This free OpenLearn course is taken from Portales: beginners' Spanish, an Open University language course that concentrates on Spanish as a tool for communication, but also provides some insights into Hispanic societies and cultures through authentic printed and audio materials. It will be of interest to all those who want to improve their language skills in order to communicate more easily and effectively in Spanish. This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from the first edition of Portales and focuses on public spaces and how to get by in a Hispanic city.
This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from a previous edition of the Open University course L194 Portales: beginners' Spanish.
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After studying this course, you should be able to:
describe places in Spanish
give and understand directions in Spanish
talk about urban transport in Spanish
navigate around a building in Spain.
Squares, las plazas, are a focal point of Hispanic towns and cities. In this course you will find out about several cities in Latin America: Santiago de Chile and La Serena in Chile, Santiago de Cuba and Havana in Cuba, and Montevideo in Uruguay. You will also hear about Valencia and Barcelona in Spain, their monuments, places of interest and where to go for different purposes.
Note: dictionary and grammar
In order to get the most from this course it's recommended that you obtain a copy of the following Spanish–English dictionary and Spanish grammar:
Collins Easy Learning Spanish Dictionary, HarperCollins Publishers, 2005, ISBN 0 00 718377 1;
Collins Easy Learning Spanish Grammar, HarperCollins Publishers, 2005, ISBN 0 00 719645 8.
In this session you are going to learn how to describe places, in terms of both appearance and function, starting with a new technology park in Valencia, la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, a wonderful example of modern Spanish architecture.
Key learning points
Description of a famous public place
Adjectives: gender and number
ocio (el) | leisure |
consta de | consists of |
ojo (el) | eye |
bóveda (la) | vault |
acristalado | (made of) glass |
arbusto (los) | shrubs |
tiendas (las) | shops |
piscina (la) | swimming pool |
a.
una iglesia
b.
un centro comercial
c.
un aeropuerto
d.
un centro cultural y de ocio
The correct answer is d.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is a.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is b.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is b.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is b.
Now correct the false statements from the previous step.
Corrija las frases falsas.
Ejemplo
El Umbráculo no es una plaza; es un paseo.
El Umbráculo no es una plaza; es un paseo.
El Hemisférico no es un museo; es un edificio destinado a espectáculos audiovisuales.
El Oceanográfico no es una piscina; es un acuario gigante.
In this activity you are going to use adjectives to describe buildings.
1. Here are some adjectives taken from the text. Translate them into English. Consult the Spanish section of the dictionary if you wish.
Traduzca.
cultural |
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espectacular |
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moderno |
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audiovisuales |
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enorme |
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metálica |
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blanca |
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interactivo |
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precioso |
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gigante |
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2. Match the words in the column on the left with their opposites in the column on the right.
Enlace las dos columnas.
(a) grande, grande | (i) negro, negra |
(b) moderno, moderna | (ii) pequeño, pequeña |
(c) bonito, bonita | (iii) antiguo, antigua |
(d) blanco, blanca | (iv) feo, fea |
Here is a possible answer:
cultural | cultural |
espectacular | spectacular |
moderno | modern |
audiovisuales | audiovisual |
enorme | enormous |
metálica | metallic/metal |
blanca | white |
interactivo | interactive |
precioso | beautiful |
gigante | gigantic |
grande – pequeño
moderno – antiguo
bonito – feo
blanco – negro
ADJECTIVE ENDINGS (GENDER)
You will remember that an adjective changes according to whether the noun it refers to is masculine (e.g. el edificio – ‘building’ ) or feminine (e.g. la casa – ‘house’ ):
el edifici o modern o
la cas a modern a
When adjectives refer to a masculine noun, they end in - o.
When they refer to a feminine noun, they end in - a.
However, adjectives that end in - e or in a consonant have the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns:
el país grand e la plaza grand e
el complejo cultura l la actividad cultura l
puente(el) | bridge |
inacabado | unfinished |
jardines (los) | gardens |
ADJECTIVE ENDINGS (NUMBER)
Adjectives also change their ending according to whether the nouns they accompany are singular or plural:
el edifici o modern o los edifici os modern os
la cas a modern a las cas as modern as
If the noun is plural, like los edificios or las casas, the adjective takes a plural ending. The plural of an adjective is formed by adding - s to a vowel ending or - es to a consonant:
las casa s pequeña s los país es grande s
los complejos cultural es las actividad es espectacular es
1 Work out the missing letters, from the following options:-o, -a, -os, -as, -es.
Complete las frases.
(a) La Catedral de Burgos es un edificio antigu___.
(b) El puente de Calatrava es una construcción modern___.
(c) La Sagrada Familia es una iglesia inacabad___.
(d) Las fiestas de Valencia son espectacular___.
(e) Los jardines del Turia son precios___.
(f) El Museo de las Ciencias “Príncipe Felipe” y el Hemisférico son edificios enorm___.
2 Now listen to the track and practise changing the adjective endings to make them agree with the nouns.
Escuche y participe.
(a) La Catedral de Burgos es un edificio antiguo.
(b) El puente de Calatrava es una construcción moderna.
(c) La Sagrada Familia es una iglesia inacabada.
(d) Las fiestas de Valencia son espectaculares.
(e) Los jardines del Turia son preciosos.
(f) El Museo de las Ciencias “Príncipe Felipe” y el Hemisférico son edificios enormes.
Look at the following pictures and write two sentences describing each building. Use the nouns and adjectives from the boxes below, and don't forget to put the appropriate endings! You can either use the construction El edificio / El museo / La casa es… or Es un edificio / una casa / un museo…
Construya frases.
Ejemplos
El museo es enorme. Es un edificio educativo.
Here is a possible answer:
(a) Es un edificio enorme. Es una construcción moderna. El edificio es horrible.
(b) Es un museo espectacular. Es una construcción metálica. El museo es precioso.
(c) Es una construcción antigua. Es un edificio espectacular. Es una casa preciosa.
To describe a building or a sight emphatically, an exclamation is used. (Note that, in Spanish, an upside-down exclamation mark also appears at the front of the phrase.)
Use some of the adjectives you have seen to make exclamations about el complejo de la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.
Describa.
Here is a possible answer:
¡Qué moderno! ¡Es horrible! ¡Es enorme!
Below is the first example of Español de bolsillo ('Pocket Spanish' phrasebook). These are lists of phrases common in spoken Spanish. They usually consist of expressions best approached as complete phrases even if some of the grammar within them is not yet familiar to you.
Each example of Español de bolsillo has a box in which are written the phrases in Spanish and translated and an audio clip in which you can hear them spoken.
You can listen to the phrases as you come across them or at the end of each session, to revise and practise pronunciation and improve your fluency.
You can also use them as a quick overview of the language you have covered, or for revision when you return to that session.
¡Qué bonito! | How nice! |
¡Qué lindo! (LAm*) | How nice! |
¡Es precioso! | It's beautiful! |
¡Es muy moderno! | It's very modern! |
* LAm means the term is used in Latin America. |
aeropuerto (el) | airport | cultural | cultural |
antiguo | old (a building, a piece of furniture) | edificio (el) | building |
blanco | white | educativo | educational |
bonito | pretty, nice | feo | ugly |
casa (la) | house | grande | big |
centro comercial (el) | shopping centre | moderno | modern |
ciudad (la) | city | pequeño | small |
comercial | commercial | precioso | beautiful |
In this session you are going to learn how to ask about different places of interest in Spain, Chile and Uruguay: what they are, where they are and what they look like.
Key learning points
Asking and answering where a monument or a building is
Describing a building
Using estar to indicate location
Here are some pictures of famous monuments. Say whether you think they are in Latin America or in Spain. See how many you can guess.
Escriba dónde están los monumentos.
fachada (la) | front, façade |
gente (la) | people |
(a) Seville, Spain (La Giralda).
(b) Granada, Spain (La Alhambra).
(c) Barcelona, Spain (La Sagrada Familia).
(d) Santiago, Chile (La Casa de la Moneda).
(e) Montevideo, Uruguay (El Cabildo).
Listen to the next extract, in which some people are being interviewed about different buildings and places in Valencia. Then note the adjectives mentioned. In most cases two are used. The first has been done for you.
Escoja la opcion correcta.
bonito | animado | festivo | antiguo | alto | grande | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
la plaza de toros | ||||||
los bares (en Valencia) |
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la estación (de tren) |
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el campanario del Miguelete |
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el Mercado Central |
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bonito | animado | festivo | antiguo | alto | grande | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
la plaza de toros | ||||||
los bares (en Valencia) | ||||||
la estación (de tren) | ||||||
el campanario del Miguelete | ||||||
el Mercado Central |
Now write sentences based on the table you have just completed.
Escriba frases.
Ejemplo
La plaza de toros es bonita y grande.
Here is a possible answer:
Los bares en Valencia son animados y festivos. La estación de tren es antigua.
El campanario del Miguelete es alto y grande.
El Mercado Central es grande.
In this activity you are going to listen to two people being interviewed about monuments and sights in their country. You will also learn how to say where things are.
detrás de | behind |
Listen and choose the correct option below.
Escoja la opción correcta.
music: BPM2007 track 16. dur: 00.33
music: CD77124 Brazil & Argentina. track 4 dur: 00.45
a.
Valencia
b.
Galicia
c.
Andalucía
The correct answer is c.
a.
Córdoba
b.
Sevilla
c.
Granada
The correct answer is c.
a.
Sevilla
b.
Granada
c.
Córdoba
The correct answer is a.
a.
Paraguay
b.
Uruguay
c.
Bolivia
The correct answer is b.
a.
en el este
b.
en el barrio de Priépolis
c.
en el centro
The correct answer is c.
ASKING WHERE A PLACE IS
To ask where a place is, use the interrogative pronoun dónde(where) and the verb estar. (Note that an upside-down question mark also appears at the front of the phrase.)
¿Dónde está (n) + (noun)? | Está(n) en + (place) |
---|---|
¿Dónde está la Giralda? | Está en Sevilla. |
¿Dónde están las ruinas romanas? | Están en Mérida. |
ESTAR | |||
(yo) | estoy | (nosotros, -as) | estamos |
(tú) | estás | (vosotros, -as) | estáis |
(él / ella/usted) | está | (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | están |
To say ‘towards’, use hacia:
Zaragoza está hacia el este de España.
To say how near or far somewhere is, use está cerca (de) (‘it's near (to)’) or está lejos (de) (‘it's far (from)’):
Córdoba está cerca de Sevilla.
Montevideo está lejos de México D.F.
¿Cómo es la torre del Miguelete? | What is the Miguelete tower like? |
Es muy alta | It's very tall. |
Es muy antigua | It's very old. |
¿Dónde está el Miguelete? | Where is the Miguelete? |
Está en Valencia. | It's in Valencia. |
Está en el centro. | It's in the centre. |
In this activity you are going to practise asking where different places in Valencia are and what they look like. A guide takes Patricio Bustos, an architect, around the city while he asks about the sights.
Read the brochure below about Valencia and complete the dialogues by writing the questions to the answers provided. Use the questions ¿Dónde está(n)…?, ¿Cómo es/son…? and ¿Qué es/son…?
Lea y complete los diálogos.
Ejemplo
El Miguelete
¿Qué es el Miguelete?
Es la torre de la catedral.
¿Cómo es?
Es muy antigua.
¿Dónde está?
Está en el casco antiguo.
(a) El Paseo de la Alameda
¿ __________ ?
Es un paseo ajardinado con unas fuentes.
¿ __________ ?
¡En el Paseo de la Alameda!
(b) La Estación del Norte
¿ __________ ?
Es una estación de tren.
¿ __________ ?
Es modernista.
¿ __________ ?
En la calle Játiva.
(c) Las Torres de Pere Quart
¿ __________ ?
Son unas torres medievales.
¿ __________ ?
En el casco antiguo.
¿ __________ ?
Son góticas.
(d) El Mercado Central
¿ __________ ?
Un mercado.
¿ __________ ?
Es modernista.
(a) El Paseo de la Alameda
¿Qué es el Paseo de la Alameda?
Es un paseo ajardinado con unas fuentes.
¿Dónde está?
¡En el Paseo de la Alameda!
(b) La Estación del Norte
¿Qué es la Estación del Norte?
Es una estación de tren.
¿Cómo es?
Es modernista.
¿Dónde está?
En la calle Játiva.
(c) Las Torres de Pere Quart
¿Qué son las Torres de Pere Quart?
Son unas torres medievales.
¿Dónde están?
En el casco antiguo.
¿Cómo son?
Son góticas.
(d) El Mercado Central
¿Qué es el Mercado Central?
Un mercado.
¿Cómo es?
Es modernista.
The words qué and cómo are very useful for asking questions about new places. If you don't know what a place is or what it is used for, use ¿qué es? If you want to know what it looks like, use ¿cómo es?
Listen to the audio clip below and do the exercise.
Escuche y participe.
alto | tall, high |
animado | lively |
campanario (el) | bell tower |
casco viejo (el)/casco antiguo (el) | old quarter |
catedral (la) | cathedral |
estación (de tren) (la) | (railway) station |
gótico | gothic |
medieval | medieval |
mercado (el) | market |
modernista | modernist |
torre (la) | tower |
In this session you are going to find some famous public places by following simple instructions.
Key learning points
Prepositional phrases
Prepositions of place
Reviewing the verb estar to indicate location
In this activity you are going to review some of the vocabulary that you have learned about tourist sights, as well as learn some new words.
Classify the vocabulary in the box under the following two categories.
Clasifique.
catedral • avenida • calle • iglesia • polideportivo • puente • parque • barrio • plaza |
Monumentos y edificios | Lugares |
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Monumentos y edificios | Lugares |
---|---|
iglesia, catedral, polideportivo, puente |
calle, avenida, plaza, barrio, parque |
In the next activity, you are going to learn the most common prepositions and prepositional phrases used to indicate location.
INDICATING LOCATION |
Prepositions of place are used to indicate location. Two of the most useful of these prepositions are en (‘in’) and entre (‘between’): |
•La Plaza de Armas está en el centro |
•El polideportivo está entre la calle Mayor y la avenida Goya. |
Location is also indicated by prepositional phrases (a combination of two or more words which function as a preposition) such as detrás de (‘behind’), delante de (‘in front of’), enfrente de (‘opposite’), al lado de (‘next to’): |
•El hospital está detrás de la universidad. |
•El hotel está enfrente de la catedral. |
Read the following sentences carefully and complete the map by writing where each building is situated – there's a printable version of the map below. All the buildings are around the cathedral.
Complete el mapa.
El parque está delante de la catedral. El hospital está al lado del parque. La escuela está en la calle Mayor al lado de la catedral. El polideportivo está entre la calle Mayor y la avenida Goya. El ayuntamiento está al lado del polideportivo en la calle Mayor. La oficina de turismo está al lado del parque en la avenida Goya. El museo está enfrente de la oficina de turismo. Mi casa está detrás del museo y al lado del polideportivo.
Click on 'Street Map' to open a printable version of the street map below.
Complete the following sentences with the correct combination of preposition and article.
Complete las frases.
a + el → al |
de + el → del |
(a) La escuela está __________ lado __________ museo.
(b) El hospital está __________ lado __________ escuela.
(c) La iglesia está __________ lado __________ hospital y el supermercado.
(d) El polideportivo está enfrente __________ parque.
(e) El ayuntamiento está enfrente __________ catedral.
(a) La escuela está al lado del museo.
(b) El hospital está al lado de la escuela.
(c) La iglesia está al lado del hospital y el supermercado.
(d) El polideportivo está enfrente del parque.
(e) El ayuntamiento está enfrente de la catedral.
Look at the map of South America and complete the following description using al lado de, y and entre.
Mire el mapa y complete el texto.
Click below to view a larger version of this picture.
Chile está ___________ Argentina. Argentina está ___________ Chile ___________ Uruguay. Uruguay está ___________ Brasil ___________ Argentina. Bolivia está ___________ Perú, Brasil, Paraguay ___________ Chile. Ecuador está ___________ Colombia ___________ Perú. Venezuela está ___________ Colombia.
Chile está al lado de Argentina. Argentina está entre Chile y Uruguay. Uruguay está entre Brasil y Argentina. Bolivia está entre Perú, Brasil,Paraguay y Chile. Ecuador está entre Colombia y Perú. Venezuela está al lado de Colombia.
Isabel, the Spanish theatre director of the group Expresiones, decides to take some time off to see the sights of Santiago.
Listen to the audio clip below to hear what the guide says about three different places in Santiago. Then look at the places marked (a), (b) and (c) on the map below and decide which they are. Choose from: Mercado Central; Casa Colorada; Catedral y Palacio del Arzobispo.
Escuche, mire y decida.
Mercado Central
(a)
Casa Colorado
(b)
Catedral y Palacio del Arzobispo
(c)
Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.
Mercado Central
Casa Colorado
Catedral y Palacio del Arzobispo
a.(b)
b.(a)
c.(c)
Está al lado del Ayuntamiento. | It's next to the Town Hall. |
Está enfrente de las tiendas. | It's opposite the shops. |
Está cerca del Mercado Central. | It's near the Mercado Central. |
Está lejos de aquí. | It's a long way from here. |
Heidi, one of the members of the theatre group Expresiones, has gone on a trip to Montevideo, in Uruguay. A friend of hers there, Javier, is letting her stay in his flat. He has left her a note recommending some of the sights in the city. Complete the gaps in his message using the words and phrases from the box. Note your additions in the empty box below. Look up any words you don't know in the dictionary.
Complete el mensaje.
Hola Heidi,
¡Montevideo es preciosa! Tiene unas avenidas y unos edificios muy bonitos y antiguos. Te recomiendo la Plaza de la Constitución, la plaza más antigua de Montevideo, en el casco antiguo. A un __________ la plaza está El Cabildo, el Museo Histórico y Archivo Municipal, y al __________ está la Iglesia Matriz. __________ allí está la Plaza Zabala. __________ la calle Solís está la Rambla con unas vistas al mar espectaculares. __________ a la izquierda y allí está el Mercado del Puerto, un sitio ideal para comer una parrilla y tomar un “medio y medio”.
Besos,
Javier
Hola Heidi,
¡Montevideo es preciosa! Tiene unas avenidas y unos edificios muy bonitos y antiguos. Te recomiendo la Plaza de la Constitución, la plaza más antigua de Montevideo, en el casco antiguo. A un lado de la plaza está El Cabildo, el Museo Histórico y Archivo Municipal, y al otro lado está la Iglesia Matriz. Cerca de allí está la Plaza Zabala. Al final de la calle Solís está la Rambla con unas vistas al mar espectaculares. Gira a la izquierda y allí está el Mercado del Puerto, un sitio ideal para comer una parrilla y tomar un “medio y medio”.
Besos, Javier
gira | turn |
parrilla (la) | here, grilled fish |
medio y medio (el) | literally, half and half; a mixture of white and sparkling wines |
Montevideo was founded in 1726 and many of its early residents were from the Canary Islands. As the capital of Uruguay, it dominates the country's political, economic and cultural life. Montevideo developed around its port, one of the most important in the Southern Cone. It experienced a construction boom in the early 19th century, when some of the original buildings of the 1720s, such as El Cabildo and the Iglesia Matriz, were remodelled.
ayuntamiento (el) | town hall |
escuela (la) | school |
hospital (el) | hospital |
oficina de turismo (la) | tourist office |
palacio (el) | palace |
polideportivo (el) | sports centre |
puente (el) | bridge |
sitio (el) | place |
supermercado (el) | supermarket |
tienda (la) | shop |
In this session you are going to find out about everyday activities in the Hispanic world, and get to know the most popular places to go.
Key learning points
Saying where you are going
Using ir + a : ‘Voy a… ’
Vocabulary relating to public places
Here are three popular places to go in the Hispanic world.
Do they look different from the same type of place you would find in your country? In what way are they different? Write in English.
Observe y escriba en inglés.
You may have written that these places look remarkably similar to the places you are used to in your own country. Or you might have written that the park looks slightly different because in Britain there are larger areas of grass to play on, and that the bar is more like a continental-style café–restaurant than the traditional British pub. In Spain, these places are usually open to everybody. Cafés, bars and parks are widely regarded as meeting places, and hence are all regarded as espacios públicos.
Patricio, the architect from Chile, is working in Valencia. He has a busy schedule.
Read the following e-mail message with his diary, as sent to his secretary. Put the different places listed into the order he is visiting them.
Ordene.
el banco
1
el aeropuerto
2
el restaurante
3
el Ayuntamiento
4
el hospital
5
la oficina
6
Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.
el banco
el aeropuerto
el restaurante
el Ayuntamiento
el hospital
la oficina
a.1
b.5
c.4
d.2
e.3
f.6
SAYING WHERE YOU ARE GOING | |||
To say where someone is going, use the verb ir ( ‘to go’ ) followed by the preposition a ( ‘to’). | |||
Note that the verb ir is irregular (i.e. it does not follow a regular pattern). | |||
IR | |||
(yo) | voy | (nosotros, -as) | vamos |
(tú) | vas | (vosotros, -as) | vais |
(él/ella/usted) | va | (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | van |
Voy a la oficina. (yo) | |||
¿Adónde vas ? (tú) | |||
Juan va al bar. (él) | |||
¿Adónde vamos ? (nosotros) | |||
If you are going somewhere relatively far away, like another city or country, you can also use the verb viajar ( ‘to travel’): | |||
¿Adónde viajas? Viajo a Madrid. |
Now Patricio is at the airport picking up his colleague. Listen to the audio clip below and note down where the other people interviewed are going.
Escuche y escriba.
Ejemplo
(a) Sevilla.
Raquel
Nobody is working in the office today. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of ir a. You may have to contract the preposition a with the article el to give al.
Complete las frases.
(a) (yo) __________ el cibercafé, a mandar un correo electrónico.
(b) María y Cristina __________ el restaurante con un cliente.
(c) Raquel, Miguel y yo __________ el hospital a visitar a un amigo.
(d) Olga, Antonio y tú __________ Correos a buscar unos paquetes.
(e) Inma __________ el parque con su hija.
(f) Concha y Pedro __________ el aeropuerto a buscar a un colega.
mandar | to send |
correo electrónico (el) | |
buscar | to look for, to pick up |
(a) (yo) Voy al cibercafé, a mandar un correo electrónico.
(b) María y Cristina van al restaurante con un cliente.
(c) Raquel, Miguel y yo vamos al hospital a visitar a un amigo.
(d) Olga, Antonio y tú vais a / van a Correos a buscar unos paquetes. (Note that the vosotros form (e.g. vais) is not used in Latin America, where ustedes is preferred.)
(e) Inma va al parque con su hija.
(f) Concha y Pedro van al aeropuerto a buscar a un colega.
Here are three smileys representing different moods. Which places do you most associate with those moods? Note down your thoughts. There is no ‘right’ answer.
Enlace.
Here is a possible answer. Yours may be very different!
: el bar, el cine, el cibercafé
: el parque, el restaurante
: la oficina, el hospital, el hipermercado, el aeropuerto
Complete the table to say where you are going at the times mentioned. The smileys show your mood, and may give you a clue for a possible answer.
Complete la tabla.
Hora | Lugar | |
---|---|---|
09:00h | Voy a la oficina. | |
14:00h |
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17:00h |
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20:00h |
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21:00h |
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Here is a possible answer:
Hora | Lugar | |
---|---|---|
09:00h | Voy a la oficina. | |
14:00h | Voy al bar. | |
17:00h | Voy al hipermercado. | |
20:00h | Voy al cine. | |
21:00h | Voy al restaurante. |
Listen to the audio clip and do the exercise.
Escuche y participe.
¿Adónde vas? | Where are you going? |
Voy a la oficina. | I‘m going to the office. |
Voy al cine. | I’m going to the cinema. |
Salgo a dar una vuelta. | I’m going out for a walk. |
Write questions appropriate to the following situations. Make sure you use the appropriate form of the verb.
Escriba preguntas.
(a) Somebody starts leaving the house unexpectedly. What do you ask?
(b) You are a museum porter and have been instructed to make sure that people know where they are going. What do you ask?
(c) You need a lift out of town. You notice that some of your friends are heading towards their car. What do you ask?
(a) ¿Adónde vas?
(b) ¿Adónde va? / ¿Adónde van?
(c) ¿Adónde vais? / ¿Adónde van?
Your dictionary is very useful for finding out which grammatical category a word belongs to. For example, the entry for precioso reads as follows:
precioso ADJETIVO
beautiful ¡Es precioso! It's beautiful!
The entry tells you that precioso is an adjetivo, in English an adjective, and that it therefore describes a noun. If you want to know more about what the different grammatical categories are, read the information at the beginning of your dictionary under ‘Parts of speech’ .
Look up the following words in your dictionary and complete the table with the missing information. The first has been done for you.
Complete la tabla.
Headword | Grammatical category | A Spanish example |
---|---|---|
precioso | adjetivo (adjective) | ¡Es precioso! |
bonito |
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un, una |
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tener |
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en |
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muy |
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oficina |
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Headword | Grammatical category | A Spanish example |
---|---|---|
precioso | adjetivo (adjective) | ¡Es precioso! |
bonito | adjetivo (adjective) | una casa muy bonita |
un, una | artículo (article) | una silla |
tener | verbo (verb) | Tengo dos hermanas. |
en | preposición (preposition) | Viven en Granada. |
muy | adverbio (adverb) | Mi pueblo es muy bonito. |
oficina | sustantivo (noun) | la oficina de turismo |
Which of the following adjectives go with the nouns below? Determine the odd one out. The first has been done for you.
Tache el intruso.
Sustantivo | Adjetivo |
---|---|
iglesia | grande • preciosa •• antigua |
aeropuerto | moderno • grande • feo • gótico |
restaurante | animado • agradable • moderno • metálico |
bar | enorme • antiguo • comercial • céntrico |
parque | blanco • grande • bonito • precioso |
These are the odd ones out:
aeropuerto: gótico
restaurante: metálico
bar: comercial
parque: blanco.
banco (el) | bank (also: bench) |
bar (el) | bar (establishment) |
cibercafé (el) | cyber café, internet café |
cine (el) | cinema |
Correos | post office |
hipermercado (el) | hypermarket |
oficina (la) | office |
parque (el) | park |
restaurante (el) | restaurant |
In this session you are going to have a closer look at a popular meeting place in the Hispanic world.
Key learning points
Describing a place
Use of hay / no hay
The indefinite articles: un, una, unos, unas
Look at this photo of a bar in Havana, Cuba. What can you see? Below it is a list of objects, some of which appear in the photo. Note down the ones you can see. Look up the words you don’t understand in the dictionary.
Escoja la opcion correcta.
(a) el taburete |
(b) el televisor |
(c) la actuación en vivo |
(d) el ventilador |
(e) las tapas |
(f) las bebidas |
(g) la máquina tragaperras |
(h) la barra |
(i) el billar |
(j) los periódicos |
(k) el equipo de música |
(l) el sofá |
(a) el taburete, (d) el ventilador, (f) la bebidas, (h) la barra.
ventilador (el) | fan |
máquina tragaperras (la) | slot machine |
actuación en vivo (la) | live performance/concert |
comida (la) | food |
también | also |
a.
una discoteca
b.
un restaurante
c.
un polideportivo
The correct answer is b.
Which phrases were used to describe what is in this place? Write down two examples.
Escriba dos ejemplos.
Ejemplo
“Hay fotos del famoso músico de los años 50, Benny Moré”.
“ … hay una actuación de música en vivo y cócteles buenísimos”.
“ … hay comida tradicional criolla”.
THERE IS / THERE ARE |
The verb haber is used to express the idea ‘there is’ or ‘there are’ . There is only one form of the verb with this meaning: hay, which is why the form is the same in the singular and the plural. |
Hay unas mesas. |
Hay un ventilador. |
No hay una máquina tragaperras. |
Note the form of the indefinite article when only one object is mentioned (un/una) and when several objects are mentioned (unos/unas): |
Hay unasilla. |
Hay unos sofás. |
Look at the following picture of a bar. Write down what you see, using the structure hay + un/una.
Observe y escriba.
Here is a possible answer:
Hay una barra. Hay una terraza. Hay un camarero. Hay un sofá. Hay unas mesas. Hay una máquina de café. Hay unos periódicos. Hay un equipo de música. Hay unos taburetes.
Listen to the audio clip below and do the exercise.
Escuche y participe.
(sound of somebody making a cocktail)
(sound of a live performance)
music: Bruton BCC4. track 11 Blue Danube. dur: 00.09
(sound of people being served outside)
pista de baile (la) | dance floor |
juegos de mesa (los) | board games |
You are looking for a bar to hold a birthday celebration in. You see the following advertisement.
Read the following advert from a magazine. Write down the words you don't understand and try to guess their meaning. Check your guesses in the dictionary. Would it be suitable for your celebration?
Escriba y compruebe.
Here is a possible answer:
Some of the words you may not have understood are: Mugumba (a proper name), viernes (Friday), salón de comidas (dining room), ambiente agradable (pleasant atmosphere) and complejo turístico (tourist centre).
You may have decided it was suitable for your celebration as it has both a place for dining and for dancing and the atmosphere is pleasant.
Complete the blanks to describe the bar Mugumba. Use the structure hay + un/una.
Complete el texto.
El bar se llama Mugumba Habana. __________ en vivo.
__________ y __________.
También __________. Es un bar muy animado.
Here is a possible answer:
El bar se llama Mugumba Habana. Hay una actuación en vivo. Hay un salón de comidas y un ambiente agradable. También hay una pista de baile. Es un bar muy animado.
You have now found the perfect bar for your birthday celebration and you want to tell your friends about it. Read the following guide book entry about it and record yourself on your blank tape, saying what there is in the bar.
Lea y grábese en su cinta.
El chan chan |
Este bar está situado en plena Habana Vieja, en la calle Aguacate. |
Gran ambiente, cócteles variados. |
Equipo de música de alta fidelidad. |
Ventiladores, amplias mesas para grupos numerosos, cómodos sofás. |
Guardarropa. |
de alta fidelidad | high fidelity |
guardarropa (el) | cloakroom |
Here is a possible answer:
Hay un gran ambiente.
Hay unos cócteles variados.
Hay un equipo de música de alta fidelidad.
Hay unos ventiladores.
Hay unas amplias mesas.
Hay unos sofás cómodos. / Hay unos cómodos sofás. (Note that adjectives in Spanish normally follow the noun. In the advertisement, the order was reversed for stylistic reasons.)
Hay un guardarropa.
barra (la) | bar (counter) |
bebida (la) | drink |
cafetería (la) | café |
equipo de música (el) | hi-fi |
mesa (la) | table |
periódico (el) | newspaper |
pista de baile (la) | dance floor |
silla (la) | chair |
sofá (el) | sofa |
taburete (el) | (bar) stool |
televisor (el) | television set |
ventilador (el) | fan |
You are now going to find out about another public place: a sports centre. You will also explore the differences in attitudes towards public places in Spanish-speaking countries and your own.
Key learning points
Referring to location within a building
Asking and answering questions about location
a.
changing rooms
b.
sauna
c.
gym
d.
work-out room
e.
squash
f.
reception
g.
sun-bed
h.
swimming pool
i.
toilets
j.
crèche
The correct answers are a, b, c, d, f, h and i.
You decide to visit the sports centre to see the facilities for yourself. In the reception area, you overhear some conversations.
Listen to the audio clip and pick the areas mentioned from the options below.
Escuche y escoja la opcion correcta.
a.
el gimnasio
b.
la piscina
c.
la recepción
The correct answers are b and c.
a.
la oficina
b.
los vestuarios
c.
el gimnasio
The correct answer is c.
a.
la sauna
b.
la sala de entrenamiento
c.
los vestuarios
The correct answer is c.
a.
la piscina
b.
la recepción
c.
la sauna
The correct answer is b.
USE OF SABER | |||
In order to express the idea ‘to know (a fact/idea/concept)’, Spanish uses the verb saber. | |||
•Yo sé dónde está Marta. | |||
•Yo no sé dónde está Marta. | |||
•¿Sabes mi nombre? | |||
(Notice that this is different from the verb conocer which means ‘to know (a person)’ in the sense of ‘to be acquainted with’.) | |||
SABER | |||
---|---|---|---|
(yo) | sé | (nosotros, -as) | sabemos |
(tú) | sabes | (vosotros, -as) | sabéis |
(él/ella/usted) | sabe | (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | saben |
Listen to the track again and say whether Juana, one of the receptionists, knows where the different people are. Mark the correct answers with an X in the table below.
Escoja la opcion correcta.
HighlightedYes, she knows | No, she doesn't know (but guesses) | |
---|---|---|
Marta |
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La monitora |
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Mercedes y Teresa |
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Yes, she knows | No, she doesn't know (but guesses) | |
---|---|---|
Marta | ||
La monitora | ||
Mercedes y Teresa |
For the following activity, you work as a receptionist in a gym. Somebody who has arranged to meet some friends there asks you whether you know where they are. Some of them have left you a note of where they are but some haven't.
Answer the following questions, using the information on the notes people have left you.
Responda a las preguntas.
(a) ¿Sabes dónde está Mónica?
Sí, está en el bar.
(b) ¿Sabes dónde está Juan?
No, no sé.
(c) ¿Sabes dónde está Ignacio?
Sí, está en la sauna.
(d) ¿Sabes dónde está Ramón?
Sí, está en los vestuarios.
(e) ¿Sabes dónde está la monitora?
No, no sé.
You join a new sports centre and you want to know where things are. Listen to the audio and answer, following the prompts.
Escuche y responda.
al lado de | next to |
delante de | in front of |
detrás de | behind |
entre | between |
en | in, on, at |
¿Dónde está la monitora? | Where is the instructor? |
No sé. | I don't know. |
¿Está en el gimnasio? | Is she in the gym? |
¿Sabes dónde está el gimnasio? | Do you know where the gym is? |
Sí, está en el primer piso. | Yes, it’s on the first floor. |
Now record yourself on your blank tape asking different people where the following things are. Pay particular attention to the form of the verb, which will change according to whom you are addressing.
Grábese en su cinta.
Ejemplo
(tú) la piscina
¿Sabes dónde está la piscina?
(a) (usted) los vestuarios
(b) (ustedes) el bar
(c) (vosotros, -as) la sauna
(d) (tú) el gimnasio
(a) ¿Sabe dónde están los vestuarios?
(b) ¿Saben dónde está el bar?
(c) ¿Sabéis dónde está la sauna?
(d) ¿Sabes dónde está el gimnasio?
This activity will help you think about some of the possible differences between public places in Spain and Latin America, and in your own country.
Think of the different public places in Spain and Latin America that you have seen so far. Note them down.
So far in this course you have seen a few ‘public’ places, for example la estación and el mercado central , and you have also come across los bares. Other buildings frequented by the general public that have come up in this course are el museo, el hospital, la escuela, el polideportivo o el centro deportivo, el ayuntamiento, el aeropuerto, la oficina, el banco, el restaurante, and a more modern one, el cibercafé. Another place in Hispanic countries where the community gathers is la iglesia, and of course los parques and las plazas.
Link each of the following public places with as many adjectives as you feel appropriate from the box below. The choice of adjective is entirely subjective, and is designed to help you express your own attitudes towards these public places.
Enlace.
(a) museo
(b) parque
(c) bar
(d) estación de tren
(e) cibercafé
(f) polideportivo
precioso • moderno • caótico • tranquilo • animado • relajante • ruidoso • antiguo |
ruidoso | noisy |
tranquilo | quiet |
relajante | relaxing |
Here is a possible answer:
Do you think you would have made the same word associations in Part 2 if you were thinking of your own country? Note down your thoughts (there's no right or wrong answer).
You may think that these public places are totally different in your country, or you may think them similar. The important thing is to be aware of any similarities as well as differences between countries.
Imagine you want to write an ‘electronic postcard’ to a travel guide website giving some tips for travelling to Valencia, Santiago de Chile, Montevideo and Havana. What would you say to your fellow travellers? Choose from the following phrases, taken from different websites, to write sentences about these cities.
Escriba frases.
Imprescindible ver… | Do not miss… |
De mi viaje a… | From my visit to… |
Para relajarse… | To relax… |
Sobre todo… | Above all… |
Here is a possible answer:
Valencia es una ciudad preciosa. Imprescindible verel campanario del Miguelete.
De mi viaje a España recomiendo visitar las Torres de Pere Quart y la espectacular estación modernista en Valencia.
En La Habana hay unos bares de los años 50 muy animados.
Para relajarse en el viaje, recomiendo ir a un centro deportivo en Santiago de Chile. En Montevideo hay una ciudad vieja muy bonita.
Sobre todo, visitar El Cabildo en la Plaza de la Constitución.
aseos (los) | toilets |
caballeros (los) | gentlemen |
conocer | to know (a person) |
gimnasio (el) | gym |
lavabo (el) | toilets, sink |
monitora (la) | instructor (female) |
piscina (la) | swimming pool |
recepción (la) | reception |
recomendar | to recommend |
saber | to know (a fact/idea/concept) |
sauna (la) | sauna |
vestuarios (los) | changing rooms |
In this session you are going to look at people and places in Barcelona. You will find out how to talk about everyday actions and give directions.
Key learning points
Asking for and giving information about places
Giving directions
cargar | here, to charge |
consultar | here, to check |
saldo (el) | bank balance |
cambiar | to change (money) |
cuenta corriente (la) | current account |
sello (el) | stamp |
comprar | to buy |
a.
sacar dinero
b.
sacar entradas de teatro
c.
cargar el teléfono móvil
d.
mandar un correo electrónico
e.
consultar el saldo de la cuenta corriente
f.
comprar tarjetas de autobús y metro
g.
comprar sellos
h.
cambiar dinero
The correct answers are a, b, c, e, f and h.
Some notes:
sacar entradas de teatro, comprar tarjetas de autobús y metro – some banks in Barcelona sell these.
Things you don't usually do in a bank:
mandar un correo electrónico, comprar sellos – you can buy stamps at an estanco, a government-licensed tobacconist and newsagents.
Match the following verbs with the corresponding phrases.
Enlace.
cargar
el teléfono móvil
consultar
el saldo de la cuenta corriente
comprar
una tarjeta de metro y bus
sacar
entradas de teatro
mandar
un correo electrónico
Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.
cargar
consultar
comprar
sacar
mandar
a.el saldo de la cuenta corriente
b.entradas de teatro
c.un correo electrónico
d.una tarjeta de metro y bus
e.el teléfono móvil
comprar can also be used with entradas, but is less common.
Now listen to somebody asking for different things in a bank. What are they trying to do, and where are they directed? Make notes below. It may be easier if you pause after each dialogue.
Escuche y escriba.
Ventanilla 1: cambiar dinero, cambiar euros.
Ventanilla 3: sacar entradas de teatro.
Cajero automático: cargar el (teléfono) móvil, sacar dinero con tarjeta de crédito.
In the next activity, you will learn how to give directions.
GIVING DIRECTIONS |
Use the following verbs to give directions: ir ( ‘to go’ ), tomar ( ‘to take’ ), seguir ( ‘to keep (straight) on’), cruzar ( ‘to cross over’ ) and girar ( ‘to turn’ ). |
• Vaya hasta el final de la calle. (Go to the end of the street.) |
• Tome la primera a la derecha. (Take the first on the right.) |
• Siga todo recto. (Keep straight on.) |
• Cruce la calle. (Cross the street.) |
• Gire a la izquierda. (Turn left.) |
Use ordinal numbers (primera, segunda, tercera, etc.) to indicate which street to take. |
• la primera calle a la derecha |
• la segundacalle a la derecha |
• la tercera calle a la izquierda |
To show whereabouts a building is in a street, you can talk about ‘blocks’: in Spain, the word for this is manzana and in Latin America, cuadra. |
• La Pedrera está en la tercera manzana. |
• El Cabildo está a dos cuadras. |
Using the map, direct someone to the bank by putting the following sentences in the correct order from 1–5.
Ponga las frases en orden.
siga todo recto
1
vaya hasta el final de la calle
2
gire a la izquierda
3
después, tome la primera a la derecha
4
cruce la calle, y está allí
5
Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.
siga todo recto
vaya hasta el final de la calle
gire a la izquierda
después, tome la primera a la derecha
cruce la calle, y está allí
a.3
b.2
c.4
d.5
e.1
Let's find a bank in Barcelona. Look at where you are on the map in relation to where the bank is. You are in Calle Fontanella, in front of the Telefónica building facing the Plaza Catalunya. Complete the sentences with the appropriate verbs.
Complete las frases.
Click below to view a larger version of this picture.
– ¿Hay un banco por aquí?
– Sí. Hay uno muy cerca. Vaya todo recto. Después (a) __________ la segunda calle a la izquierda, se llama las Ramblas. (b) __________ todo recto, (c) __________ la segunda a la izquierda y hay uno allí.
– ¡Muchas gracias!
(a) tome
(b) siga
(c) tome
¿Dónde hay un banco por aquí? | Where can I find a bank near here? |
Tome la primera a la derecha. | Take the first on the right. |
Siga todo recto. | Keep straight on. |
Tome la tercera a la izquierda. | Take the third on the left. |
Oiga, ¿para cambiar dinero? | Excuse me, where can I change money? |
La primera ventanilla. | The first counter. |
Raquel
Pista 62
Dónde hay un banco por acqui. Tome la primera a la derecha. Siga todo recto. Tome la tercera a la izquierda. Oiga, par cambiar dinero. La primera vantanilla
Listen to the audio clip below and do the exercise. What are the next four phrases in the series?
Escuche y participe.
La quinta. La quinta a la derecha. La sexta. La sexta a la izquierda.
Now listen to the next audio clip and follow the directions with your finger on the map. You are at the crossroads of Calle Joan Maragall and Avenida Colón, facing towards the supermarket and museum. Can you guess where the person has sent you?
Escuche y siga las instrucciones en el dibujo.
(pause)
(pause)
(pause)
(pause)
(pause)
(pause)
(pause)
You have ended up where you started!
(Keep straight on. Take the second street on the right. Keep straight on. Take the first street on the right. Keep straight on. Take the second street on the right. Keep straight on.)
You are now in a new city and want to find out about different things. Listen to the audio clip and do the exercise.
Escuche y pregunte.
Again, you are in Calle Fontanella, in front of the Telefónica building. Several people come up to you for directions. Look at the map of Barcelona and answer them.
Observe y responda.
Ejemplo
¿Para ir a la Biblioteca de Catalunya?
Siga todo recto. Gire a la izquierda por las Ramblas y tome la cuarta calle a la derecha. Vaya todo recto y está a la izquierda.
Click below to view a larger version of this picture.
(a) ¿Para ir al Corte Inglés?
(b) ¿Para ir al Palacio de la Música Catalana?
(c) ¿Para ir al Ayuntamiento?
(d) ¿Para ir a la Universidad de Barcelona?
(e) ¿Para ir a la oficina de turismo?
(f) ¿Para ir al hotel El Jardí?
Here are some possible routes:
(a) Está aquí, a la derecha.
(b) Gire a la derecha y tome la primera calle a la derecha, siga todo recto y el Palacio de la Música está a la izquierda.
(c) Tome la primera a la izquierda, siga todo recto hasta el final de la calle, y está allí.
(d) Tome la primera a la derecha y siga recto. Tome la segunda calle a la izquierda, la Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes. Siga todo recto y la Universidad está allí, a la derecha.
(e) Siga todo recto y está a la izquierda.
(f) Vaya a las Ramblas, siga todo recto, tome la tercera calle a la izquierda, siga todo recto y el hotel está allí, a la derecha.
biblioteca (la) | library |
cajero automático (el) | cash machine |
cambiar (dinero) | to change (money) |
correo electrónico (el) | |
cuenta corriente (la) | current account |
dinero (el) | money |
entrada de teatro (la) | theatre ticket |
sacar dinero | to take out money |
sacar entradas | to get ticket |
saldo (el) | balance (of bank account) |
sello (el) | stamp |
tarjeta de autobús/metro (la) | bus/underground pass (fixed number of tickets) |
ventanilla (la) | counter, box office (literally: little window) |
In this session you are going to talk about some city hotels in Havana, Valencia, Barcelona and Santiago de Cuba, and find out about their local amenities and suitability for tourism.
Key learning points
Talking about location
Indicating approximate time and distance
Revision of adjectives
In this activity you are going to find out about two hotels, one in Havana and one in Valencia, what they look like and where they are situated.
Look at the pictures of the two hotels. Decide which words and phrases from the box best describe each picture.
Describa los hoteles.
Hotel Espartano: económico, varias plantas, moderno, barato, ruidoso, bloque de pisos, incómodo, funcional.
Hotel Santa Isabel: lujoso, dos plantas, antiguo, caro, tranquilo, mansión, cómodo, decorativo.
Now look where they are situated on the maps. Write which streets they are in and their location in relation to other buildings.
Escriba dónde están los hoteles.
Here are some possible answers:
El hotel Espartano está en la calle Convento San Francisco, detrás de la Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Está cerca de la Plaza de Toros.
El hotel Santa Isabel está en la calle Baratillo, entre O’ Reilly y Narciso López, en la Plaza de Armas. Está cerca del Castillo de la Fuerza.
In this activity you are going to find out about three hotels situated in the old part of Barcelona and around the Ramblas, one of the main arteries of the city. You will also become familiar with ways of talking about approximate distance to or from a place.
LAS RAMBLAS
The ramblais an urban feature virtually unique to Catalonia, and there is one in most Catalan towns. Originally, the Rambla of Barcelona was a seasonal river bed, the name deriving from an Arabic word for river bank, ramla. Different sections of the Rambla in Barcelona have different names, as one descends from Plaza Catalunya: Rambla de Canaletes, Rambla dels Estudis, Rambla de San Josep, Rambla dels Caputxins and Rambla de Santa Mónica. Hence the plural is often used – Rambles (Catalan) or Ramblas in Spanish and English.
(Adapted from Time Out Barcelona Guide, p. 50, Time Out Group Ltd)
¿Dónde está el hotel Oriente? | Where is the Oriente hotel? |
A dos pasos del Teatro Liceo. | A few yards from the Teatro Liceo. (Literally: Two steps from…) |
A cien metros de la Plaza Catalunya. | A hundred metres from the Plaza Catalunya. |
A cinco minutos del puerto. | Five minutes from the harbour. |
music dur: 00.34
Listen to the three advertisements for hotels in Barcelona. Then note the proximity to the city centre, and the exact address of each hotel. The following phrases may help you.
BCC36 Bizet- Carmen track 40 La Garde Montante dur: 00.30
CD77131 Japan, tr 1Pictures of Japan dur: 00.20
Atmos CD57, tr10 Jumping Jazz dur: 00.31
Escuche y complete.
Proximity to city centre | Exact address | |
---|---|---|
Hotel Duques de Bergara |
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Hotel Oriente |
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Hotel Rívoli |
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afueras (las) | outskirts |
pueblo (el) | village, town |
Proximity to city centre | Exact address | |
---|---|---|
Hotel Duques de Bergara | En el corazón de Barcelona, a pocos metros de la Plaza Catalunya | Calle Bergara, 11 |
Hotel Oriente | En pleno centro, en las Ramblas | Calle Ramblas, 45–47 |
Hotel Rívoli | A dos pasos de la Plaza Catalunya | La Rambla, 128 |
Now listen to the audio clip below and do the exercise.
Escuche y participe.
In this activity you are going to find out about another interesting hotel, this time in Santiago de Cuba, which overlooks the house of Diego Velázquez, the first Spanish governor of Cuba.
DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ DE CUÉLLAR (1465–1524)
Velázquez became governor of Cuba in 1511, having conquered the island and founded Havana in that same year. He had first sailed to the Americas with Columbus, accompanying him on his expedition to the island of Española (Hispaniola, modern Dominican Republic and Haiti). As governor, he sent out several expeditions, including Cortés' to Mexico in 1519.
The Hotel Casa Granda in Santiago de Cuba is one of the most up-market hotels in Cuba and is right in the city centre. Listen to the track and say where it is situated in relation to other buildings.
Escuche y participe.
music. dur: 00.34
en el campo | in the countryside |
Write a wish list for your perfect hotel. You may want to refer to location, proximity to local amenities and type of building. Use the prompts below to start you off.
Lea y escriba.
Quiero un hotel…
cerca de… • en pleno centro • en las afueras • en el campo • a diez metros de… • a dos pasos de… • antiguo / moderno, etc. • enfrente de… |
Here is a possible answer:
Quiero un hotel cerca de la playa, a dos pasos de los museos, antiguo y tranquilo, barato, en pleno centro, elegante y cómodo, a diez metros de los bares.
Classify the following vocabulary by placing the words in the appropriate columns. If you are unsure of what the grammatical terms mean, go to the section ‘Parts of Speech’ in the dictionary.
Ponga las palabras en el recuadro correspondiente.
gimnasio • sacar • estar • dinero • funcional • lavabos • entre • recepción • saber • piscina • sauna • cómodo • vestuarios • tarjeta (de autobús) • en • cerca • soy
Nouns | Verbs | Adjectives | Adverbs | Prepositions |
---|---|---|---|---|
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Nouns: gimnasio, dinero, lavabos, recepción, piscina, sauna, vestuarios, tarjeta (de autobús)
Verbs: sacar, estar, saber, soy (ser)
Adjectives: funcional, cómodo
Adverbs: cerca
Prepositions: entre, en
Rearrange the following short dialogues, each of which contains fixed expressions that you have learned in this session, and read them out on your blank tape.
Ordene los diálogos y léalos en su cinta.
Ejemplo
En la Plaza de Armas / de la ciudad / ¿Dónde / en el corazón / está situado el Hotel Isabel?
¿Dónde está situado el Hotel Isabel? En la Plaza de Armas, en el corazón de la ciudad.
(a) A dos / ¿Dónde / pasos / está la Plaza de Armas? / del lugar donde se funda la villa de San Cristóbal de La Habana
(b) ¿Qué tipo / de los Condes de Santovenia / maravillosa / de edificio es? / Es una mansión
(c) ¿Y de qué / Está cerca / y edificios famosos / está cerca? / de monumentos
(d) ¿De qué edificios? / minutos del Cristo de La Habana / la Giraldilla y el Palacio de los Capitanes Generales / A cinco
(a) ¿Dónde está la Plaza de Armas? A dos pasos del lugar donde se funda la villa de San Cristóbal de La Habana.
(b) ¿Qué tipo de edificio es? Es una mansión maravillosa de los Condes de Santovenia.
(c) ¿Y de qué está cerca? Está cerca de monumentos y edificios famosos.
(d) ¿De qué edificios? A cinco minutos del Cristo de La Habana, la Giraldilla y el Palacio de los Capitanes Generales.
barato | cheap |
bloque de pisos (el) | block of flats |
caro | expensive |
cómodo | comfortable |
decorativo | decorative |
económico | inexpensive |
incómodo | uncomfortable |
lujoso | luxurious |
mansión (la) | mansion |
planta (la) | floor, storey |
ruidoso | noisy |
tranquilo | quiet |
This session is designed to help you revise the language that you have learned so far in this course.
Complete the dialogue with appropriate words and phrases.
Observe y escriba.
Alberto ¿Dónde estamos?
Eva Estamos aquí. ___________ de la estación de tren. Voy a preguntar dónde ___________ el museo.
Alberto No, no preguntes. ¡Tenemos un mapa!
Eva Aquí no hay un museo. No ___________ edificios, no hay nada. ¡Estamos perdidos!
Alberto Sí, sí, está cerca de aquí. Es ___________ recto y está al ___________ de esta calle. ¡Venga!
Eva ¡Qué paciencia!
Eva Oiga, por favor, ¿ ___________ ir al museo?
Alberto Eva, mujer, ¡pero si está ___________ pasos de aquí!
Alberto ¿Dónde estamos?
Eva Estamos aquí. Delante de la estación de tren. Voy a preguntar dónde está el museo. Alberto No, no preguntes. ¡Tenemos un mapa!
Eva Aquí no hay un museo. No hay edificios, no hay nada. ¡Estamos perdidos! Alberto Sí, sí, está cerca de aquí. Es todo recto y está al final de esta calle. ¡Venga! Eva ¡Qué paciencia!
Eva Oiga, por favor, ¿ para ir al museo?
Alberto Eva, mujer, ¡pero si está a dos pasos de aquí!
rodeado de | surrounded by |
Here are two descriptions of famous buildings in Santiago de Chile. There are four incorrect adjective endings in each description. Note down the appropriate corrections in the boxes.
Corrija los adjetivos.
(a) Palacio Cousiño
Uno de los palacios más antiguas y bello de Santiago. Se construyó en el siglo XIX. Está al sur de la Alameda, cerca del Parque Almagro. Está rodeado de enorme y lindísimas jardines.
Uno de los palacios más antiguos y bellos de Santiago. Se construyó en el siglo XIX. Está al sur de la Alameda, cerca del Parque Almagro. Está rodeado de enormes y lindísimos jardines.
(b) Mercado Central
Justo enfrente del famosos río Mapocho, se encuentra este linda mercado en el centro de Santiago de Chile. Allí hay unos puestos de frutas y verduras espectacularas y unos restaurantes muy agradable.
Justo enfrente del famoso río Mapocho, se encuentra este lindo mercado en el centro de Santiago de Chile. Allí hay unos puestos de frutas y verduras espectaculares y unos restaurantes muy agradables.
Find out which of the following words go together by following the spaghetti strands. Note the pairs down in the box below.
Busque los pares.
campanario – alto
edificio – espectacular
plaza – bonita
palacio – antiguo
tienda – barata
sofá – cómodo
bar – animado
músico – famoso
paseo – largo
parque – grande
escuela – moderna
centro – cultural.
muralla (la) | town wall |
Look at the following town plan and answer the questions about the relative positions of the different buildings.
Mire y conteste.
Click below to view a larger version of this picture.
Ejemplo
¿Qué hay al lado de la catedral?
El museo.
(a) ¿Qué hay detrás de la torre?
el mercado
(b) ¿Qué hay enfrente del cabildo?
la muralla / la estación de tren
(c) ¿Qué hay a la derecha de la playa?
el puerto
(d) ¿Qué hay a dos pasos de la Plaza Vieja?
la playa
(e) ¿Qué hay cerca de la muralla?
el cabildo
(f) ¿Qué hay al lado del museo?
la catedral
Complete the crossword (there's a printable version below). Which cities are the following buildings and districts in?
Complete.
Horizontales
3 La Alhambra (7)
6 El Miguelete (8)
7 El Museo Guggenheim (6)
Verticales
2 La Sagrada Familia (9)
1 El barrio Carrasco (10)
4 La Mezquita (7)
5 La Giralda (7)
Click on 'view document' below to open a printable version of the crossword puzzle.
The singular
Give the rules for changing masculine singular adjectives to feminine, and give examples.
Escriba las reglas y dé ejemplos.
Rule | Example | |
---|---|---|
Ending in a vowel | -o changes to -a | bonito → bonita |
Ending in a consonant |
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Ending in -e |
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The plural
Give the rules for forming plural adjectives from the singular forms.
Escriba las reglas y dé ejemplos.
Rule | Example | |
---|---|---|
Ending in a vowel | Adds -s | bonitos, bonitas |
Ending in a consonant |
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Ending in -e |
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Rule | Example | |
---|---|---|
Ending in a vowel | -o changes to -a | bonito → bonita |
Ending in a consonant | Stays the same | espectacular, cultural |
Ending in -e | Stays the same | interesante, grande |
Rule | Example | |
---|---|---|
Ending in a vowel | Adds -s | bonitos, bonitas |
Ending in a consonant | Adds -es | espectaculares, culturales |
Ending in -e | Adds -s | interesantes, grandes |
Read the following sentences about cultural facts that have appeared in this course and note whether each is true or false.
¿Verdadero o falso?
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is a.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is b.
The famous Cabildo that you have seen is in Montevideo. Famous buildings in Santiago de Chile include La Casa de la Moneda and the Palacio Cousiño.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is b.
There are many different examples of historical architecture such as modernist and medieval.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is a.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is a.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is b.
The first governor of Cuba was Diego Velázquez, after whom the museum in Santiago de Cuba is named.
It's time for another song. Read the following steps and do whichever you like, in any order you prefer.
Listen to this popular children's song.
Escuche la canción.
What phrases do you recognize? Read the transcript.
Lea la transcripción.
Listen to the song again and sing along.
Escuche otra vez la canción y cante.
traditional Spanish song dur: 00.45. singers - OU staff. musicians - contracted and paid by OU
Now you are going to listen to a programme of the documentary series En portada. In this programme you are going to find out about la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.
trabaja | works |
¿Qué piensan? | What do they think? |
Listen to the track and answer the following questions.
Escuche y participe.
To help you answer the questions, follow these steps:
Read the questions, listen to the programme and make notes of key words.
Listen to the programme again and add more information to your notes.
Read the transcript while you listen again, then try to complete the questions.
BPM2007, tr2. dur: 00.30
Chap101, tr 2. Strato Various. dur: 00.38
music. dur: 00.10. Atmos CD76. track 18
music: BPM2007 track 2. dur: 00.17
(a) ¿Dónde está la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias?
En las afueras de Valencia.
(b) ¿Cómo es el Museo de las Ciencias?
You may have mentioned some of the following points:
Es interactivo, moderno, divertido, dinámico, enorme, gigantesco, muy alto, como el esqueleto de un dinosaurio, totalmente nuevo, muy bonito, muy grande, muy amplio, con mucha luz.
(c) ¿Quién es el arquitecto?
El arquitecto es Santiago Calatrava.
This session consists of a self-assessment test which will give you an idea of the progress you have made throughout this course. In the answers, you will also find explanations and revision tips.
Note the incorrect option.
Tache la opción incorrecta.
a.
gótica
b.
blanca
c.
cómoda
The correct answer is c.
cómoda (comfortable) is incorrect as we don’t usually talk about churches in terms of their comfort.
a.
moderna
b.
festiva
c.
antigua
The correct answer is b.
festiva (festive) is the odd one out as we don't usually talk about the atmosphere in a railway station.
a.
una pista de baile
b.
unos sillones
c.
un campanario
The correct answer is c.
un campanario (a bell tower) is not a feature you would normally find in a bar!
a.
unos vestuarios
b.
un ayuntamiento
c.
unos lavabos
The correct answer is b.
un ayuntamiento (town hall) is not something you would find in a sports centre.
a.
entradas de teatro
b.
dinero
c.
sellos
The correct answer is c.
sellos (stamps) is not usually used with the verb sacar.
Note the odd one out.
Tache la palabra intrusa.
a.
dinero
b.
hospital
c.
oficina
d.
restaurante
The correct answer is a.
The other words refer to places/buildings.
a.
aeropuerto
b.
autobús
c.
taxi
d.
tren
The correct answer is a.
The others refer to means of transport, whereas this is the building where the means of transport is based.
a.
cuenta corriente
b.
saldo
c.
sello
d.
tarjeta de crédito
The correct answer is c.
The others refer to banking transactions.
a.
campanario
b.
catedral
c.
iglesia
d.
mercado
The correct answer is d.
The others refer to religious buildings.
a.
barra
b.
taburete
c.
televisor
d.
ventanilla
The correct answer is d.
The others refer to objects you can usually find in a Hispanic bar.
A good way of memorizing and organizing vocabulary is to classify it. For example, separate the words you have learned for places by putting them into two columns: one for the places you usually go to, and another for the places you don't usually go to |
Complete the following sentences using appropriate adjectives from the box. Make sure that the endings are correct too. More than one answer is possible in each case.
Complete las frases con la forma apropiada del adjetivo.
famoso • europeo • interesante • inacabado
(a) La Sagrada Familia es una iglesia __________.
(b) Las salas de la Ciudad de las Ciencias y las Artes son muy __________.
(c) Los monumentos públicos normalmente son a personalidades __________.
(d) Chile es un país latinoamericano muy __________.
Here is a possible answer:
(a) La Sagrada Familia es una iglesia inacabada.
(b) Las salas de la Ciudad de las Ciencias y las Artes son muy interesantes.
(c) Los monumentos públicos normalmente son a personalidades famosas.
(d) Chile es un país latinoamericano muy europeo.
Give the adjectives their correct endings.
Complete el texto.
Dos edificios muy diferentes
El primero es un edificio alt___ . En la primer___ planta hay unas oficinas. En la segunda planta hay salas muy grand___ y ruidosas. También hay un bar, con unos sillones muy cómod___ y unos ventiladores de estilo colonial. Enfrente de este edificio, hay una casa antigua y muy bonit___.
El primero es un edificio alto. En la primera planta hay unas oficinas. En la segunda planta hay salas muy grandes y ruidosas. También hay un bar, con unos sillones muy cómodos y unos ventiladores de estilo colonial. Enfrente de este edificio, hay una casa antigua y muy bonita.
Change the verbs in the following sentences to correspond with the forms in brackets.
Transforme las frases.
(a) (nosotros) Voy a la oficina.
Vamos a la oficina.
(b) (vosotros) Vas al cine.
Vais al cine.
(c) (ellos) Va al supermercado.
Van al supermercado.
(d) (yo) Sabemos dónde está Marta.
Sé dónde está Marta.
(e) (tú) ¿Sabéis dónde está la monitora?
¿Sabes dónde está la monitora?
Write sentences with estar based on the following information.
Construya frases.
Ejemplo
María / Sevilla
María está en Sevilla.
(a) La Alhambra / Granada
La Alhambra está en Granada.
(b) Las ruinas aztecas / México
Las ruinas aztecas están en México.
(c) El barrio Carrasco y la Plaza Zabala / Montevideo
El barrio Carrasco y la Plaza Zabala están en Montevideo.
(d) Nosotros / Cuba
(Nosotros) estamos en Cuba.
(e) Patricio y la familia de Isabel / Valencia
Patricio y la familia de Isabel están en Valencia.
Make sure to review all the grammar you have studied so far. Go back to the ‘Overview’, look at the column ‘Language points’ and tick the grammar points that you feel confident handling. If you feel you need more practice with any of them, go to the relevant exercises and try doing them again. |
Read the following text and say whether the statements after it are true or false.
¿Verdadero o falso?
La Serena, Chile, es una ciudad preciosa y la segunda ciudad más antigua de Chile. Está en la costa del Océano Pacífico, en el norte de Chile. Es la capital de la región de Coquimbo. Hay muchas iglesias y muchas torres. En el centro de la ciudad los edificios son elegantes construcciones de estilo colonial. También tiene una playa bonita y en verano hay muchos turistas chilenos y argentinos. En la Plaza de Armas se encuentran los edificios oficiales, la catedral y la oficina de correos. El mercado de la Recova y sus restaurantes de mariscos están a solo diez minutos de la plaza.
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is b.
Falso. (“la segunda ciudad más antigua de Chile” ; “ los edificios son … de estilo colonial”).
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is b.
Falso. (“Está … en el norte de Chile”).
a.
Verdadero
b.
Falso
The correct answer is a.
Verdadero. (“El mercado [está] a solo diez minutos de la plaza”).
A good technique for retaining information is to note down the key words. These are the terms, dates and names that summarize what has been said. Try to do this with any of the reading or listening passages (e.g. the documentary) that you have come across. When you see these words again, they will remind you of the information around them. |
Look at this photograph of a building in the city of La Serena. Describe what you see, using the prompts below.
Observe y describa.
(a) ¿Qué hay en la calle?
Hay un edificio antiguo. Hay gente delante del edificio. Hay un coche.
(b) ¿Cómo es el edificio?
El edificio es grande y antiguo, de estilo colonial.
Try doing the same exercise, but this time brainstorm the words you want to use by referring to the table in the section ‘En pocas palabras: Vocabulary strategies’. Then answer the questions. Were your answers fuller and more accurate? |
You are at the Hotel Francisco Aguirre in La Serena. Listen to and follow the directions given by the receptionist to find the following places. Where are they located on the map? If you download/print the image, mark them with the numbers 1 to 4.
Escuche y siga las indicaciones.
(a) La catedral (1)
(b) La Iglesia de Santo Domingo (2)
(c) El Parque Pedro de Valdivia (3)
(d) El hospital (4)
Click below to view a larger version of this picture.
Now you are in one of the restaurants in the market and a stranger asks you how to get to the Plaza de Armas. Give her directions.
Responda.
Here is a possible answer:
Cruce la calle y tome la primera calle a la derecha, la calle Prat, siga todo recto, y la Plaza de Armas es la tercera calle a la izquierda, es la cuarta cuadra.
Imagine that you have visitors to your town. Choose the four places that you would recommend they visit and record yourself giving them directions from your house. |
Busque | Look for |
Cambie (al plural) | Change (to the plural) |
Coloque | Place |
Complete (la tabla / el diálogo) | Complete (the table / the dialogue) |
Compruebe | Check |
Construya frases | Make sentences |
Conteste las siguientes preguntas | Answer the following questions |
Corrija las faltas | Correct the mistakes |
Dé ejemplos | Give examples |
Describa | Describe |
Elija una opción | Choose an option |
Enlace las columnas | Match up the two columns |
Escoja la opcion correcta | Choose the correct option |
Escriba (en inglés / en español) | Write (in English / in Spanish) |
Escuche (el extracto) | Listen to (the extract) |
Grábese en su cinta | Record yourself on your tape |
Lea (el texto) | Read (the text) |
Marque con una cruz | Put a cross (= tick) |
Mire (el mapa) | Look at (the map) |
Ordene (las palabras) | Put (the words) in order |
Participe | Take part |
Ponga (las frases) en orden | Put (the sentences) in order |
Pregunte | Ask |
Rellene los espacios | Fill (in) the gaps |
Repita (otra vez) | Repeat (again) |
Responda a | Reply to, respond to, answer |
Siga las instrucciones | Follow the instructions |
Subraye | Underline |
Tache | Cross out /Cross off |
Traduzca (al inglés) | Translate (into English) |
¿Verdadero o falso? | True or false? |
This free course provided an introduction to studying languages. It took you through a series of exercises designed to develop your approach to study and learning at a distance and helped to improve your confidence as an independent learner.
If you enjoyed this course, you might be interested in studying the Open University module L194 Portales: beginners' Spanish. Or, if you are interested in other language short courses, rather than studying languages for a degree, you may want to have a look at what else is on offer here.
If you enjoyed this course, why not explore the subject further with our paid-for short course, Beginners Spanish 1: ¡Empezamos!?
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The material acknowledged below is Proprietary and used under licence (not subject to Creative Commons Licence). Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following sources for permission to reproduce material in this course:
Course image: Gilad Rom in Flickr made available under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Licence.
Las plazas: Barbara Scrivener;
Actividad 1.1: Courtesy of Tita Beaven;
Actividad 2.1: (c) Courtesy of Turespana, (d) Chris Sharp/South American Pictures; (e) Tony Morrison/South American Pictures;
Actividad 4.1: (c) Gabriela Larson Briceno;
Actividad 8.1: (left): courtesy of Hotel Santa Isabel, La Habana Vieja, Cuba;
Sesión 10 ¡A prueba! Part C: © Corbis; by Roger Zanni
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