Coffee Break Spanish - Season 3 – Lesson 18 – Coffee Break Spanish

Episode Date: August 5, 2011

In episode 18 of Coffee Break Spanish Season 3, Mark and Alba talk about the advantages and disadvantages of buying things online, and share their experience, both positive and negative. In this week���s intermedio, Alba presents the city of Granada in the south of Spain, and José talks about ways to describe someone whose head is always in the clouds. Grammar points covered include the personal a, present subjunctive, double negatives, and the expression dar ganas a alguien. Please note that lesson 18 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 318 of Coffee Break Spanish. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break Spanish features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break Spanish in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break Spanish on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your Spanish. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Access the Coffee Break Spanish Facebook page here.If you’d like to find out what goes on behind the scenes here at Coffee Break Languages, follow @coffeebreaklanguages on Instagram.You can also check out our Coffee Break Spanish Twitter page and the Coffee Break Languages YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showtime Spanish episode 18 It's hour to pass to the next level of the ensayos to the spectacle That's over the tern Well, Alba, How is you, Mark?

Hello, And you, Mark? Well, the truth is that me duels a little bit of the garganta. How, how is? Yes, I hear your voice very profound

today. I'm the body white of showtime Spanish You're my first, my last, my everything. We're here to Mark in a plan

way. Yes, yes, sure, the truth is that me dole much,

but I'm here for you're so I'm to try to talk to talk, but it's

a little more more than normal, of the normal. Very well, well,

today we're going to talk of a thing that Mark and I have been

about a last a little. Discutient because we're not we're

we're we don't put we're going to agree in this. To be

to see you know I'm going after you know, after when I'm

when I'm thinking in all the time I'm doing my factura and the accounts and

all this I, I saw in internet a scanner that can be

to use for the recives and the factures so I think, what idea

but so high then then I'm to buy me

this scanner It was the day 29 of December, and, you know, it was a year ago the summer past. Wow. More than eight, eight semanas, without this scanner and without the possibility of doing all the counts.

But, well, I'm not quite content with the company. And no, I'm going to mention the name of the company here, but not I'm not going to be content. But the problem is that when I tried to to call to someone.

No, there was nobody that could be to be able to be I'm

well, no see, I think that you're doing this factor

of risk no? Yes, but it's the first that I'm

my time, I never never I've never I'm

yeah, but it's a big you know, the fact, I've never

been a thing, I've been been a disaster. In what manner?

Vend us. Well, I've bought a book and me I'm brought here

that's the I've had been the end of the end of a and so

for that I'm that you think it's much. I'm I've I've

I've people who have in the islands of the west of

Scotland and they're they're they're like the Tendas

the Londres or that or the And for them, you're trying for internet is perhaps the only way of

because so they're the same selection, the same gam of of things that we've been quite near the city, no?

Yeah, but then all the world does all right have them have been tried. What thing most curious,

no? But Alba, for example, if I go to a library, a me can't, the libraries,

I can pass hours ogeando the books and the revistas and what there.

But if, for example, I want to buy a book, it's that the

library no, no, no, I'm well, but that has

happened always. And always you can be in the library,

I can't try a copy a example of a example of

that I think that's you you go to you do this

book to the library and how they they're they they're

they by internet to the library, but you could you do you, you know, directly from the house.

And another thing that is very important for me is the fact that, for example, in the libraries online, you have the

comments of the people that have read the book that you want to or you want to

do you want. There is a question. But I think that thinking that

you're that you know, because, a bit, Mark, and I'm sure that's going to

this. I'm sure that you also you want to go to a time, take a

coffee, go to the second plant, ogear the revist of the

vajas. Vena. Yeah, you know, and you know, and you know, and you

know, I'm here I'm well, but there's there You know,

well, and another question, Mark, because you only do you only do you do you or things for the

computer or you're going to other products to the time? When we don't have much time we do

we're doing the business but the fact is that I don't because always get things

that you have been or some product caducated a exactly and

and rope Ropa? No. Never. Cases, never. No, I preferial to go to a Tienda and try me a rope and assure me that is my

tally. Okay, important. It's true that with the ropa is very dangerous, no? And for certain, now that we're

talking to the I'm, I'm going to tell to, well, I'm going to tell to all a lot

a new I was talking with an friend my and me He told that he has bought a

vestido an vestige for internet to assist to a new this fiesta. This is a

a fiesta something something that's something. So, I'm I'm,

well, and how is that's you've bought for internet from from

not there? And she she me respondio that she, I'm not going

to get to the that was a same his own a

normal, Alba. A me also me to presume of motelito, you know, Mark, there's a

little no, I'm sure that's very but you know, but you

have to give me to give me a new of Italy I'd to get

to get to get to it's not. Well, not it's a bad idea.

So, you have a idea, and I'm also

can't make to be that I do it You'll be, you'll be a, you know, Mark.

Yes, without, without. Well, pass us to resume of today. Today we've

talked of the advantages and the inconveniences to buy for internet.

Mark almost never has had been problems, has had been

books and the order of the many of the times get

well, and it is the solution perfect. But, In fact,

Alba not is very convinced has had been bad experiences

with their so so she she prefer to

the things we We're we do that we're we're

we're in that's the thing that's a because we're prefering to go to pass the the time to a library than to give a book

for internet. Vena, let's say, with the Intermedio. Well, welcome to the intermediate of

this episode of Shuteime Spanish. And in this episode, Alba, us will to talk

to a little a city that he good. Well, well, I'm

to be to the Granada, the Granada that is in the South

of Spain. So, so I I'm going to talk to three aspects that

I'm really to this city when the city when the first I'm so that's

we're we're going that's the aspect historical that is called to tell you're

the Alamra so it also you've heard of her yeah

that's a monument historic protected for the UNESCO is super

important the Alambra is really impressive Just I'm going to say that are some

those palaces Arabes that are like they're of a quote of a other other zone

that not you can't you can't the barrio of the albaicin this is very

typical for their architecture and its straights callyehuelas not you

you can't you also you also also I'm also I'm also I'm

much a Fiesta always and a good price. Compared with the

rest of Spain, is a place. We're say, between commies.

I'm an example. In Granada, when you want to get a

beer, you tryen the and a tap. It's that if if you

beves much cerebs, you could you can eat very very

very. The temperatures in Granada are quite curiousas. In

In the winter, it's a lot and in the winter it's a lot tremendous, as I've said. The temperatures are around the 35,

even the 40 degrees in the summer. And to start, I want to say you're very nearer

the port of the mountain of Sierra Nevada, which is very famous for those magnificas

pistas of ski in winter. So, so can ski in winter, and in

vera, to enjoy the cold and the Sets Arabes. Perfect. Well,

I'm pendent and go to get to Granada. No, I know Granada, never

I've never you know you're very good. Well, well,

that I recommend. Well, much thanks, Alba, and now he

to come to say, Hello, Alva, and all to Mark, and

all right and all you all you all the intermedio of

Showtime Spanish, the part of spectacle, where we learn phrases authentic, to help us to pass to the next

level. Today, I'm a little fed up. I'm a little fed up. I'm a little bit art, because, a I mean, I'm the impression of that never, nobody me listen. And is that, I guess,

I have to have to be the patience of a saint. I'm a professor, and I'm a lotleteastern, with people young. So, a

sometimes, I'm going to some of them, is that you're always in the clouds. Which means

you are always in the clouds, that is not paying attention. You're always in

the nubes. Other times I'm saying, Ablar Contigue is like about

about with the power. Which means talking to you is like talking to

a brick wall. You're not listening. Ablar with contigo is like

about to talk with the Pard. Well, now it it's a repeat to me.

Vena, Compartee my frustration. You're all ready? Vena, let's. It's that

you're in the nubes. Ablar with you is like about with the Pard.

Well, now, now you can't keepers when never nobody

you can't you and it's over to Mark and

Alba in the studio. A salute to all us and until the next. Adios. As someone

who's working on Spanish at an intermediate level you may also be interested in our coffee break Spanish magazine podcast.

This is a podcast for intermediate learners and we focus on texts which allow you to develop your linguistic knowledge

and also your cultural knowledge. We have presenters from Spain and also various parts of Latin America

so you'll be building your understanding of different accents throughout the series. Find out more about the Coffee Break Spanish magazine at coffeebreakacademy.com. One thing, Jose,

we're not sure, ah? Well, much thanks a Jose, and, and of Alva also. We're now into Act 2 of this week's Showtime Spanish, and as usual, there are a few points that I'd like to pick up on.

This week, there are three things I'd like to mention, and the first of these has to do with the personal A. Now, you already know that in Spanish, when the object of a sentence is a person, then normally you have to use what's called the personal a. For example, I see Carlos, beo a Carlos. Carlos is the object of the sentence, the person I am seeing in this case. Beo a Carlos. Now, if I had said, I see the book, I would have said meo el libra. In this case, El Libro is not a person, so there's no need to have a personal a in there.

That should be straightforward enough. Now, there are exceptions to most grammatical rules in pretty much any language, and we're going to look at one of the exceptions today with the verb tenet. Now, normally, you don't use a personal a with tenet. For example, if you say, I have a brother, you would say, Tengo an hermano. You don't say, Tengo a, an hermano. So, normally, you wouldn't use a personal a with tenet.

However, as I explained, there is an exception. And the exception is when you're talking about having someone here with you. For example, if I say, Tengo an Ehrmano, it means I have a brother. But if I want to say, I have my brother here with me, then I would say, Tengo a my hermano, Aki conmigo.

Tengo a my hermano, Aki conmigo. Alba said in the conversation today, We've got Mark in plena form, today. So we've got Mark here today on top form. And the other situation where you use the personal a with Tenet is when you want to infer that there's a strong emotional bond

between yourself and whoever it is you're talking about. For example, I have friends. But if I take a problem, So if I have a problem, I have my friends. And there I'm reinforcing the emotional bond, Tengo a misamigos. In a sense, it's really like slightly different nuances of the verb Tener to have.

If you're being fairly mundane and talking about what you have, in this case, friends. I've got friends, Tengo amigos. but if the having is more emotional and it's more inferring this connection between you and another person or other people then you're going to use Tenor a Tengo A Misamigos

Now if you make a mistake with this it's not going to make a huge difference to the meaning that you're conveying but like so many things in language if you can use it correctly and accurately then it will really help to build your range of expression. Now the second thing I'd like to pick up on

is the use of the verb Discuter. Discuter is one of those verbs that's a little difficult because it means something slightly different depending on this situation. If the verb is used transitively, that means it's used with an object,

then it means to discuss something. For example, we discussed the problem. We discuss the problem. However, if it's used intransitively with no object, then it can have the meaning to argue. So, we argued this morning. Now, if you want to argue about something, then you can use discutir for algo. We've discussed for la decision.

We argued over the decision. or we argued about the decision. So this is another example of a word which does change slightly in the meaning, depending on the way in which it's used, here, transitively or intransitively. We'll be coming across more of these in other episodes. Now, the one other thing I'd like to look at in this episode is the whole idea of double negatives.

Now, in good English, if you like, I don't know anyone is perfectly acceptable. It means that you don't know any of the people in a particular room, for example. If we were to say, I don't know no one, which is very common in particular regional varieties of English, it is, in fact, wrong, because as we know, two negatives make a positive. So I don't know no one means I know something.

someone. However, in Spanish, it's not wrong to use a double negative. In fact, it's very natural to use a double negative. And there were a couple of examples in this week's discussions. Let's start with a simple example, and that would be the translation of exactly what we've just said in English. I don't know anyone. In Spanish, that would become no, conosco, a Nadia. So literally, I don't know no one. And notice also the personal a in there too. No connozco a nadie.

Because even though no one doesn't really exist, it's still a person, if that makes sense. No connozco a nadie. So we have the no, which is of course making the verb negative, and also Nadiae, meaning no one, which in itself is a negative. But it's perfectly normal, indeed it is the only correct way to say that in Spanish. Now there was another example of this when Alba was describing her friend who had bought a dress online from Italy for her party, and she said, No, I want to find herself, encounterse con nadie.

So she didn't want to find herself, encounterarse, con nadie. with someone or face to face with someone she didn't want to find herself face to face with someone and of course we went on to find out that with someone wearing the same dress that's why she ordered the dress from Italy however here think about this

no carea encounterse with nae that literally means she didn't want to find herself face to face with no one but of course in English That doesn't make sense. So we have to say with someone in English, but Spanish has the double negative. No carea encounterse with nobody.

And the other example of a double negative in today's program was when Jose said, Nunca Nadia me escutia. So this literally means never no one listens to me. However, if we apply English logic to that, then that means people do listen to him. Never, no one listens to me would suggest that someone sometimes listens to him.

But in Spanish, we need the double negative. Nonka, nadie me scutia. And we would translate this as no one ever listens to me. So sometimes when we're translating, or working out what something means, we have to not only translate the words, but the concepts as well, and this double-negative concept

does not translate into an English double-negative. Indeed, it's a perfectly natural way to phrase particular things in Spanish. Well, yeah, it's for today, another episode of Showtime Spanish. I was a point to say Coffee Break Spanish, and, you know, know, you know, know, is our program,

a little more for those who are learning Spanish, but at a level more basic.

And if want you want to why not, also, also, there's also,

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