Scenes Season 2 | Chapter 3: Suenan campanas

Summary

Coffee Break Spanish: Scenes Season 2, Chapter 3 – “Suenan campanas”

Podcast Host: Coffee Break Languages
Spanish Teacher/Guest: Pablo
Date: February 5, 2026
Episode Length: ~26 minutes

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Episode Overview

This episode, “Suenan campanas,” takes listeners inside a quiet day at the café, interrupted by a lively and heartwarming visit from a mother and her two daughters. The hosts break down the Spanish narrative, exploring expressions, vocabulary, and cultural topics surrounding wedding preparations. Throughout, both hosts provide detailed explanations, grammatical insights, and cultural context, offering intermediate learners both language input and cultural connection.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene in the Café (03:16–06:05)

• The café is unusually quiet.
• The regular elderly gentlemen (Matías, José, Francisco, Antonio) arrive as always.
• Only basic breakfasts and midday menus are served.

Pablo: “La cosa hoy ha estado muy tranquila.”
Things have been very quiet today. (06:45)

Host: “In English, we’d probably say ‘things have been quiet,’ but in Spanish it’s singular: la cosa.” (06:47)

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2. A Special Afternoon Visit: The Mother and Daughters (08:03–10:57)

• At “la hora de la merienda” (~5:30pm), three women (a mother and two daughters) come into the café.
• They look tired but happy, carrying magazines and fabric swatches.
• The conversation clues listeners in that wedding preparations are at the heart of the visit.

Host: “So, la hora de la merienda is like snack time in the afternoon. … They were carrying magazines y recortes de telas—fabric cuttings or swatches.” (08:08–09:18)

Host: “They were talking about budgets, shoe colors, and types of veils. … I think we see what’s going on.” (09:40)

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3. Cultural Vocabulary and Expressions (Throughout; 06:05–07:37, 09:38–09:55, 15:08–15:38)

• La merienda: Explained as the Spanish tradition of an afternoon snack.
• Biscocho de limón & croissant de chocolate: Highlighting traditional Spanish café treats.
• Wedding vocabulary: “velo” (veil), “presupuestos” (budgets), “colores de zapatos” (shoe colors), “tipos de vestidos” (types of dresses).
• Use and breakdown of grammatical phrases, especially those involving the subjunctive.

Host: “Would this [merienda] be about 5 o'clock, would you think so?” (08:08)

Pablo: “Una nueva palabra para mí, Mark.”
(A new word for me, Mark) [about “recorte”] (09:38)

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4. Engaged Participation & Spanish Grammar Highlights (15:08–17:28)

• The women are described as euphoric, chatting, looking at photos, and comparing fabrics—actively and repeatedly.
• Explanation of verbal construction “no parar de + infinitive” (not stopping doing something), illustrated with real-life activities.
• The youngest daughter asks the narrator for an opinion on a dress, seeking support (“buscando complicidad”).
• Introduction and explanation of subjunctive use: “El tipo de vestido que más me gustase.”

Host: “She encouraged me to choose el tipo de vestido que más me gustase—the type of dress I liked most. … Could you explain the use of subjunctive here?” (17:28)

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5. Touching Emotional Resonance (18:39–21:00)

• The narrator finds the scene heartwarming—“me dio mucha alegría.”
• Discussion on Spanish expressions for emotional connection, such as “me llega a la entraña” (it touched me deeply) and cultural contrasts with English idioms like “gut-wrenching.”
• Personal reflection: The scene reminds Pablo of his own mother and the excitement of preparing for a wedding.

Host: “It gave me great joy to see such a heartwarming moment, perhaps.” (18:44)

Pablo: “Estas cosas me recuerdan a mi madre.”
(These things remind me of my mother.) (20:31)

Pablo: “La echo mucho de menos y recuerdo los días en los que preparábamos todos los detalles de mi boda con ilusión.”
(I miss her very much and remember the days when we were preparing all the details of my wedding with excitement.) (20:52)

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6. Recap and Key Language Features (21:32–24:23)

• The episode covers:
  • Vocabulary related to cafés and weddings.
  • Cultural notes on Spanish daily routines (e.g., merienda).
  • Emotional expressions and the subtleties of Spanish grammar (subjunctive, “echar de menos,” etc.).
• Listeners are encouraged to reflect on the language and consider further practice with the Coffee Break Academy and supplementary resources.

Host: “Some cultural things: We had merienda, biscocho, croissant, and also the velo for the wedding. Listen out for these as we listen again to the whole text, this time at a normal speaking speed.” (21:32)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “La cosa hoy ha estado muy tranquila.”
  (Pablo, 06:45) — Setting the mood for the scene.

• “Venían cansadísimas, pero felices.”
  (Pablo, 09:00) — Vividly capturing the women’s state.

• “No paraban de charlar, mirar fotos y comparar telas.”
  (Pablo, 15:08) — Showing the infectious energy and focus of the mother and daughters.

• “Me dio mucha alegría ver un momento tan entrañable.”
  (Host commenting on the story, 18:44) — Expressing the episode’s emotional heart.

• “La echo mucho de menos y recuerdo los días en los que preparábamos todos los detalles de mi boda con ilusión.”
  (Pablo, 20:52) — A personal connection to the scene amplifies the cultural and linguistic learning.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:16–06:05 — The Quiet Café Scene & Vocabulary
• 08:03–10:57 — The Arrival of the Mother and Daughters & Cultural Insights
• 15:08–17:28 — Grammar in Action: Subjunctive Mood & Emotional Tone
• 18:39–21:00 — Personal Reflections & Emotional Vocabulary
• 21:32–24:23 — Episode Recap and Key Learning Points

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Final Thoughts

This episode offers a gentle, story-driven exploration of intermediate Spanish, placing learners in a relatable café setting and connecting language learning with cultural moments, personal emotions, and everyday communication. The hosts’ approachable tone, clear explanations, and personal anecdotes make for an engaging and practical language lesson.

Join Coffee Break Spanish next time for more language, culture, and conversation from the café!

Transcript

[Hannah Berner]

Hi, this is Hannah Berner from Giggly Squad. This episode is brought to you by Peloton. I've been trying to stay consistent with moving my body in ways that actually fit into my real life and Peloton makes that so much easier. The new Cross Training series balances your workouts with 15 plus workout types for endless movements on and off your equipment. Stay motivated with weekly personalized plans that guide you from beginner to experienced. Push past your goals with routines tailored for you. It feels really approachable even if you're just getting back into a routine, which a lot of us this January. It's nice not having to think about what to do. It's already mapped out for you. Get the new Peloton Cross Training Series.

[AT&T Business Wireless Employee]

Terms apply not every sale happens at the register before AT&T business Wireless, checking out customers on our mobile POS systems took too long. Basically a staring contest where everyone loses. It's crazy what people will say during an awkward silence. Now transactions are done before the silence takes hold. That means I can focus on the task at hand and make an extra sale or two. Sometimes I do miss the bonding time.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Sometimes AT T Business Wireless connecting changes everything. Scenes from the Coffee Break Spanish Cafe season 2 lesson 3. From the Coffee Break Spanish Cafe now this is of course Scenes from the Coffee Break Spanish Cafe A new series from Coffee Break and we hope that you're enjoying it. We hope that you're enjoying being part of the cafe and the life that happens there with each of our scenes. Okay, so we are going to listen as usual to the chapter. Now we'll listen to a slightly slower version. Then we'll talk about the language in it. And then of course we'll listen to the normal speed version.

[AT&T Business Wireless Employee]

Ideas que parece que la gente se pone de acordo la cosa hoy a estado muy tranquila ambenido los senores mayores de siempre Matias, Jose, Francisco y Antonio Sobre la hora de siempre yamos servido de sayunos y menus de medio dia. Pero poco no obstante most tenido una visita especial alla hora de la merienda sobre las tinco y media de la tarde an entrado tres mujeres en el baramente una madre y sus dos hijas venian canas pero felites. El tibo de vestido que mas me gustace estube un rato hablando coneyas heran Encantadoras al final se fuero sin ponerse de acuerdo is interner nada. Claro de Maravilla.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Okay, let's go back through each sentence line by line, and we'll talk about all of the interesting expressions, grammar and vocabulary in here. I think this is an interesting sentence to start the chapter. There are days when it's a kind of set freeze and it's very natural. So ideas que parece que? Seems that la gente se pone de acuerdo. People agree with each other para novenir not to come. So it feels like the bar is quite empty today.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

La cosa hoy a estado muy tranquila.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Now this is interesting because you've got la cosa singular, but I think in English we would probably see things plural. So la cosa hoy a estado muy tranquila. Things have been very quiet today, but in English we're saying things in Spanish. La cosa. Could you ever say las cosas grammaticalmen?

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Las cosas oy tendril muy tranquilas. And singular.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Okay.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Unmenido los senores mayores de siempre. Matias, Jose Francisco y Antonio. Sobrel aora de siempre y mo servido de salunos y menos de diudia, pero pocomas.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Okay, so. And benido los senores mayores de siempre. So the usual elderly gentlemen have come in. Matias, Jose, Francisco and Antonio. They came in at the usual time, sobre la hora de siempre. And we serve breakfast y menos de melurilla and lunch menus, pero pocomas, but little else. But not much else.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

No. Up stante emos tenido una visita especial a la hora de la merienda.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Okay, so la hora de la merienda is like snack time in the afternoon. So it's not dinner time, which would be much later. Would this be about 5 o'? Clock? Would you think so? No, Absante nevertheless or however emos tenido navicita especial. We had a special visit around 5.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

To 6pm Sobre Las Tincu y media della tarde an entrado tres mujeres en el bar. Heramente una madre y sus dos hijas.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

So sobre las tincu y media de la tarde. There we've got our time indicated. Specifically around half past five. An entrado tres mujeres en el var. The three women came into the bar. Era enclaramente una madrigus dos hijas. They were clearly a mother and her two daughters.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Venian can sadissimas. Pero felites.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

So they came in absolutely exhausted. Pero felites but happy.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Habla bande presupuestos colores de zapatos y tipos de velos?

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Okay, I think we can see what's happening here. They were carrying magazines y recordes de telas. So telas are fabrics, and recortes would be cuttings or swatches. I think if you're maybe thinking about buying an item, maybe a piece of furniture or a piece of clothing, you might get a piece of the fabric.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Una nueva palabra para mi mark.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Gracias y hablavan de presupuestos. They were talking about budgets, colores de zapatos, shoe colors, and types of veils. Okay, I think we see what's going.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

On.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

But we'll leave that for after the break. In each episode of the Scenes from the Coffee Break Cafe podcast, you you'll enjoy listening to the story and their 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.

[Hannah Berner]

Hi, this is Hannah Berner from Giggly Squad. This episode is brought to you by Peloton. I've been trying to stay consistent with moving my body in ways that actually fit into my real life, and Peloton makes that so much easier. The new Cross Training series balances your workouts with 15 PL workout types for endless movements on and off your equipment. Stay motivated with weekly personalized plans that guide you from beginner to experienced. Push past your goals with routines tailored for you. It feels really approachable, even if you're just getting back into a routine, which a lot of us are this January. It's nice not having to think about what to do. It's already mapped out for you. Get the New Peloton Cross Training Series.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Terms apply hey listeners, Meet Russell Hey. Russell just launched a fitness app and he needed to get the word out to busy professionals looking to stay fit. So I turned to acast. I used their Smart Recommendations feature to easily find Shows that talk about health and fitness. Booking sponsorships through their platform was a breeze. And just like that, my app was in their ears during their morning run. Sounds like a smart move. Russell, how's business looking now? Sweat is pouring and so are the installs. Spread the word about your business with podcast ads on Acast. Start [e-mail] advertise. Okay, so we are back in the cafe in the bar, and we have got three ladies, a mother and her two daughters, and they seem to be talking about all things related to Unavoda. See? So they sat at one of the tables. Which looks out. Well, it's the big window, isn't it?

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

El ventan es muyn Teresantes.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Yeah. So this is a room that looks out over the mountain or the sea or whatever. And you're interestingly using the subjunctive there because you don't necessarily know if this room exists. There may not be any rooms that look over the sea if you're. But here, what it's looking out over, it's less about what it's looking out over and more about the kind of shape of the roof. So it's incrusto.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Como leads to. Como que? In a way.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

It'S by the big window, basically. Y piderondos cafes con leze. They order two coffees with milk. Okay, I'm looking at the notes that we've got here, and I have. I'm afraid I do not know how to pronounce this, but it seems to be like a Chinese tea poo. Er, not sure, but anyway.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

And las cartas de restaurantes.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

We will need to find out more about this. Anyway, let's continue on. Okay, so they also asked for un trroso de biscozzo delimon. So biscozzo is like a sponge cake, isn't it? S, O, S, C. So a lemon sponge cake Y un croissant de chocolate. And a chocolate croissant. Okay.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Estavan euphoricas? No parabande charlar. Mirar photos y comparartelas.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

So they were euphoricas. They were euphoric. They were so happy. No, paramandi charlar. They were constantly chatting. They weren't stopping. Talking mirar photos. Looking at photos y comparartelas and comparing fabrics. So all of those. The infinitives there, Charlar, minar photos incomparate are all linked to the. No paravande. So they weren't stopping doing all of those things.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

All of those things. Cuando mi hair mesa hayevar les sumerienda la armana pequena me pidio opinion.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

So when I approached the table, cuando mi harque a la mesa hay varle sumerienda. To give them their snack. La mana pequenha. The younger sister, mepizio opinion. She asked for my opinion. What a wonderful sentence here. So buscando complicidad. So literally looking for complicity with her criterion, basically. Basically, she's looking for some support for her own decision or judgment, Something like that. Me animo hay lehi tipo de mestido. Queue so mianimo. She encouraged me hay lehir to choose el tipo de vestido, the type of dress que mas me gustase that I liked most. So gustase here is in perfect subjunctive. Pablo, explain to us why we're using a subjunctive here.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Me gusta.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

So basically, there's an element of doubt here. El bestido que mas me gustase the type of. Or el tipo de bastido, the type of dress that I might prefer, that I might like best. Okay, Okay. So I literally was a while speaking with them, I spent a while chatting to them. Encantadoras. They were delightful. So al final se fuero del var. The end. They left the bar. Sin po NER sere acuerdo without reaching an agreement, without agreeing, y sin tener nada claro. And without having anything decided, anything clear. Pero lo estaman pasando de maravilla. But they were having a wonderful time. Porque no para and reyerse because they didn't stop laughing. They sound very happy.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Mucha alegria peru un momento tan entran.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

I love that word. So me. It gave me great joy to see such a touching moment, to see such a heartwarming moment, perhaps. So just to go through that, then la central are your guts, your intestines, basically. And so if something is affecting you so deeply that it's part of you, then to be perfectly honest, I like heartwarming better than gut. As we're talking about this, I am thinking about the word gut wrenching. In English, we can say if something is gut wrenching, but wrenching W, R E N, C H. But gut wrenching would be like a really very emotional story, like a film or something like that that's very emotional, very hard to watch. So we do use our gut reference there, but it's a slightly different situation.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Estas cosas mer requerdan ami madre.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

So these things remind me of my mother. When something reminds you of something, then you use the verb Recordar so mere cuerdan ami madre. They remind me of my mother. And the adir is a personal. It's not an indirect.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

La echo. Mucho de menos y requerdo los dias. Elos que preparabamos todos los de talles de mi voda con elucion.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

So Isabel, sing la eto mucho de menos. I miss her very much. We'll come back to that. Y requerdo los dias. And I remember the days en los que preparaba mos todos los de talles in which we were preparing all the details de mi boda of my wedding con IRU cion with excitement. So echardemenos is to miss someone. But that's quite a Spanish spin.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Spanish and Latino America. Usarian extra la extrano.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Okay, lots of interesting things in this particular episode. Some cultural things. We had Marienda. We had the biscozzo, the croissant and also the velo for the way. Listen out for these as we listen again to the whole text, this time at a normal speaking speed.

[AT&T Business Wireless Employee]

Gente se pone de acuardo parano benir la cosaoy a estado muy tranquila and benido los senores mayores de siempre Matias Jose Francisco y Antonio sobre Laura de siempre yamos servido de seyunos y menos de mediodia. Pero.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Now, Pablo also mentioned earlier the Spotlight video, and that's part of our Scenes from the Coffee Break Cafe course, which includes additional materials to help you get more out of these texts. The course includes the Spotlight videos where we go into a particular aspect of the text in greater detail. There are exercises, vocabulary lists, and the lesson notes themselves, which will help you understand everything and as I say, provide more examples of the interesting expressions that we cover in in the text. You can find out all about [e-mail].

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

And remember that you can also sign up for our free Spanish newsletter where you'll receive weekly mini lessons on many different things. Just go to coffeebreakspanish.com and subscribe.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Perfecto. That's it for this episode of Scenes from the Coffee Break Cafe. We hope you've enjoyed it. Join us again soon for more scenes. For now.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

Adios.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

You have been listening to a Coffee Break Languages production for the RadioLingua Network. Copyright 2026 RadioLingua Limited Recording Copyright 2026 RadioLingua Ltd. All rights res.

[Hannah Berner]

Hi, this is Hannah Berner from Giggly Squad. This episode is brought to you by Peloton. I've been trying to stay consistent with moving my body in ways that actually fit into my real life, and Peloton makes that so much easier. The new Cross Training Series balances your workouts with 15 plus workout types for endless movements on and off your equipment. Stay motivated with weekly personalized plans that guide you from beginner to experienced. Push past your goals with routines tailored for you. It feels really approachable if you're just getting back into a routine, which a lot of us are this January. It's nice not having to think about what to do. It's already mapped out for you. Get the new Peloton Cross Training Series Terms Apply Lifelock how can I help?

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

The IRS said I filed my return, but I haven't.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

One in four taxpaying Americans has paid the price of identity fraud.

[AT&T Business Wireless Employee]

What do I do?

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

My refund, though.

[Pablo (Spanish Speaker/Teacher)]

I'm freaking out.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

Don't worry.

[Hannah Berner]

I can fix this.

[Podcast Host (Coffee Break Spanish)]

LifeLock fixes identity theft, guaranteed and gets your money back with up to $3 million in coverage. I'm so relieved. No problem. I'll be with you every step of the way. One in four was a fraud. Paying American not anymore. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com Special offer terms apply.