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Illustration for “You wanted him to guess everything”

Spanish story with translation · B2 · 18 lines

Tú querías que él lo adivinara todo You wanted him to guess everything

Comic · 10 panels

Panel 1 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: In January, like every year, I wrote a list of my expectations. Today I found it inside a book. I had set myself three goals: to move to a new apartment, to renew…
  1. En enero, como todos los años, escribí una lista con mis expectativas. Hoy la he encontrado dentro de un libro.

    In January, like every year, I wrote a list of my expectations. Today I found it inside a book.

  2. Me había propuesto tres cosas: mudarme de piso, renovar mis papeles sin desesperarme y cuidar más a la gente que quiero.

    I had set myself three goals: to move to a new apartment, to renew my papers without losing hope, and to take better care of the people I love.

Panel 2 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: The first two are going well: I already live in Benimaclet and, so far, I've survived the immigration office.
  1. Las dos primeras van bien: ya vivo en Benimaclet y, de momento, he sobrevivido a la Oficina de Extranjería.

    The first two are going well: I already live in Benimaclet and, so far, I've survived the immigration office.

Panel 3 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: The third was the hardest, because it didn't depend only on me. I was hoping that this year Diego and I would talk more and see each other without rushing.
  1. La tercera era la más difícil, porque no dependía solo de mí.

    The third was the hardest, because it didn't depend only on me.

  2. Esperaba que este año Diego y yo habláramos más y nos viéramos sin prisa.

    I was hoping that this year Diego and I would talk more and see each other without rushing.

Panel 4 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: I wanted him to tell me what was going on in his life and for everything to be simpler between us. I'm stubborn: when I set my mind on something, I don't let it…
  1. Quería que me contara sus cosas y que todo fuera más sencillo entre nosotros.

    I wanted him to tell me what was going on in his life and for everything to be simpler between us.

  2. Soy terca: cuando me empeño en algo, no lo dejo. Y me empeñé en que este fuera nuestro año.

    I'm stubborn: when I set my mind on something, I don't let it go. And I was determined that this would be our year (woman speaking).

Panel 5 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: That's why I made that dinner as if for a big occasion: I wanted Diego to feel at home. He didn't come. That night I bit my lip so I wouldn't cry, and I went to…
  1. Por eso preparé aquella cena como para una gran ocasión: quería que Diego se sintiera en casa.

    That's why I made that dinner as if for a big occasion: I wanted Diego to feel at home.

  2. No vino. Esa noche me mordí el labio para no llorar y me fui a dormir sin cenar.

    He didn't come. That night I bit my lip so I wouldn't cry, and I went to bed without dinner.

Panel 6 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: The disappointment was deep: I felt that my expectations were mine alone. I got discouraged, and for a few days I didn't want to talk to anyone.
  1. La desilusión fue profunda: sentí que mis expectativas eran solo mías.

    The disappointment was deep: I felt that my expectations were mine alone.

  2. Me desanimé y durante unos días no quise hablar con nadie.

    I got discouraged, and for a few days I didn't want to talk to anyone.

Panel 7 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: Lucía listened to me for a whole afternoon. Then she said in a soft voice: "You wanted him to guess everything." "Did you ever tell him what you were expecting?"…
  1. Lucía me escuchó una tarde entera. Luego me dijo con voz suave: «Tú querías que él lo adivinara todo».

    Lucía listened to me for a whole afternoon. Then she said in a soft voice: "You wanted him to guess everything."

  2. «¿Alguna vez le dijiste lo que esperabas?», me preguntó.

    "Did you ever tell him what you were expecting?" she asked me.

Panel 8 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: No, I never told him. Out of pride, I guess: I'd like people to understand me without words. Diego isn't very thoughtful, it's true. But I didn't speak clearly…
  1. No, nunca se lo dije. Por orgullo, supongo: me gustaría que la gente me entendiera sin palabras.

    No, I never told him. Out of pride, I guess: I'd like people to understand me without words.

  2. Diego no es muy detallista, es verdad. Pero yo tampoco hablé claro.

    Diego isn't very thoughtful, it's true. But I didn't speak clearly either.

Panel 9 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: That question gave me encouragement, and I changed the list. I don't write what I expect from others anymore. I write what I'm going to do myself: say what I…
  1. Aquella pregunta me dio aliento, y cambié la lista.

    That question gave me encouragement, and I changed the list.

  2. Ya no escribo lo que espero de los demás. Escribo lo que voy a hacer yo: decir lo que quiero, a tiempo y en un tono sereno.

    I don't write what I expect from others anymore. I write what I'm going to do myself: say what I want, on time and in a calm tone.

Panel 10 of 10 for “You wanted him to guess everything”: I don't know if Diego will let me down again. But the year still has many months left, and I don't intend to let myself down (woman speaking).
  1. No sé si Diego volverá a defraudarme. Pero al año todavía le quedan muchos meses, y yo no pienso defraudarme a mí misma.

    I don't know if Diego will let me down again. But the year still has many months left, and I don't intend to let myself down (woman speaking).

Grammar for this text

What I was hoping for — imperfect subjunctive. The main verb is in the past (esperaba, quería), so after que you don't use hablemos but habláramos: esperaba que… habláramos más y nos viéramos sin prisa (the nosotros form always has a written accent), quería que me contara sus cosas, quería que Diego se sintiera en casa.

Fuera appears twice here, and both times it's ser: que todo fuera más sencillo — "for everything to be simpler"; me empeñé en que este fuera nuestro año — "I was determined that this would be our year". After empeñarse en que you also use the subjunctive: it's a stubborn wish.

Me gustaría que la gente me entendiera — "I'd like people to understand me": after me gustaría, the imperfect subjunctive, even though it's about now.

Sentí que… eran — "I felt that… were": here sentir means "to feel", so the normal form (indicative) follows (unit 5).

Words and grammar of the unit: Say what you were hoping for.

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