In our premium lessons, we practice giving directions in Spanish within a hospital. In this post, I will review the essential questions, verbs, prepositional phrases, adverbs and places we learned in this series.

Asking for Directions 

Here is a list of all the different ways practiced asking for directions in the audio lessons: (I will use the USTED conjugation for this list. We also practice the tú conjugation in the audio lessons.)

1.  Disculpe. Perdone. (Excuse me.) 
2. ¿Me puede decir .... ? (Can you tell me...?)
3. ¿Me podría decir...? (Could you tell me...?
4. ¿Podría indicar me.... ? (Could you show me...?)
5. ¿Cómo llego a....? (How do I get to...?)
6. ¿Cómo se llega.... ? (How do you (does one) get to...?)
7. ¿Sabe dónde está.... (Do you know where ____ is?)
8. ¿Por dónde se va... (How do you (does one) go to ....?)
9. ¿Por dónde voy....? (How do I go to .... ?)

Notes:

• Using the conditional of poder, PODRÍA, makes the request more formal and polite, but
is certainly not necessary.
• It is common to use the IMPERSONAL SE, as in questions #6 and #8, when asking for
directions.
• Notice how we use the verb LLEGAR A to say "to get to." I remember when I used to
stumble over how to say this in Spanish, until I realized it was simply LLEGAR! 

Common Verbs for Giving Directions

During the exchanging we use the following verbs when asking and giving directions in the audio lesson, and we practice both the usted and tú conjugation of the verbs and their respective commands.

When appropriate, I will use the tú conjugation of the verb.

Seguir

Seguir can mean to follow or simply to go.

" Sigue este pasillo. " (Follow this hallway.)
" Sigue todo recto." (Go straight.)

Llegar a

As discussed above, LLEGAR is the Spanish equivalent of " to get to" in English. Note that we use the preposition " a" before the location to which we arrive. It is common to use the subjunctive of llegar when giving directions.

" Cuando llegues a.... " (When you get to... )

Doblar/Girar

Both are used in Spain and Latin America to say " to turn." My impression is that DOBLAR is

more common in Latin America and GIRAR is more common in Spain.

" Dobla a la izquierda. " (Turn left.)

Pasar

This verb can be used to say " to pass" or to simply express movement, as in " to enter, to move, to
go, etc."

" Pasa adelante. “(Come in or go ahead.)" Pasa por recepción." (Go through reception.)" Pasarás la sala de urgencias a la izquierda." (You will pass the emergency room on your left.)

Tomar

On the street you can simply say, " toma la segunda a la derecha" and it is understood that you are referring to the street.

" Toma la segunda (calle) a la derecha." (Take the second right.)" Toma el segundo pasillo a la derecha." (Take the second hallway on your right.)" Toma el ascensor o las escaleras." (Take the stairs or the elevators.)" Toma la derecha." (Take a right.)

Subir

" Sube al cuarto piso." (Go up to the 4th floor.)

Bajar

" Baja al sótano." (Go down to the basement.)

Dar(se) la vuelta

" Da la vuelta y sigue derecho." (Turn around and go straight.)

Ver

" Verás los rótulos adelante." (You'll see the signs ahead.)
"¿Ves ese pasillo?" (Do you see that hallway? )

Entrar a

To express entering a location you follow it with the preposition EN or A. Many Spanish
speakers prefer the preposition A as it sounds less redundant than EN.

" Entra al hospital." (Enter the hospital.)

Cruzar

" Cruza el puente. " (Cross the bridge.)

When You Need to Get There Quickly

Tardarse mucho / poco en llegar.

(To take a long / short time to get there.)

¿Se tarda mucho en llegar? (Does it take a long time to get there? )

Se [indirect object pronoun] hace tarde.

(___ running late. )

Se me hace tarde. (I am running late.)

Está a [period of time or distance].

(It's ___ away.)

Está a dos horas de aquí. (It is two hours from here.)

Prepositional Phrases, Adverbs & Adjectives for Giving Directions

When appropriate, I will use the usted conjugation of the verb in the examples below.

A la derecha / izquierda

(to the right/left)

" Doble a la derecha. " (Turn right.)

A mano derecha / izquierda

(on the right-hand/left-hand side)

" Verá la sala de recuperación a mano derecha." (You will see the recovery room on the righthand side.)

Cerca / lejos

(close / far)
OJO: These are adverbs, so they do not change with the associated noun.

" El hospital está cerca." (The hospital is close.)

Mas cercano(a) / lejano(a)

(closest)
OJO: These are adjectives, they do change with the noun they modify.

" ¿Dónde están los baños más cercanos? " (Where are the closest bathrooms? )

(Todo) derecho / recto

(straight)

"Siga todo recto." (Go straight.)

Al final, al fondo

(at the end)
The phrase " al fondo" has varied uses, which we practice in the audio lessons.

"Está al fondo del pasillo a la derecha." (It's down the hall to your right.)

Enfrente de, frente a

(in front of, across from)

"La sala de espera está enfrente de la recepción." (The waiting room is across from reception.)

Delante de

(in front of)
Used to refer to the order of things on the same side of the hallway or street.

" Ella está delante de mi." (She's in front of me.)

Próximo(a), Siguiente

(next)

Es la próxima puerta a la izquierda. (It's the next door on the left.)

Detrás de, Atrás de

(behind)

"Los ascensores están detrás de usted." (The elevators are behind you.)

Adelante

(ahead, forward)

"Verá las escaleras adelante." (You'll see the stairs ahead.)

A la vuelta

(around the corner)

"Está a la vuelta." (It's around the corner.)

Entre

(between)

"La salida está entre el ascensor y las escaleras." (The exit is between the elevator and the stairs.)

Al lado de, junto a

(next to)

OJO: These are prepositions, so they do NOT change with the associated noun.

" La oficina de seguridad está al lado de la oficina de estacionamientos." (The security office is next to the parking office.)

A (la) mitad de

(halfway, in the middle of)

" Lo verá a mitad del pasillo a la derecha." (You'll see it halfway down the hall on the right.)

En (el) medio de, en el centro de

(in the middle of)

"Las escaleras están en medio del vestíbulo." (The stairs are in the middle of the lobby.)

Sobre, encima de

(over, above)

"Verá un letrero que dice 'Sala de Maternidad' sobre dos puertas grande." (You will see a sign
saying " Maternity Ward" over two large doors.)

Places and Structures Within a Building

La recepción (reception)
El vestíbulo (lobby)
La sala (room, lounge, hospital ward)
La cafetería (cafeteria)
El pasillo, el corredor (hall, hallway)
El piso (floor)
El sótano (basement)
El ascensor (elevator)
Las escaleras (stairs)
La puerta (door)
La salida (exit)
La entrada (entrance)
Los letreros, rótulos (signs)
El puente (bridge)
La oficina (office)
El estacionamiento (parking lot)

Now it's your turn to practice this vocabulary and put it to use as you interpret asking for and giving directions in Spanish.

In the premium audio lessons, we cover:

• Common Verbs
• Common Prepositions of Location and Direction
• Structures Within a Building
• Department within the Hospital  

Member? Practice giving directions in Spanish!

Listen to the free introductory lesson to this series.

Become a member! The post Do you know how to give directions in Spanish? appeared first on Doc Molly.

Do you know how to say Happy Holidays in Spanish? In this lesson, we practice saying Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and more in Spanish.

Watch the video version of this lesson on YouTube.

Sign up for our member lessons and get 25% off your subscription through New Year’s Day 2024. 

• All Access Subscription (All our Medical Spanish + Spanish Grammar lessons) 
• Premium Medical Subscription
• Premium Grammar Subscription 

LEVEL – BEGINNER

Happy Holidays

¡Felices Fiestas!

¡Felices Vacaciones!

Merry Christmas

¡Feliz Navidad!

Happy New Year

¡Feliz Año Nuevo! 

I wish you a happy new year! 

Te deseo un próspero año nuevo.

Les deseo un próspero año nuevo. 

Happy 2024!

¡Feliz 2024!

If you like this podcast, please give us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Así podemos llegar a más gente. ¡Gracias!

The post Say Happy Holidays in Spanish! appeared first on Doc Molly.

I am back with Rory Foster for an interactive lesson focused on discussing injuries in Spanish. This lesson builds upon one of Rory's lessons at Common Ground International. In this lesson, we practice talking about bruises, cuts, ruptures, breaks, tears, and sprains. We will first present a verb, a noun, and an adjective that all share the same root. Then, we will use this vocabulary in phrases as we discuss these different types of injuries. 

A big shout out to La Comunidad's teachers, Nelly from Colombia, Gloria from Mexico, and Daniela from Mexico, for reviewing the phrases in this lesson. 

All Access or Premium Medical Members: Access full show notes, download PDF, and take the quiz within the Spanish for Emergencies Course.
Premium Grammar Members: Download PDF.

LEVEL - INTERMEDIATE 

Table of Contents

• Moretones 3:54
• Quemaduras 6:21
• Cortadas 8:45
• Desgarros / Desgarres 10:25
• Roturas 13:22
• Torceduras 14:55
• Cierre 16:20

Before you go, don't forget to check out Common Ground International's Spanish Immersion Trips to Latin America!
 
Rory and I will continue our review of injuries in a member lesson on scrapes, dislocations, swelling, bites, stings, and more. Become a member, and get this lesson via our Premium Medical Spanish Podcast feed this weekend. 

¡Gracias por escuchar! 

The post Bruises, Cuts, Ruptures, Breaks, Tears, and Sprains appeared first on Doc Molly.

In today's episode, I interview Rory Foster of Common Ground International about their Medical Spanish Courses and Medical Spanish Immersion Trips to Latin America. 

Common Ground International is an excellent resource for learning medical Spanish. They offer courses from beginner to advanced and Medical Spanish Immersion Trips to Ecuador and Costa Rica. Their Spanish Immersion Programs are for all levels and include: 

• Spanish immersion classes 
• Volunteer programs in the community
• Homestays with local families
• Weekend excursions 

They just returned from their winter program in Costa Rica in February. On June 16, they travel to Ecuador to begin a 2-week program. On July 1st, they head to Costa Rica, where they offer a 6-week program. You can adjust the duration of your trip to your schedule. Learn more in the interview. 

Join their informational session on Monday, March 20th @ 7 PM MT.

Gracias por escucharnos y volveremos pronto con una lección interactiva que hemos creado juntos. 

Un abrazo, 

Doc Molly 

The post Interview with Rory Foster – Medical Spanish Immersion Trips! appeared first on Doc Molly.

In this lesson, we explore verbs with the body and learn when to use the pronominal (reflexive) vs the non-pronominal form of the verb. 

While working on our latest series covering common orthopedic injuries in Spanish, I noticed how the verb to say, "I injured my knee," is pronominal: "Me lesioné la rodilla." Whereas the verb to say, "I bent my knee," is not: "Doblé la rodilla." So why is that? We learn this and more in this audio lesson. It’s a tricky subject, so I will try to make it clear through lots of examples.

Member? Access full show notes, download PDF, and take the quiz within the Spanish for Emergencies Course. 

Le doy las gracias a Gloria Becerril por ayudarme con el español de esta lección. Click here to take classes with Gloria!

Table of Contents

• Unintentional Actions 1:34
• Reflexive Actions with a Part of the Body 3:09
• Deliberate Actions with Part of the Body 5:19
• Deliberate Actions with the Whole Body
  • Mover(se) 7:29
  • Hacerse y Ponerse 9:21
  • Ponerse 10:52

Related Lessons

• Verbs with the Body in Spanish – Intro
• Movement Module of our Physical Therapy Course
• Verbs with the Body - History and Exam Course (Member Lesson)
• Reflexive Verbs in Spanish (Member Module) 

The post Pronominal vs Non–Pronominal Verbs appeared first on Doc Molly.

Grammar From the Medical Spanish Podcast

It's been a while since I published the last lesson in the Spanish Grammar Review podcast. However, that’s not because I haven’t been podcasting about Spanish grammar. I just decided to dedicate the time I have outside of the hospital to my Medical Spanish Podcast and in the Medical Spanish Podcast, we cover a ton of advanced grammar within the context of clinical dialogues. Today’s podcast is an excerpt from our latest Medical Spanish podcast on the Covid vaccines. In this excerpt, we practice making a hypothetical if-then statement using the imperfect subjunctive and the conditional. 

For this Spanish Grammar Review podcast, I have added a couple of examples where we then practice how to make and if-then statement that is not hypothetical, but reflects a real possibility.

Quick Navigation Grammar From the Medical Spanish PodcastMaking If-Then StatementsVocabularyHypothetical If-Then Statement Hypothetical vs Possible and AUNQUEPractice ReviewHypothetical Possible Related LessonsQuiz

Making If-Then Statements

Vocabulary

1:24

la vacuna
vaccine

el núcleo
nucleus

el ADN
DNA

Hypothetical If-Then Statement 

1:54

Además, la vacuna nunca entra en el núcleo donde se encuentra el ADN y aun si entrara en el núcleo, no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN.

aun si
even if

Y aun si entrara en el núcleo, no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN.
And even if it did enter the nucleus, it would have no way to change your DNA.

• This is a CONDITIONAL (IF-THEN) STATEMENT, where we use the IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE to present the HYPOTHETICAL condition (“y aun si entrara en el núcleo”) and we use the CONDITIONAL to present the result of that condition (“no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN”).

Hypothetical vs Possible and AUNQUE

3:29

• When making a conditional statement using AUN SI it acts just like SI, where we can use either the IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE (hypothetical possibility) or the INDICATIVE (likely possibility). It canNOT be followed by the PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE.
  • Practice conditional statements in Spanish. Quiz #5 – The Subjunctive in Conditional Statements and More (Free lesson). Spanish Grammar members see: Subj15 Conditional Statements and Subj16 Conditional Statements

•  You may recall that you can use AUNQUE + PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE to say, “even if.”
  • Discussion of AUN SI and AUNQUE in Word Reference
  • In this premium lesson we explain AUNQUE + SUBJUNTIVO = “even if”: Quiz # 4 – The Subjunctive in Adverbial Clauses (Free lesson). Spanish Grammar members see: Subj14 How and Where. AUNQUE, unlike AUN SI, it can be used with either the imperfect or the present subjunctive. 

Practice 

4:05

Y aun si entrara en el núcleo, no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN.
And even if it did enter the nucleus, it would have no way to change your DNA.

Aunque la vacuna entre en el núcleo, no tendrá manera de cambiar su ADN.
Even if the vaccine enters the nucleus, it will not have a way to change your DNA.

Aun si la vacuna entra en el núcleo no tiene manera de cambiar su ADN.
Even if the vaccine enters the nucleus, it does not have a way to change your DNA. 

Review

5:29

Hypothetical 

AUN SI / SI + IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE > CONDITIONAL

Y aun si entrara en el núcleo, no tendría manera de cambiar su ADN.

Possible 

AUN SI / SI + PRESENT INDICATIVE > PRESENT / FUTURE INDICATIVE 

Aun si la vacuna entra en el núcleo no tiene / tendrá manera de cambiar su ADN.

AUNQUE + PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE > PRESENT / FUTURE INDICATIVE

Aunque la vacuna entre en el núcleo, no tiene / tendrá manera de cambiar su ADN.

• Note: There are other possible combinations (e.g. Si + present indicative > conditional), but these represent the most common ones.

Related Lessons

• How the Covid Vaccines Work in Spanish (Free) and How the Covid Vaccines Work in Spanish – Premium
• Quiz #5 – The Subjunctive in Conditional Statements and More (free) 
• Discussion of AUN SI and AUNQUE in Word Reference
• Quiz # 4 – The Subjunctive in Adverbial Clauses (Free lesson with Aunque) 
• Subj14 How and Where (Member lesson) 
• Subj15 Conditional Statements (Member lesson) 
• Subj16 Conditional Statements (Member lesson) 

Special thanks to Elizabeth Cortéz, my Spanish teacher at the San Pedro Spanish School in Guatemala who provided most of the Spanish for this lesson.

The lessons offered at docmolly.com are a fun way to practice medical Spanish. They are not intended to teach medicine or provide medical advice. These lessons are intended to improve communication with Spanish-speaking patients, but they are not intended to substitute for a qualified medical interpreter.

The post If-Then Statements in Spanish appeared first on Doc Molly.

In this lesson, we practice using DAR as a reverse construction verb to express getting a symptom in Spanish. 

Member? Access this lesson, including a Quizlet set and PDF, in our courses

LEVEL - INTERMEDIATE

LEVEL – INTERMEDIATE

Explicamos la gramática

0:44

In the module covering Spanish for the Evaluation of Vertigo, we reviewed the following question by the physical therapist:

¿Recuerda qué estaba haciendo cuando le dieron mareos las otras veces?
(Do you remember what you were doing when you got dizzy the other times?)

I am guessing that some of you struggled with the following phrase:

cuando le dieron mareos
(when you experienced dizziness -o- when you got dizzy)

Here, we use LE to refer to “you” (used), and the verb DAR acts like the verb GUSTAR, where the subject of the verb in English corresponds to the object of the verb in Spanish.

You got dizzy. >>> Le dieron mareos.

In English, “you” is the subject of the verb. In Spanish, you (usted) is the object of the verb and is expressed by the pronoun “le.”

Let’s look at another example.

I get chills. >>> Me dan escalofríos.

In English, “I” is the subject of the verb. When we interpret this in Spanish, I become the object of the verb, which is expressed by the pronoun “me.”

Ejemplos Interactivos

3:23

¿Te dieron escalofríos?
Did you get chills? 

Me da dolor de estómago después de comer.
I get a stomach ache after eating.

¿Cuándo le da dolor en el pecho?
When do you get pain in your chest? (addressing the patient as usted)

Me dan calambres en las piernas por la noche.
I get leg cramps at night.

¿Recuerda qué estaba haciendo cuando le dieron mareos las otras veces?
Do you remember what you were doing when you got dizzy the other times?

¿Quieres Practicar Más?

4:43

• Join our membership and unlock access to over 400 interactive lessons across all our courses. Learn Medical Spanish by listening and responding in real-life scenarios, which will help you build confidence and fluency quickly.

• Member? Access our modules on Verbs

Special thanks to Elizabeth Cortez, my Spanish teacher from Español Sin Límite in Guatemala.

The post DAR to Express Symptoms appeared first on Doc Molly.

Quick Navigation Inherent CharacteristicSubjective, OpinionFollowinng the Exclamation QUÉQuantity

Hola! Me alegra mucho estar de vuelta. I am very happy to be back podcasting about Spanish grammar! My last grammar podcasts were in June, when we covered Spanish verbs with prepositions. In this lesson, we are going to learn why the adjective sometimes goes before the noun in Spanish.

Where have I been all summer?

I also host the Medical Spanish Podcast and with the help of my Spanish teacher from the San Pedro Spanish School, Elizabeth Cortez and my friend and interpreter, Sonja Um-Siri, I have been busy making audio lessons that cover Spanish for prenatal care. We cover a lot of grammar in the medical Spanish lessons and they are made to help us communicate with our patients. Therefore, even non-medical providers understand them and find them useful for learning conversational Spanish.

What motivated me to start podcasting about Spanish grammar again?

I just took part in an incredible course called Deliberate Spanish offered by a guy named Nacho from Spain. He also has a  fantastic YouTube channel: NachoTime Spanish.  As the name implies, the Deliberate Spanish course taught me to be more deliberate when I practice Spanish. For example, instead of just watching Casa de Flores, I often make it into a study session. When I hear a new word or phrase, I write it down to study later.  Then I organize what I learn into mi cuaderno de dudas, and mi cuaderno de dudas has now become the inspiration for the Spanish Grammar Podcast!

Why does the adjective sometimes go before the noun?

2:25

Now let’s talk about adjectives and the where and why of adjective placement. When you are first learning Spanish, you learn that the you must place the adjective after the noun. However, as you advance in your Spanish-speaking ability, you start to notice that the adjective often goes before the noun.  You may even find yourself instinctively placing an adjective before a noun, but when you stop to wonder why, you can’t say. Well, in this lesson, we are going to learn why the adjective sometimes goes before the noun through interactive examples. I hope you find it helpful. Onward!

Inherent Characteristic

3:03

Usually adjectives follow the nouns they describe, but when an adjective describes an inherent or assumed quality it is usually placed before the noun.

The city is covered in WHITE snow.
La ciudad está cubierta de BLANCA nieve.

OJO: Note the use of the preposition DE in this phrase: “cubierta de nieve.”

I want to see the TALL building of New York.
Quiero ver los ALTOS edificios de Nueva York.

Be careful in the STRONG mountain winds.
Ten cuidado con el FUERTE viento de las montañas.

OJO: Note the use of the preposition CON in this phrase: “ten cuidado con….”

We must take advantage of this PRECIOUS life.
Hay que aprovechar esta PRECIOSA vida.

OJO: Note the absence a preposition after APROVECHAR: “aprovechar esta vida”

In all the above examples, the adjective adds unnecessary information. O sea… If you omit the adjective, the meaning of the sentence would not change.

Subjective, Opinion

5:20

Adjectives may also precede the nouns they describe when they reflect a subjective characteristic or opinion about something.

I love these BEAUTIFUL gardens.
Me encantan estos hermosos jardines.

I’m enjoying a WONDERFUL day.
Estoy disfrutando de un MARAVILLOSO día.

It left me with this LONG scar.
Me dejó con esta LARGA cicatriz.

They always have GOOD parties.
Los Hernandez siempre tienen BUENAS fiestas.

I have GOOD news.
Tengo BUENAS noticias.

Qualifying something as the BEST or WORST

It’s the WORST movie of 2008.
Es la PEOR película del 2008.

It’s the BEST coffee in town.
Es el MEJOR café de la ciudad.

Followinng the Exclamation QUÉ

7:20

Often we give our opinion about something in an exclamation preceded by the word “qué.” In this case, the adjective falls before the noun.

What a beautiful country.
¡Qué hermoso país!

What a cute puppy!
¡Qué lindo cachorro!

However, when you throw in an adverb, such as más or tan, the adjective then follows the noun.

What a cute puppy! (más)
¡Qué cachorro más lindo!

What a boring lesson! (tan)
¡Qué lección tan aburrida!

Quantity

8:36

When we use adjectives to describe the quantity of something we place them before the nouns.

We have SOME books.
Tenemos ALGUNOS libros.

The snow covers the ENTIRE city.
La nieve cubre TODA la ciudad.

You have a LOT of patience.
Tienes MUCHA paciencia.

I don’t have ENOUGH time.
No tengo SUFICIENTE tiempo.

As in many of the examples in the earlier sections, you could also place SUFICIENTE after the noun here.

I have LITTLE energy today.
Tengo POCA energía hoy.

I’m looking for ANOTHER opportunity.
(Busco o) Estoy buscando OTRA oportunidad.

Turn right at the FIRST stoplight.
Gire / Doble a la derecha en el PRIMER semáforo.

I’m carrying TOO MANY books.
Llevo DEMASIADOS libros.

I have SEVERAL ideas.
Tengo VARIAS ideas.

Gracias por escuchar y Hasta la próxima.

Si tienes alguna pregunta, no dudes en dejar un comentario.

The post Adjectives Before Nouns in Spanish appeared first on Doc Molly.

Welcome to another lesson covering Spanish Verbs. In this Spanish grammar audio lesson, we practice using common Spanish verbs with prepositions. As with all my audio lessons, I invite you to speak Spanish with me.  This lesson will focus on verbs with prepositions, followed by the infinitive of another verb.  

Table of Contents

• 1:24 Verbo + A
• 3:40 Verbo + CON
• 4:59 Verbo + DE
• 6:35 Verbo + EN

In this free audio lesson, we practice many of the verbs below.

Member?  In the premium lesson, Spanish Verbs with Prepositions, we practice all the verbs below. The full transcript is included in the show notes, and a quizlet is included to reinforce what you learn. 

Verbo + A

1:24

ACOSTUMBRARSE A

ENSEÑAR A, APRENDER A (To teach / learn)

ATREVERSE A

AYUDAR A

EMPEZAR A, COMENZAR A, ECHARSE A, PONERSE A (To begin)

DISPONERSE A.

DECIDIRSE A

INVITAR A

OBLIGAR A

NEGARSE A

RESOLVERSE A

LIMITARSE A

VOLVER A

Verbo + CON

3:40

AMENAZAR CON

CONTAR CON

SOÑAR CON

CONTENTARSE CON

Verbo + DE

4:59

ACABAR DE

ACORDARSE DE, OLVIDARSE DE

ARREPENTIRSE DE

CANSARSE DE

DEJAR DE, PARAR DE (To stop doing something)

ENCARGARSE DE, OCUPARSE DE (To take charge of something)

TRATAR DE

OJO: TRATAR DE is also used to say “to be about.”

Learn the difference between TRATAR DE y TRATARSE DE and why it is probably wrong to say, “El libro se trata de su vida,” at least according to strict grammarians.

Verbo + EN

6:35

DUDAR EN

CONSENTIR EN, CONVENIR EN, QUEDAR EN (To agree to do something)

EMPEÑARSE EN

INSISTIR EN

ESFORZARSE EN

TARDAR EN

Rellenemos los Huecos

This audio quiz is part of the premium lesson: Spanish Verbs with Prepositions. I read a short story about our cat Schnookies.  As I read, I leave pauses for you to fill in the blanks with the correct preposition. 

Nuestro gato siempre insiste __ salir. Se niega __ quedarse en casa más de cuatro horas por vez. Y si tardamos __ llegar a la puerta para dejarlo salir, se pone __ llorar. ¿Y por qué se empeña __ salir? Porque sueña __ cazar conejitos y pajaritos. Justo después de salir por la puerta se echa __ correr al bosque para cazar. Mi marido, a quien le encantan los pajaritos, se cansa __ ver a nuestro gato cazándolos. Por eso, se esfuerza __ enseñar a nuestro Schnookies __ no cazar los pajaritos. Cuando ve a Schnookies persiguiendo a un pajarito, comienza __ gritar, “¡No! ¡No!” Y amenaza  __ mojarlo con un balde de agua. ¿Qué opinas? ¿Schnookies va a dejar __ cazar pajaritos? ¡Lo dudo mucho!; Schnookies es muy listo pero es un gato, No puedes entrenar a un gato.

¡Gradias por Escuchar!

If you have any questions about this lesson, please leave a comment below.

The post Spanish Verbs with Prepositions appeared first on Doc Molly.

This episode is a rerun from my Medical Spanish Podcast. If you have already heard it there, I do have more to come for the Spanish Grammar Podcast. I will be back within the week to cover common verbs followed by prepositions.

Ever wonder why people from Spanish-speaking countries have long names? Today's episode is an off-the-cuff interview with my teacher at the San Pedro Spanish School, Jesus Elizabeth Cortez Cox. She tells us how people are named in Guatemala. I hope you enjoy!

Table of Contents

• Introducción a la Entrevista 2:21
• Su nombre completo 2:55
• ¿De dónde viene cada nombre en tu nombre completo? 3:03
• El segundo nombre 3:51
• Los dos apellidos 5:53
• Machismo tras los nombres 7:33
• Origen de cada nombre 8:39
• Conclusión 9:13
• Upcoming Audio Lessons 9:34

Elizabeth and I studying at the San Pedro Spanish School.

Entrevista

Molly

2:55

OK. Tu nombre. Yo quiero escuchar tu nombre completo.

Eliza  

Bien. Me llamo Jesús Elizabeth Cortez Cox.

Molly    

3:03

¿Y nos podrías explicar de dónde viene cada nombre en tu nombre completo?

Eliza

Perfecto. Generalmente nosotros siempre pienso que vamos a estar hablando con respecto a las costumbres, a las tradiciones. Aquí específicamente una de las costumbres es que cuando en una familia nace un bebé, sea niño o una niña. Por lo general, lleva el primer nombre tiene que ser el nombre del abuelo de este bebé. En mi caso, por ser niña, mi primer nombre es el nombre de mi abuela, la madre de mí, de mi padre.

3:51

Y el segundo, pues, fue la elección de ellos. Y esto es algo muy común para nosotros. Siempre es eso y ya llevamos muchos años. Y quizás por esa misma razón, en nuestra comunidad, hay muchas personas que llevan el mismo nombre. Tenemos muchas Marías, muchas personas que se llaman Juana, Juan, José, Pedro, porque se van repitiendo. En las familias, por ejemplo en mi familia habemos 5....6 personas con mi primer nombre. Entonces, para hacer la diferencia se nos da el segundo nombre. Tengo primas que se llaman Jesús, Elvira Jesús, Leyda Jesús, Zulmy Jesús.... todas estas llevan Jesús en su nombre.

Molly

Jesus el nombre de tu abuelo.... Oh, de tu abuela?

Eliza

Es el nombre de mi abuela. Um hm, de mi abuela. Entonces esto es muy común en estos lugares.

5:04

O también otra de las costumbres y quizás esto es más religioso, porque a veces se le da el nombre al bebé que nace dependiendo del día que nace. Si hay una fiesta... Entonces, por ejemplo, hoy estamos en día 25 de abril es la fiesta de San Marcos. Entonces, si un niño nace en esta fecha o hoy, estas personas le dan el nombre de Marcos, como para recordar el día que el niño... o el día de su santo. Entonces, esas son algunas de las tradiciones, de las costumbres con referencia al nombre.

Molly

5:53

¿Y los dos apellidos de dónde vienen?

Eliza

Bien, los dos apellidos. El primer apellido es de mi padre y el segundo apellido es de mi made. Y el segundo apellido se va perdiendo con el tiempo. ¿Cómo? Al momento de que la mujer se casa, se le otorga el apellido del esposo. Entonces, de esta manera se va perdiendo el segundo apellido, y generalmente el de la madre. Pero siempre contamos con dos apellidos.

Molly

6:28

Y cuando tú me dijiste tu nombre completo.... ya no, ya no sale el nombre de tu madre.

Eliza

Todavía yo lo conservo porque no estoy casada legalmente. Ahora vivo con mi pareja. No tenemos una boda civil, ni religiosa. Entonces, todavía lo sigo conservando.

Molly

Entonces, en tu nombre completo no sale el nombre de tu pareja.

Eliza

Exacto. Al momento en que yo contraiga matrimonio. Ahora ya es una opción. Anteriormente, era diferente. Era casi como ley agregar el nombre del esposo. En mi caso, habría sido Cortés de Quiacain, le agregamos la palabra “de,” como de posesión. Entonces... pero ahora ya es una opción. Si al momento de casarme quisiera adoptar este apellido, bien, lo puedo hacer o seguir conservando el apellido de mi madre.

7:33

Molly

Ok bueno. Porque esto de añadir el apellido de tu esposo y con “de” antes del apellido me parece un poco machista.- ¿No?

Eliza

No. Yo pienso que sí. No es un poco. Para mí es muy machista.

Molly

Entonces, es bueno que la costumbre está... esté cambiando

Eliza

Exacto, y es igual con los nombres ahora. Ahora en esta nueva generación ya no se da mucho de darle el nombre del padre o de los abuelos. Quizás en cierto modo hay pequeños conflictos en la familia porque se está rompiendo esta forma de tradición. Ahora hay nombres diferentes, nombres muy... Por supuesto, los nombres de nuestros abuelos son bonitos pero son muy repetitivos. En una familia hay muchas personas con este nombre. Ahora se está cambiando también. Las nuevas generaciones van buscando nombres diferentes a sus hijos.

Molly

8:39

¿Y puedes repetir tu nombre completo? Y vamos a decir de dónde venía cada nombre.

Eliza

Sí. Jesús que es por parte de mi abuela. Elizabeth fue la elección de mis padres. Les gustó ese nombre. Y mi apellido que es Cortés es por parte de mi padre y Cox es por parte de mi madre.

Molly

Perfecto. Muchísimas gracias.

Eliza

No hay problema.

9:34

What's to come!

Creating audio with my friend Sonja in Guatemala. We interviewed la comadrona Ester Pop (upper left) and Dr. Francisco Méndez (lower right). We also created clinical dialogues in Spanish with our teachers, Francisco González Yojcóm and Elizabeth Cortez, and Eliza’s daughter Nicole (middle right).

This interview is just a taste of what's to come. My friend Sonja Um-Siri, who is an interpreter, and I recorded interviews and clinical dialogues while studying at the San Pedro Spanish School. I will be using these recordings to make audio lessons...  coming soon!  This was a return trip to the San Pedro Spanish School, which I highly recommend. (See previous episode Podcasts from Guatemala.) Be sure to stay with a family when you're there!

I will be back soon with more lessons from our trip to Guatemala. While in San Pedro....

• Interviews with Dr. Francisco Méndez and la comadrona Ester Pop about prenatal care.
• Vocabulary and phrase review lessons for prenatal care.
• Clinical dialogue on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
• Clinical dialogue on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
• A few more off-the-cuff interviews with mi profesora Jesus Elizabeth Cortez Cox.

I hope you enjoy all this. We will also finish up the series on Spanish for COPD soon. So there is a lot to look forward to.. Hasta pronto!

Creating audio with my friend Sonja in Guatemala. We interviewed la comadrona Ester Pop (upper left) and Dr. Francisco Méndez (lower right). We also created clinical dialogues in Spanish with our teachers, Francisco González Yojcóm and Elizabeth Cortez, and Eliza’s daughter Nicole (middle right).

Prior lessons from my first trip to San Pedro, Guatemala

• Chikungunya and Zika: Patient Interviews in Spanish
• Interview with a Comadrona
• Curanderismo (Folk Medicine)

¡Gracias por escuchar!

¿Tienes una pregunta, comentario? Favor de dejarlo abajo. Te responderé tan pronto como pueda.

¡Hasta la próxima!

The post How People Are Named in Guatemala (from Medical Spanish Podcast) appeared first on Doc Molly.

Quick Navigation Sample DialogueDirection Implied with Llevar and TraerSituation 1 – Bring Your Books to ClassSituation 2 – I Brought the Dog to the VetSituation 3 – Bring Me the ReportThe Reflexive Verb LLEVARSEConjugate the Irregular Verb TRAERWant to learn more?Member?Leave a comment! Share0 Tweet0 Share0 Pin0 Kate Townsend

In this audio lesson, we practice when to use the Spanish verbs TRAER and LLEVAR.  TRAER is used to say “to bring,” and LLEVAR is used to say “to bring” or “to take.” Unlike their English counterparts, the Spanish verbs TRAER and LLEVAR imply a certain direction of movement. This can be a bit confusing for non-native Spanish speakers. Pero no pasa nada. After listening to this audio Spanish lesson packed with examples, you’ll know exactly when to use TRAER and when to use LLEVAR.

But wait! There’s more! After we pin down when to use TRAER vs. LLEVAR, we’ll focus on the reflexive verb LLEVARSE and then practice conjugating the irregular verb TRAER in the present and preterite tenses.

Sample Dialogue

0:55

Molly (M) está en la sala de estar y Aaron (A) está en la cocina.

M: ¿Me traes una cerveza?
A: Cómo no. Te la llevo.

(Aaron va a la sala de estar y ahora está con Molly en la sala de estar.)

A: Aquí tiene. ¿Te traigo algo más?
M: Gracias mi amor. ¿Me traes un sandwich?

(Aaron regresa a la cocina.)

A: Te lo llevo enseguida.

Direction Implied with Llevar and Traer

2:27 

LLEVAR
Llevar is used when you are taking something from your current location to another location. Llevar often translates as “to take” in English.

If I’m in the cocina and my husband is in the sala de estar, how would I say, “I’ll bring it to you”?

Te lo llevo.

TRAER
Traer is used when you are bringing something to your current location. In English, it usually translates as “to bring.”

If I’m in the living room with my husband, how would I say, “I’ll bring it to your”?

Te lo traigo.

Situation 1 – Bring Your Books to Class

3:48 

(En clase)

Profesora: Por favor, traigan sus libros a clase mañana.

(En casa)

Estudiante: Llevo mi libro a clase hoy.

Situation 2 – I Brought the Dog to the Vet

4:28 

A husband is talking to his wife. They are both at home.

Llevé al perro al veterinario ayer.
Y cuando llegué, vi que nuestro vecino había traído a su perro también.

Situation 3 – Bring Me the Report

5:10 

(En la oficina) Two colleagues are at work. Colleague A goes up to the desk of Colleague B and asks…

A: ¿Tienes el informe que te traje ayer?
B: No. Lo llevé a casa.
A: ¿Me lo traes mañana?

(Colega B en casa) Colleague B says to her husband…

B: Tengo que llevar este informe al trabajo mañana.

6:19

OJO: When you could use “take” instead of “bring,” use LLEVAR.

The Reflexive Verb LLEVARSE

6:40 

LLEVARSE – to take away, to take with you.

When you notice your purse (cartera) is missing….

Alguien se la llevó.

More examples:

Llévate a tu hermano.

Puedes llevarte las sobras a casa.

Conjugate the Irregular Verb TRAER

8:16 

Present
Traigo
Traes
Trae
Traemos
Traéis
Traen

Preterite
Traje
Trajiste
Trajo
Trajimos
Trajisteis
Trajeron

¡Gracias por escuchar!

Want to learn more?

10:02 

Listen to more lessons covering common Spanish verbs:

• ACABAR
• QUEDAR vs QUEDARSE 

Become a member! We cover the subjunctive in depth with a series of 20 premium audio lessons.  Instead of sitting in front of a grammar book or computer, you can be on a walk as you interact with the audio lessons, speak Spanish, and master tricky grammatical concepts.

Member?

Access our Spanish Grammar module covering VERBS.

Leave a comment!

If you have questions or feedback, leave a comment or send me an email at [email protected]. Gracias por escuchar y hasta la próxima!

The post The Spanish Verbs Traer and Llevar appeared first on Doc Molly.