A1 Spanish

Stories completed

17. ¿Qué le gusta a este chico?

(What Does This Guy Like?)

Salvador moves into a new apartment in Sevilla. His roommate Hugo seems nice. But they agree on absolutely nothing. What now?

Illustration of a man sitting on a chair looking thoughtful next to a spotted dog looking up at him

Spanish version

Salvador llega al <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="apartment" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">apartamento en Sevilla.

Va a estudiar en <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="university" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">la universidad.

Hugo abre la puerta.

—¡Hola! ¿Eres Salvador?

—Sí. Mucho gusto.

—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Likewise" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Igualmente.

De repente, un perro corre hacia Salvador.

—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="It's okay" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">No pasa nada. Toby es muy <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="friendly" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">simpático.

—Es que... <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="I don't like" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">no me gustan mucho los perros.

—¿No te <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="like" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">gustan los perros?

—No. Me gustan más <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="cats" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">los gatos.

—Ah... a mí me <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="love" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">encantan los perros. Los gatos no me gustan nada.

—Bueno... <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="let's see" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">vamos a ver tu habitación.

—Vale. ¿Puedes cambiar la música? No me gusta mucho el rock.

—¿No te gusta el rock?

—No. Me gusta el reggaeton.

—¿El reggaeton? No me gusta nada el reggaeton. Es horrible.

Hugo apaga la música.

—¿Tienes hambre?

—Sí.

—Voy a hacer pescado. Me gusta mucho el pescado.

—Ah... es que no me gusta el pescado. ¿Por qué no haces <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="meat" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">carne?

—Porque no me gusta la carne. Pero puedo hacer tortilla. ¿Te gusta la tortilla? Hago una tortilla muy buena. Con <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="onion" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">cebolla.

—¿Cebolla? No me gusta la cebolla.

—Vale... pongo solo <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="peppers" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">pimientos entonces.

—Pimientos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="neither" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">tampoco. No me gustan los pimientos.

Hugo está enfadado.

—Vale... Pues solo <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="eggs" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">huevos y <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="potatoes" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">patatas entonces.

—Perfecto.

Hugo <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="turns on" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">enciende el televisor.

—¿Puedes cambiar <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="the channel" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">el canal? No me gusta el fútbol.

—¿No te gusta el fútbol? <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Are you really Spanish?" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¿Eres español de verdad?

—Sí, pero me gusta más <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="basketball" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">el baloncesto.

—Pues a mí me encanta el fútbol. Y quiero ver <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="this match" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">este partido.

Después de comer, Salvador abre <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="the window" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">la ventana.

—¿Por qué abres la ventana? No me gusta <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="the air" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">el aire. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="I prefer" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Prefiero <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="the heat" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">el calor.

—A mí me gusta el aire fresco. ¡Hace <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="40 degrees" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">40 grados!

—Pero estamos en <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="September" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">septiembre en Sevilla.

Salvador está enfadado y va a su habitación.

Hugo habla con Toby.

—No le gustan los perros, no le gusta el fútbol... <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="What does this guy like?" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¿Qué le gusta a este chico?

Más tarde, Salvador sale del dormitorio con su chaqueta.

—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Where are you going?" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¿A dónde vas?

—Voy a <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="a flamenco venue" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">un tablao. Hay un <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="show" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">espectáculo de <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="flamenco" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">flamenco.

—¿Te gusta el flamenco?

—Sí. Me encanta. ¿Por qué?

—A mí también me gusta mucho el flamenco.

—¿En serio?

—Sí. ¿Puedo ir contigo?

—Sí, claro. Vamos.

—Oye, una pregunta.

—¿Sí?

—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="What time is it at?" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¿A qué hora es?

—Es a <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="nine o'clock" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">las nueve. Me gusta llegar <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="early" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">temprano. ¿Vamos ahora?

—¿Ahora? Son <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="eight thirty" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">las ocho y media. No me gusta llegar muy temprano.

Spanish story with English translation

Salvador llega al apartamento en Sevilla.

Salvador arrives at the apartment in Seville.

Va a estudiar en la universidad.

He is going to study at the university.

Hugo abre la puerta.

Hugo opens the door.

—¡Hola! ¿Eres Salvador?

"Hello! Are you Salvador?"

—Sí. Mucho gusto.

"Yes. Nice to meet you."

—Igualmente.

"Likewise."

De repente, un perro corre hacia Salvador.

Suddenly, a dog runs toward Salvador.

—No pasa nada. Toby es muy simpático.

"It's okay. Toby is very friendly."

—Es que... no me gustan mucho los perros.

"It's just that... I don't really like dogs."

—¿No te gustan los perros?

"You don't like dogs?"

—No. Me gustan más los gatos.

"No. I like cats more."

—Ah... a mí me encantan los perros. Los gatos no me gustan nada.

"Ah... I love dogs. I don't like cats at all."

—Bueno... vamos a ver tu habitación.

"Well... let's see your room."

—Vale. ¿Puedes cambiar la música? No me gusta mucho el rock.

"Okay. Can you change the music? I don't really like rock."

—¿No te gusta el rock?

"You don't like rock?"

—No. Me gusta el reggaeton.

"No. I like reggaeton."

—¿El reggaeton? No me gusta nada el reggaeton. Es horrible.

"Reggaeton? I don't like reggaeton at all. It's horrible."

Hugo apaga la música.

Hugo turns off the music.

—¿Tienes hambre?

"Are you hungry?"

—Sí.

"Yes."

—Voy a hacer pescado. Me gusta mucho el pescado.

"I'm going to make fish. I really like fish."

—Ah... es que no me gusta el pescado. ¿Por qué no haces carne?

"Ah... it's just that I don't like fish. Why don't you make meat?"

—Porque no me gusta la carne. Pero puedo hacer tortilla. ¿Te gusta la tortilla? Hago una tortilla muy buena. Con cebolla.

"Because I don't like meat. But I can make tortilla. Do you like tortilla? I make a very good tortilla. With onion."

—¿Cebolla? No me gusta la cebolla.

"Onion? I don't like onion."

—Vale... pongo solo pimientos entonces.

"Okay... I'll just put peppers then."

—Pimientos tampoco. No me gustan los pimientos.

"Peppers neither. I don't like peppers."

Hugo está enfadado.

Hugo is annoyed.

—Vale... Pues solo huevos y patatas entonces.

"Okay... Well, just eggs and potatoes then."

—Perfecto.

"Perfect."

Hugo enciende el televisor.

Hugo turns on the television.

—¿Puedes cambiar el canal? No me gusta el fútbol.

"Can you change the channel? I don't like soccer."

—¿No te gusta el fútbol? ¿Eres español de verdad?

"You don't like soccer? Are you really Spanish?"

—Sí, pero me gusta más el baloncesto.

"Yes, but I like basketball more."

—Pues a mí me encanta el fútbol. Y quiero ver este partido.

"Well, I love soccer. And I want to watch this game."

Después de comer, Salvador abre la ventana.

After eating, Salvador opens the window.

—¿Por qué abres la ventana? No me gusta el aire. Prefiero el calor.

"Why are you opening the window? I don't like the breeze. I prefer the heat."

—A mí me gusta el aire fresco. ¡Hace 40 grados!

"I like fresh air. It's 40 degrees!"

—Pero estamos en septiembre en Sevilla.

"But we're in September in Seville."

Salvador está enfadado y va a su habitación.

Salvador is annoyed and goes to his room.

Hugo habla con Toby.

Hugo talks to Toby.

—No le gustan los perros, no le gusta el fútbol... ¿Qué le gusta a este chico?

"He doesn't like dogs, he doesn't like soccer... What does this guy like?"

Más tarde, Salvador sale del dormitorio con su chaqueta.

Later, Salvador comes out of the bedroom with his jacket.

—¿A dónde vas?

"Where are you going?"

—Voy a un tablao. Hay un espectáculo de flamenco.

"I'm going to a tablao. There is a flamenco show."

—¿Te gusta el flamenco?

"Do you like flamenco?"

—Sí. Me encanta. ¿Por qué?

"Yes. I love it. Why?"

—A mí también me gusta mucho el flamenco.

"I also really like flamenco."

—¿En serio?

"Really?"

—Sí. ¿Puedo ir contigo?

"Yes. Can I go with you?"

—Sí, claro. Vamos.

"Yes, of course. Let's go."

—Oye, una pregunta.

"Hey, one question."

—¿Sí?

"Yes?"

—¿A qué hora es?

"What time is it?"

—Es a las nueve. Me gusta llegar temprano. ¿Vamos ahora?

"It's at nine. I like to arrive early. Shall we go now?"

—¿Ahora? Son las ocho y media. No me gusta llegar muy temprano.

"Now? It's eight thirty. I don't like to arrive too early."

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

Someone asks about dinner at the apartment. Reply in Spanish: Hugo likes fish. Salvador doesn't like fish.

Example: A Hugo le gusta el pescado. A Salvador no le gusta el pescado.

Notes:

GUSTAR works backwards from English. You don't say "Hugo likes fish." You say "fish is pleasing TO Hugo." That's why it's "A Hugo LE gusta."
"Le gusta" for one thing (el pescado), "le gustan" for plural things (los perros). The verb matches what's liked and not who likes it.

Question 2

You meet Salvador at the university. Ask him in Spanish: Do you like Sevilla? Do you like football? Do you like flamenco?

Example: ¿Te gusta Sevilla? ¿Te gusta el fútbol? ¿Te gusta el flamenco?

Notes:

"Te gusta" for asking someone (tú). Compare with "le gusta" for talking about someone (él/ella). The pronoun changes but the verb doesn't.
"El fútbol," "el flamenco" → Spanish uses the article with general topics. You don't say "¿Te gusta fútbol?" Always "el fútbol."

Question 3

Salvador asks about your likes and dislikes. Answer in Spanish: I love cooking. I like dogs. I don't like basketball.

Example: Me encanta cocinar. Me gustan los perros. No me gusta el baloncesto.

Notes:

"Me encanta" = I love it. It's stronger than "me gusta."
"Cocinar" is a verb used as a noun here (like "cooking" in English). Verbs always take singular: "me encanta cocinar," never "me encantan cocinar."

Question 4

Translate to Spanish: I love flamenco. You don't like music. She likes cats. We don't like peppers. They love football.

Example: Me encanta el flamenco. No te gusta la música. Le gustan los gatos. No nos gustan los pimientos. Les encanta el fútbol.

Notes:

The full pronoun set: me (I), te (you), le (he/she), nos (we), les (they). The verb is always gusta/gustan or encanta/encantan. It never changes for the person.
In negative sentences, "no" goes right before the pronoun: "No te gusta," "No nos gustan." The no + pronoun + verb chunk always stays together.

Question 5

Translate to Spanish: Hugo likes fish. Salvador doesn't like fish. Salvador doesn't like onion. Hugo makes a tortilla with eggs and potatoes.

Example: A Hugo le gusta el pescado. A Salvador no le gusta el pescado. No le gusta la cebolla. Hugo hace una tortilla con huevos y patatas.

Notes:

"A Hugo le gusta" and "A Salvador no le gusta" → same structure… just add "no" for dislikes. The "A + person" at the front clarifies WHO likes or doesn't like.

Question 6

Translate to Spanish: Salvador likes flamenco. Hugo likes flamenco too. There is a show at nine. Salvador wants to arrive early.

Example: A Salvador le gusta el flamenco. A Hugo le gusta el flamenco también. Hay un espectáculo a las nueve. Salvador quiere llegar temprano.

Notes:

"También" = too/also. "A Hugo le gusta el flamenco también." It's a simple way to agree with someone's taste.

Reply in Spanish and join the discussion!

Hugo and Salvador are very different in everything but they both love flamenco! What about you?

Do you like dogs more like Hugo or cats more like Salvador?
What sport do you like and what sport do you not like?
Do you like flamenco like Hugo and Salvador?

Part 7

Speaking Challenge

Welcome to the most incompatible apartment in Sevilla. From meeting your flatmate to venting to a dog, you'll practice comparing tastes, planning a night out and retelling the whole story to a friend.

Meeting Your Flatmate

You've just walked into the apartment in Sevilla with your suitcase. Hugo opens the door and Toby sprints straight at your legs. Hugo laughs and starts asking you questions… he wants to know who he's living with.

Your task - answer Hugo's questions about your likes and dislikes:

Hugo asks about animals and music - say what you like and what you don't like (dogs? cats? rock? pop? reggaeton?)
Hugo asks about food and sport - say what you love and what you don't like at all (me encanta... / no me gusta nada...)
Hugo asks about your best friend - say what your friend likes and doesn't like (a mi amigo/a le gusta... / no le gusta... - food, music, animals)
Hugo asks what you and your friend both love and both don't like - say one thing you both love and one thing you both don't like (a los dos nos encanta... / a los dos no nos gusta...)

Speak for 45 seconds

Reveal sample answer

Me gustan los gatos, pero no me gustan los perros. Me gusta el reggaeton y no me gusta el rock.
1. I like cats, but I don't like dogs. I like reggaeton and I don't like rock.
Me encanta la pizza. No me gusta nada el pescado. Me encanta el baloncesto y no me gusta nada el fútbol.
1. I love pizza. I don't like fish at all. I love basketball and I don't like football at all.
A mi amigo le gusta la carne, pero no le gusta el pescado. Le gusta el pop y le gustan los perros.
1. My friend likes meat, but he doesn't like fish. He likes pop and he likes dogs.
A los dos nos encanta el flamenco. A los dos no nos gusta el rock.
1. We both love flamenco. We both don't like rock.

A Night Out in Sevilla

You're Salvador. It's your first evening in the apartment and Hugo suggests going out tonight. He wants to watch football at a bar. You want something very different. Time to find a plan you both like.

Your task - discuss plans for tonight:

Hugo suggests watching football at a bar - say you don't like football and you like basketball more
Hugo suggests listening to rock at a concert - say you don't like rock and you love reggaeton
Suggest going to eat - say you like meat and pizza but you don't like fish at all
Hugo suggests a fish restaurant - say you don't like fish and suggest a pizza restaurant
Suggest going to a flamenco show - say you love flamenco
Hugo also loves flamenco - say you want to go at nine and you like arriving early and then ask if you're going now

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

No me gusta el fútbol. Me gusta más el baloncesto.
1. I don't like football. I like basketball more.
No me gusta el rock. Me encanta el reggaeton.
1. I don't like rock. I love reggaeton.
¿Por qué no vamos a comer? Me gusta la carne y la pizza, pero no me gusta nada el pescado.
1. Why don't we go eat? I like meat and pizza, but I don't like fish at all.
No me gusta el pescado. ¿Por qué no vamos a una pizzería?
1. I don't like fish. Why don't we go to a pizza place?
¿Te gusta el flamenco? A mí me encanta. ¿Por qué no vamos a un tablao?
1. Do you like flamenco? I love it. Why don't we go to a tablao?
El espectáculo es a las nueve. Me gusta llegar temprano. ¿Vamos ahora?
1. The show is at nine. I like arriving early. Shall we go now?

Hugo Talks to Toby

You're Hugo. It's late at night. Salvador is in his room and you're on the sofa with Toby on your lap. You can't believe your new flatmate. You look down at Toby and start talking.

Your task - tell Toby everything about Salvador:

Tell Toby how Salvador feels about dogs and how you feel about dogs (he doesn't like them, you love them)
Tell Toby what Salvador likes to drink in the morning - coffee or tea? (he likes coffee, he doesn't like tea)
Tell Toby whether Salvador likes the beach or the mountains (he likes the mountains, he doesn't like the beach)
Tell Toby that Salvador doesn't like the heat and he likes fresh air and he opens the window
Tell Toby how you feel right now (angry, tired) and that you don't like living with Salvador

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

Toby, a Salvador no le gustan los perros. ¡Pero a mí me encantan los perros!
1. Toby, Salvador doesn't like dogs. But I love dogs!
Le gusta el café, pero no le gusta el té.
1. He likes coffee, but he doesn't like tea.
Le gustan las montañas, pero no le gusta la playa.
1. He likes the mountains, but he doesn't like the beach.
No le gusta el calor. Le gusta el aire fresco y abre la ventana.
1. He doesn't like the heat. He likes fresh air and opens the window.
Estoy enfadado y cansado. No me gusta vivir con Salvador.
1. I'm angry and tired. I don't like living with Salvador.

Two Friends, Two Tastes

You and one of your friends are very different people. Different music, different food, different everything. But you still get along because there's always something you both love.

Your task - compare your likes and dislikes with your friend's:

Say what music you like and what music your friend likes - you like different things (a mí me gusta... a él/ella le gusta...)
Say what food you love but your friend doesn't like at all (a mí me encanta... a él/ella no le gusta nada...)
Say what your friend loves but you don't like at all (a él/ella le encanta... a mí no me gusta nada...)
Say what you like to do at home and what your friend likes to do at home (cook, read, watch TV, listen to music)
Say what animal you like and what animal your friend likes (dogs, cats, birds)
Say one thing you both love (a los dos nos encanta...)
Now say what your group of friends likes, doesn't like and loves (a mis amigos les gusta... / no les gustan... / les encanta...)

Speak for 1 - 1.5 minutes

Reveal sample answer

A mí me gusta el pop, pero a mi amigo le gusta el rock.
1. I like pop, but my friend likes rock.
A mí me encanta la pizza, pero a él no le gusta nada la pizza.
1. I love pizza, but he doesn't like pizza at all.
A él le encanta el pescado, pero a mí no me gusta nada el pescado.
1. He loves fish, but I don't like fish at all.
A mí me gusta cocinar y leer. A él le gusta ver la televisión y escuchar música.
1. I like cooking and reading. He likes watching TV and listening to music.
A mí me gustan los gatos y a él le gustan los perros.
1. I like cats and he likes dogs.
A los dos nos encanta el flamenco.
1. We both love flamenco.
A mis amigos les gusta el fútbol y les encanta la pizza. No les gustan nada los gatos.
1. My friends like football and they love pizza. They don't like cats at all.

The Nervous Flatmate

You're moving to a new city next week to study at the university. Tomorrow you meet your new flatmate for the first time. You're sitting in a café looking stressed. Your friend notices and asks: "What's wrong? Why are you so nervous?"

Your task - tell the story in your own words:

Who is Salvador? Where does he go and why?
Who is Hugo? What animal does he have? (name of the dog)
Does Salvador like Hugo's dog? What does he like more?
What happens with the music? (what does each one like?)
What happens with the food? What does Hugo want to make? What does Salvador want?
Hugo suggests tortilla - what is the problem? What does he make in the end?
What happens with the TV and the window?
How does Hugo feel? What does he say to Toby?
What do Salvador and Hugo both like? Where do they go?
What happens at the end? Hugo doesn't like arriving early - what time is it?
What do you think about the story? Why? (Esta historia es... / Me gusta... porque...)
Imagine you are Hugo - do you like Salvador and living with him? Why or why not?
Are you more like Salvador or more like Hugo? Say what you like and what you don't like to explain (Soy más como...)

Speak for 2 - 2.5 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Salvador es un chico español. Va a Sevilla a estudiar en la universidad.
1. Salvador is a Spanish guy. He goes to Sevilla to study at the university.
Hugo es su compañero de piso. Tiene un perro. Se llama Toby.
1. Hugo is his flatmate. He has a dog. His name is Toby.
No, a Salvador no le gustan los perros. Le gustan más los gatos.
1. No, Salvador doesn't like dogs. He likes cats more.
A Hugo le gusta el rock, pero a Salvador no le gusta. A Salvador le gusta el reggaeton, pero a Hugo no le gusta nada.
1. Hugo likes rock, but Salvador doesn't like it. Salvador likes reggaeton, but Hugo doesn't like it at all.
Hugo quiere hacer pescado, pero a Salvador no le gusta el pescado. Salvador quiere carne, pero a Hugo no le gusta la carne.
1. Hugo wants to make fish, but Salvador doesn't like fish. Salvador wants meat, but Hugo doesn't like meat.
Hugo puede hacer tortilla, pero a Salvador no le gusta la cebolla y no le gustan los pimientos. Al final, Hugo hace la tortilla solo con huevos y patatas.
1. Hugo can make tortilla, but Salvador doesn't like onion and doesn't like peppers. In the end, Hugo makes the tortilla only with eggs and potatoes.
Hugo quiere ver el fútbol, pero a Salvador no le gusta. A Salvador le gusta el baloncesto. Salvador abre la ventana porque le gusta el aire fresco, pero a Hugo no le gusta. A Hugo le gusta más el calor.
1. Hugo wants to watch football, but Salvador doesn't like it. Salvador likes basketball. Salvador opens the window because he likes fresh air, but Hugo doesn't like it. Hugo likes the heat more.
Hugo está enfadado. Habla con Toby: "No le gustan los perros, no le gusta el fútbol... ¿Qué le gusta a este chico?"
1. Hugo is angry. He talks to Toby: "He doesn't like dogs, he doesn't like football... What does this guy like?"
A los dos les gusta el flamenco. Van a un tablao a ver un espectáculo.
1. They both like flamenco. They go to a tablao to see a show.
Salvador quiere llegar temprano, pero a Hugo no le gusta llegar temprano. Son las ocho y media.
1. Salvador wants to arrive early, but Hugo doesn't like arriving early. It's half past eight.
Esta historia es muy divertida. Me gusta porque Salvador y Hugo son muy diferentes.
1. This story is very funny. I like it because Salvador and Hugo are very different.
No me gusta mucho vivir con Salvador. A mí me encantan los perros, pero a él no le gustan. A mí me gusta el rock, pero a él le gusta el reggaeton. A mí me gusta el pescado, pero a él no le gusta nada. Pero a los dos nos gusta el flamenco y puedo ir con él al tablao.
1. I don't really like living with Salvador. I love dogs, but he doesn't like them. I like rock, but he likes reggaeton. I like fish, but he doesn't like it at all. But we both like flamenco and I can go with him to the tablao.
Soy más como Salvador. Me gusta el reggaeton y me gustan los gatos. No me gusta mucho el fútbol.
1. I'm more like Salvador. I like reggaeton and I like cats. I don't really like football.

Part 8

Culture

1. The One Thing Salvador and Hugo Agree On

These two disagree on everything.

Music, food, pets, sports… even whether a window should be open when it's 40 degrees outside.

But flamenco? That's the line where the fighting stops.

And honestly… they picked the right thing to agree on.

What flamenco actually is

Most people outside Spain that I talk to think flamenco is a dance.

It's not.

Or… it's not just a dance.

Flamenco is three things at once:

Cante - the singing. Raw, emotional and often improvised. This is the oldest part and the one flamenco purists care about most
Baile - the dance. Intense footwork, sharp arm movements and a control of the body that looks effortless and absolutely is not
Toque - the guitar. Originally just an accompaniment for the singing but now an art form on its own

When all three happen together in a small room… believe me, you feel it in your chest.

That's not a figure of speech by the way. The footwork literally vibrates through the floor.

Flamenco started in Andalusia (the region where Seville is) and its roots go back centuries.

Roma communities, Moorish musical traditions, Jewish influences and Andalusian folk songs all mixed together over hundreds of years.

Nobody knows exactly when it became "flamenco"… but by the late 1700s, the word was already being used.

In 2010 UNESCO added flamenco to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The neighbourhood of Triana in Seville is considered one of its birthplaces.

It sits across the Guadalquivir River from the old town and it's where many of the most important flamenco families and artists come from.

Flamenco didn't start on a stage.

It started in homes, courtyards and family gatherings in places like Triana… and eventually moved into public performance.

Here's a good example.

Demarco Flamenco is from Utrera (right outside Seville). He went back to the plaza where he grew up, brought the neighbours out and filmed this. The song is called 'Alegría'… which means joy.

Demarco Flamenco, "Alegría."

This is what flamenco looks like before the tablao.

Which brings us to where Salvador is going tonight.

The tablao is where it all happens

Salvador tells Hugo he's heading to a tablao.

If you've never heard that word before… it's a venue built specifically for live flamenco.

The name comes from tablado, meaning "wooden stage."

In Andalusia, the "d" gets dropped (as it often does down there) and you get… tablao.

The wooden floor matters. It's built to amplify the sound of the dancers' footwork so every heel strike hits you like a drum.

Tablaos evolved from the old cafés cantantes (singing cafés) that popped up around Seville, Cádiz and Jerez in the mid-1800s.

Those cafés were the first places flamenco went public.

Before that, it was strictly a private thing… families, parties, courtyards.

Most tablaos are small. Maybe 50 to 100 seats. No microphones. No amplification.

Just the voice, the guitar, the footwork and whatever is between the artist and the audience that night.

Flamenco performance on a wooden stage with a seated singer clapping, a guitarist and a male dancer in dark clothing.

A tablao stage. A wooden floor, the voice, the guitar and the dance.

The shows usually last about an hour and feature multiple performers… singers, guitarists and dancers rotating through different palos (styles of flamenco).

Some are fast and joyful. Some are slow and heavy with emotion.

You don't need to understand the words. You understand anyway.

Salvador says the show is at nine. That's standard. Most tablaos in Seville run shows at 7:30, 9 and sometimes later.

Hugo asks to come along. Salvador says yes. Honestly… I'd grab my jacket too.

2. Seville: Too Hot, Too Old, Too Good

Salvador moved to Seville to study at the university.

Hugo already lives there with Toby the dog and a strong opinion about open windows.

And Seville… is not a city that makes it easy to stay indoors arguing about windows.

A city built on layers

What makes Seville strange (in a very good way) is how many completely different civilisations built on top of each other in the same spot.

And all of them left something behind.

The Alcázar - a royal palace that's been in continuous use since the 10th century. The oldest royal palace still in use in all of Europe. The Spanish royal family still stays here when they visit Seville. It was built by Moorish rulers, expanded by Christian kings and looks like nothing you've seen before. Game of Thrones filmed the Water Gardens of Dorne here. Star Wars used the Plaza de España (right nearby) as a palace on Naboo

Gardens of the Real Alcázar in Seville with palm trees, manicured hedges and ornate medieval architecture.

This is the Alcázar. And yes… it looks even more beautiful when you're there.

Seville Cathedral - the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Built on the site of a 12th-century mosque and they kept the mosque's minaret as the bell tower. That tower is called the Giralda and it's the symbol of the city. Inside the cathedral… the tomb of Christopher Columbus
The Triana neighbourhood - across the river from the old town, this is where flamenco was born. Ceramic workshops, narrow streets and bars that still have live flamenco most nights
Plaza de España - a massive semicircular building with 48 tiled benches, each one representing a different Spanish province. Built for the 1929 World's Fair and free to visit

Three of those (the Alcázar, the cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies next door) are a single UNESCO World Heritage Site.

About 687,000 people live here. It's the capital of Andalusia and the fourth-largest city in Spain.

And roughly 300 days of sunshine a year.

The hottest city on the continent

Hugo refuses to let Salvador open a window because he "prefers the heat."

Which is a bold position to take in the hottest major city in continental Europe.

Seville regularly hits 40°C (104°F) in summer.

The story says it's September and 40 degrees… and that's not an exaggeration.

The city has recorded temperatures above 46°C (115°F).

In 2022 it became the first city in the world to officially name a heat wave (they called it Zoe) the way other places name hurricanes.

The locals deal with it the way locals have always dealt with it. The old town was designed for heat.

Narrow streets, tall buildings that block the sun, thick stone walls that stay cool.

And in summer… life changes.

You do things in the morning, disappear for a few hours in the afternoon and come back out at night.

How to Spend Your First Days in Seville

You need at least three days. Four is better and what I always recommend.

One thing though. If you visit between June and September… respect the heat.

Drink water constantly, stay in the shade between 2 and 5 PM and do what the locals do: plan your life around the cool hours.

The afternoon is for sitting somewhere with air conditioning and a cold glass of tinto de verano.

Day one: the old town.

The Alcázar - go in the morning or late afternoon. Book tickets in advance because it sells out. Spend at least two hours here. The gardens alone are worth it
Seville Cathedral and the Giralda - right next door. Walk up the tower (it's ramps, not stairs… they were built for horses). The view from the top puts the whole city into perspective

Aerial view of Seville Cathedral and the Giralda bell tower with the city stretching out behind.

Seville Cathedral and the Giralda tower.

Walk through the Barrio de Santa Cruz afterwards. The old Jewish quarter. Tiny squares, orange trees and one of the best areas to sit down for a cold beer and your first plate of salmorejo (the gazpacho better-looking cousin... a thick cold tomato soup topped with jamón and boiled egg)
For dinner find El Rinconcillo. It's been open since 1670. Order the espinacas con garbanzos (spinach and chickpeas spiced with cumin… a dish that goes straight back to Moorish Seville) and watch the bartenders write your order in chalk on the wooden bar

Day two: Triana and flamenco.

Cross the Puente de Triana and walk through the neighbourhood
Eat at the Mercado de Triana - a small food market right by the bridge. Good spot for pescaíto frito
At night, go to a tablao. Casa de la Memoria is in a 15th-century palace (seats fewer than 100 people and runs shows without any amplification). You hear everything the way it's meant to sound. Book well in advance. If that's full, La Casa del Flamenco and Los Gallos are both excellent
If you want something less formal walk along Calle Betis in Triana at night. Some of the bars have spontaneous flamenco and you just… walk in

Day three: everything else.

Plaza de España - go early in the morning when it's quiet. Rent a rowboat on the little canal if you want

Plaza de España in Seville showing the semicircular building, canal and ornamental bridge under a blue sky.

Plaza de España. Free to visit. Impossible to forget.

Parque de María Luisa - the big park right next to it
Seville is better without a plan, honestly. Walk, eat, sit down somewhere... walk again

Hugo and Salvador will probably never agree on food or the correct temperature of a living room.

But they live in a city where you can walk through a thousand-year-old palace in the morning, eat amazing food and sit in a tiny room at night watching someone dance with so much force that the floor shakes.

They'll figure the rest out.

Did You Know?

🍊 Seville's streets are lined with about 40,000 bitter orange trees. The oranges aren't for eating (they're too sour) but they're exported to the UK every year to make marmalade
🥘 Seville has roughly 3,000 tapas bars. That's about one for every 230 people. Hugo and Salvador could eat at a different one every night for over eight years and never repeat
🐦 The word "flamenco" might come from the Spanish word for Flemish. One theory is that Roma people in Spain were confused with Flemish immigrants and the name stuck.
🏗️ The builders of Seville Cathedral reportedly said "Let us build a church so beautiful and so grand that those who see it finished will think we are mad." Based on the result… they weren't exaggerating

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