Learn Spanish from Scratch 8: A Comprehensive Beginner’s Course for English Speakers

In this lesson, students will learn how to describe people, places, and things in Spanish through a conversation between Brian and Linda. They will also learn how to use vocabulary related to possession and duration.

Describing People, Places, and Things

Dialogue:

Brian: ¡Oh, ha llovido hasta ahora! (Oh, it has rained up to now!)

Linda: ¿Cuánto tiempo has estado viviendo aquí? ¡Es muy bonito! (How long have you been living here? It is very nice!)

Brian: He estado viviendo aquí durante 2 años y he estado estudiando durante 1 año. (I have been living here for 2 years and I have been studying for 1 year.)

Linda: ¿Y cuánto tiempo ha estado tu padre aquí? (And how long has your father been here?)

Brian: Papá ha estado trabajando durante 15 años en Londres y ha estado casado con su nueva esposa durante 13 años. ¡Oh mira, el jarrón nuevo acaba de romperse. El perro lo golpeó! (Dad has been working for 15 years in London and he has been married to his new wife for 13 years! Oh look, the new vase just broke. The dog hit it.)

Linda: ¡Tienes un perro! (You have a dog!)

Brian: ¿Alguna vez has tenido un perro? (Have you ever had a dog?)

Linda: ¡Nunca he tenido un perro, pero tuve un gato durante 5 años! (I have never had a dog, but I had a cat for 5 years!)

Brian: Tssss … no he tenido el jarrón por mucho tiempo. Lo acabo de comprar … para ti! (Tssss… I have not had the vase long. I just bought it… for you!)

Linda: ¡Oh, eso es muy lindo! ¡Pero mira, las flores todavía están en el jarrón! (Oh, that is very nice! But look, the flowers are still in the vase!)

Brian: Oh, pero el perro también ha escondido mis gafas. Ahora no puedo ver en absoluto … (Oh, but the dog has also hidden my glasses. Now I cannot see at all…)

Linda: ¿Usas gafas? (You wear glasses?)

Brian: ¡He estado usando gafas durante 2 semanas en casa! ¡Las recibí por Navidad! ¿Me puedes ayudar a buscarlas? … (I have been wearing glasses for 2 weeks at home! I got them for Christmas! Can you help me look for them? …)

Linda: Ya hemos estado buscando … mmm … durante 2 horas ahora. ¿Tal vez las olvidaste en el trabajo? (We already have been looking for … hmmm … for 2 hours now. Maybe you forgot them at work?)

Brian: No, siempre las dejo en casa … nunca las he llevado al trabajo, porque solo las necesito por la mañana y por la noche. Y las vi al mediodía. (No, I always leave them at home… I have never taken them to work, because I only need my glasses in the morning and in the evening. And I saw them at noon.)

Linda: ¡Hemos estado buscándolas desde las 8! En el gabinete, sobre el sofá, debajo del sofá, al lado del sofá, en el sofá, en el estante de la pared, en las esquinas …. (We have been looking for them since 8! In the cabinet, over the couch, under the couch, beside the couch, on the couch, on the shelf on the wall, in the corners …)

Brian: Tienes razón, empezamos a buscar a las ocho en punto. Lo siento. Todavía no te he ofrecido una bebida. (You’re right, we started searching at eight o’clock. I’m sorry. I still haven’t offered you a drink.)

Linda: No importa, en realidad estoy bastante cansada. (It doesn’t matter, I’m actually quite tired.)

Brian: ¿Tienes que trabajar mañana? (Do you have to work tomorrow?)

Linda: No, no tengo que trabajar los viernes … ¿Ya has revisado en el dormitorio, mi dulce topo? (No, I don’t have to work on Fridays … Have you already checked in the bedroom, my sweet mole?)

Brian: Oh, buena idea. Jajaja … Vamos, el dormitorio está arriba … (Oh, good idea. Hahaha … Come on, the bedroom is upstairs …)

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Exercises:

  1. Translate the following sentence into Spanish: “I have been living in this apartment for three years.”
  2. How long has Brian been living in his apartment? (Brian ha estado viviendo en su apartamento por ¿cuánto tiempo?)
  3. Translate the following sentence into Spanish: “Linda had a cat for five years.”
  4. What happened to the new vase? (¿Qué pasó con el jarrón nuevo?)
  5. Translate the following sentence into Spanish: “I always leave my glasses at home.”
  6. Translate the following sentences into Spanish: “I have been living here for three years.”
  7. “She has been studying Spanish for six months.”
  8. “Have you been working at the restaurant for a long time?”
  9. Conjugate the verb “buscar” (to search) in the present tense for the following subjects: “yo,” “tú,” “él/ella/usted,” “nosotros/nosotras,” “ellos/ellas/ustedes.”
  10. Translate the following sentence into English: “No tengo que trabajar los fines de semana.” (I don’t have to work on weekends.)
  11. Choose the correct form of the verb “tener” (to have) to complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ que ir al supermercado hoy.” (tienen / tienen que)
  12. Write a sentence using the present perfect tense to describe how long you have been studying Spanish.
  13. Translate the following sentence into Spanish: “They have been living in this house for ten years.”
  14. Conjugate the verb “olvidar” (to forget) in the past tense for the following subjects: “yo,” “tú,” “él/ella/usted,” “nosotros/nosotras,” “ellos/ellas/ustedes.”
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