Check our tips to learn Spanish more effectively with this story
This story was designed to help you learn Spanish in context, strengthen comprehension, and absorb vocabulary and grammar naturally through reading, listening, and interactive exercises. It includes a quizz, flashcards, and a writing practice to reinforce your skills. Here's how to maximize your learning:
- Listen and read the story
Play the audio while reading to follow the story naturally. Focus on understanding the main ideas and how the language sounds. The goal is to develop your Spanish listening skills and overall comprehension. - Read again with the translation
Turn on the translation and compare how ideas are expressed in Spanish and English. This builds awareness of Spanish sentence structure and grammar in real use. - Explore the key vocabulary
Below the story, you’ll find important words bolded and listed. This Spanish vocabulary list highlights key words and expressions in context and helps you understand what matters most in the story. - Take the comprehension quiz
Now test your understanding with the quiz. It reinforces the main ideas and helps improve your Spanish reading comprehension with instant feedback. - Review key vocabulary with flashcards
Use the flashcards to practice the vocabulary you just learned. This boosts memory through active recall and strengthens Spanish vocabulary retention. - Try the writing practice
Respond to the writing question related to the story. Use the new words and grammar to create your own sentences. This strengthens grammar and encourages you to think in Spanish. - Practice speaking out loud
Try saying full sentences out loud — or even read the whole story aloud if you feel ready. You can also speak along with the audio, matching the narrator’s voice as closely as possible. This is a great way to improve pronunciation and fluency while building your Spanish speaking confidence. - Review as needed
Come back to the story anytime to review vocabulary, grammar, or anything you found challenging. You can retake the quiz, replay the audio, or go through the flashcards again. Regular review helps reinforce what you’ve learned and build stronger Spanish skills over time.
Key Spanish concepts you'll encounter in this story
Grammar: Making suggestions, present tense regular verbs, reflexive verbs
Vocabulary: Party and celebration items, food and drinks, basic time expressions
Skills: Making plans with friends, expressing mistakes and apologies, reacting to unexpected situations
Spanish version
Ana habla con Carlos en la universidad.
—¿Sabes qué día es el domingo? —pregunta Ana.
—¿13 de junio?
—Sí. Y es el cumpleaños de Tomás. ¡Hagamos una fiesta sorpresa!
—¿No es en julio?
Ana mira su calendario en el teléfono.
—No, mira. Dice junio aquí.
—Ah, ok. Hagamos la fiesta. Tomás es un buen amigo.
Ana y Carlos hacen una lista: globos, pastel, refrescos, platos, regalos.
—Necesitamos decoraciones también —dice Ana.
Al día siguiente, ellos van al supermercado.
—¿Compramos un pastel de chocolate? —pregunta Carlos.
—Sí, a Tomás le gusta el chocolate.
Carlos y Ana compran todo y envían mensajes a sus amigos:
"Fiesta sorpresa para Tomás. Domingo a las 4. ¡No digan nada!"
El domingo, ellos preparan todo en casa de Carlos.
A las 4, todos los amigos llegan. Se esconden y apagan las luces.
Tomás toca a la puerta. Carlos abre.
Cuando Tomás entra y enciende la luz:
—¡SORPRESA! —gritan todos.
Tomás se queda inmóvil.
—¿Qué celebramos? —pregunta Tomás.
—Tu cumpleaños —dice Ana—. Hoy es 13 de junio.
—Mi cumpleaños es el 13 de julio, no junio —dice Tomás.
Ana mira su teléfono otra vez.
—¡Oh no! ¡Me equivoqué!
—Bueno —dice Carlos—, ¡ahora tienes dos fiestas este año!
—No importa —dice Tomás sonriendo—. ¡Me gusta esta fiesta! ¡Vamos a bailar!
Spanish story with English translation
Ana habla con Carlos en la universidad.
Ana talks with Carlos at the university.
—¿Sabes qué día es el domingo? —pregunta Ana.
"Do you know what day Sunday is?" asks Ana.
—¿13 de junio?
"June 13th?"
—Sí. Y es el cumpleaños de Tomás. ¡Hagamos una fiesta sorpresa!
"Yes. And it's Tomás's birthday. Let's have a surprise party!"
—¿No es en julio?
"Isn't it in July?"
Ana mira su calendario en el teléfono.
Ana looks at her calendar on the phone.
—No, mira. Dice junio aquí.
"No, look. It says June here."
—Ah, OK. Hagamos la fiesta. Tomás es un buen amigo.
"Ah, OK. Let's have the party. Tomás is a good friend."
Ana y Carlos hacen una lista: globos, pastel, refrescos, platos, regalos.
Ana and Carlos make a list: balloons, cake, drinks, plates, gifts.
—Necesitamos decoraciones también —dice Ana.
"We need decorations too," says Ana.
Al día siguiente, ellos van al supermercado.
The next day, they go to the supermarket.
—¿Compramos un pastel de chocolate? —pregunta Carlos.
"Should we buy a chocolate cake?" asks Carlos.
—Sí, a Tomás le gusta el chocolate.
"Yes, Tomás likes chocolate."
Carlos y Ana compran todo y envían mensajes a sus amigos:
Carlos and Ana buy everything and send messages to their friends:
"Fiesta sorpresa para Tomás. Domingo a las 4. ¡No digan nada!"
"Surprise party for Tomás. Sunday at 4. Don't say anything!"
El domingo, ellos preparan todo en casa de Carlos.
On Sunday, they prepare everything at Carlos's house.
A las 4, todos los amigos llegan. Se esconden y apagan las luces.
At 4, all the friends arrive. They hide and turn off the lights.
Tomás toca a la puerta. Carlos abre.
Tomás knocks on the door. Carlos opens it.
Cuando Tomás entra y enciende la luz:
When Tomás enters and turns on the light:
—¡SORPRESA! —gritan todos.
"SURPRISE!" everyone shouts.
Tomás se queda inmóvil.
Tomás stands still.
—¿Qué celebramos? —pregunta Tomás.
"What are we celebrating?" asks Tomás.
—Tu cumpleaños —dice Ana—. Hoy es 13 de junio.
"Your birthday," says Ana. "Today is June 13th."
—Mi cumpleaños es el 13 de julio, no junio —dice Tomás.
"My birthday is July 13th, not June," says Tomás.
Ana mira su teléfono otra vez.
Ana looks at her phone again.
—¡Oh no! Me equivoqué.
"Oh no! I made a mistake."
—Bueno —dice Carlos—, ¡ahora tienes dos fiestas este año!
"Well," says Carlos, "now you have two parties this year!"
—No importa —dice Tomás sonriendo—. ¡Me gusta esta fiesta! ¡Vamos a bailar!
"It doesn't matter," says Tomás smiling. "I like this party! Let's dance!"
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