Girona since 2018
Marxa del Xuixo - a yearly charity walk where families stroll through the city and get xuixos at the end

A day or two in Leo's city

I'd say two days is perfect. One day is enough to hit the big things but you'll rush. Two lets you actually sit down and enjoy it.

Day one: Walk the medieval walls in the morning. Get lost in the Jewish Quarter. Stand on the Eiffel Bridge and look at those colourful houses. Visit the cathedral and count the 90 steps. Dinner somewhere in the old town.

Day two: Cross the river to the newer side. Find a bakery, order a xuixo and a coffee. Walk along the Onyar. If you have a car, drive 30 minutes east to the Costa Brava… some of the most dramatic coastline in Spain. Or take the train to Figueres and visit the Dalí Theatre-Museum, one of the strangest and most fascinating museums in Europe.

And if your birthday happens to fall while you're there… you already know the rules.

Did You Know?

🏰 Girona has been besieged 25 times throughout its history and captured at least 7 times. The city has been fought over for two thousand years
🎬 Game of Thrones used seven locations across Girona's old town in Season 6. The cathedral became the Great Sept of Baelor, the streets around the Arab Baths became Braavos and a 12th-century monastery became the Citadel library. They barely had to change anything… the medieval city was ready-made
🌸 Every May during Temps de Flors, buildings and courtyards that are normally closed to the public open their doors for the flower festival. It's one of the only times you can see hidden corners of the city that locals usually keep to themselves
🇲🇽 In Mexico, they don't sing "Cumpleaños feliz" at all. They sing a completely different song called "Las Mañanitas," traditionally performed by mariachis early in the morning
✡️ Girona's medieval Jewish community ran one of the most important Kabbalistic schools in all of Europe. The great rabbi Nahmanides was born there in 1194

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