First lesson and the teacher | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: Before a language lesson, two adults meet, ask whether one person has been to class before, and talk about the teacher..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use First lesson and the teacher to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Mucho gusto.

MOO-choh GOOS-toh. Nice to meet you.
B

¿Es tu primera clase aquí?

ess too pree-MEH-rah KLAH-seh ah-KEE? Is this your first lesson here?
A

Vine aquí antes.

BEE-neh ah-KEE AHN-tess. I came here before.
B

Llevo un tiempo aquí.

YEH-boh oon TYEHM-poh ah-KEE. I have been here for a while.
A

¿Cómo es el profesor?

KOH-moh ess ehl proh-feh-SOR? What is the teacher like?
B

El profesor es muy amable.

ehl proh-feh-SOR ess mooy ah-MAH-bleh. The teacher is very kind.

Word by Word

Mucho gusto “Mucho gusto” is the greeting used here to say “Nice to meet you.” It is a fixed expression: “Mucho” contributes “much” and “gusto” contributes “pleasure,” but together they form the greeting. Use it when meeting someone for the first time.
Es “Es” means “is” in the question “¿Es tu primera clase aquí?” It is used before the noun phrase “tu primera clase” to ask whether something has a particular identity or description. Use “Es” with a noun phrase when asking or stating what something is.
tu “tu” means “your” here and comes before “primera clase” in “¿Es tu primera clase aquí?” It shows that the lesson belongs to or concerns the person being addressed. A reusable pattern is “tu” + a noun when referring to something connected with the other person.
primera “primera” means “first” in “tu primera clase,” referring to the first lesson. It comes before “clase” in this expression and matches the form used with that word. Use “primera” before a noun when identifying something as the first one in a sequence.
clase “clase” means “lesson” or “class” in “tu primera clase aquí.” It refers to the language lesson taking place here. Use “clase” for a lesson or class, especially in the pattern “una clase” or “la clase” when the context supplies the specific class.
aquí “aquí” means “here” in “¿Es tu primera clase aquí?” and “Vine aquí antes.” It points to the place where the speakers are or where someone came. Use “aquí” after a verb or at the end of a sentence to indicate this place.
Vine “Vine” means “I came” in “Vine aquí antes.” It tells the listener that the speaker came to this place at an earlier time. Use “Vine” with a place, as in the dialogue’s pattern “Vine aquí,” when talking about coming somewhere.
antes “antes” means “before” or “earlier” in “Vine aquí antes.” It places the coming at an earlier time than the current situation. Use “antes” after an action to say that it happened earlier, as in “Vine aquí antes.”
Llevo “Llevo” helps express “I have been here for” in “Llevo un tiempo aquí.” In this construction, it introduces the period that the speaker has spent here. Use “Llevo” with a duration and a place when saying how long you have been somewhere.
un “un” means “a” or “one” before “tiempo” in “Llevo un tiempo aquí.” It introduces one period of time without specifying its exact length. Use “un” before a singular noun, as in the reusable expression “un tiempo.”
tiempo “tiempo” means “time” and, in “un tiempo,” refers to a period or a while. It is the duration named in “Llevo un tiempo aquí.” Use “un tiempo” when referring to an unspecified period spent somewhere or doing something.
Cómo “Cómo” means “how” in the question “¿Cómo es el profesor?”, where the whole question asks what the teacher is like. It is used in the pattern “¿Cómo es...?” to ask about a person’s or thing’s qualities. Use this question pattern when asking someone to describe someone or something.
el “el” means “the” in “el profesor” and introduces the specific teacher being discussed. It appears as “El” at the start of “El profesor es muy amable.” Use “el” before a noun when referring to a particular person or thing.
profesor “profesor” means “teacher” in “el profesor.” It identifies the person who teaches the class. Use “profesor” with an article or other determiner when talking about a teacher, as in “el profesor.”
muy “muy” means “very” in “El profesor es muy amable.” It strengthens the adjective “amable” and shows a high degree of kindness. Use “muy” directly before an adjective, as in “muy amable.”
amable “amable” means “kind” in “El profesor es muy amable.” It describes the teacher’s character after “es.” Use “amable” after “es” when describing a person as kind, including the pattern “es muy amable.”

Grammar Points

Mucho gusto

Mucho gusto.

MOO-choh GOOS-toh.

Nice to meet you.

A fixed expression used when meeting someone; it literally refers to pleasure.

¿Cómo es + noun?

¿Cómo es el profesor?

KOH-moh ess ehl proh-feh-SOR?

What is the teacher like?

Use cómo es to ask about a person’s qualities or character.

Spanish Vocabulary

antes adv
AHN-tess before
aquí adv
ah-KEE here
clase noun
KLAH-seh class or lesson
cómo adv
KOH-moh how or what ... like
gusto noun
GOOS-toh pleasure
llevo verb
YEH-boh I have been

Used with a period of time to express how long something has been happening

Mucho gusto phrase
MOO-choh GOOS-toh Nice to meet you

A greeting when meeting someone

primera adj
pree-MEH-rah first
tiempo noun
TYEHM-poh time
tu det
too your
un det
oon a
vine verb
BEE-neh I came

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Nice to meet you.

Show AnswerMucho gusto.

Is this your first lesson here?

Show Answer¿Es tu primera clase aquí?

I came here before.

Show AnswerVine aquí antes.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

pleasure

Show Answergusto

first

Show Answerprimera

class or lesson

Show Answerclase

before

Show Answerantes