Hurrying to the train platform | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: During rush hour near a station, two adults hurry to the platform and prepare to board the train together..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Hurrying to the train platform to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

La carretera está muy transitada hoy.

lah kah-rreh-TEH-rah ehs-TAH mwee trahn-see-TAH-dah oy The road is really busy today.
B

Ha empezado la hora punta.

ah em-peh-SAH-doh lah OH-rah POON-tah Rush hour has started.
A

¿Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren?

toh-dah-VEE-ah poh-DEH-mohs koh-HEHR ehl PROK-see-moh trehn Can we still catch the next train?
B

Deberíamos poder. La estación está justo delante.

deh-beh-REE-ah-mohs poh-DEHR. lah ehs-tah-SYOWN ehs-TAH HOO-stoh deh-LAHN-teh We should. The station is just ahead.
A

Ya puedo ver la entrada.

yah PWEH-doh behr lah en-TRAH-dah I can see the entrance now.
B

Vamos directamente al andén.

BAH-mohs dee-rehk-tah-MEHN-teh al ahn-DEHN Let's head straight to the platform.
A

El tren ya está llegando.

ehl trehn yah ehs-TAH yeh-GAHN-doh The train is pulling in already.
B

Quédate cerca y subiremos al tren juntos.

KEH-dah-teh SEHR-kah, ee soo-bee-REH-mohs al trehn HOON-tohs Stay close, and we'll board together.

Word by Word

La “La” means “the” before “carretera” in “La carretera”. It appears with a capital letter at the start of the sentence; the same article appears as “la” in “la hora punta”. Use it before a noun when referring to a specific thing.
carretera “Carretera” means road or roadway in “La carretera está muy transitada hoy”. It is the thing being described as busy with traffic. You can use “carretera” when talking about a road used by vehicles.
está “Está” means “is” here and describes the road’s current condition in “La carretera está muy transitada hoy”. It is used with a description such as “muy transitada”. A useful pattern is “está + description” for a current state.
muy “Muy” makes the following description stronger in “muy transitada”, meaning very busy with traffic. It comes directly before the describing word. Use “muy” before a description when you want to intensify it.
transitada “Transitada” describes “La carretera” as busy with traffic in “La carretera está muy transitada hoy”. The form is used with “está” to describe the road’s current condition. You can use it when explaining that a road or route has a lot of traffic.
hoy “Hoy” means “today” in “La carretera está muy transitada hoy”. It places the road condition in the current day and comes at the end of the sentence here. Use “hoy” when giving the day connected with an event or condition.
Ha “Ha” means “has” in “Ha empezado la hora punta”. It works with “empezado” to say that rush hour has started. Use “ha” with a completed action when describing something that has happened by now.
empezado “Empezado” means “started” in “Ha empezado la hora punta”. Together with “Ha”, it says that rush hour has begun. “Empezado” is the form related to “empezar”; a reusable pattern is “ha empezado + noun” for something that has begun.
hora punta “Hora punta” means “rush hour” as a whole in “la hora punta”. “Hora” contributes the idea of an hour or period, and “punta” contributes the idea of the peak; together they name the period when traffic is busiest. Use “hora punta” when discussing travel during the busiest time of day.
Todavía “Todavía” means “still” in “¿Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren?”. It asks whether catching the next train remains possible at this point. It is useful when checking whether an option is still available.
podemos “Podemos” means “we can” in “Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren”. It shows what the speakers are able to do and is followed by the infinitive “coger”. “Podemos” is a form of “poder”; use the pattern “podemos + infinitive” to talk about a shared possibility or ability.
coger “Coger” means “catch” in “podemos coger el próximo tren”. With a train as its object, it refers to taking or catching that train. It remains in the infinitive after “podemos”; use “coger + transport” when saying which transport you can catch.
el “El” means “the” before “próximo tren” in “coger el próximo tren”. It introduces the specific train the speakers want to catch. Use “el” before a specific noun in a phrase such as “el tren”.
próximo “Próximo” means “next” in “el próximo tren”, identifying the train that comes next. It describes “tren” inside the object of “coger”. Use “próximo + noun” when referring to the next scheduled or expected item.
tren “Tren” means train in “el próximo tren”. It is the transport the speakers want to catch and later board. Use “tren” when talking about travelling by rail.
Deberíamos “Deberíamos” means “we should” in “Deberíamos poder”. It expresses the speakers’ expectation that catching the train ought to be possible. “Deberíamos” is related to “deber”; use it before an infinitive to give a recommendation or express what is expected.
poder “Poder” contributes “be able to” in “Deberíamos poder”. Together, “Deberíamos poder” means “we should be able to”, referring here to catching the train. It is an infinitive after “Deberíamos”; use “deberíamos poder + infinitive” for an expected possibility.
estación “Estación” means station in “La estación está justo delante”. It identifies the place the speakers are approaching. Use “estación” when talking about a train station or another transport station.
justo “Justo” means “just” in “justo delante”, emphasizing that the station is immediately ahead. It strengthens the location described by “delante”. Use “justo” before a location word when you mean immediately or exactly there.
delante “Delante” means “ahead” in “La estación está justo delante”. It places the station in front of the speakers’ current position. A useful pattern is “estar delante” for saying that something is ahead.
Ya “Ya” means “now” or “already” in “Ya puedo ver la entrada”. It shows that the entrance has become visible at this point. Use “ya” when something is true or possible by the present moment.
puedo “Puedo” means “I can” in “Ya puedo ver la entrada”. It expresses the speaker’s ability to see and is followed by “ver”. “Puedo” is a form of “poder”; use “puedo + infinitive” to say what you are able to do.
ver “Ver” means “see” in “puedo ver la entrada”. It is the action the speaker can perform and takes “la entrada” as its object. It remains in the infinitive after “puedo”; use “puedo ver + object” to say what you can see.
entrada “Entrada” means entrance in “ver la entrada”. It is the place the speaker can now see. Use “entrada” when referring to the way into a building or station.
Vamos “Vamos” means “let’s go” at the beginning of “Vamos directamente al andén”. It urges both speakers to move toward the platform. “Vamos” is related to “ir”; use it at the start of a suggestion to go somewhere together.
directamente “Directamente” means “straight” or “directly” in “Vamos directamente al andén”. It describes moving toward the platform without taking another route. Use “directamente” with a movement expression to say that someone goes directly to a destination.
al “Al” means “to the” in “al andén”. It combines the direction word “a” with “el” before the destination noun. Use “al + place” when saying that someone is going to a masculine singular destination.
andén “Andén” means platform in “Vamos directamente al andén”. It is the train platform the speakers are hurrying toward. Use “andén” when identifying the platform where a train departs or arrives.
llegando “Llegando” means “arriving” in “El tren ya está llegando”. Together with “está”, it describes the train as being in the process of arriving. “Llegando” is related to “llegar”; use “está llegando” for something that is arriving now.
Quédate “Quédate” tells one person to stay in “Quédate cerca”. It asks that person to remain nearby while they prepare to board. “Quédate” is related to “quedarse”; use “quédate + location or distance expression” when telling someone where to remain.
cerca “Cerca” means “close” or “near” in “Quédate cerca”. It specifies the distance at which the other person should stay. Use “cerca” after an expression such as “quédate” to ask someone to remain nearby.
y “Y” means “and” in “Quédate cerca y subiremos al tren juntos”. It joins the instruction to stay close with the later action of boarding together. Use “y” to connect two related actions or statements.
subiremos “Subiremos” means “we will board” in “subiremos al tren juntos”. In this train context, it describes the speakers’ future action of getting onto the train. “Subiremos” is related to “subir”; use “subiremos al tren” when saying that you and others will board the train.
juntos “Juntos” means “together” in “subiremos al tren juntos”. It shows that the speakers will board as a group rather than separately. Place “juntos” after the action when emphasizing that people will do something together.

Grammar Points

ha empezado

La hora punta ha empezado hoy.

lah OH-rah POON-tah ah em-peh-SAH-doh oy

Rush hour has started today.

The present perfect uses ha + past participle to describe an action that has happened recently or matters now.

quédate

Quédate cerca de la entrada.

KEH-dah-teh SEHR-kah deh lah en-TRAH-dah

Stay near the entrance.

The affirmative tú imperative of quedarse is quédate; the pronoun se is attached to the verb.

Spanish Vocabulary

carretera noun
kah-rreh-TEH-rah road

La carretera está muy transitada hoy.

coger verb
koh-HEHR to catch; to take

¿Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren?

delante adv
deh-LAHN-teh ahead; in front

La estación está justo delante.

empezar verb
em-peh-SAR to start; to begin ha empezado

Ha empezado la hora punta.

estación noun
ehs-tah-SYOWN station

La estación está justo delante.

hora punta phrase
OH-rah POON-tah rush hour

Ha empezado la hora punta.

hoy adv
oy today

La carretera está muy transitada hoy.

poder verb
poh-DEHR can; to be able to podemos

¿Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren?

próximo adj
PROK-see-moh next

¿Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren?

todavía adv
toh-dah-VEE-ah still

¿Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren?

transitado adj
trahn-see-TAH-doh busy; heavily trafficked transitada

La carretera está muy transitada hoy.

tren noun
trehn train

¿Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

The road is really busy today.

Show AnswerLa carretera está muy transitada hoy.

Rush hour has started.

Show AnswerHa empezado la hora punta.

Can we still catch the next train?

Show Answer¿Todavía podemos coger el próximo tren?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

still

Show Answertodavía

can; to be able to

Show Answerpodemos

road

Show Answercarretera

next

Show Answerpróximo