Coffee Break Spanish - CBS Scenes 1.01 | ¡Qué mal trago!

Episode Date: March 27, 2025

Join Mark and Pablo at the start of an engaging new story! In Chapter 1 of Scenes, our latest course for intermediate learners, we’re introduced to Isabel, her café, and its colourful array of customers. Each chapter unveils a scene from this charming café, giving us the chance to learn more about the people who walk through its doors.In this first chapter, we meet three nurses - Carmen, Míriam, and Pilar - who are unwinding at the café after their night shift at a nearby hospital. Míriam seems troubled by something, but Isabel steps in to help her feel better.Alongside the story, you’ll discover useful grammar and vocabulary, including phrases like un mal trago, echar una buena bronca, and quitar un disgusto.If this sounds like the perfect way to boost your language-learning journey, ¡no te pierdas el primer capítlo de Scenes!Click here to access the premium course of Scenes, which includes access to lesson notes, vocabulary lists, exercises and quizzes (and much more!) to check your understanding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sins from the Coffee Brick Spanish Cafe Lesson 1. Hello, and welcome to Coffee Brick Spanish. I'm Mark. Hello, and I'm Pablo. What, Pablo? Very well, with much illusion and with much ganas.

Well, yeah, bienvenido. Welcome to the Coffee Brick Spanish Recording Studio. We're delighted to have you here. And you're a recent recruit for Coffee Brick Spanish, a new member of the team. Yes, but I've done some things, no?

You may recognize, Pablo, from our Coffee Break Club videos or indeed our Friday emails, but we'll tell you more about that later. What we need to do now is talk about scenes from the Coffee Break Spanish Cafe. Pablo, can you explain us a bit?

What is Sins, this project? Well, it's a project that I mean me likes muchissimo. And it's about all the histories that occur in a bar. In a bar. No, there's nothing more

Spanish than a bar, I think. And when we see a bar, it's not like the word bar in English. An bar is a cafe. Somewhere where you would go for a coffee,

somewhere you'd go to catch up with the latest news that's happening around the village. Exactly. In a bar, you can't take a coffee, perfectly. Sure,

clear, OK, so what's happening is that we're going to follow the events that take place in this cafe. We'll get to know some of the locals. We'll get to know

some of the regulars. And we'll get to see a little bit of life in this Spanish-speaking town. Exactly. In every episode, we're going to read all the chapter.

Then we'll about the language, about the grammatica, all what there in the text. Yes, because there's a

lot of things. And then we'll go to learn to the chapter,

to listen the one more more. I'm it's perfect. Well, we're

here, no? VENG SINs from the Coffee Break Spanish Cafit

One The day has Amnese and it's and as every morning over the bar

was quite full of people and in one of the messes on the

on Carmen Miriam and Pilar three of the the

hospital at the although it's that it's that

they're they're they're they're that's that it's for that they'd the air, that they're

much time in the hospital. But, but, again, is because Pilar, the major of the three, always a time a coffee afwara to see a lot of the people that

they're going. They're in the can't but she was I'd be a relaxed and alivated, so it was

clear that they had been their turn of the night. I was to take to the command, and I asked

for the others. Some were they'd have been to go to a house to

get to get back. Miriam, the most young, was a little preoccupied.

At I'd ask us, how had gone to the night, me

they're that Miriam met a a little a

but it was just a error of Calculo. All solicitor

the pedid of material, he did doble, and the hefa of the

he's a good bronca. The other two two were because

a cellador new, very guapeton, he did he did do the

devolution of the material extra, and he he so he quitable the disgust.

When they paid the count, he gave a truce of tortilla in a cajita to get to get her. I said that I'm going to help us to forgets to forget the maltrague.

I think that he sent him very very well. Me sonrilled and me it was to say, well, before to start, Mark,

I have to confess that I'm I'm I like the story, because me it's very cool and

I think that they want to our people are very to be so I'm

for me it's something that's really real. It feels I can imagine it happening. I can imagine

life like this in a little village in Spain. Yes, what we'll do now is go

through each sentence and then talk about the language in the sentence and then look at further examples

and so on so Pablo, can you begin, please? Sure, the day has

has little gris. And as every morning, over the 8.5, the bar was a lot of people desalunando. Okay, so we'll take line by line here. El dia

a amanecido. This is from the verb amanecer, which means to dawn. Exactly, yes. What's the noun? The dawn. Ammanecer, the amenecer, too. Yeah, so it's a noun and a verb

the infinitive form. So the day a amanicido, The day has started, or just it started, because we're talking about a recent event here. We're still in that morning. The day started a little gray, the day dawned a little gray, and like every morning, and just like every morning about half past eight, the bar was quite full of people having breakfast. The verb to have breakfast, desayunar.

There we've got a geron. form, haven't we? That's the equivalent to ING forms in English. Okay, so desayunando. The verb is an AR verb, so desaionar.

So, then we quit the final, A.R, and we addie most Ando. So it's translating having breakfast or breakfasting literally.

Okay, let's continue on. In one of the messes of the terrace were Carmen, Miriam, and Pilar. Three of the Enfermeras

of the hospital of the Okay, so we're seeing here some of the characters in the story,

first of all, Carmen, Miriam and Pilar, and they are sitting in one of the messes

on one of the tables on the terrace. And who are they, Pablo? Well, are the

three that are in the hospital that's at this bar. In the hospital

de alado. So when you describe something that's next to something is

alado. Exactly. Let's continue. Although Aung free, always prefer they're saying

that it's for the air, that's much time in the hospital. Okay, although

a first subjunctive of our story. So, although it's cold, now what's going on here? Well,

here, we're doing, what we're going to say a big

hypothesis. Incluso I here it's cold even if it's cold. Even when it's

cold. Then they'll sit outside. Exactly. So we are formuland a hypothesis something

that could that can occur or it may that for this we need our

subjunitive. Perfect. So although it's a hypothesis. It's not this

particular situation because if we were talking about this morning,

even though it's cold this morning, Exactly. Although it's frio, because we know

it's cold. There's no hypothesis there. However, even if it's cold, even on the days that it's cold,

although it's cold, always prefer they always prefer to sit outside. And then they say,

they think it's for that they're for the, it's because they, well, it's kind of

because they can be in the fresh air. Literally, we say, so that the air gives to them. And that sounds a little bit strange, doesn't it? Yeah, absolutely. So how would we say, I want to get some air? Quiero, so we have to change it around and we say, I want the air to give

to me. Yes, so the structure is completely different. So they say outside, they prefer to sit outside. They prefer to sit outside. Dizen that is for that they say that it's to get some air because they want to get some air. Yes, because to work in a hospital can be a little bit stressante. Maybe they're feeling a little bit overwhelmed

being in the hospital the whole time and it's good to get some fresh air. That's much time in the hospital because they're in the hospital for a long time. And that key there is a really interesting key because it's taking the role of because it's taking the role of because

because, yes, we know, we're saying, a subordinated of causality is to explain why they're doing this

yeah would you say that that's something that we would be more likely to see in written

Spanish as opposed to in spoken Spanish I would say I'm not quite

of a context is a context more formal a conference or

something also also also also it's possible perfect

okay let's continue on but but another is

because Pilar the major of the three, always he's

a coffee to see a lot of the people that's a

further reason but what's more, is because Pilar, is because Pilar, the

major of the three of them. And I really this, because we could

say the more bit well little well so we can

say the most the oldest, but the major just sounds a little nicer.

Always a time a coffee afwara to see a lot of so she always has a coffee

while she's kind of watching people go by I think she's a little bit nosy a little bit a little bit a great word

so it's like a gossip someone who likes kind of being nosy and see what's going just just before we move

on this idea of se to a cafe it's not just tome a cafe we make it reflexive because it adds a little, doesn't it?

Yes, it's to give us more emphasis. It's a little bit more. And I think we use more. For example, I would say, me como a gull a gulletta. Yeah. And then probably, like a guise.

So we're talking about a biscuit, a cake, a cookie kind of thing. And you're saying, me, como. I eat to myself, literally. But it just gives that idea of,

it perhaps infers maybe that you, enjoying it more. Like a little treat. And it occurs with with muchissimos. It's a peculiarity of the Spanish. Very good.

Okay. So she always has a coffee outside because she likes watching people going by. Mm-hmm. Let's go on. Tenian

car of can't be a relaxed and alleviated. So it was clear that had been term of

night. Okay. So we're talking about the three ladies again, Carmen, Miriam, and Pilar. Tenian

car they can sas so literally they had the face of tired people but se las

las be yeah but they were also looked relaxed Pablo does an interesting

verbal construction there or a grammatical construction can you tell us about it

yes because we have impersonal because who sees them yeah exactly

one sees them or they are seen exactly exactly is not specified. And then we

have less, which is the direct object pronoun that replaces them. And bea in imperfecto. Otro

example, could say Mark, today today, but I'm not saying that it's me. Yeah.

I'm kind of like distancing myself. Okay. So you could have said it Te be Ocontent. So, and that's in

situation you're saying, I see you, as happy today. You look happy. But when you say, Cete dee content, it's like, Mark seems happy today. One sees Mark happy today. One sees Mark happy today. Exactly. Mark's happy every day, Pablo. Come on.

But we're talking here about the three ladies. So, so they looked relaxed and alleviated. Relieved? Mm-hmm. Yeah. So, it's It was clear that they had finished their night shift. Turno de noche, turn of day, turn of mornings, turn of tardes.

Very well. Okay. So, so far, we've met three people who are in the bar and the cafe. We're going to meet more, but we're going to take a short breakdown, and we'll be back in just a moment. In each episode of the scenes from the Coffee Break Cafe podcast, you'll enjoy listening to the story and our discussion of keywords and phrases from each chapter. But what if you could explore the language even further and take your learning to the next level? That's where the Seen's online course comes in.

For every chapter, you'll get comprehensive lesson notes, a video version of the reading, exercises, vocabulary, and even spotlight videos that help break down the key expressions and grammar points with additional examples. It's the perfect way to deepen your understanding and get even more from the story. To access this wealth of learning resources, visit coffeebreaklanguages.com slash scenes.

Okay, so we're in the bar. We're learning about Carmen Miriam in Pilar, and let's find out more about what's happening in our scene from the coffee break cafe. Venga. Me acerque to tomarles the commanda and pre-gunted for the other. Okay, so acercarse means to get close to something or to approach something. something. In this case, I approached them to take their order. So to take to them the order. Or to take to them the order. And I asked for the others. So when you're asking for someone, you're asking for someone in that sense. After someone. Yeah. Okay.

Some Libraven Oi and other I've had gone to get a

place to get a very good use of this verb Libran I

so when you Librar you are getting the day off you're taking the day off Okay

For example today I'm I'm no I'm but I'm

but I'm you Mark, I'm tomorrow I'm tomorrow I'm

so some some is Libravan, so somewhere taking the day off today, and another one, se had been had gone to casa, so this is

irse when you go off, when you leave somewhere. So, see, had been a casa'a that's something I think as learners we find quite difficult. And I think the most obvious example is the difference between vamos and bamos. Pablo, can you explain

those differences? Yes, it's a little strange to say, just, let's if you you're

in a place with a group of people and all you're we're

we're we're most most it's it's the same I

go to my go to a so it I'm a house literally

means I am going to the house I'm home but you really

are leaving one place and that's when we make it reflects or

for example Mark if I'm going to I'm going to you leaving already?

But if I'm going you're going to, where? At only. We need a place to

go to. So that's exactly what we're seeing here with Othra Se had had

gone home to rest. Perfect. Segued ? See us? Yes. Miriam,

the most young, was a little preoccupied. So

Miriam, the most youngest? Yeah, and Could we say the minor

because earlier we said the major and minor and work together and the more

and the more young perhaps were direct but Miriam, the youngest was a

little preoccupied she seemed a little worried effectively effectively at

when asked as how had had had the

night me was that Mirian met a put

a but it was just a error of a lot going on

here. So when we see Al plus an infinitive it means on doing

something or when I did something at question how had had

had gone on asking them how had gone the night

so when I asked them how the night shift went Mark

and here we we have a example of how

you have we've got Como with an accent which makes it look like a question word and the reason for this is actually it's an indirect question

A question A question A question So what happened was the narrator asked them how the night went I would say

Como haido la noche how did the night go but because we're talking about it in the past

we're recounting what happened so we put the verb further back into the past into the blue perfect at

askerles how had gone to keep the accent because it's still

part of this indirect question when I asked them how the night had gone

let's go on So, Me conted that Miriam metio a little the pata. So they told me

me, me contar that Miriam metio a little a pata. So meter the

pat is a lovely expression. It means to put your foot in it, to make a mistake. So Miriam

metio a little a pata. She had made a bit of a mistake. But it

was just an error of calculation. But it was just an error of calculation.

It was just a mistake of calculations. Exactly. And what was this error of calculation, Pablo? Al solicitar the pedido de material,

it was double. And the jeffa of the infirmary a lot of a bonka. So, al solicitar the pedido of material, when she was ordering the material

or unordering the material, that same al plus the infinitive, yeah, uh, lo is a double. She did the double of it. She basically, ordered twice the number that she should have.

And me I'm a double because it can be a noun. For example, I'm a double. Mark, you've got a double ganger? It can be a adjective,

a camera double. Yeah, a double bed. Or an adverbio. Lo is do double. Yeah, so she did it double the time that she should have. Okay.

And the jeffa of the infirmary let's a bronca. And the head of the nurses or the head of the infirmary, Le etcho a bronca. So, etchar a someone

a bronca means to give someone into trouble. To give someone a row or to tell someone off. Yeah, okay. So etchar a bronca and just watch

the le because we see here Le, Echchon a bronca. She gave to her a row. Exactly. The pronoun

of complemente indirect. And it wasn't just a row or a telling off. It was a good telling off. A good telling off. But poorice,

yeah. All we can have a despise Exactly, exactly Okay,

let's continue on The other other two amygas were because a cellador

new very guepeton he helped to do the devolution

of the material extra and he he oh, ui

ui y, so salse yeah some more cotillo here

I think is like gossip excellent so so let's go back and work through this. Las other two friends, they were laughing.

Why were they laughing? Because a celladour new, mui guapeton. A cellad is a porter in a hospital, yeah? Very guapeton. So guapo means good-looking, but what was guapeton? Aun more.

Guapton or guapetona. It highlights more how handsome or pretty someone is. Okay, so a really good-looking new port- he helped her to do to do the devolution of the material. So he helped her to do

the devolution to do the return. So to return the material or to return the goods. Refund as well. And he approached to pay her mobile.

And someone took advantage of this to ask someone else for their number. Who's doing what? The celador is the that's the okay

for to pay him because otherwise we would have said Miriam I'll take to pay him

exactly because as he was the who was the he he said perfect

okay so I don't know maybe something will happen here I guess this is the cotilléo of the

bar exactly so let's continue Miriam So, so Miriam se sonrojo, isn't it? Okay, so Miriam se sonrojo. So sonrojarse is a nice ferv, isn't it?

Yeah, I'm encaught, because, no see our audience has done down but contienes the color rojo, that is exactly what we blush. When we blush. So sonrojarse to blush, we've got rojo in there, or roja, sonrojarse, so Miriam, Se sonrojarojaroj.

So Miriam se sonorho. She blushed. And it seemed that she wasn't kind of getting over the upset, basically. Quidado with this word, because it's another thing in English, but no it is. Yeah, so disgust is a false friend. It doesn't mean disgust. It's just annoyance. Yeah.

So basically here, Miriam, she's quite embarrassed, but she's also maybe a little bit put out by this teasing that's happening I think. Between the bronka of the jeffa. See. The flirteo

oligoteo is a okay. Let's continue on. When they did you know a quote a

tortilla in a cajita to get a carita to get a bar owner who's of course our narrator

but they clearly know their customers well. Yeah I think so so when they asked for the Bill, leaive

a trotzo of tortilla. I took her a piece of tortilla. And that's Le to her and

I'm preter tense of a piece of tortilla, Spanish omit, of a slice, yeah,

in a cajita in a little box to take away. And here we have the diminutive

ita, but for example, in my people, we'd we'd we'd say,

Cachica. In some other past, they might say, Cahilla. There's a lot variation in here. It's the first part of the word that counts in a sense.

Whoever comes after is that ita, I co, you know, whatever, okay. So I gave her a little piece, I took her a little piece of tortilla to make her feel better. Yes. Okay. Le did he, that I waspera

that the tortilla of La Tia Issa the helpace to to avoid her the maltrago. So I told her that I hoped that the tortilla of La Tia Issa,

So Aunt Issa's tortilla, Le Ayyazes to Obidar El Maltrago. That it would help her, we've got a nice imperfect subjunctive there, to forget the maltrago.

Literally to forget the bad swallowing, maybe to take away the bad taste in her mouth. Yes, it's a expression very curious. It's nice, though. But we've also got

La Ayudace. We could have said la Ayudara. Yes, the two forms are correctas in the imperfect of the subjunctive. And it's there, the subjunctive is there because of Esperar-K-Kee. Exactly. That's the decadenadeant or trigger of the subjunctive here. So, Le, I told her, that I hoped that the tortilla of the Tia Isa's Tortilla, her, I said to her that I hoped that anti-isa's tortilla would help her forget the bad experience. Perfect.

I think that he sento very well. Me sonri-o and me lo agradecio de course. So it seems to have worked. I think it went down well. I think it worked. That's, of course, sentar well. so to sit well with something ideally, you know. Or to take something well, see.

So I think she took it well. Me sonriyo, she smiled at me, and she thanked me from the bottom of her heart. That's what we're clearly seeing that there are customers in the bar and the cafe who are known well to the owner of the cafe, the person who's narrating this story. And as the story develops, we'll see more of this. through the subsequent chapters.

Yes, I'm doing. I'm sure exactly this bar in any city. Perfect. Well, what we

going to do now is re-escuched the text one more and now we've talked a

bit of the grammatica of the vocabulary a little all, then it

has more more more day has amnestyed a little gris, and as much every morning, over the 8.5, the bar was was a lot of people desalunando. In one of the messes of the terrace

were Carmen, Miriam, and Pilar, three of the infirmaries of the hospital the al-lado. Although it's free, they're always preferring they can siters'fuer. They're saying that it's for that they

do the air, that they're much time in the hospital. But, also, is because Pilar,

the major of the three, always is a coffee to see a out of to see a person,

they're they're all the but they're they're they're really and liviated,

so it was clear that they had been have term of the night. I'm a to take them the commande,

and I asked for the other. Some were they'd have had gone to a house to get to get back.

Miriam, the most young, was a little preoccupied. At asked us, how had

had been the night, me told that Miriam met a little the pata,

but was just an error of Calculo. At solicit the

pedid of material he's double and the chief of the he's

a good bronca. The other two two were

because a cellad new a great guapeton he

helped to do the devolution of the material

extra and he and he, Inaut, to pay him his mobile.

Miriam was onroj, and it was he he'd he'd he did he

did the money, he'd get a little a little

a little a little and he'd I'm, I

said, he'd help to help us to give to make

he he's so he's I'm sorry and me it's a great

so you know the podcast. Yes, me have been very very well and I'm

very intrigued for how continue the story. Perfecto. Now, if you're listening to

the podcast version of this, then you may be interested to know that we have a

premium version of our course, which includes lots of bonus materials to help you

get into all of the language included in the text in more detail and of course also practice

it with exercises. And you can find that at Coffee Break Languages.com slash scenes. If, of course, you're already in the Coffee Break Academy using this course, then we would suggest

that you move on and work through the additional materials for this chapter. See, and don't forget that we also share more Spanish tips and tricks and help you build your language skills even more every week in our free newsletter. Now, to access this, just go to coffeebreakspanish.com and sign up there. Perfecto. Well, much thanks, Prabol. Of nothing, Mark.

And much thanks to all you our people, our guests. And until the next. After the

next. Adios. You have been listening to a coffee brick language's production for the

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