B1 · Unit 25 · 35 words, 2 texts with translation
Debate your views at the table
Argue after a long lunch about what matters more, money or time, and what makes a good life.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Arguing: creo que and no creo que, disagreeing politely
You already know this from unit 24: after creo que the verb is in the normal form (indicative), and after no creo que and dudo que it's in the subjunctive. At the table, this is the main move in an argument: you don't attack the other person, you say what you believe.
| How sure you are | How to say it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sure | creo que + normal form | Creo que el tiempo es más importante. — I think time is more important. |
| in doubt | no creo que + subjunctive | No creo que el dinero sea lo más importante. — I don't think money is the most important thing. |
One trap: yo creo que no + normal form means you're sure something is not true, so there's no subjunctive: yo creo que no merece la pena — "I think it's not worth it". But no creo que always takes the subjunctive: no creo que merezca la pena — "I don't think it's worth it". English often says both as "I don't think…", so watch where the no goes.
How to disagree without a fight (you already know no estoy de acuerdo, unit 11):
- Pues para mí es al revés. — Well, for me it's the other way around.
- Eso no es lo que digo. — That's not what I'm saying.
- Dejo claro que… — I'm making it clear that…
- Tienes razón, pero… — You're right, but…
Al revés ("the other way around") also works for things: Lleva el jersey al revés. — He's wearing his sweater inside out.
What would you do? The conditional for opinions; aunque, sin embargo, en vez de, de hecho
You already know the conditional, "I would" (haría, podría — unit 4; deberías — unit 5). You can use it to ask about someone's views, too:
- ¿Tú qué harías? — What would you do?
- Yo preferiría vivir cerca del mar. — I'd rather live near the sea.
- Yo no cambiaría mi horario por nada. — I wouldn't change my schedule for anything.
The question "What would you do if you…" with si tuvieras isn't needed yet: the form tuvieras comes in B2. For now, ask directly — ¿tú qué harías? — and give the options: ¿Más dinero o más tiempo? ("More money or more time?")
Four connectors that make an argument sound grown-up:
| Connector | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
aunque + normal form | "although": a fact that doesn't stop anything (unit 5) | Aunque gano poco, vivo bien. — Although I earn little, I live well. |
sin embargo | "however": you argue against yourself (unit 10) | Me gusta mi trabajo. Sin embargo, no quiero vivir para él. — I like my job. However, I don't want to live for it. |
en vez de + infinitive or noun | "instead of"; where English uses -ing, Spanish uses the infinitive | En vez de correr, caminamos. — Instead of running, we walked. |
de hecho | "in fact": backs up what you said with a fact | Dani toca bien. De hecho, ya cobra por tocar. — Dani plays well. In fact, he already gets paid to play. |
De hecho goes at the start of the sentence, with a comma after it. Don't mix it up with en realidad ("actually"): that one says "in reality it's different".
Words in this unit
la conversación — conversation, talk
Tuvimos una conversación muy útil. — We had a very useful conversation.
el resultado — result, outcome, score
Los resultados del examen salen mañana. — The exam results come out tomorrow.
el periódico — newspaper
Mi padre lee el periódico cada mañana. — My father reads the newspaper every morning.
la revista — magazine
Compro una revista de cocina. — I'm buying a cooking magazine.
la biblioteca — library
Estudio en la biblioteca del barrio. — I study at the neighborhood library.
la lengua — language
Su primera lengua es el inglés. — His first language is English.
el arte — art
Me gusta el arte moderno. — I like modern art.
útil — useful, handy
Esta caja es muy útil para guardar cosas. — This box is very useful for storing things.
inútil — useless, pointless
Tenemos muchas cosas inútiles en casa. — We have a lot of useless things at home.
comparar — to compare
Voy a comparar precios antes de decidir. — I'm going to compare prices before deciding.
crear — to create
Quiero crear una empresa. — I want to start a company.
de hecho — in fact, as a matter of fact
Me gusta mi trabajo. De hecho, no cambiaría nada. — I like my job. In fact, I wouldn't change anything.
el alumno — student, pupil
Mi profesora tiene doce alumnos. — My teacher has twelve students.
practicar — to practice
Practico español con mis amigos. — I practice Spanish with my friends.
la actividad — activity
En el barrio hay muchas actividades para niños. — There are lots of activities for children in the neighborhood.
el cansancio — tiredness, fatigue
El cansancio se nota a las seis de la tarde. — You notice the tiredness at six in the evening.
el descanso — rest, break
Necesito un descanso. — I need a break.
el/la músico — musician
Mi vecino es músico. — My neighbor is a musician.
la profesión — profession, occupation
¿Cuál es tu profesión? — What's your profession?
la tranquilidad — calm, peace and quiet
En el pueblo se vive con tranquilidad. — In the village, people live in peace and quiet.
el equilibrio — balance
Busco un equilibrio entre trabajo y familia. — I'm looking for a balance between work and family.
la estabilidad — stability, security
Quiero un trabajo con estabilidad. — I want a job with stability.
jubilarse — to retire
Mi abuelo se jubiló a los sesenta años. — My grandfather retired at sixty.
el aburrimiento — boredom
¡Qué aburrimiento de reunión! — What a boring meeting!
soñador — dreamy, dreamer
Mi hermano es muy soñador. — My brother is a big dreamer.
sacrificarse — to make sacrifices, to sacrifice yourself
Mi madre se sacrifica por sus hijos. — My mother makes sacrifices for her children.
los ingresos — income, earnings
Tengo ingresos seguros cada mes. — I have a steady income every month.
en vez de — instead of
Tomo té en vez de café. — I drink tea instead of coffee.
perder el tiempo — to waste time
No quiero perder el tiempo en el tráfico. — I don't want to waste time in traffic.
tomar en serio — to take seriously
Me tomo en serio mi trabajo. — I take my job seriously.
dejar claro — to make clear
Quiero dejar claro que no es culpa tuya. — I want to make it clear that it's not your fault.
estar en paro — to be unemployed, to be out of work
Mi primo está en paro desde marzo. — My cousin has been unemployed since March.
dar asco — to disgust, to make someone sick
Me da asco el café frío. — Cold coffee disgusts me.
al revés — the other way around, inside out, backwards
No es así, es al revés. — It's not like that, it's the other way around.
tomar una decisión — to make a decision
Tengo que tomar una decisión hoy. — I have to make a decision today.
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