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: Present tense, reflexive verbs, time expressions
Vocabulary: Morning routine activities, household items, transportation
Skills: Describing daily routines, expressing urgency, telling time
Spanish version
Carmen duerme en su cama. Son las seis de la mañana. El despertador suena y Carmen abre los ojos.
—Cinco minutos más —dice Carmen.
Presiona el botón y el despertador para. Cinco minutos después, el despertador suena otra vez.
—¡Oh, no! —dice Carmen y se levanta rápido.
Va al baño, se cepilla los dientes y se lava la cara. Después, va a su dormitorio.
Abre el armario. "¿Qué ropa hoy?", piensa. Elige una camisa azul y pantalones negros. Se viste rápido.
En la cocina, prepara café y toma pan con mantequilla para el desayuno.
Su gata Lola está en la cocina también. La gata tiene hambre.
—¡Buenos días, Lola! —dice Carmen.
Pone comida en el plato de Lola y mira su reloj.
—¡Son las siete y veinticinco! ¡El autobús es a las siete y treinta!
Toma su bolso y sus llaves. Sale de casa, cierra la puerta y corre a la parada del autobús.
Llega a la parada, pero el autobús ya pasó.
—No, otra vez no —dice Carmen.
Saca su teléfono y llama a un taxi. El taxi llega.
—Al centro, por favor —dice Carmen al taxista.
—Como siempre, necesito un taxi para llegar a tiempo —piensa Carmen.
Spanish story with English translation
Carmen duerme en su cama.
Carmen sleeps in her bed.
Son las seis de la mañana.
It's six in the morning.
El despertador suena y Carmen abre los ojos.
The alarm clock rings and Carmen opens her eyes.
—Cinco minutos más —dice Carmen.
"Five more minutes," says Carmen.
Presiona el botón y el despertador para.
She presses the button and the alarm stops.
Cinco minutos después, el despertador suena otra vez.
Five minutes later, the alarm rings again.
—¡Oh, no! —dice Carmen y se levanta rápido.
"Oh, no!" says Carmen and gets up quickly.
Va al baño, se cepilla los dientes y se lava la cara.
She goes to the bathroom, brushes her teeth and washes her face.
Después, va a su dormitorio.
Afterwards, she goes to her bedroom.
Abre el armario.
She opens the closet.
—¿Qué ropa hoy? —piensa.
"What clothes today?" she thinks.
Elige una camisa azul y pantalones negros.
She chooses a blue shirt and black pants.
Se viste rápido.
She gets dressed quickly.
En la cocina, prepara café y toma pan con mantequilla para el desayuno.
In the kitchen, she prepares coffee and has bread with butter for breakfast.
Su gata Lola está en la cocina también.
Her cat Lola is in the kitchen too.
La gata tiene hambre.
The cat is hungry.
—¡Buenos días, Lola! —dice Carmen.
"Good morning, Lola!" says Carmen.
Pone comida en el plato de Lola y mira su reloj.
She puts food in Lola's bowl and looks at her watch.
—¡Son las siete y veinticinco! ¡El autobús es a las siete y treinta!
"It's seven twenty-five! The bus is at seven thirty!"
Toma su bolso y sus llaves.
She takes her bag and her keys.
Sale de casa, cierra la puerta y corre a la parada del autobús.
She leaves the house, closes the door and runs to the bus stop.
Llega a la parada, pero el autobús ya pasó.
She arrives at the stop, but the bus already passed.
—No, otra vez no —dice Carmen.
"No, not again," says Carmen.
Saca su teléfono y llama a un taxi.
She takes out her phone and calls a taxi.
El taxi llega.
The taxi arrives.
—Al centro, por favor —dice Carmen al taxista.
"To downtown, please," says Carmen to the taxi driver.
—Como siempre, necesito un taxi para llegar a tiempo —piensa Carmen.
"As always, I need a taxi to arrive on time," thinks Carmen.
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