Prepare to speak Spanish Out There Aim: Of course a lot of us travel with a map, but sometimes we need the help of the locals for directions to the best-kept secrets. What we are going to learn in this mini-lesson is how to buy tickets for the metro and buses, ask for directions and most importantly understand the response! Venue: To practise you can try this anywhere, but if you are in Madrid we recommend the area around Palacio Real where people are hanging about, not rushing. Find out how to get to places nearby using the questions you will find in the task below. 1. Test: Do you know how to buy tickets for the metro? There is going to be a pause for you to say it, or just listen and repeat for now: Uno al centro por favor.. One (ticket) for the centre, please. Here you don t need to say the word ticket, which very conveniently is also ticket in Spanish. If you want more than one, just replace uno with the number of tickets you want (dos, tres ) the rest of the sentence remains the same. Also, you can replace al centro with a and the name of the station, e.g. a Plaza de Castilla. Here is a possible answer: Uno veinte.... 1.20 (euro). Did you sound like the voice in the recording? If not, try again. If it makes it easier for you, write the words as you hear them on the dotted line next to the Spanish text. 2. How to ask for directions? Many different ways: Cuál es la parada de metro más cercana?...... Perdone, me puede decir... dónde queda... la calle San Nicolás?.. La calle San Nicolás, por favor? Hay una farmacia cerca de aquí? Which is the nearest metro station? Excuse me, can you tell me where is St Nicolas street? St. Nicolas street please? Is there a pharmacy near here? Copyright Languages Out There Ltd. 2006 1
Dónde esta el hotel Sevilla? Está cerca el museo? Está lejos? Where is the hotel Sevilla? Is the museum nearby? Is it far? 3. and some possible answers: Siga recto.. La primera a la derecha. Gire a la izquierda. Allí. Esta muy cerca / lejos. Coja el metro / autobús. Lo siento, no sé. Go straight. The first street to the right. Turn left. Over there. It s very close / far. Take the metro / bus. I m sorry, I don t know. Siga, and gire are imperative, a common form, like in English. It s not impolite to talk this way. 4. Other possible places you might want to look for: Un banco Una tienda La Plaza Campo del Moro El museo La oficina de correos La oficina de información A bank A shop The square (Park in Madrid) The museum The post office The information centre 5. Pause the podcast now to read this glossary of useful words: Cuál es : which is la parada: the stop la parada de metro / autobús: the metro stop / the bus stop más cercana: the nearest. It can also be cercano, if the noun it follows is masculine. Perdone: Excuse me me puede decir: can you tell me? donde: where queda: is located Copyright Languages Out There Ltd. 2006 2
la calle: the street por favor: please hay: there is / there are (singular and plural) una farmacia: a pharmacy cerca de aquí: near here siga: go - for directions only. There are more verbs to say to go. recto: straight a la izquierda: to the left a la derecha: to the right la primera: the first, meaning street (calle) in the dialogue. Also el primero when the noun it describes is masculine. la segunda: the second, la tercera: the third gire: turn, the verb is girar. todo: all 7. Match these statements with their meanings. When you finish, go back to the first page to check if you are right: Siga recto. La primera a la izquierda. Gire a la derecha. Allí. a. Over there. b. Turn right. c. Go straight. d. The first left. 8. Here is a dialogue you could have in the street. Can you translate it in English?: You: Perdone, me puede decir donde queda la calle Mayor? Passer by: Siga todo recto, y gire la primera a la izquierda. You: Gracias! Use the glossary above to translate the dialogue. Then turn the page to see if you are right. Copyright Languages Out There Ltd. 2006 3
Answer: You: Excuse me, can you tell me where is Mayor street? Passer by: Yes, go straight, and turn left at the first (street). You: Thank you! 9. Now try to make a dialogue using the phrases and examples above. First write it and then try to say it aloud. Go back to the recording and check your pronunciation. 10. Resume listening to the podcast now to hear these useful phrases for your Out There task. If you have done other mini self-study Spanish Out There lessons you probably remember the phrases below. If not, have a look: Disculpe, Señor / Señora Estudio español. Puedo hacerle unas preguntas? Si / No / Vale. Lo siento, no entiendo. Puede repetirlo por favor? Cómo se escribe? Muchas gracias. Adiós! / Hasta luego. Excuse me Sir / Madam I m learning Spanish. Can I ask you some questions? Yes / No / OK I m sorry, I don t understand. Can you repeat please? How do you spell (this)? Thank you very much. Goodbye! / See you later. 11. Pause the podcast now to practise before you go Out There. Try to find the missing words from the phrases below: 1. Está el museo? 2. esta el hotel Sevilla? 3. Hay una farmacia de aquí? 4. Cuál es la de metro más cercana? 5. La primera a la. 6. a la izquierda. 7. a Plaza de Castilla, por favor. 8. Uno al por favor. 9. Siga. 10. La San Nicolás, por favor? Copyright Languages Out There Ltd. 2006 4
Your Out There Task Resume listening to the podcast now, to hear other real-life students having conversations Out There, then start your own. Enjoy it! Pick a street or place you would like to find in the area that you are in. If you are in Madrid, we recommend a place near Palacio Real. Add the name of the street or place in the space after the question in the task below. Find some people who are not busy to ask for directions, introduce yourself and find out: directions to a place you would like to visit, or street the nearest metro station. a bank, a museum, a chemist, or other. Take notes of the directions and then follow them to find out if they are right, before you ask the next person. Use the questions below. Start the conversation by saying what you do. This will make it easier for you to start your conversation: Hola. Estudio español. Puedo hacerle unas preguntas? Me puede decir donde queda / la calle... 1 2 3 4 Cuál es la parada de metro más cercana? Hay un (banco) por aquí cerca? How did that go? You have now completed another mini, self-study Spanish Out There lesson. If you liked being able to communicate in Spanish, there are more lessons you can do. Or why not book some original Spanish Out There lessons at quality Language schools in Spain. These start in the classroom and then you go Out There with your teacher. For more information, visit www.languageoutthere.com. Copyright Languages Out There Ltd. 2006 5
MORE ABOUT LANGUAGES OUT THERE Languages Out There was established by experienced language teaching professionals in 2001. The first (English) courses were taught in London. Use it and you won t lose it. By using your new knowledge instantly you ll remember it and have the confidence to use your new skills again and again. You ll get a buzz from making yourself understood to native speakers.. Our objective is to change the way that language is taught by introducing expertly structured methods that incorporate interactive, real world elements into every class. Our usual mode of lesson delivery is via fully qualified and experienced language teachers. Languages Out There courses are now available for a number of major languages and are taught in many of the world s major cities. For details of all Languages Out There courses, please go to www.languagesoutthere.com Copyright Languages Out There Ltd. 2006 6