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Pablo
Yo y Pablo.
Stephen
Que tal, Pablo?
Pablo
Muy bien. Com mucha y lucion y comuchas ganas.
Stephen
Bienvenido. Welcome to the Coffee Break Spanish recording studio. We're delighted to have you here. And you're a recent recruit for Coffee Break Spanish, a new member of the team, CiCi.
Pablo
Pero ya cho algunas cocitas no CCC.
Stephen
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 Carnos un poco lo que.
Pablo
Todas las historia.
Stephen
And when we say umbar, it's not like the word bar in English. Umbar is a cafe. It's somewhere where you would go for a coffee, where you go to catch up with the latest news that's happening around the village. Okay, 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. Todo.
Miriam
Scenes from the Coffee Break Spanish Cafe Capitulo uno el dia a manecido un poco gris y como cada manana sobrela so bastante lleno de gente de sayyunando en una de las mesas de la terraza Estavan Carmen Medium tres De las enferas de los de allado siempre prefer en el hospital. Pero ademas es porque pilar la mayor de la tres siemprese toma un cafe afuera bar haber gente que pasa? Las vella de baclaro que habi interminado suturno de noche atomarles la comanda y pregunte por las algunas libra sia B medium. La masjoben parcia un poco preocupada al preguntarles como abia idola noce meriam metio un po colapata. Pero fue tanido de material Loizo doble lecho una buena bronca las otras dos amigas serrellan porque un celedor nuevo muy hudo hacer la devolucion del material extra.
Stephen
But I mean, 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. 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? Okay, so we'll take it line by line here. El dia a amane cido. This is from the verb amanecer, which means to don. What's the noun? The don like sunrise. Yeah. So it's a noun and a verb, the infinitive form. So el dia a amanizido. 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 grey. The day dawned a little grey. I como cada mana sobre lasocho y media. And just like every morning, about half past eight, el var estava basta de lleno de gente te, say unando. So the bar was quite full of people having breakfast. The verb to have breakfast desayunar. There we've got a gerund form, haven't we?
Pablo
To ing forms in English.
Stephen
Okay, so desayunando, the verb is an ar verb. So desayunar unto the ando. So it's translating having breakfast or breakfasting literally. Okay, let's continue on.
Pablo
Enuna de las mesas de la terraza estavan Carmen, Miriam y Pilar. Tres de las enfermeras de lo hospital de allado.
Stephen
Okay, so we're seeing here some of the characters in the story. First of all, Carmen, Miriam y Pilar. And they are Sitting en una de las mesas de la terraza on one of the tables on the terrace. And who are they?
Pablo
Pablo puesta las tres enfermeras que trabajan en hospital que estallado de Estebar en.
Stephen
El hospital de allado. So when you describe something that's next to something, it's allado. Let's continue. Okay. A first subjunctive of our story. So anque anga frio. Although it's cold now, what's going on here?
Pablo
Even if it's cold? Even when it's cold.
Stephen
Perfect. That's a hypothesis. It's not this particular situation. Because if we were talking about this morning, even though it's cold this morning, 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. Anke hagafrio. Even if it's cold. Siempre prefieren centar se fuera. They always prefer to sit outside. And then they say, dien que es parakelez de el ayre. It's because the. Well, it's kind of because they can be in the fresh air.
Pablo
Literally, we say so that the air gives to them. And that sounds a little bit strange, doesn't it?
Stephen
Yeah, absolutely. So how would we say, I want to get some air.
Pablo
Quiero que mede el haire.
Stephen
So we have to change it around and we say, I want the air to give to me.
Pablo
Yes. So the structure is completely different.
Stephen
So they sit outside. Prefierni centar se fuena. They prefer to sit outside. So they say that it's to get some air because they want to get some air. Maybe they're feeling a little bit overwhelmed being in the hospital the whole time. And it's good to get some fresh air because they're in the hospital for a long time. And that K there is a really interesting K because it's taking the role of. Porque would you say that that's something that we would be more likely to see in written Spanish as opposed to in spoken Spanish?
Pablo
Dependexto mas formal, una conferenciarlo.
Stephen
Perfecto. Perfecto. Okay, let's continue on.
Pablo
Pero ademas es porque Pilar, la mayor de la stres siemprese doma un cafe a fuera para vera la gente. Que pasa?
Stephen
Okay, so there's a further reason, pero ademas. But what's more, es porque Pilar is because Pilar, la mayor de la stres, the oldest of the three of them? Yeah. So we could say la mas vieja, the oldest, but la mayor just sounds a little nicer. Siempre se toma un cafe a fuera paraver a la gente. Que pasa? Okay, so she always has a coffee while she's kind of watching people go by. I think she's a little bit nosy.
Pablo
Poco codija.
Stephen
A great word. So is that like a. A gossip? Someone who likes kind of being nosy. And just before we move on, this idea of se toma un cafe. It's not just. We make it reflexive because it adds a little, doesn't it? So we're talking about a biscuit, a cake 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're enjoying it more like a little treat.
Pablo
Yo corrego muchisimos. Vervo se suna peculiaridad del espanol.
Stephen
Okay, so she always has her coffee outside because she likes watching people going by. Let's go on 10. Okay, so we're talking about three ladies again. Carmen, Miriam y Pilar. Tenian cara de cansadas. So literally, they had the face of tired people. Pero se las vella relaxadas. But they also looked relaxed. Pablo, that's an interesting verbal construction there. Or a grammatical construction. Can you tell us about it?
Pablo
Si, Porca tenemos el se impersonal. Porque who sees them?
Stephen
Yeah, exactly. One sees them or they are seen.
Pablo
It's not specified. Ilo de nemos las, which is the direct object, pranum that replace them. I bella and imperfecto. Yeah, otra gemplo, poria de cirte. Mark. Oy sedebe condento. But I'm not saying that it's me. I'm kind of like, distancing myself.
Stephen
Okay, so you could have said it.
Pablo
Te veo contendo, teveo contento.
Stephen
So in that situation, you're saying, I see you as happy today. You look happy, but when you say se teve contento, it's like, ah, Mark seems happy today. One sees Mark happy today. Mark's happy every day. Pablo, come on. But we're talking here about the three ladies. So they looked relaxed, the aliviadas relieved. So it was clear that they had finished their night shift.
Pablo
Turno de noche, turno de dia, turno de mananas, turno de tardes.
Stephen
Muy bien. 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 break now and we'll be back 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 Scenes 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 scenes.
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Stephen
Okay, so we are 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.
Pablo
Me a cerque atomar les la comanda y pregunte por las de mas.
Stephen
Okay, so hacercarse means to get close to something or to approach something. In this case I approached them ato marles la commanda to take their order. So to take to them the order.
Pablo
Oto marles nota tambien.
Stephen
Yeah, y pregunte por las demas and I asked about the others. So when you preguntar por algen, you're asking for someone, asking for someone and answering someone.
Pablo
Okay, Algunas libravam oy yotra sevilla. Yes.
Stephen
Okay, so this is a really good use of this verb livrar. So when you librar, you are getting the day off, you're taking the day off. Okay.
Pablo
Mark, no.
Stephen
So algulas libra van hoy. So some were taking the day off today and another one, seavia ido akasa ades cansar. So this is irse when you go off, when you leave somewhere. So se a via ido akasa adescansar. That's something, I think, as learners, we find quite difficult. And I think the most obvious example is the difference between bamos and bamonos. Pablo, can you explain those differences?
Pablo
See?
Stephen
Yep. So when you just say boya casa literally means I am going to the house, I'm going home, but you really are leaving one place and going to another place. And that's when we make it reflect. Are you leaving already? See, we need a place to go to. Yeah. So that's exactly what we're seeing here. With otra seavia ido a casa adescansar. She had gone home to rest.
Pablo
Perfecto. Sagimos. See, Miriam, la masjoben parecia un poco preocupada.
Stephen
So medium la masjoben, the youngest. See?
Pablo
Yaqui podiamos de sirtam bien la menor. Because earlier we said la mayor.
Stephen
Yeah. So mayor and menor work together. And la mas vieja. And la masjoben perhaps more direct. But Miriam, la masjoben, the youngest, parecia un poco preocupada. She seemed a little worried.
Pablo
Al preuntarles como abia y do la noche me contaron que mirian me dio un poco la pata. Pero fue dansolo unerr de calculo.
Stephen
Okay. There's quite a lot going on here. So when we see al plus an infinitive, it means on doing something or when I did something, al preguntarles como a villa ido la noce. On asking them how had gone the night. So when I asked them how the.
Pablo
Night shift went, Mark y aquita nemos une gemplo de como con han dono se cidiata do cuenta.
Stephen
Si, sis, si. So here 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.
Pablo
Una pregunta indirect.
Stephen
So what happened was the narrator asked them how the night went. I would say, como a ido 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 pluperfect. Al pregun tarles como habillai ido la noche. And that como has 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.
Pablo
Me contaron que Miriam me dio un pogo la bada.
Stephen
So they told me, me contaron Miriam metio un poco la pata. So meter. La pata is a lovely expression. It means to put your foot in it to make a mistake. So Miriam me tio un poco la pata. She had made a bit of a mistake.
Pablo
Pero d fuetan solo un error de calculo.
Stephen
But it was just an error of calculation. It was just a mistake of calculation. And what was this error of calculation, Pablo? So al solicitar el pedido de material. When she was ordering the material or unordering the material, that same al plus the infinitive, she did the double of it. She basically ordered twice the number that she should have.
Pablo
Im encanta doble porque pode seriously a noun.
Stephen
Have you got a doppelganger?
Pablo
Una camado?
Stephen
Yeah. A double bed. Yeah. So she did it double the time that she should have. Okay. Y la jefa de la informaria lecho na bronca. And the head of the nurses or the head of the infirmary. Le echo una bronca. So hechar aalgen. Una bronca means to give someone into.
Pablo
Trouble, to give someone a row or to tell someone off.
Stephen
Yeah. Okay, so etar una bronca. And just watch the le, because we see here le echo una bronca. She gave to her a row. And it wasn't just a row or a telling off. It was a good telling off. Una bronca. Okay, let's continue on.
Pablo
Extra.
Stephen
Yeah.
Pablo
Sal is like gossip.
Stephen
Excellent. So let's go back and work through this. Las otras dos amigas sereillan. So the other two friends, they were laughing. Why were they laughing? Because un celeador nuevo muy guapeton. Un celedor is a porter in a hospital. Yeah, Muy guapeton. So guapo means good looking.
Pablo
But guapetono, guapedona, it highlights more how handsome or pretty someone is.
Stephen
Okay, so a really good looking new porter. Le hayudo hacer la debulucion del material. So he helped her. Le ayudo a hacer la de to do the return. So to return the material or to.
Pablo
Return the goods refund as well.
Stephen
And someone took advantage of this to ask someone else for their number. Who's doing what?
Pablo
El salador esel quia pro veccha.
Stephen
Okay. Because otherwise we would have said, miriamo.
Pablo
Fuel quien la judo tambien el lepidio?
Stephen
Si, perfecto. Okay, so I don't know, maybe something will happen here. I guess this is the cotigeo del varno. So let's continue.
Pablo
Miriam se son rojo y parecia que no se le quitaba el dis gusto.
Stephen
Okay, so, medium se son rojo. So son rojarce is a nice verb, isn't it?
Pablo
When we blush.
Stephen
When we blush, yeah. So sono rojarse to blush. We've got rojo in there. Or roja sonorojarce. So she blushed. Y parecia que no se quitaba yis gusto. And it seemed that she wasn't kind of getting over the upset, basically.
Pablo
Cuidado, conesta, palabra. Pareceo lo es.
Stephen
Yeah, so disgusto is a false friend. This doesn't mean disgust. It's just annoyance. Yeah.
Pablo
Upset them.
Stephen
So basically here, medium, she's quite embarrassed, but she's also maybe a little bit put out by this teasing that's happening, I think.
Pablo
Entre la bronca de la jefa oligoteo estampuco.
Stephen
Okay, let's continue on. Okay, so this is the bar owner who's of course our narrator, but they clearly know their customers well.
Pablo
Same que maja, no?
Stephen
Yeah, I think so. So cuando pidiero la cuenta when they asked for the bill, le jeve un troso de tortilla, I took her a piece of tortilla, and that's le to her. And jeve pretz of jebar un troso de tortilla. A piece of tortilla. Spanish omelet. Claro.
Pablo
Oh, a slicey.
Stephen
Yeah. En una cajita para jevar. And a little box to take away.
Pablo
Y aquita nemo sel diminutivo y ta pero porrejemblo and mi pueblo. In some other parts, they might say cajilla. There's a lot of variation in here.
Stephen
It's the first part of the word that counts, in a sense. Whoever comes after is that ita ico yo, Whatever. Okay, So I gave her a little piece. I took her a little piece of tortilla to make her feel better. Okay.
Pablo
Le vije quez perava que la tortilla de la tia isa la udac el maltrago.
Stephen
So I told her that I hoped that the tortilla of latia Isa. So Aunt Isa's tortilla le hayudacia olvidar el maltrago, that it would help her. We've got a nice imperfect subjunctive there. A olvidar el maltrago. Literally, to forget the bad swallowing, maybe to take away the bad taste of her mouth. It's nice, though. But we've also got la hayudase. We could have said la a las.
Pablo
Dos formas don correctas en a li imperfecto de su juntivo.
Stephen
And it's there. The subjunctive is there because of so le dije. I told her that I hoped that la tortilla de la tia Isa layudase ah olvidar in maltrago. So I hoped. I said to her that I hoped that Auntie Isa's tortilla would help her forget the bad experience.
Pablo
Perfecto. Creo que lecento muy bien. Me son rio y me corazon.
Stephen
So it seems to have worked. I think it went down well. I think it worked. That's, of course, centar vien. So to sit well with something, ideally.
Pablo
You know, or to take something well.
Stephen
So I think she took it well. Me sonrio. She smiled at me y me and she thanked me from the bottom of her heart.
Pablo
Que bonito.
Stephen
So we're clearly seeing that there are customers in the bar, in 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 this through the subsequent chapters.
Miriam
Scenes from the Coffee Break Spanish Cafe Capitulo uno El dia a manecido un poco gris y como cada manana sobrela so y media El barestava bastante geno de gente de salnando en una de las mesas de la terraza esta ban Carmen, Miriam y Pilar tres de las enferas de los de allado aunque aga frio siempre pre preferen centar sefuera dies para que les de el aire ques pero ademas es porque pilar la mayor de la tres siemprese toma un cafe a fuera paraber ala genteel las otras dos amigas serrellan porque un felador nuevo muy hua le ayudo hacer la devolucion del material extra y approve.
Stephen
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 texts in more detail and of course also practice it with exercises and you can find that@coffeebreaklanguages.com 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.
Pablo
See. 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.
Stephen
Perfecto. Pes muchas gracias y muchas gracias a tos vosotros mos estros olientes y hasta las. You have been listening to A Coffee Break Languages Production for the Radiolingua Network. Copyright 2025 Radiolingua Limited Recording Copyright 2025 Radiolingua Limited all rights reserved.
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Episode: CBS Scenes 1.01 | ¡Qué mal trago!
Release Date: March 27, 2025
Host/Author: Coffee Break Languages
In the premiere episode of "CBS Scenes," titled ¡Qué mal trago!, Coffee Break Spanish delves into an engaging Spanish language lesson set within the vibrant atmosphere of a local café. Hosted by Stephen and Pablo, the episode intertwines storytelling with in-depth language analysis, making it both educational and entertaining for listeners aiming to enhance their Spanish skills.
The episode opens with a vivid description of a typical morning at the Coffee Break Spanish Café. Stephen introduces the main characters—Carmen, Miriam, and Pilar—three nurses who frequent the café after their demanding shifts at a nearby hospital.
Stephen [06:11]: "But I mean, for me, it's something that's really real. It feels. I can imagine it happening... life like this in a little village in Spain."
This introduction not only sets the stage for the lesson but also immerses listeners in a relatable narrative, providing context for the language being taught.
Pablo [09:05]: "Even if it's cold? Even when it's cold."
Stephen [12:12]: "She's always having her coffee outside because she likes watching people going by. Let’s go on."
Stephen and Pablo meticulously dissect each sentence from the narrative, providing listeners with comprehensive explanations of Spanish grammar and vocabulary.
Verb Conjugations and Tenses:
Amanecer (to dawn):
Stephen [06:11]: "El dia a amanecido un poco gris."
Translation: "The day has started a little grey."
Desayunar (to have breakfast):
Stephen [07:34]: "Desayunando," explores the gerund form, translating to "having breakfast."
Use of Subjunctive Mood:
Porque vs. Porqué:
Stephen [11:13]: "Porque would you say that that's something that we would be more likely to see in written Spanish as opposed to in spoken Spanish?"
Indirect Questions:
Stephen [21:07]: "Como con han donado se cidiata do cuenta... an indirect question."
Expressions and Idioms:
Meter la pata (to put one's foot in it/make a mistake):
Pablo [21:53]: "Miriam me dio un poco la pata."
Sonrojarse (to blush):
Stephen [26:09]: "When we blush."
Reflexive Verbs:
Stephen [10:19]: "Prefieren centar se fuera."
Translation: "They prefer to sit outside."
The interaction between Stephen and Pablo serves as a dynamic tool for language learning, illustrating real-life conversations and common scenarios in a Spanish-speaking café.
Ordering and Handling Mistakes:
Pablo [17:42]: "Tengo que acercarme... to take their order."
Explanation: Discussing how to approach customers and handle orders in Spanish.
Dealing with Errors:
Stephen [22:11]: "But it was just an error of calculation."
Illustrates the use of past tenses and explaining mistakes in a business context.
Through the narrative, listeners gain valuable cultural insights into daily life in a Spanish village, emphasizing social interactions, work-life balance, and community ties. The characters' interactions reflect common social behaviors, such as gathering at local cafés to unwind and socialize after work.
As the episode wraps up, Stephen encourages listeners to explore more through the Scenes Online Course, offering comprehensive lesson notes, video exercises, and additional resources to deepen their understanding of Spanish.
Stephen [33:15]: "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..."
Listeners are also reminded to subscribe to the Coffee Break Spanish newsletter for ongoing tips and language-building strategies.
Practical Vocabulary: The episode introduces essential vocabulary related to daily routines, social interactions, and workplace scenarios.
Grammar Mastery: Through detailed explanations, listeners learn about verb conjugations, subjunctive mood, reflexive verbs, and idiomatic expressions.
Cultural Familiarity: The narrative provides a glimpse into Spanish café culture and the lives of healthcare professionals in a close-knit community.
Engaging Learning Format: The blend of storytelling with grammatical analysis ensures an engaging and effective learning experience.
Stephen [06:11]: "But I mean, for me, it's something that's really real. It feels. I can imagine it happening... life like this in a little village in Spain."
Pablo [09:05]: "Even if it's cold? Even when it's cold."
Stephen [12:12]: "She's always having her coffee outside because she likes watching people going by. Let’s go on."
Pablo [21:53]: "Miriam me dio un poco la pata."
Stephen [26:09]: "When we blush."
The inaugural episode of CBS Scenes successfully intertwines an engaging narrative with thorough language instruction, setting a strong foundation for learners. By situating lessons within relatable, real-life contexts, Coffee Break Spanish ensures that listeners not only learn the language but also appreciate the cultural nuances that accompany it.
Happy Learning and ¡Buena Suerte!