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Illustration for “What does the landlady say?”

Spanish dialogue with translation · A2 · 12 lines

¿Qué dice la casera? What does the landlady say?

Comic · 11 panels

Panel 1 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “Hi, Ana. How's the apartment? Has the landlady written to you?”
  1. Pablo

    Hola, Ana. ¿Qué tal el piso? ¿Te ha escrito la casera?

    Hi, Ana. How's the apartment? Has the landlady written to you?

Panel 2 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “Yes, finally. She says she's coming tomorrow with the plumber and that she's paying.”
  1. Ana

    Sí, por fin. Dice que mañana viene con el fontanero y que paga ella.

    Yes, finally. She says she's coming tomorrow with the plumber and that she's paying.

Panel 3 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “Thank goodness! And the blind?” “She asks if I can fix it myself. She says it's very easy.”
  1. Pablo

    ¡Menos mal! ¿Y la persiana?

    Thank goodness! And the blind?

  2. Ana

    Pregunta si puedo arreglarla yo. Dice que es muy fácil.

    She asks if I can fix it myself. She says it's very easy.

Panel 4 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “And with what? You don't have any tools.”
  1. Pablo

    ¿Y con qué? No tienes herramientas.

    And with what? You don't have any tools.

Panel 5 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “Not yet. Look at this ad: "Secondhand tools for sale: hammer, screwdrivers and other things. 15 euros."”
  1. Ana

    Todavía no. Mira este anuncio: «Se venden herramientas de segunda mano: martillo, destornilladores y otras cosas. 15 euros».

    Not yet. Look at this ad: "Secondhand tools for sale: hammer, screwdrivers and other things. 15 euros."

Panel 6 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “Fifteen euros? That's a bargain. And are they in good shape?”
  1. Pablo

    ¿Quince euros? Es una ganga. ¿Y están bien?

    Fifteen euros? That's a bargain. And are they in good shape?

Panel 7 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “The seller insists they're almost new. He says he hardly uses them.”
  1. Ana

    El vendedor asegura que están casi nuevas. Dice que casi no las usa.

    The seller insists they're almost new. He says he hardly uses them.

Panel 8 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “Hey, do you know how to fix a blind?”
  1. Pablo

    Oye, ¿y sabes cómo se arregla una persiana?

    Hey, do you know how to fix a blind?

Panel 9 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “More or less… But you have to learn, right?”
  1. Ana

    Más o menos… Pero hay que aprender, ¿no?

    More or less… But you have to learn, right?

Panel 10 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “OK, I promise I'll come over on Saturday and help you. We'll fix the blind together and then we'll paint.”
  1. Pablo

    Vale, te prometo que el sábado voy y te ayudo. Arreglamos la persiana juntos y después pintamos.

    OK, I promise I'll come over on Saturday and help you. We'll fix the blind together and then we'll paint.

Panel 11 of 11 for “What does the landlady say?”: “Great! And afterward I'll buy you dinner.”
  1. Ana

    ¡Genial! Y después te invito a cenar.

    Great! And afterward I'll buy you dinner.

Grammar for this text

Dice que / pregunta si. Dice que mañana viene con el fontanero y que paga ella — she says she's coming tomorrow with the plumber and that she's paying. Pregunta si puedo arreglarla yo — she asks if I can fix it myself: si here means "if" or "whether". Arreglarla = arreglar + la (la persiana).

Se venden herramientas — "tools for sale". Se vende is a set phrase from ads: se + vende (from vender, to sell), word for word "is sold". This impersonal se comes at B1 (unit 7). One thing — se vende piso, several things — se venden herramientas. You'll often see de segunda mano (secondhand) next to it. ¿Sabes cómo se arregla una persiana? works the same way — "do you know how to fix a blind?", word for word "how a blind is fixed".

Hay que aprender — "you have to learn": hay que + infinitive, without saying who.

Te prometo que… voy y te ayudo — "I promise I'll come and help you": after prometo que, Spanish uses the normal present tense where English says "I'll".

Oye — "hey", "listen": this is how you get a friend's attention. It's the tú command of oír (to hear), like mira from mirar (unit 6).

Words and grammar of the unit: Explain what's broken.

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