Your Guide:
MO TAHITI
One Month Spanish
Step 1:
First, listen to this short conversation between a traveler and a cashier.
In the next step, you will see a written transcript of this conversation. But for now, just listen to audio in full without pausing or rewinding and try to pick out any words or phrases that you can recognize.
Press play on the audio player below to begin listening to the conversation.
Don't worry if you do not understand much at first -- at this stage you are simply trying to get your brain "tuned in" to recognizing any words you might know.
When you are finished listening to the audio, click "Continue" to proceed to the next step.
Before we continue, approximately how much of the conversation that you heard on the previous page do you think that you were able to understand?
Step 2:
Now take a few minutes to study the written version of the same dialogue that you just heard. On the next page, you will be tested on how well you can recall the meaning of each Spanish phrase.
Study the Spanish transcript until you understand the meaning of each sentence, taking care to identify any new words or phrases that you don't already know.
Instructions
Use the transcript below to learn the meaning of each sentence, paying close attention to any new vocabulary.
Señor White:
Can you change some dollars for me?
¿Puede cambiarme unos dólares?
(you) can (to be able) puede (poder)
to change, exchange cambiar
to change for me cambiarme
some, a few unos
the dollar el dólar
some dollars unos dólares
Cashier:
Yes. How many?
Sí. ¿Cuántos?
Señor White:
Ten. What's the rate of exchange? [What is the exchange at?]
Diez. ¿A cómo está el cambio?
how, at what a cómo
the change, exchange el cambio
Cashier:
In bills or in a check?
¿En billetes o en cheque?
the bill (money) el billete
the bills los billetes
the check el cheque
Señor White:
This traveler's check.
Este cheque viajero.
the traveler el viajero
Cashier:
At five for one, then.
A cinco por uno, entonces.
How do you want it?
¿Cómo lo quiere?
then entonces
it (masculine) lo
Señor White:
Eight in bills and two in change.
Ocho en billetes y dos en moneda.
the coin, the change la moneda
When you have finished studying the transcript, click the "Continue" button to go the next step.
Step 3:
Now we will test how well you can recall the material presented in the written dialogue. Try to enter the English translation for each phrase below from memory (no peeking!). After you have entered your response on each line, click the "Show Answer" button to show the correct answer and compare your response.
Instructions
Enter the English translation into the field below each phrase. After you have entered your response, click "Show Answer" to see the correct response, then "Next" to see the next phrase.
1 of 8
Translate:
Loading Dialogue...
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
2 of 8
Translate:
Loading Dialogue...
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
3 of 8
Translate:
Loading Dialogue...
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
4 of 8
Translate:
Loading Dialogue...
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
5 of 8
Translate:
Loading Dialogue...
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
6 of 8
Translate:
Loading Dialogue...
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
7 of 8
Translate:
Loading Dialogue...
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
8 of 8
Translate:
Loading Dialogue...
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
Step 4:
Now that you have studied the meaning of each Spanish sentence, you will test your ability to recognize the same phrases when you hear them on the audio.
Instructions
Click the playback icon to hear a phrase from the previous dialogue. Type what you hear, in Spanish, into the input field below. After you have entered your response, click the "Show Answer" button to see the correct phrase and compare your results.
1 of 8
Click here:
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
2 of 8
Click here:
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
3 of 8
Click here:
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
4 of 8
Click here:
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
5 of 8
Click here:
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
6 of 8
Click here:
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
7 of 8
Click here:
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
8 of 8
Click here:
Your answer:
Next
Congratulations! All Done!
Step 5:
Finally, listen to the full conversation again:
How much of the conversation were you able to understand this time?
Why It Works
If you completed each of the previous steps, you likely found that the conversation was much easier to understand by the end. This makes sense because of the work you have done in the previous steps -- studying the written dialogue, identifying any vocabulary words that did not know, and listening to the dialogue one line at a time.
By the time you finally listen to the full conversation again, you have already worked through the main issues that might prevent you from understanding the material.
Want More Practice?
If you enjoyed this tutorial, you'll love our full conversational course One Month Spanish. You'll get tons more conversational audio lessons just like this, designed to actually train your brain how to listen and respond naturally in Spanish.
Sign up for a free trial and you'll get instant access to thirty conversational Spanish lessons, plus lifetime access to our Dialogue Deconstruction Method learning system.
P.S. Be sure to check out the free trial offer before leaving this page to receive 3 bonus gifts not available anywhere else.