
Spanish story with translation · B1 · 18 lines
Carta a la Ana de dentro de un año A letter to the Ana of one year from now
Comic · 9 panels

Querida Ana de dentro de un año: espero que estés bien y que sigas siendo tan cabezota.
Dear Ana of one year from now: I hope you're well and that you're still just as stubborn.
Hoy he dicho que no a un trabajo en Madrid. Me quedo en Valencia.
Today I said no to a job in Madrid. I'm staying in Valencia.

Hace un año escribí una carta a la Ana del pasado. Esta vez te escribo a ti, la del futuro.
A year ago I wrote a letter to the Ana of the past. This time I'm writing to you, the Ana of the future.
Iba a escribirte una lista de objetivos. Pero ya sé qué pasa con mis listas: no cumplo ninguno.
I was going to write you a list of goals. But I already know what happens with my lists: I don't meet a single one.

Así que esta vez no hay objetivos. Solo hay cosas que quiero para ti.
So this time there are no goals. There are only things I want for you.
Quiero que sigas con el mismo espíritu y que tengas fe en ti.
I want you to keep the same spirit and to have faith in yourself.

No te pido que seas perfecta. Te pido que vivas a tu modo.
I'm not asking you to be perfect. I'm asking you to live your own way (to a woman).
Cuando leas esto, seguramente vivirás en otro piso. Espero que tenga balcón y que el vecino no tenga taladro.
When you read this, you'll probably be living in another apartment. I hope it has a balcony and that the neighbor doesn't have a drill.

No creo que hables ya sin errores. Pero creo que ya no te importa tanto.
I don't think you speak without mistakes yet. But I think it doesn't matter to you as much anymore.
Si algo ha salido mal este año, pasa página. Tú siempre sales adelante.
If something has gone wrong this year, turn the page. You always pull through.

Al echar la vista atrás, veo a una chica con dos maletas que no se atrevía a pedir un café.
Looking back, I see a girl with two suitcases who didn't dare to order a coffee.
Esa chica no tenía nada claro, pero siguió adelante. Esa es la lección de estos dos años.
That girl wasn't sure about anything, but she kept going. That's the lesson of these two years.

He cumplido un sueño: vivo cerca del mar y entiendo los chistes de Pablo. Bueno, casi todos.
I've made a dream come true: I live near the sea and I understand Pablo's jokes. Well, almost all of them.
Yo que tú, por encima de todo, cuidaría a tu gente. Las ciudades no abrazan; las personas, sí.
If I were you, above all, I'd take care of your people. Cities don't hug; people do.

En resumen: el balance es bueno. Hoy cierro una etapa y mañana empieza otra.
In short: the overall result is good. Today I'm closing one chapter, and tomorrow another one begins.
Y si lees esto en Madrid, no pasa nada. Después de todo, cambiar de opinión también es decidir.
And if you're reading this in Madrid, that's OK. After all, changing your mind is deciding too.

Ahora guardo la carta en el cajón de mi mesa para que la encuentres dentro de un año.
Now I'm putting the letter in my desk drawer so you'll find it a year from now.
Una cosa más: cuando la abras, llama a mamá. Seguro que llevas una semana sin llamarla.
One more thing: when you open it, call Mom. I'm sure you haven't called her in a week.
Grammar for this text
A letter to the future is almost all subjunctive: Ana is writing about things that don't exist yet.
- Wishes and requests: espero que estés bien, quiero que sigas, te pido que vivas a tu modo.
- cuando about the future: cuando leas esto, cuando la abras.
- Purpose: para que la encuentres.
- Doubt: no creo que hables ya sin errores.
And here, the normal form: creo que ya no te importa (an opinion without no), seguro que llevas una semana… (she's sure), si algo ha salido mal, si lees esto (no subjunctive after si). In seguramente vivirás the future is in the second half of the sentence, after cuando leas.
Iba a escribirte means "I was going to write to you" (unit 8). Llevas una semana sin llamarla means "you haven't called her in a week" (unit 1).
Commands to herself: pasa página, llama are tú commands. Yo que tú… cuidaría is advice: "if I were you, I'd take care of…" (unit 5).
Words and grammar of the unit: Explain a hard decision.
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