Lesson 14 Notes

January 27, 2007
CoffeeBreakSpanish.com
In this edition:
more help with
talking about
your town and
directions
Lesson 14
Notes
¿Hay un banco por aquí?
Lesson 14
Programme Notes
Welcome to Coffee Break Spanish, the podcast
aimed at independent learners of Spanish. In
Coffee Break Spanish we’ll be guiding you
through the basics of the Spanish language and
helping you to learn to communicate in Spain
and Spanish-speaking countries.
New vocabulary
un centro comercial
a shopping centre
In this week’s programme we’re continuing our
discussion of getting around the town, and you’ll
extend your vocabulary by learning to talk about
what there is in your town, as well as some
further examples of directions.
un bar
a bar
un hospital
a hospital
Pronunciation Revision
Lesson 14 begins with some revision of
pronunciation. Remember that ca-, co- and cuare pronounced with a “hard” c sound, similar to
the “c” in the English word “cat”. However, ceand ci- are pronounced differently: in Spain
they’re pronounced generally as “th-” as in
“theatre”. In most parts of Latin America they
are pronounced as “s-” as in “sell”.
ca-
calle (street)
co-
cómo (how)
cu-
curioso (nosey)
ce-
centro (centre)
ci-
ciudad (town)
una cafetería
café, coffee shop
una farmacia
chemist, pharmacy
It’s now time to put these new words into a new
question:
¿hay un bar por aquí?
is there a bar around here?
The word hay means “is there”, “are there”,
“there is” or “there are”. Remember that in this
word (as in all Spanish words!) the h is silent. Por
aquí means “around here”, or “in this area”.
Other examples:
We came across the word cerca last week which
includes both of these sounds, pronounced either
as “therka” or “serka”, depending on which part
of the Spanish-speaking world you’re familiar
with.
1
¿hay un centro comercial por aquí?
is there a shopping centre near here?
hay una farmacia por aquí?
is there a pharmacy near here?
Another two phrases which will help you explain
where something is, or indeed understand
someone’s directions now follow:
en frente de
opposite
En la ciudad donde vivo yo
in the town where I live
We can add these to cerca de and lejos de from last
week’s programme to explain various places
around the town.
If you say “the cinema is beside the market”, this
would theoretically be translated as el cine está al
lado de el mercado. However, in Spanish when de is
added to el, it becomes del. The above sentence
should read: el cine está al lado DEL mercado.
del
hay muchas cosas interesantes.
there are many interesting things.
Hay un cine y una catedral
There’s a cinema and a cathedral
y hay diecinueve restaurantes.
and there are nineteen restaurants
Una actividad
Have a look at the plan of a town below and,
without looking at the suggestions at the end of
the notes, try to come up with at least four
sentences about the relative location of different
places.
mercado
Un canción
We’re now going to put together some of the
words and phrases we’ve learned in a song.
al lado de
beside
farmacia
example: el centro comercial está en frente del parque
Remember the rules about de + el! Possible
answers are given at the end of the notes.
More locations
de + el
Here is an example to start you off:
piscina
The words to this song are a bit silly, but
hopefully it will help you to talk about what there
is in your town. You can use the first line of this
song, or change it to:
en mi ciudad, hay...
in my town, there is...
The second verse of the song changes the third
line only:
hay un bar y un centro comercial
there is a bar and a shopping centre
comisaría
bar
parque
cafetería
ayuntamiento
restaurante
iglesia
centro
comercial
2
The third verse changes the third line to:
hay una oficina de turismo
there is a tourist information office
By singing along to the song you’ll be practising
the language associated with talking about your
town.
Una conversación
We’ve included another conversation in the
recording of the bonus podcast. Once again,
we’ve used the right-ear/left-ear technique to
help you to take part in this conversation and try
out your Spanish.
Señor: A ver... siga todo recto, doble a la
derecha y luego a la izquierda. Está
en frente de la piscina.
Mark: Vale, todo recto, a la derecha y
luego a la izquierda.
Señor: Sí, y está en frente de la piscina.
Mark: Muy bien. Muchas gracias.
Mark: Por favor...
Señor: ¿Sí? ¿En qué puedo ayudarle?
Señor: No hay problema. Adiós.
Mark: Me sabe decir si hay una farmacia
por aquí.
Señor: Una farmacia... Bueno... creo que
sí. Está bastante lejos. Está al lado
del centro comercial.
Mark: ¿Dónde está el centro comercial?
Vocabulary lists
Listed overleaf are all the words and phrases
contained in this lesson. New words and phrases
included in the conversation are given in the
Bonus Vocabulary section.
CoffeeBreakSpanish: Lesson 14 - Basic Vocabulary
el centro comercial
shopping centre
el bar
bar
el hospital
hospital
la cafetería
café, coffee shop
la farmacia
chemist’s / pharmacy
¿hay ... por aquí?
is there ... near here?
al lado de
beside
en frente de
opposite / facing
del (de + el)
of the / from the
interesante
interesting
la ciudad
town
CoffeeBreakSpanish: Lesson 14 - Bonus Vocabulary
¿en qué puedo ayudarle?
how can I help you?
me sabe decir si...
can you tell me if... (formal)
bueno...
well...
creo que sí
I think so
bastante
quite
a ver...
let’s see...
vale
ok
no hay problema
not a problem
3
Put it to the test!
This crossword will help you test your vocabulary for places in the town. More crosswords and puzzles
will feature in forthcoming language guides. Try to do the crossword without referring to your
vocabulary lists!
CoffeeBreak Spanish Lesson 14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Across
Down
4. town
6. opposite
8. quite
11. I think so
12. pharmacy
14. how can I help you?
16. can you tell me if...
17. coffee shop
1. well...
2. no problem
3. shopping centre
5. interesting
7. park
9. hospital
10. beside
13. bar
15. ok
Sample answers for Map activity:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
El mercado está al lado de la farmacia.
El restaurante está en frente del mercado.
La piscina está al lado de la farmacia.
La comisaría está al lado de la cafetería.
El restaurante está en frente del mercado.
El ayuntamiento está en frente de la cafetería.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
El bar está al lado del parque.
El centro comercial está en frente del parque.
La iglesia está en frente del bar.
La piscina está lejos del parque.
La iglesia está cerca de la comisaría.
El mercado está lejos del centro comercial.
CoffeeBreakSpanish.com
All materials ©Copyright Radio Lingua International 2007
4