A1 Spanish

Stories completed

25. Vacaciones, amor y silencio

(Vacation, Love, and Silence)

Daniel meets Magdalena at a resort in the Dominican Republic. They're inseparable all week. But vacations don't last forever.

Spanish version

Daniel está en República Dominicana.

Es su primer día en un resort.

Se despierta temprano. Camina por la playa <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="during" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">durante una hora.

Después va al <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="dining room" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">comedor y <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="has breakfast" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">desayuna.

Después del desayuno va a la piscina. Lleva un libro.

Se sienta en una silla. Abre el libro.

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="While" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Mientras lee, aparece una chica.

—¿Está libre esta silla?

—Eh... sí, está libre.

La chica se sienta. Tiene el pelo <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="dark" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">oscuro y una <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="smile" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">sonrisa muy bonita.

—Soy Magdalena.

—Soy Daniel.

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="They start" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Empiezan a hablar. Hablan durante horas.

Hablan <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="from ten in the morning" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">desde las diez de la mañana <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="until two in the afternoon" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">hasta las dos de la tarde.

—Tengo hambre —dice Magdalena.

—Yo también. ¿Comemos juntos?

—Vale, perfecto.

Comen en el comedor. Después de comer van a la playa. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="They swim" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Nadan en <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="sea" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">el mar.

Hablan más. Por la noche cenan juntos. Hablan <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="until midnight" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">hasta medianoche.

—Buenas noches, Daniel.

—Buenas noches, Magdalena.

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="They spend the whole week" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Pasan toda la semana juntos.

Están juntos <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="from morning until night" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">desde la mañana hasta la noche. Todos los días.

Un día van a <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Dominican island" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">la Isla Saona en barco. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="During the trip" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Durante el viaje Magdalena mira el mar. Daniel mira a Magdalena.

Comen pescado fresco en la isla. Después vuelven al resort.

Por la tarde <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="they have coffee" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">toman café en <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="a café" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">una cafetería. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="They talk again" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Vuelven a hablar durante horas.

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Every night" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Cada noche Daniel no puede <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="to sleep" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">dormir. Piensa en ella durante toda la noche.

Daniel está <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="in love" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">enamorado.

Quiere decir "te quiero". Pero no puede. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Every time that" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Cada vez que quiere decirlo, no puede hablar.

"Mañana lo digo", piensa Daniel <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="before sleeping" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">antes de dormir. Pero al día siguiente no dice nada.

Los días pasan rápido. Pasan seis días. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="almost" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Ya casi no <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="remains" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">queda tiempo.

Es el <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="seventh" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">séptimo día. Es el último día de Magdalena en el resort.

Están en el lobby del hotel.

<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="The bus" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">El autobús de Magdalena está fuera. Es la hora de <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="to leave" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">partir.

—Magdalena... quiero <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="to tell you something" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">decirte algo.

Ella mira a Daniel y sonríe.

—¿Sí?

Pasan los segundos. Uno. Dos. Tres. Cuatro. Cinco.

Daniel no puede hablar.

—<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="Have a good trip" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Que... que tengas buen viaje.

Magdalena mira al <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="the floor" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">suelo.

—Ah... Gracias, Daniel.

Se abrazan durante unos segundos.

Después Magdalena <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="gets on" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">sube al autobús. El autobús se va.

Daniel está solo. Se siente <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="very bad" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">muy mal. <span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="He starts crying" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Empieza a llorar.

De repente su teléfono suena.

Tiene un mensaje. Es de Magdalena.

"<span class="vocab-tooltip" fb-tooltip="true" fb-tooltip-message="I love you too" fb-tooltip-position="top" fb-tooltip-theme="dark" fb-tooltip-animation="shift-away" fb-tooltip-show-delay="100" fb-tooltip-arrow="rounded">Yo también te quiero, Daniel."

Spanish story with English translation

Daniel está en República Dominicana.

Daniel is in the Dominican Republic.

Es su primer día en un resort.

It is his first day at a resort.

Se despierta temprano. Camina por la playa durante una hora.

He wakes up early. He walks along the beach for an hour.

Después va al comedor y desayuna.

Then he goes to the dining room and has breakfast.

Después del desayuno va a la piscina. Lleva un libro.

After breakfast he goes to the pool. He brings a book.

Se sienta en una silla. Abre el libro.

He sits in a chair. He opens the book.

Mientras lee, aparece una chica.

While he reads, a girl appears.

—¿Está libre esta silla?

"Is this chair free?"

—Eh... sí, está libre.

"Eh... yes, it's free."

La chica se sienta. Tiene el pelo oscuro y una sonrisa muy bonita.

The girl sits down. She has dark hair and a very pretty smile.

—Soy Magdalena.

"I'm Magdalena."

—Soy Daniel.

"I'm Daniel."

Empiezan a hablar. Hablan durante horas.

They start to talk. They talk for hours.

Hablan desde las diez de la mañana hasta las dos de la tarde.

They talk from ten in the morning until two in the afternoon.

—Tengo hambre —dice Magdalena.

"I'm hungry," says Magdalena.

—Yo también. ¿Comemos juntos?

"Me too. Shall we eat together?"

—Vale, perfecto.

"Okay, perfect."

Comen en el comedor. Después de comer van a la playa. Nadan en el mar.

They eat in the dining room. After eating they go to the beach. They swim in the sea.

Hablan más. Por la noche cenan juntos. Hablan hasta medianoche.

They talk more. In the evening they have dinner together. They talk until midnight.

—Buenas noches, Daniel.

"Good night, Daniel."

—Buenas noches, Magdalena.

"Good night, Magdalena."

Pasan toda la semana juntos.

They spend the whole week together.

Están juntos desde la mañana hasta la noche. Todos los días.

They are together from morning until night. Every day.

Un día van a la Isla Saona en barco. Durante el viaje Magdalena mira el mar. Daniel mira a Magdalena.

One day they go to Saona Island by boat. During the trip Magdalena looks at the sea. Daniel looks at Magdalena.

Comen pescado fresco en la isla. Después vuelven al resort.

They eat fresh fish on the island. Then they return to the resort.

Por la tarde toman café en una cafetería. Vuelven a hablar durante horas.

In the afternoon they have coffee at a café. They talk again for hours.

Cada noche Daniel no puede dormir. Piensa en ella durante toda la noche.

Every night Daniel can't sleep. He thinks about her all night long.

Daniel está enamorado.

Daniel is in love.

Quiere decir "te quiero". Pero no puede. Cada vez que quiere decirlo, no puede hablar.

He wants to say "I love you." But he can't. Every time he wants to say it, he can't speak.

"Mañana lo digo", piensa Daniel antes de dormir. Pero al día siguiente no dice nada.

"Tomorrow I'll say it," thinks Daniel before sleeping. But the next day he says nothing.

Los días pasan rápido. Pasan seis días. Ya casi no queda tiempo.

The days pass quickly. Six days pass. There is almost no time left.

Es el séptimo día. Es el último día de Magdalena en el resort.

It is the seventh day. It is Magdalena's last day at the resort.

Están en el lobby del hotel.

They are in the hotel lobby.

El autobús de Magdalena está fuera. Es la hora de partir.

Magdalena's bus is outside. It is time to leave.

—Magdalena... quiero decirte algo.

"Magdalena... I want to tell you something."

Ella mira a Daniel y sonríe.

She looks at Daniel and smiles.

—¿Sí?

"Yes?"

Pasan los segundos. Uno. Dos. Tres. Cuatro. Cinco.

The seconds pass. One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

Daniel no puede hablar.

Daniel can't speak.

—Que... que tengas buen viaje.

"Have... have a good trip."

Magdalena mira al suelo.

Magdalena looks at the floor.

—Ah... Gracias, Daniel.

"Ah... Thank you, Daniel."

Se abrazan durante unos segundos.

They hug for a few seconds.

Después Magdalena sube al autobús. El autobús se va.

Then Magdalena gets on the bus. The bus leaves.

Daniel está solo. Se siente muy mal. Empieza a llorar.

Daniel is alone. He feels very bad. He starts to cry.

De repente su teléfono suena.

Suddenly his phone rings.

Tiene un mensaje. Es de Magdalena.

He has a message. It's from Magdalena.

"Yo también te quiero, Daniel."

"I love you too, Daniel."

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 Daniel's first day. Reply in Spanish: He walks on the beach during the morning. Then he goes to the pool.

Example: (Él) camina por la playa durante la mañana. Después va a la piscina.

Notes:

"Durante la mañana" = during the morning. "Durante" marks a period of time: during the morning, during the afternoon, during the night.
"Después" on its own = then / next. Simple connector between two actions. When you need to say after WHAT, it becomes "después de": después del desayuno, después de comer.

Question 2

You meet Magdalena at the café. Ask her in Spanish: Since when are you here? Until when are you at the resort? What do you do during the day?

Example: ¿Desde cuándo estás aquí? ¿Hasta cuándo estás en el resort? ¿Qué haces durante el día?

Notes:

"Desde cuándo" (since when) and "hasta cuándo" (until when): these two create a time window. Desde marks the start and hasta marks the end: desde las diez hasta las dos.
"¿Qué haces durante el día?" uses "durante" exactly the same way as in statements. Questions and statements follow the same time expression patterns.

Question 3

Daniel asks about your day at the resort. Answer in Spanish: I have breakfast before nine. I am at the pool during the morning. After lunch, I walk on the beach.

Example: (Yo) desayuno antes de las nueve. Estoy en la piscina durante la mañana. Después del almuerzo, camino por la playa.

Notes:

"Antes de" works with both times and verbs. Here it's "antes de las nueve" (before nine). You can also say "antes de dormir" (before sleeping), "antes de comer" (before eating).

Question 4

Translate to Spanish: He walks before breakfast. During the afternoon, they swim. They eat from one until two. After dinner, they talk.

Example: (Él) camina antes del desayuno. Durante la tarde, nadan. Comen desde la una hasta las dos. Después de la cena, hablan.

Notes:

"Desde la una hasta las dos" → "la una" (singular) but "las dos" (plural). One o'clock is always "la una" because there's only one. Every other hour uses "las": las dos, las tres, las diez…

Question 5

Translate to Spanish: They go to Isla Saona by boat. During the trip, Daniel looks at Magdalena. After eating, they have coffee at a bar.

Example: Van a la Isla Saona en barco. Durante el viaje, Daniel mira a Magdalena. Después de comer, toman café en un bar.

Notes:

"Daniel mira a Magdalena" → when you look at a person, Spanish adds "a" before them: miro a Daniel, mira a Magdalena. This only happens with people and not with things: "mira el mar" (no "a").

Question 6

Translate to Spanish: Daniel and Magdalena are together from morning until night. They talk during hours. Before sleeping, Daniel thinks about Magdalena. After a week, Daniel wants to talk with Magdalena.

Example: Daniel y Magdalena están juntos desde la mañana hasta la noche. Hablan durante horas. Antes de dormir, Daniel piensa en Magdalena. Después de una semana, Daniel quiere hablar con Magdalena.

Notes:

"Piensa en Magdalena" → in Spanish, you think IN someone and not about them. Pensar always uses "en": pienso en ti, piensa en ella, pensamos en el viaje.

Reply in Spanish and join the discussion!

Daniel has an amazing vacation but cannot speak when it matters most. Now tell us:

Describe your perfect vacation day. What do you do during the morning? During the afternoon? During the night?
On vacation, do you like to meet new people or do you only want to be with your family and friends?
Are you like Daniel or can you say what you feel?

Part 7

Speaking Challenge

The resort, the pool, the girl with the dark hair... and a boy who can't say three little words. Speak for Daniel, for Magdalena, for yourself and for a friend who's about to make a very familiar mistake.

At the Pool

You're Daniel and you're reading by the pool at the resort. Magdalena sits down next to you and introduces herself.

Your task - talk to Magdalena:

Magdalena asks if the chair is free. Say the chair is free and introduce yourself.
She asks if you're on vacation. Say yes, it's your first day at the resort.
She asks what you do in the mornings. Say you walk on the beach for one hour before breakfast.
She asks what you're going to do this morning. Say you want to read your book during the morning but you can go for a walk with her.
Ask her if she wants to have lunch with you. Say you can talk about the book while you have lunch.

Speak for 30-45 seconds

Reveal sample answer

Sí, la silla está libre. Soy Daniel.
1. Yes, the chair is free. I'm Daniel.
Sí, es mi primer día en el resort.
1. Yes, it's my first day at the resort.
Camino por la playa durante una hora antes de desayunar.
1. I walk on the beach for one hour before having breakfast.
Quiero leer mi libro durante la mañana, pero puedo caminar contigo.
1. I want to read my book during the morning, but I can walk with you.
¿Quieres comer conmigo? Podemos hablar del libro mientras comemos.
1. Do you want to have lunch with me? We can talk about the book while we eat.

This Girl at the Resort

It's mid-week at the resort. You call a friend back home. You're spending every day with an incredible girl and you need to tell someone.

Your task - describe Magdalena and your days together:

Say you know a girl at the resort; her name is Magdalena.
Describe her: she has dark hair and a very pretty smile, she's beautiful and very funny.
Say you spend every day together from morning to night.
Say you eat together, take coffee in the afternoons and talk for hours until midnight.
Say you don't want to go home. Say you want to spend more time with her.
Say you can't sleep at night. Say you think about her during the whole night.

Speak for 1-1.5 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Conozco a una chica en el resort. Se llama Magdalena.
1. I know a girl at the resort. Her name is Magdalena.
Tiene el pelo oscuro y una sonrisa muy bonita. Es guapa y muy divertida.
1. She has dark hair and a very pretty smile. She's beautiful and very funny.
Pasamos todos los días juntos desde la mañana hasta la noche.
1. We spend every day together from morning to night.
Comemos juntos, tomamos café por las tardes y hablamos durante horas hasta medianoche.
1. We eat together, take coffee in the afternoons and talk for hours until midnight.
No quiero ir a casa. Quiero pasar más tiempo con ella.
1. I don't want to go home. I want to spend more time with her.
No puedo dormir por la noche. Pienso en ella durante toda la noche.
1. I can't sleep at night. I think about her during the whole night.

Magdalena on the Bus

You're Magdalena. You're on the bus and it's about to leave the resort. You love Daniel but he doesn't know. You call your best friend. She picks up. "Magda? What's going on?"

Your task - tell your friend how you feel and what you're going to do:

Say you feel very sad. Say you're on the bus and you're going home.
Say you know a boy at the resort; his name is Daniel. Describe him: he's kind and funny, tall and with blue eyes.
Say you like Daniel more than the beach, more than the pool, more than the resort.
Say you walk on the beach together, swim in the sea and take coffee in the afternoons.
Say you can't sleep because you always think about him.
Say you love Daniel very much. Say you want to say "I love you" to him but you're scared.
Say you know he loves you. Say you're going to write him a message.

Speak for 1-1.5 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Me siento muy triste. Estoy en el autobús y me voy a casa.
1. I feel very sad. I'm on the bus and I'm going home.
Conozco a un chico en el resort. Se llama Daniel. Es amable y divertido, alto y con ojos azules.
1. I know a boy at the resort. His name is Daniel. He's kind and funny, tall and with blue eyes.
Me gusta Daniel más que la playa, más que la piscina, más que el resort.
1. I like Daniel more than the beach, more than the pool, more than the resort.
Caminamos por la playa juntos, nadamos en el mar y tomamos café por las tardes.
1. We walk on the beach together, swim in the sea and take coffee in the afternoons.
No puedo dormir porque siempre pienso en él.
1. I can't sleep because I always think about him.
Quiero mucho a Daniel. Quiero decir "te quiero" a Daniel pero tengo miedo.
1. I love Daniel very much. I want to say "I love you" to him but I'm scared.
Sé que me quiere. Voy a escribir un mensaje a Daniel.
1. I know that he loves me. I'm going to write a message to Daniel.

Your Day Trip

A friend asks about your next day off. You're planning a day trip to the coast, a nearby city or a town you like.

Your task - describe your day trip plan:

Say what time you wake up on your day off. Say it's later than on a normal day.
Say before the trip you have breakfast. Say while you eat, you talk about the day with your friend.
Say you're going to travel to [your destination]. Say the journey takes [time].
Say during the morning you're going to walk around the center. Say it's more interesting than your town.
Say you eat from one until two and after lunch you take coffee.
Say the trip is better than a normal day at home.

Speak for 1-1.5 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Me despierto a las [nueve] en mi día libre. Es más tarde que en un día normal.
1. I wake up at [nine] on my day off. It's later than on a normal day.
Antes del viaje, desayuno. Mientras como, hablo del día con mi amigo/a.
1. Before the trip, I have breakfast. While I eat, I talk about the day with my friend.
Voy a viajar a [city]. El viaje es de unas [dos] horas.
1. I'm going to travel to [city]. The journey is about [two] hours.
Durante la mañana voy a caminar por el centro. Es más interesante que mi pueblo.
1. During the morning I'm going to walk around the center. It's more interesting than my town.
Como desde la una hasta las dos y después de comer tomo café.
1. I eat from one until two and after lunch I take coffee.
El viaje es mejor que un día normal en casa.
1. The trip is better than a normal day at home.

Don't Be Like Daniel

You're having coffee with your best friend. They mention they really like someone but they're too nervous to say anything. You nearly choke on your coffee. "No. Absolutely not. Let me tell you about Daniel."

Your task - tell the story in your own words:

Who is Daniel and where is he?
What does he do on his first morning?
Who does he meet at the pool? Describe that person.
What do Daniel and Magdalena do together during the week?
How long do they talk each day?
Where do they go one day? How do they get there? What do they eat on the island?
What happens to Daniel every night?
How does Daniel feel about Magdalena? What does he want to say?
What is Daniel's problem?
Describe the last day: what day is it, where are they, what is outside?
Does Daniel say the truth to Magdalena in the lobby? What does he say?
How does Magdalena react? How does Daniel feel after she leaves?
What happens with Daniel's phone? What does the message say?
Why does Magdalena say "también" in her message? What does she know?
Now as yourself - what do you think about the story? Why?
Imagine you're in Daniel's place. Magdalena is about to leave. What do you say to her?
Are you like Daniel? Can you speak when you want to say something important, or is it hard?
Is it better to say "I love you" or to wait?

Speak for 2.5-3.5 minutes

Reveal sample answer

Daniel está en República Dominicana. Está en un resort. Es su primer día.
1. Daniel is in the Dominican Republic. He's at a resort. It's his first day.
Por la mañana camina por la playa durante una hora. Después va al comedor y desayuna. Después del desayuno va a la piscina con un libro.
1. In the morning he walks on the beach for one hour. Then he goes to the dining hall and has breakfast. After breakfast he goes to the pool with a book.
Conoce a una chica en la piscina. Se llama Magdalena. Tiene el pelo oscuro y una sonrisa muy bonita.
1. He meets a girl at the pool. Her name is Magdalena. She has dark hair and a very pretty smile.
Durante la semana caminan por la playa, nadan en el mar, comen juntos y toman café por las tardes.
1. During the week they walk on the beach, swim in the sea, eat together and take coffee in the afternoons.
Hablan desde la mañana hasta la noche. Hablan hasta medianoche.
1. They talk from morning to night. They talk until midnight.
Un día van a la Isla Saona en barco. Comen pescado fresco en la isla.
1. One day they go to Isla Saona by boat. They eat fresh fish on the island.
Cada noche Daniel no puede dormir. Piensa en Magdalena durante toda la noche.
1. Every night Daniel can't sleep. He thinks about Magdalena during the whole night.
Daniel está enamorado. Quiere decir "te quiero" a Magdalena.
1. Daniel is in love. He wants to say "I love you" to Magdalena.
Quiere decirlo pero no puede. Cada noche piensa "mañana lo digo" pero al día siguiente no dice nada.
1. He wants to say it but he can't. Every night he thinks "tomorrow I'll say it" but the next day he says nothing.
Es el séptimo día. Es el último día de Magdalena. Están en el lobby del hotel. El autobús está fuera.
1. It's the seventh day. It's Magdalena's last day. They're in the hotel lobby. The bus is outside.
Daniel no dice la verdad. Dice "que tengas buen viaje."
1. Daniel doesn't say the truth. He says "have a good trip."
Magdalena mira al suelo y dice "gracias." Después sube al autobús. Daniel está solo. Se siente muy mal y empieza a llorar.
1. Magdalena looks at the floor and says "thanks." Then she gets on the bus. Daniel is alone. He feels very bad and starts to cry.
El teléfono de Daniel suena. Tiene un mensaje de Magdalena. El mensaje dice "yo también te quiero, Daniel."
1. Daniel's phone rings. He has a message from Magdalena. The message says "I love you too, Daniel."
Magdalena dice "también" porque sabe que Daniel quiere decir "te quiero" pero tiene miedo. Ella sabe la verdad.
1. Magdalena says "also" because she knows that Daniel wants to say "I love you" but he's scared. She knows the truth.
Me gusta la historia porque es muy romántica. / La historia es bonita pero triste.
1. I like the story because it's very romantic. / The story is beautiful but sad.
Digo la verdad: "Magdalena, te quiero. No quiero decir adiós." / No puedo. Tengo miedo. Digo "que tengas buen viaje."
1. I say the truth: "Magdalena, I love you. I don't want to say goodbye." / I can't. I'm afraid. I say "have a good trip."
Soy como Daniel. Cuando quiero decir algo importante, no puedo hablar. / No, soy como Magdalena. Puedo decir la verdad.
1. I'm like Daniel. When I want to say something important, I can't speak. / No, I'm like Magdalena. I can say the truth.
Es mejor decir "te quiero." No debemos esperar. / Es mejor hablar que esperar.
1. It's better to say "I love you." We shouldn't wait. / It's better to speak than to wait.

Part 8

Culture

1. Daniel Picked the Most Expressive Country on Earth to Go Silent

Daniel spent seven days in the Dominican Republic.

A country where people talk fast, laugh loud, play music at full volume and express every feeling they have the moment they have it.

And of all the countries in the world to lose your words in… Daniel picked this one.

The country that had to fight for itself three times

The Dominican Republic sits on the eastern two-thirds of an island called Hispaniola (the other third is Haiti). About 11.4 million people live there.

Columbus landed in 1492. Spain set up its first colony. And for about 300 years, the island was the centre of Spain's whole operation in the Americas.

Santo Domingo, the capital, was the first of everything:

First cathedral in the Americas (completed around 1540)
First university (1538… a full century before Harvard)
First hospital, first monastery, first fortress in the New World
The entire colonial district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Tree-lined plaza with a bronze statue and colonial-era buildings in Santo Domingo.

Parque Duarte in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone. Named after the man who started the whole independence thing.

But Spain eventually lost interest. France took the western third of the island (Haiti). And the whole thing got complicated fast.

Here's the short version of a very long story.

Haiti broke free from France in 1804 (the first successful slave revolution in history). The Dominican side declared independence from Spain in 1821. Two months later… Haiti took it over. For 22 years.

In 1844 a secret society called La Trinitaria (The Trinity) finally said enough. About 100 people took over a fortress in Santo Domingo, fired a cannon and put up a new flag.

That was it. That was the beginning of the Dominican Republic.

But wait. It gets weirder.

In 1861 the country's own president invited Spain to come back and take over again. And Spain said… sure. The Dominican people said absolutely not. Well… two more years of war and Spain left for good in 1865.

So the Dominican Republic won its freedom from Spain, then from Haiti… then from Spain again.

Most Latin American countries celebrate independence from one colonial power. The DR had to do it three times!

A country that sounds like nobody else

Dominican Spanish is fast. Really fast. And Dominicans drop letters, smash words together and turn five-syllable sentences into two.

"¿Cómo estás?" becomes "¿Cómo tú ta'?" The "estás" just… disappears.

"Está todo bien" becomes "Ta' to'." Two sounds. That's the whole sentence.

You might panic a little right now when you hear a Dominican speak for the first time. Don't. It's the same language. Just faster. With fewer letters.

And here's something you probably don't know.

A lot of words you already use in English every day come from Taíno, the indigenous language of the people who lived on this island before Columbus arrived. The Taíno are mostly gone. But their words aren't:

Hurricane (from huracán)
Canoe (from canoa)
Barbecue (from barbacoa)
Tobacco (from tabaco)
Potato (from batata)

You've been speaking Taíno your whole life. You just didn't know it.

Merengue, bachata and a country that feels things out loud

Two of the most popular Latin music genres in the world were born in the Dominican Republic. Both are UNESCO-protected.

Merengue is the fast one. High energy, impossible not to move to. It started in the countryside in the 1800s and became the national dance.

Bachata is the slow one. Guitar, romantic, full of feelings. For decades it was banned from radio and TV because the upper classes thought it was too raw and too emotional. It was called "la música de amargue"… the music of bitterness.

Now it's one of the most popular genres on the planet.

Bachata's whole thing is love, longing and the ache of not being able to hold on. You can't really explain it with words. You have to see it.

You can't really explain bachata with words. You have to see it. Two minutes and you'll understand why Daniel was in the worst possible country to keep his feelings to himself.

Bachata dancing by Marco y Sara. From Dominican countryside bars to stages all over the world.

Daniel spent a week in the country that literally invented the music for his situation. And said nothing.

2. The Island That Was a Refuge Before It Was a Paradise

Daniel and Magdalena took a boat to Isla Saona one day. And during the trip, Magdalena watched the sea.

Daniel watched Magdalena.

He was on one of the most beautiful boat rides in the Caribbean. He didn't see any of it. But honestly… can you blame him?

The island's real name isn't Saona

Before Columbus showed up, the Taíno people called this island Adamanay. It means "refuge island."

And it literally was one. When the Spanish arrived in the 1490s and started attacking the indigenous population they fled to the island to escape.

Columbus landed on the island in 1494 during his second voyage. He renamed it Saona… after his Italian friend from the city of Savona. The indigenous didn't get a say.

The national park that now protects Isla Saona was eventually renamed Cotubanamá National Park in honour of that same chief who tried to save his people. There's a push today to restore the island's original Taíno name too.

What Daniel would have seen if he'd looked

Isla Saona

Isla Saona is about 110 square kilometres of protected land off the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic. No big resorts. No hotels. Just one tiny village:

Mano Juan - about 600 residents. The only settlement on the island
Didn't have permanent residents until the 1940s
The entire island runs on solar energy (not connected to the mainland power grid)
The most important sea turtle nesting site in the whole country
Over 1 million visitors a year, mostly on day trips from the mainland
Scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed here

The boat ride out there usually stops at a sandbar in the middle of the Caribbean where you can stand in waist-deep water with a drink in your hand.

Then you arrive at white sand beaches with palm trees and fresh seafood waiting.

The story says Daniel and Magdalena ate fresh fish on the island. That's exactly right. That's what Saona is. Fish, seafood, drinks, sun, water and nothing else.

A perfect day with someone you can't stop looking at if you ask me.

If You Ever Make It to the DR

Most people fly into Punta Cana and never leave the resort. That's fine. But you'd be missing a lot.

Santo Domingo - the capital. Walk the Colonial Zone and stand in front of the first cathedral ever built in the Americas. It doesn't feel like the Caribbean. It feels like stepping into the 1500s
Isla Saona - day trip by boat. Exactly what Daniel and Magdalena did
Isla Catalina - the other island, smaller and quieter. Better for snorkelling. There's a 17th-century pirate shipwreck sitting in shallow water just off the shore
Samaná Peninsula - humpback whales from January to March. Green mountains and waterfalls the rest of the year
Eat the food - mangú (mashed green plantains with fried cheese, eggs and salami) for breakfast. La bandera (rice, red beans and meat) for lunch. It's called "the flag" because it's the national meal. And tostones (twice-fried plantain slices, salty and crunchy) with everything
Drink the beer - Presidente. A cold lager that's been brewed on the island since 1935. Dominicans drink it ice-cold. Order one and you'll understand why nobody orders a second brand

I've been to the DR twice.

The first time I fell in love with the country. The second time I confirmed it.

Daniel fell in love too. He just forgot to mention it.

Did You Know?

📖 The Dominican Republic is the only country in the world with a Bible on its national flag (open to the Gospel of John)
🎵 The Dominican national anthem never uses the name "República Dominicana." It uses the Taíno word Quisqueya, meaning "mother of all lands"
🍺 Presidente beer was originally named after the dictator Trujillo in 1935. Dominicans kept the beer and got rid of the dictator
🍌 Plantains are so central to Dominican identity that "plátano power" has become an unofficial slogan of national pride
🛏️ The word "hammock" comes from the Taíno word hamaca. Spanish colonists adopted the hanging beds because they kept you off the ground and away from insects. The invention spread worldwide from this very island

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