Destinations — Voy a España means I am going to Spain; estoy en México means I am in Mexico; soy de Perú means I am from Peru. A indicates movement towards, en location, de origin. Spanish normally uses a with countries here: do not import French en for going to Spain.
Transport — Viajo en tren, en avión or en coche means I travel by train, plane or car; voy a pie means I walk. El viaje is the journey/trip; viajar is the infinitive to travel. Compare cost, time and access using the stated information rather than assuming all routes are equivalent.
Tickets and times — Quisiera un billete de ida y vuelta means I would like a return ticket; solo de ida means one-way. Sale a las nueve means It leaves at nine; llega a las diez means It arrives at ten. Identify which time the question requests.
Directions — Sigue todo recto, gira a la derecha and cruza la calle mean Go straight on, turn right and cross the street. These are singular commands. Está enfrente del banco means It is opposite the bank; de + el contracts to del. Distinguish derecha, right, from derecho in todo recto-type descriptions of straightness.
Weather — Hace sol, hace frío, llueve and hay niebla mean It is sunny, cold, raining and foggy. Estar is used in está nublado, it is cloudy. Weather phrases do not all use one verb. Hizo sol reports a completed sunny period; hacía sol sets a past background.
During a visit
Accommodation — Me alojo en un hotel means I stay in a hotel. Una habitación individual/doble is a single/double room. ¿Tiene baño? asks whether it has a bathroom. Con desayuno and sin desayuno distinguish breakfast included/excluded; a price alone does not prove what is included.
Requests and problems — No funciona la ducha means The shower does not work; he perdido mi pasaporte means I have lost my passport. ¿Puede ayudarme? asks Can you help me? The object me attaches to ayudar; me puede ayudar is also possible. State the actual problem clearly.
Activities — Visito museos, saco fotos and compro recuerdos mean I visit museums, take photos and buy souvenirs. Me gusta conocer lugares nuevos means I like getting to know new places. Visitar a mi abuela needs personal a for the specific person, unlike visitar un museo.
Shops and meals — ¿Cuánto cuesta? asks How much does it cost? La cuenta, por favor requests the bill. Abierto/cerrado mean open/closed; a notice's opening hours may differ by day. Read exceptions such as excepto los lunes before planning a visit.
Past and future travel
Completed trip — El verano pasado fui a la costa y nadé en el mar means Last summer I went to the coast and swam in the sea. Fui is preterite ir; nadé is regular -ar preterite. El hotel fue bueno evaluates the bounded stay; estaba cerca describes its location.
Background and incident — Estaba lloviendo cuando llegué means It was raining when I arrived. Estaba + present participle frames the ongoing background; llegué is completed arrival. No pude entrar means I could not get in on that occasion. Do not drop the negative when reporting the outcome.
Future holiday — El año que viene voy a visitar Chile means Next year I am going to visit Chile. Me gustaría viajar en tren gives a wish. Iré means I will go, a singular future form. At Higher, iremos extends it to we will go; label that extension.
Comparisons and choice — El tren es menos caro que el avión, pero tarda más means The train is cheaper than the plane but takes longer. Less expensive does not mean free. Justify a choice using the traveller's priorities and the actual timetable/cost evidence.
Communication task — Book an imagined room or ticket with a partner and clarify dates, facilities and price. Recount one trip and explain a future preference. Translate movement/location accurately; get feedback on whether the exchange resolves the requested information.
Checking a booking — Quisiera una habitación para dos personas del cinco al ocho de julio means I would like a room for two people from 5 to 8 July. El desayuno está incluido means Breakfast is included. Por persona is per person; por noche per night. A room rate does not automatically include every meal or every traveller, so check dates, quantity and inclusions before calculating a total.
Choosing attractions — Una playa, una montaña, un castillo and un mercado are a beach, mountain, castle and market. La visita dura una hora means The visit lasts an hour; se puede subir a pie means one can go up on foot. Match the activities, duration and stated facilities to the traveller's interests instead of choosing solely because a destination name is familiar.
A shop problem — Compré esta camiseta ayer, pero es demasiado grande means I bought this T-shirt yesterday, but it is too big. Quisiera cambiarla asks to exchange it, with la referring to camiseta. Una devolución can mean a return or refund in context. State the product, problem and requested response in the imagined exchange; the exercise does not establish a real shop's policy.
Delays and lost property — Perdí el tren means I missed the train; el tren lleva retraso means The train is delayed. He perdido mi maleta means I have lost my suitcase. Perdido therefore needs its object and context for a natural English translation. La próxima salida es a las tres gives the next departure: use the revised time, not the original time, in an onward plan.
Test yourself
30 questions · Random sets of 10. These quick checks support revision; practise longer explanations and justified judgements too.
Mind map
Use the branches to recall the ideas and explain their connections. Check the revision notes for the full detail.
ES7 · 1
View ES7 · 1 mind mapOpen the full-size map to zoom. Use the printable view for A4 landscape or enlarge to A3.
Mr Kidman's Classroom
