A1 Spanish

Stories completed

6. Todo es bonito

(Everything Is Beautiful)

Diego and Camila just got married. New apartment. No furniture. They walk into the store but everything looks so perfect. Now what?

Illustration of a man and a woman walking arm in arm, in a minimalist black and white style

Spanish version

Es domingo por la tarde.

Diego y Camila están en la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Main Square" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Plaza Mayor de Salamanca.

Son <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="newlyweds" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">recién casados. Tienen un <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">piso nuevo en el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="downtown" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">centro.

Está <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="empty" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">vacío. No tiene <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="furniture" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">muebles.

La plaza es muy grande y bonita. Hay muchas personas.

—Tengo hambre —dice Camila.

—¿Vamos al Café Novelty?

—Sí, perfecto.

Entran al café.

El camarero viene a la mesa.

—Un <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Salamanca meat pie" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">hornazo y un café con <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="milk" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">leche, por favor.

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

El camarero <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="brings" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">trae el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="order" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">pedido. Camila come el hornazo.

—Mmm. Está muy bueno.

Diego recibe un mensaje.

—Camila, mira. Mañana es <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Salamanca spring festival" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Lunes de Aguas.

—¿Sí?

—Carlos y Ana van al <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="countryside" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">campo. ¿Nosotros también?

—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="how nice!" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">¡Qué bien! <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="of course" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Claro, vamos.

Diego responde al mensaje.

Después dice:

—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="hey" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Oye... ¿vamos a la tienda de muebles ahora? No tenemos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="nothing" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">nada.

—Sí. Vamos.

En la tienda, Diego y Camila caminan <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="among" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">entre los muebles. Están 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">contentos.

Camila ve un <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="sofa" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">sofá grande.

—¡Mira! ¡Un sofá! Es perfecto.

—Sí. Necesitamos un sofá para el salón.

—Y una <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="table" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">mesa. Una mesa grande para cenar con nuestros amigos.

—Sí, sí. Y unas <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="chairs" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">sillas. Necesitamos seis sillas para la mesa.

Diego ve un armario.

—¿Y un armario? Mira qué grande. Para toda la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="clothes" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">ropa.

—Perfecto. Y una <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="bed" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">cama grande. Obviamente necesitamos una cama.

Camila quiere más <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="things" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">cosas. Está muy <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="excited" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">emocionada.

—¡Un <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="desk" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">escritorio! Es bonito.

—Sí. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="let's take" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Llevamos también unas <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="lamps" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">lámparas. Dos lámparas para el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="bedroom" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">dormitorio.

—¡Y unos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="shelves" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">estantes! Para los <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="books" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">libros.

—Mira. Una <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="small table" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">mesita. Para la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="living room" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">sala.

Diego está emocionado ahora.

—¡Un <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="mirror" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">espejo! ¡Necesitamos un espejo grande!

—Sí, sí. Y unas <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="pillows" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">almohadas para el sofá.

Camila ve algo más.

—¡Y una <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="nightstand" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">mesita de noche!

—Sí, claro.

Miran más muebles. Quieren todo.

Van a la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="cash register" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">caja. Esperan. Están muy contentos.

Diego toma la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="hand" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">mano de Camila. Sonríen.

El <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="salesperson" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">vendedor dice:

—El total es quince mil euros.

—¿Quince mil? —dice Diego.

—Sí. Quince mil euros.

Camila mira a Diego. Diego mira a Camila.

—Eh... <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="one moment, please" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">un momento, por favor.

Diego <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="takes out" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">saca su teléfono. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="checks" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Revisa la <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="bank account" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">cuenta bancaria.

Le dice a Camila, muy <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="quietly" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">bajo:

—Tenemos seiscientos euros.

Silencio. Un silencio muy <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="long" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">largo.

Camila mira al vendedor. Está nerviosa. Sonríe y dice:

—Bueno... solo necesitamos la cama.

Spanish story with English translation

Todo es bonito

Everything Is Beautiful

Diego y Camila están en la Plaza Mayor de Salamanca.

Diego and Camila are in the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca.

Son recién casados. Tienen un piso nuevo en el centro.

They are newlyweds. They have a new apartment in the center.

Está vacío. No tiene muebles.

It is empty. It has no furniture.

La plaza es muy grande y bonita. Hay muchas personas.

The plaza is very big and beautiful. There are many people.

—Tengo hambre —dice Camila.

"I'm hungry," says Camila.

—¿Vamos al Café Novelty?

"Shall we go to Café Novelty?"

—Sí, perfecto.

"Yes, perfect."

Entran al café.

They enter the café.

El camarero viene a la mesa.

The waiter comes to the table.

—Un hornazo y un café con leche, por favor.

"A hornazo and a coffee with milk, please."

—Enseguida.

"Right away."

El camarero trae el pedido. Camila come el hornazo.

The waiter brings the order. Camila eats the hornazo.

—Mmm. Está muy bueno.

"Mmm. It's very good."

Diego recibe un mensaje.

Diego receives a message.

—Camila, mira. Mañana es Lunes de Aguas.

"Camila, look. Tomorrow is Lunes de Aguas."

—¿Sí?

"Really?"

—Carlos y Ana van al campo. ¿Nosotros también?

"Carlos and Ana are going to the countryside. Us too?"

—¡Qué bien! Claro, vamos.

"How nice! Of course, let's go."

Diego responde al mensaje.

Diego responds to the message.

Después dice:

Then he says:

—Oye... ¿vamos a la tienda de muebles ahora? No tenemos nada.

"Hey... shall we go to the furniture store now? We have nothing."

—Sí. Vamos.

"Yes. Let's go."

En la tienda, Diego y Camila caminan entre los muebles. Están muy contentos.

In the store, Diego and Camila walk among the furniture. They are very happy.

Camila ve un sofá grande.

Camila sees a big sofa.

—¡Mira! ¡Un sofá! Es perfecto.

"Look! A sofa! It's perfect."

—Sí. Necesitamos un sofá para el salón.

"Yes. We need a sofa for the living room."

—Y una mesa. Una mesa grande para cenar con nuestros amigos.

"And a table. A big table to have dinner with our friends."

—Sí, sí. Y unas sillas. Necesitamos seis sillas para la mesa.

"Yes, yes. And some chairs. We need six chairs for the table."

Diego ve un armario.

Diego sees a wardrobe.

—¿Y un armario? Mira qué grande. Para toda la ropa.

"And a wardrobe? Look how big. For all the clothes."

—Perfecto. Y una cama grande. Obviamente necesitamos una cama.

"Perfect. And a big bed. Obviously we need a bed."

Camila quiere más cosas. Está muy emocionada.

Camila wants more things. She is very excited.

—¡Un escritorio! Es bonito.

"A desk! It's nice."

—Sí. Llevamos también unas lámparas. Dos lámparas para el dormitorio.

"Yes. Let's also take some lamps. Two lamps for the bedroom."

—¡Y unos estantes! Para los libros.

"And some shelves! For the books."

—Mira. Una mesita. Para la sala.

"Look. A small table. For the living room."

Diego está emocionado ahora.

Diego is excited now.

—¡Un espejo! ¡Necesitamos un espejo grande!

"A mirror! We need a big mirror!"

—Sí, sí. Y unas almohadas para el sofá.

"Yes, yes. And some pillows for the sofa."

Camila ve algo más.

Camila sees something else.

—¡Y una mesita de noche!

"And a nightstand!"

—Sí, claro.

"Yes, of course."

Miran más muebles. Quieren todo.

They look at more furniture. They want everything.

Van a la caja. Esperan. Están muy contentos. Diego toma la mano de Camila. Sonríen.

They go to the register. They wait. They are very happy. Diego takes Camila's hand. They smile.

El vendedor dice:

The salesman says:

—El total es quince mil euros.

"The total is fifteen thousand euros."

—¿Quince mil? —dice Diego.

"Fifteen thousand?" says Diego.

—Sí. Quince mil euros.

"Yes. Fifteen thousand euros."

Camila mira a Diego. Diego mira a Camila.

Camila looks at Diego. Diego looks at Camila.

—Eh... un momento, por favor.

"Eh... one moment, please."

Diego saca su teléfono. Revisa la cuenta bancaria. Le dice a Camila, muy bajo:

Diego takes out his phone. He checks the bank account. He says to Camila, very quietly:

—Tenemos seiscientos euros.

"We have six hundred euros."

Silencio. Un silencio muy largo.

Silence. A very long silence.

Camila mira al vendedor. Está nerviosa. Sonríe y dice:

Camila looks at the salesman. She is nervous. She smiles and says:

—Bueno... solo necesitamos la cama.

"Well... we only need the bed."

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 the apartment. Reply in Spanish: The apartment doesn't have furniture. They need a table and some chairs.

Example: (El) piso no tiene muebles. Necesitan una mesa y unas sillas.

Notes:

"Piso" and "apartamento" both work for apartment. "Piso" is what you'll hear most in Spain.
"Unas sillas" means "some chairs." When you're talking about an unspecified group, use unas (feminine plural) or unos (masculine plural).
Notice "una mesa" but "unas sillas." One table → singular. Multiple chairs → plural. The article has to match.

Question 2

You visit Diego and Camila's new apartment. Ask them in Spanish: Where is the sofa? Where is the bed? Is the apartment big?

Example: ¿Dónde está el sofá? ¿Dónde está la cama? ¿Es grande el piso?

Notes:

"Where is...?" uses ESTAR because you're asking about location: ¿Dónde está el sofá? But "Is it big?" uses SER because size is a characteristic: ¿Es grande?
"El sofá" is masculine even though it ends in -a. Not every word follows the usual pattern.

Question 3

Diego asks what you need for your home. Answer in Spanish: I need a bed for the bedroom. I need a desk and a lamp.

Example: Necesito una cama para el dormitorio. Necesito un escritorio y una lámpara.

Notes:

"Una cama" (feminine) but "un escritorio" (masculine). The article tells you the gender: un = masculine, una = feminine.
After "para" (for), you switch to the definite article: "para el dormitorio." You're talking about a specific room, so it's "the bedroom," not "a bedroom."

Question 4

Translate to Spanish: A lamp is on the nightstand. The shelves are in the bedroom. Some chairs are next to the table. The mirror is big.

Example: Una lámpara está sobre la mesita de noche. Los estantes están en el dormitorio. Unas sillas están al lado de la mesa. El espejo es grande.

Notes:

This question mixes all four article types: una (indefinite singular), los (definite plural), unas (indefinite plural), el (definite singular). "A lamp" = you don't know which one. "The mirror" = a specific one.
"Al lado de" works as one unit meaning "next to."
The last sentence uses SER ("es grande"), not ESTAR. Size is a permanent quality. The other three sentences use ESTAR because they describe where things are located.

Question 5

Translate to Spanish: Camila is very excited. She needs a desk and some lamps. Diego needs a big wardrobe for the clothes. They need some shelves for the books.

Example: Camila está muy emocionada. Necesita un escritorio y unas lámparas. Diego necesita un armario grande para la ropa. Necesitan unos estantes para los libros.

Notes:

"Emocionada" with -a because Camila is a woman. If it were Diego: "emocionado." The adjective matches the person, not the grammar pattern.
"Un armario grande" puts the adjective after the noun. In Spanish, most descriptive adjectives go after: mesa grande, cama pequeña, sofá bonito.
"La ropa" and "los libros" both take definite articles here. Spanish uses "the" with general categories where English doesn't: "the clothes," "the books."

Question 6

Translate to Spanish: Diego and Camila are at the register. They don't have the money for the furniture. Camila is nervous. They only need the bed.

Example: Diego y Camila están en la caja. No tienen el dinero para los muebles. Camila está nerviosa. Solo necesitan la cama.

Notes:

"La caja" literally means "the box," but in a store it means "the register" or "the checkout." Context does the work.
Notice "los muebles" is always plural in Spanish. You don't say "el mueble" for furniture in general, just like English doesn't say "a furniture."
"Solo necesitan la cama." They don't need just any bed. They need THE bed, the specific one they picked. That's why it's "la cama" (definite), not "una cama" (indefinite).

Reply in Spanish and join the discussion!

Camila and Diego want to buy everything for their new apartment! What about you?

Are you like Camila and Diego? Do you buy a lot of things?
Do you need something for your home?
Do you have a favorite room in your home? Which one? Why?

Part 7

Speaking Challenge

Raquel is at the airport. Gustavo is at home. The passport is... somewhere. Get in there and start speaking: describe locations, interrogate friends and retell how it all went wrong.

The Empty Apartment

You're standing in your new apartment in Salamanca with your partner. Your partner turns to you and asks: "¿Qué necesitamos?"

Your task - say what you need, room by room:

Say what you need for the kitchen (table, chairs)
Say what you need for the living room (sofa, small table)
Say what you need for the bedroom (bed, wardrobe, bedside table)
Say what you need for the whole apartment (lamps, mirror)

Speak for 30-45 seconds

Reveal sample answer

Para la cocina, necesitamos una mesa y unas sillas.
1. For the kitchen, we need a table and some chairs.
Para el salón, necesitamos un sofá grande y una mesita.
1. For the living room, we need a big sofa and a small table.
Para la habitación, necesitamos una cama, un armario y una mesita de noche.
1. For the bedroom, we need a bed, a wardrobe, and a bedside table.
Para el apartamento, necesitamos unas lámparas y un espejo grande.
1. For the apartment, we need some lamps and a big mirror.

A Sunday at Café Novelty

You are Diego (or Camila). It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon. You and your partner are sitting at a table in Café Novelty after a walk through the Plaza Mayor. The waiter comes over.

Your task - order at the café and chat about your life:

Greet the waiter and order food and a drink
Say how the food is
Describe the Plaza Mayor (what is it like? is it empty?)
Describe your new apartment (where is it? what is it like right now?)
Say what the plan is for Lunes de Aguas tomorrow (who? where?)

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

Hola, buenas tardes. Un hornazo y un café con leche, por favor.
1. Hi, good afternoon. A hornazo and a coffee with milk, please.
El hornazo está muy bueno/rico.
1. The hornazo is very good/tasty.
La Plaza Mayor es muy grande y muy bonita. Tiene muchas personas. / Hay muchas personas.
1. The Plaza Mayor is very big and very beautiful. It has many people. / There are many people.
El piso está en el centro de Salamanca. Es nuevo pero está vacío. No tiene muebles.
1. The apartment is in the center of Salamanca. It's new but it's empty. It doesn't have furniture.
Mañana es Lunes de Aguas. Carlos y Ana van al campo. Nosotros también.
1. Tomorrow is Lunes de Aguas. Carlos and Ana are going to the countryside. Us too.

Your Place

A nosy friend in your Spanish class asks about your home. What rooms do you have? What's in them? What do you need?

Your task - describe your own home:

Say what your home is like (big? small?)
Describe your living room (what does it have?)
Describe your bedroom (what does it have?)
Describe a piece of furniture in your home that you really like (is it big? small? nice?)
Say something you need to buy (Necesito comprar...)

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

Mi casa es grande / pequeña.
1. My home is big / small.
El salón tiene un sofá grande, una mesa y unas sillas.
1. The living room has a big sofa, a table, and some chairs.
La habitación tiene una cama grande y un armario.
1. The bedroom has a big bed and a wardrobe.
El sofá es muy grande y muy bonito. / La cama es muy grande.
1. The sofa is very big and very nice. / The bed is very big.
Necesito comprar unas lámparas. / Necesito comprar una mesita de noche.
1. I need to buy some lamps. / I need to buy a bedside table.

Lunes de Aguas

You are Diego. It's Monday and you're at the countryside with Camila, Carlos and Ana. The sun is out, the food is ready and everyone is having a great time.

Your task - describe the scene at Lunes de Aguas:

Say where you are and who is with you
Describe the countryside (it's big, it's beautiful, there are many people)
Say what food you all have (sandwiches, tortilla, fruit)
Say what drinks you all have (beer, water, coffee)
Say how everyone feels (happy and tired)

Speak for 45 seconds - 1 minute

Reveal sample answer

Estoy en el campo con Camila, Carlos y Ana.
1. I'm in the countryside with Camila, Carlos, and Ana.
El campo es muy grande y muy bonito. Tiene muchas personas.
1. The countryside is very big and very beautiful. It has many people.
Tenemos sándwiches, tortilla y fruta.
1. We have sandwiches, tortilla, and fruit.
Tenemos cerveza, agua y café.
1. We have beer, water, and coffee.
Todos estamos muy contentos y cansados.
1. We're all very happy and tired.

The Voice Note

Everyone in your Spanish course records a voice note about each story. It's your turn.

Your task - tell the story and share what you think:

Who are Diego and Camila? (relationship, in which city they are)
What is their apartment like right now?
Where do they go first? Describe the Plaza (big? small? how many people?)
What is the café called?
What does Camila eat? What does she drink? How is the food?
Where do they go after the café?
What do they need for the apartment? Name some things.
How do Diego and Camila feel in the store? (before the total)
What is the total? How much money do they have?
What do they buy in the end? How does Camila feel?
What do you think about the story? (Esta historia es...)
What do you think about Diego and Camila? (are they funny? smart? nice?)

Speak for 1.5-2 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Diego y Camila son recién casados. Están en Salamanca.
1. Diego and Camila are newlyweds. They're in Salamanca.
El apartamento está vacío. No tiene muebles.
1. The apartment is empty. It doesn't have furniture.
Van a la Plaza Mayor. La Plaza Mayor es muy grande y bonita. Tiene muchas personas.
1. They go to the Plaza Mayor. The Plaza Mayor is very big and beautiful. It has many people.
El café se llama Café Novelty. / El café es Café Novelty.
1. The café is called Café Novelty. / The café is Café Novelty.
Camila come un hornazo y toma un café con leche. El hornazo está muy bueno. / El hornazo está muy rico.
1. Camila eats a hornazo and has a coffee with milk. The hornazo is very good. / The hornazo is very tasty.
A una tienda de muebles.
1. To a furniture store.
Necesitan un sofá, una mesa, unas sillas, un armario, una cama, un escritorio, unas lámparas y unos estantes.
1. They need a sofa, a table, some chairs, a wardrobe, a bed, a desk, some lamps, and some shelves.
Diego y Camila están muy contentos y emocionados.
1. Diego and Camila are very happy and excited.
El total es quince mil euros. Tienen seiscientos euros.
1. The total is fifteen thousand euros. They have six hundred euros.
Solo compran la cama. Camila está nerviosa.
1. They only buy the bed. Camila is nervous.
Esta historia es muy divertida. / Esta historia es bonita.
1. This story is very funny. / This story is nice.
Diego y Camila son muy divertidos. / Diego y Camila son simpáticos.
1. Diego and Camila are very funny. / Diego and Camila are nice.

Part 8

Culture

1. Salamanca, the City Diego and Camila Now Call Home

Diego and Camila are newly married, they've just moved into an empty flat in the centre of town and they don't own a single piece of furniture.

But their flat is in Salamanca.

So honestly… they're already winning.

A small city with eight hundred years of something

Salamanca is not a big place. About 144,000 people live there.

Aerial view of Salamanca's old town and cathedral at sunset.

Salamanca from above at sunset. This is why they call it "La Dorada."

You could walk across the centre in twenty minutes.

But Salamanca has never acted like a small city.

University of Salamanca - founded in 1218, the oldest in Spain and one of the oldest in the world. Over 30,000 students from 50 countries. That's roughly one in five people in the city
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988
European Capital of Culture in 2002 (shared with Bruges)
Known as "La Dorada" (The Golden City) because the local Villamayor sandstone turns gold at sunset. The whole city glows

It's a university town, yes. But it's also one of the most beautiful small cities in Spain.

Walkable. Warm. Full of history you can actually see.

And Diego and Camila picked this city to start their life together. I mean, the flat might be empty but the postcode is flawless.

Where everything in Salamanca starts

Diego and Camila begin their Sunday at the Plaza Mayor. Which is basically what everyone in Salamanca does… because the Plaza Mayor is where everything happens.

Built between 1729 and 1755 in the Baroque style. 88 arches, each with medallions carved above them showing famous figures from Spanish history… kings, writers, explorers.

Salamanca's Plaza Mayor seen through the stone arches of its surrounding arcade.

Plaza Mayor de Salamanca, seen through the arches. The City Hall facade is straight ahead.

It was originally used for bullfighting until the mid-1800s. Today it's restaurants, cafés, terrace seating and people. Lots of people.

The sandstone is the same Villamayor stone that gives the whole city its colour. At sunset the plaza almost glows. At night it's lit up until midnight and looks completely different again.

It's widely considered one of the most beautiful plazas in all of Spain. Some people say Europe.

OK I envy these two right now… sitting in one of the most beautiful squares on the continent with a coffee and a hornazo… tell me that's not the perfect Sunday.

The Café Novelty Is Real (and Older Than You'd Think)

What Diego and Camila they might not realise is that they're sitting in the oldest café in Salamanca, open since 1905 and right on the Plaza Mayor.

Miguel de Unamuno (one of Spain's most important philosophers) held literary gatherings there
Gonzalo Torrente Ballester (a famous Spanish novelist) spent 25 years drinking coffee there. There's a bronze statue of him sitting at one of the tables
The Football Club of Salamanca was founded at its tables in 1923
Spanish National Radio was founded there during the Civil War, between 1936 and 1937
It was renamed Café Nacional under Franco and didn't get its original name back until 1964

Presidents, writers, philosophers and intellectuals have all sat exactly where Diego and Camila are sitting. Same terrace. Same view. Same plaza glowing in the afternoon light.

What Camila Ordered (And Why You Can’t Leave Salamanca Without Trying It)

That hornazo Camila is eating? It deserves its own moment.

It's a meat pie made with bread dough, stuffed with pork loin, chorizo and hard-boiled eggs.

Dense, golden and heavy enough that one slice fills you up for hours. The name comes from horno (oven).

A hornazo sliced open on a plate, showing layers of cured meat and egg inside golden bread crust.

Hornazo. The reason every bakery in Salamanca smells incredible.

It goes back to the Middle Ages. Shepherds in the Salamanca countryside made it with whatever they had on hand because it was filling, easy to carry and lasted for days without going bad.

The reason it's tied to Easter is actually pretty interesting.

Centuries ago, the Catholic Church considered eggs a type of meat… which meant they were banned during Lent (the 40-day period of fasting before Easter).

But the chickens didn't get the memo. They kept laying.

So people hard-boiled the eggs to preserve them and then once Easter came around… they needed something to put them all in.

The hornazo was the answer.

Today you can get it year-round in bakeries across Salamanca.

But it peaks around Easter when every shop in the city has them piled in the window.

I'll be honest with you… if you go to Salamanca and don't eat a hornazo... you're making a mistake.

Walk into any bakery, point at one and just say "un trozo, por favor."

It's one of those foods that doesn't look like much from the outside. Bread, basically. But the second you bite into it and the chorizo hits you… you get it.

Camila said "está muy bueno." That's exactly right.

2. Carlos and Ana Knew Exactly What Day It Was

Diego gets a message. "Mañana es Lunes de Aguas." Carlos and Ana are heading to the countryside. Diego and Camila say yes immediately.

No hesitation. No checking the calendar. No asking what it is.

Because if you live in Salamanca… you already know.

The most Salamanca tradition there is

Lunes de Aguas (Monday of Waters) falls on the Monday after Easter Monday.

The whole city basically empties in the afternoon.

Everyone grabs food (hornazo, obviously), drinks and a blanket and heads to the banks of the Tormes River (the river that runs through Salamanca) or out to the countryside for a long, lazy picnic with friends and family.

The Roman Bridge over the Tormes River with Salamanca's cathedral rising behind it.

The other side of the Tormes, looking back at the cathedral. The Roman Bridge connects the city to the riverbank where Salamanca celebrates Lunes de Aguas every year.

In 2020 it was officially recognised as a festival of regional tourist interest.

Technically it's still a working day. But businesses close, afternoon classes get cancelled and the streets go quiet.

Now… the backstory. And it's a good one.

In the 16th century, during the reign of Felipe II, Salamanca had over 8,000 students and a reputation for being… let's say, extremely lively.

The king decided that during Lent, certain women who worked in the city's entertainment district had to leave Salamanca and cross to the other side of the river.

Out of sight, out of mind. Or at least that was the idea.

When Lent ended, the students threw a massive party on the riverbanks to welcome them back.

Food. Wine. Decorated boats. Total chaos.

That party became Lunes de Aguas.

Today it's families with kids eating meat pies in a park. The vibe has changed quite a bit. The hornazo has not.

A golden city and a very full shopping list

If you ever make it to Salamanca… give yourself time.

Walk the Plaza Mayor at sunset when the stone goes gold.

Sit at the Café Novelty and order whatever Camila had.

Wander the old streets around the university and look for the famous frog (more on that below).

The courtyard of the University of Salamanca with a bronze statue in the centre and sandstone arches around it.

The courtyard of the University of Salamanca. The statue is Fray Luis de León, a professor who returned from five years in an Inquisition prison and opened his next lecture with "as we were saying yesterday."

It doesn't matter what time of year you go.

Salamanca is the kind of place that's good on a Tuesday in November.

It's small enough to feel like home after two days and way more beautiful than you'd expect.

Diego and Camila clearly love it. They don't have a sofa. They don't have a table. They barely have six hundred euros.

But they have Salamanca, a countryside picnic tomorrow and each other. Honestly… they'll be fine.

Did You Know?

🐸 There's a tiny frog carved into the facade of the University of Salamanca. Legend says if you spot it without help, you'll have good luck and pass your exams. Students and tourists spend ages staring at the wall trying to find it
🌍 Christopher Columbus presented his plan for a western route to the Indies to a council of geographers at the University of Salamanca. They told him his maths was wrong. They were right… but he sailed anyway
🗣️ Salamanca is widely considered to have some of the clearest Castilian Spanish in the country, which is why it's one of the most popular cities in Spain for foreigners learning the language
🎉 Every December Salamanca holds a "Nochevieja Universitaria" (University New Year's Eve) on the last Thursday of classes. Thousands of students gather in Plaza Mayor for a countdown to midnight… weeks before the actual New Year

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