Organizing a bag | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a daily life setting, two adults organize a bag so glasses, a notebook, and an umbrella are easier to find..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Organizing a bag to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

¿Están mis gafas en este bolso?

es-TAHN mees GAH-fahs en ES-teh BOHL-soh Are my glasses in this bag?
B

Están en el bolsillo lateral.

es-TAHN en el bohl-SEE-yoh lah-teh-RAHL They're in the side pocket.
A

También necesito mi cuaderno.

tahm-BYEN neh-seh-SEE-toh mee kwah-DEHR-noh I need my notebook too.
B

Está debajo de tu paraguas.

es-TAH deh-BAH-hoh deh too pah-RAH-gwahs It's under your umbrella.
A

¿Puedo mover el paraguas?

PWEH-doh moh-BEHR el pah-RAH-gwahs Can I move the umbrella?
B

Ponlo junto al asa para que no estorbe.

POHN-loh HOON-toh al AH-sah PAH-rah keh noh es-TOR-beh Put it by the handle so it stays out of the way.
A

Voy a organizar el bolso ahora.

boy ah or-gah-nee-SAHR el BOHL-soh ah-OH-rah I'll organize the bag now.
B

Entonces será más fácil encontrar las cosas.

en-TOHN-sehs seh-RAH mahs FAH-seel en-kohn-TRAR lahs KOH-sahs Then it will be easier to find things.

Word by Word

Están “Están” means “are” in the sense of being located somewhere here: “¿Están mis gafas en este bolso?” It is used to say where plural things are, as in “Están en el bolsillo lateral.”
mis “Mis” means “my” before the plural noun “gafas.” It shows that the glasses belong to the speaker and is reused directly before a plural noun.
gafas “Gafas” means “glasses” in this dialogue. It refers to the item the speaker is looking for, as in “mis gafas”; use it when talking about a pair of glasses.
en “En” means “in” or “inside” here, showing the location of the glasses in the bag. It is commonly used before a place, as in “en este bolso” and “en el bolsillo lateral.”
este “Este” means “this” and points to the specific bag being discussed in “este bolso.” It is used before a masculine singular noun here.
bolso “Bolso” means “bag” or “purse” here. In “este bolso,” it identifies the bag where the glasses and other belongings are being organized.
el “El” means “the” before the masculine singular noun “bolsillo.” It introduces a specific pocket already understood in the conversation.
bolsillo “Bolsillo” means “pocket” in “el bolsillo lateral.” Use it for a pocket in a bag or in clothing, often with a description of its location.
lateral “Lateral” means “side” or “on the side” in “el bolsillo lateral.” It describes the pocket’s position and comes after the noun in this expression.
También “También” means “also” or “too” and adds the notebook to the things the speaker needs. It can be placed before the verb, as in “También necesito mi cuaderno.”
necesito “Necesito” means “I need” in “También necesito mi cuaderno.” It is used before the thing that is needed, such as “necesito mi cuaderno”; the citation form is “necesitar.”
mi “Mi” means “my” before the singular noun “cuaderno.” It shows that the notebook belongs to the speaker and is used directly before a singular noun.
cuaderno “Cuaderno” means “notebook” in this dialogue. It is the object the speaker also needs and is used after “mi” in “mi cuaderno.”
Está “Está” means “is” in the sense of being located somewhere here: “Está debajo de tu paraguas.” It is used to give the location of the singular notebook; the citation form is “estar.”
debajo “Debajo” means “under” or “below” in “Está debajo de tu paraguas.” It normally appears with “de” before the thing that is above it.
de “De” links “debajo” to the thing above the notebook in “debajo de tu paraguas.” In this expression, it marks the reference point for the location rather than possession.
tu “Tu” means “your” before the singular noun “paraguas.” It refers to something belonging to the person being addressed; unlike “tú,” this form has no accent.
paraguas “Paraguas” means “umbrella” in “tu paraguas.” It is the item under which the notebook is located and the item the speaker asks to move.
Puedo “Puedo” means “I can” or, in the question “¿Puedo mover el paraguas?”, “may I move the umbrella?” It is used before an infinitive such as “mover”; the citation form is “poder.”
mover “Mover” means “to move” in “¿Puedo mover el paraguas?” It stays in this infinitive form after “puedo” and names the action the speaker is asking permission to do.
Ponlo “Ponlo” means “put it” in the instruction “Ponlo junto al asa.” It combines the command form used for “put” with “lo,” referring to the umbrella; the citation form is “poner.”
junto “Junto” means “next to” in “junto al asa,” describing where to put the umbrella. The reusable location pattern is “junto a” followed by the nearby object.
al “Al” means “to the” or “by the” in “junto al asa.” It is the contraction of “a” and “el,” used here because “asa” is introduced after the location expression.
asa “Asa” means “handle” in “el asa,” referring to the handle of the bag. It is the object used as the reference point for placing the umbrella nearby.
para “Para” helps express the intended result in “para que no estorbe”: the umbrella is placed there so that it will not get in the way. It is commonly followed by “que” when introducing this kind of clause.
que “Que” introduces the clause “que no estorbe” after “para.” Together, “para que no estorbe” explains the purpose of putting the umbrella by the handle.
no “No” means “not” and negates “estorbe” in “para que no estorbe.” It is placed directly before the verb or verb form being negated.
estorbe “Estorbe” means “gets in the way” in “para que no estorbe.” The whole expression says that the umbrella should be placed by the handle so it does not obstruct or cause inconvenience; the citation form is “estorbar.”
Voy “Voy” means “I am going” and forms the planned-action expression “Voy a organizar,” meaning “I am going to organize.” It is the first-person form of “ir” used before “a” and an infinitive.
a “A” is part of the expression “Voy a organizar,” which means “I am going to organize.” In this pattern, it comes between “voy” and the infinitive naming the planned action.
organizar “Organizar” means “to organize” in “Voy a organizar el bolso ahora.” It remains in the infinitive after “Voy a” and names the planned action; the same pattern can be used with another object.
ahora “Ahora” means “now” and shows that the organizing will happen at the present time. It can be placed at the end of a sentence, as in “Voy a organizar el bolso ahora.”
Entonces “Entonces” means “then” here and connects the organizing action with its expected result. It introduces the next statement: “Entonces será más fácil encontrar las cosas.”
será “Será” means “will be” in “será más fácil,” describing a future result of organizing the bag. The citation form is “ser,” and this form is used with a singular result such as “más fácil.”
más “Más” means “more” in “más fácil,” making the result “easier.” It is commonly placed before an adjective when expressing a higher degree.
fácil “Fácil” means “easy” in “será más fácil encontrar las cosas.” With “más,” it describes finding things as becoming easier after the bag is organized.
encontrar “Encontrar” means “to find” in “encontrar las cosas.” It is an infinitive used after “será más fácil” to name the action that will become easier; the same pattern can be used with a different object.
las “Las” means “the” before the feminine plural noun “cosas.” It introduces the specific things that will be easier to find.
cosas “Cosas” means “things” in “encontrar las cosas.” It refers generally to the belongings in the bag, such as the glasses, notebook, and umbrella.

Grammar Points

ponlo

Ponlo junto al bolso.

POHN-loh HOON-toh al BOHL-soh

Put it next to the bag.

In an affirmative command, the object pronoun attaches to the verb: pon + lo → ponlo.

junto al

Las gafas están junto al bolso.

lahs GAH-fahs es-TAHN HOON-toh al BOHL-soh

The glasses are next to the bag.

junto al combines junto a and el before a masculine noun: junto a + el → junto al.

Spanish Vocabulary

bolsillo noun
bohl-SEE-yoh pocket

el bolsillo lateral

bolso noun
BOHL-soh bag

este bolso

cuaderno noun
kwah-DEHR-noh notebook

mi cuaderno

debajo de prep
deh-BAH-hoh deh under

Está debajo de tu paraguas.

estar verb
eh-STAHR to be están

¿Están mis gafas en este bolso?

gafas noun
GAH-fahs glasses

mis gafas

lateral adj
lah-teh-RAHL side

el bolsillo lateral

mover verb
moh-BEHR to move
necesitar verb
neh-seh-see-TAHR to need necesito

También necesito mi cuaderno.

paraguas noun
pah-RAH-gwahs umbrella

tu paraguas

poner verb
poh-NEHR to put ponlo

Ponlo junto al asa

también adv
tahm-BYEN also; too

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Are my glasses in this bag?

Show Answer¿Están mis gafas en este bolso?

They're in the side pocket.

Show AnswerEstán en el bolsillo lateral.

I need my notebook too.

Show AnswerTambién necesito mi cuaderno.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

glasses

Show Answergafas

notebook

Show Answercuaderno

to be

Show Answerestán

also; too

Show Answertambién