Keeping valuables safe in a bag | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: Before leaving, two adults decide where to keep a wallet and phone safely in a bag..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Keeping valuables safe in a bag to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

¿Dónde debo poner mi cartera?

DOHN-deh DEH-boh poh-NEHR mee kah-TEH-rah Where should I put my wallet?
B

Guárdala en el bolsillo interior.

GWAHR-dah-lah en el bohl-SEE-yoh in-teh-RYOR Keep it in the inside pocket.
A

¿Es seguro el bolsillo delantero?

es seh-GOO-roh el bohl-SEE-yoh deh-lahn-TEH-roh Is the front pocket safe?
B

El bolsillo interior es más seguro.

el bohl-SEE-yoh in-teh-RYOR es mahs seh-GOO-roh The inside one is safer.
A

Puedo cerrar la cremallera.

PWEH-doh seh-RRAHR lah kreh-mah-YEH-rah I can close the zipper.
B

Eso debería mantenerla segura.

EH-soh deh-beh-REE-ah mahn-teh-NEHR-lah seh-GOO-rah That should keep it secure.
A

Mi teléfono también está ahí.

mee teh-LEH-foh-noh tahm-BYEHN es-TAH ah-EE My phone is in there too.
B

Revisa el bolsillo antes de irte.

reh-BEE-sah el bohl-SEE-yoh AHN-tehs deh EER-teh Check the pocket before you go.

Word by Word

Dónde “Dónde” means “where” in the question “¿Dónde debo poner mi cartera?”. It asks for the location of something and commonly appears with a verb to ask where an action should happen or where something is. Use it when asking someone to identify a place.
debo “debo” means “I should” or “I must” here, as in “¿Dónde debo poner mi cartera?”. It comes from the verb deber and expresses what the speaker is expected or supposed to do. A useful pattern is debo + an infinitive when asking or stating what you should do.
poner “poner” means “to put” in “debo poner”. Its infinitive form follows “debo” to name the action the speaker should perform. Use it for placing an object somewhere, such as putting a wallet in a pocket.
mi “mi” means “my” and identifies the wallet as belonging to the speaker in “mi cartera”. It comes before the noun it describes. Use mi + a noun when referring to something that belongs to you.
cartera “cartera” means “wallet” in “mi cartera”. It is the item the speaker wants to place safely and the item later referred to by “Guárdala” and “mantenerla”. Use it when talking about a wallet or similar personal belonging.
Guárdala “Guárdala” means “keep it” or “store it” in the command “Guárdala en el bolsillo interior.” The form combines the command to store something with “la”, referring here to the feminine noun “cartera”. Use this kind of command when telling someone where to keep an item.
en “en” means “in” in “en el bolsillo interior” and shows the place where the wallet should be kept. It commonly introduces a location or container. Use it to say that something is inside or located in a place.
el “el” is the definite article “the” in “el bolsillo interior”. It appears before the masculine noun “bolsillo”. Use el + a masculine noun when referring to a specific item.
bolsillo “bolsillo” means “pocket” in “el bolsillo interior” and “el bolsillo delantero”. It names the place where the wallet and phone are kept. Use it with a description to identify a particular pocket.
interior “interior” means “inside” or “inner” in “el bolsillo interior”. It specifies that this is the pocket located on the inside. It follows the noun in this phrase, and you can use it to distinguish an inner part from another part of an item.
Es “Es” means “is” at the beginning of “¿Es seguro el bolsillo delantero?”. It describes or asks about a quality of the front pocket. The same word appears as lowercase “es” inside “El bolsillo interior es más seguro”; capitalization changes because this form begins the question here.
seguro “seguro” means “safe” or “secure” in “¿Es seguro el bolsillo delantero?”. It describes “bolsillo”, so this exact form is masculine. Use es seguro + a place or object when asking or saying that something is safe.
delantero “delantero” means “front” in “el bolsillo delantero”. It identifies which pocket is being discussed by describing its position. Use it after a noun when distinguishing a front part or location.
más “más” means “more” in “más seguro”, making the meaning “safer”. Here it compares the inside pocket with the front pocket mentioned just before. A useful pattern is más + an adjective when describing a greater degree of a quality.
Puedo “Puedo” means “I can” in “Puedo cerrar la cremallera.” It comes from the verb poder and expresses the speaker’s ability or possibility of doing something. Use puedo + an infinitive to say what you can do.
cerrar “cerrar” means “to close” in “Puedo cerrar la cremallera”. Its infinitive form follows “Puedo” and names the action the speaker can perform. Use it for closing a zipper or another opening.
la “la” is the definite article “the” in “la cremallera”. It appears before the feminine noun “cremallera”. Use la + a feminine noun when referring to a specific item.
cremallera “cremallera” means “zipper” in “la cremallera”. It is the part that the speaker can close to help secure the belongings. Use it when talking about the zipper on a bag or piece of clothing.
Eso “Eso” means “that” in “Eso debería mantenerla segura.” Here it refers to the action of closing the zipper just mentioned. Use it to point back to a thing, action, or idea that is already understood from the conversation.
debería “debería” means “should” in “Eso debería mantenerla segura.” It expresses an expected result: closing the zipper is expected to keep the wallet safe. It comes before an infinitive in the reusable pattern debería + an action.
mantenerla “mantenerla” means “to keep it” in “mantenerla segura”. It combines the infinitive “mantener” with “la”, which refers here to “cartera”. The form follows “debería” and expresses the action expected to keep the wallet safe.
segura “segura” means “safe” or “secure” in “mantenerla segura”. It describes the feminine item referred to by “la”, namely “cartera”. Use mantenerla segura when saying that an action will keep that item safe.
teléfono “teléfono” means “phone” in “Mi teléfono también está ahí.” It names another valuable item that is in the same location. Use it after a possessive such as “Mi” when identifying your phone.
también “también” means “also” or “too” in “Mi teléfono también está ahí.” It adds the phone as another item that is in that location, in addition to the wallet. Use it when adding similar information to something already stated.
está “está” means “is located” in “está ahí”. It comes from estar and describes the phone’s location. Use está with a place expression such as “ahí” to say where a singular item is.
ahí “ahí” means “there” in “Mi teléfono también está ahí.” It points to the location already being discussed, such as the inside pocket. Use está ahí when referring to a known or indicated place.
Revisa “Revisa” means “check” in the command “Revisa el bolsillo antes de irte.” It tells the listener to inspect the pocket. Use this command when reminding someone to examine something before an action or departure.
antes “antes” means “before” in “antes de irte”. It places the pocket check earlier than the listener’s departure. Use antes de + an action to express that one event must happen first.
de “de” links “antes” to the action in “antes de irte”. In this phrase, the complete meaning is “before leaving”, rather than simply “of”. Use the pattern antes de + an infinitive to describe the action that follows.
irte “irte” means “to leave” or “to go away” in “antes de irte”. It is the form of “ir” used with “te”, referring to the listener. Use it in this phrase when telling someone to check something before that person leaves.

Grammar Points

guárdala

Guárdala.

GWAHR-dah-lah

Keep it.

In an affirmative command, the direct-object pronoun la attaches to the verb: guarda + la = guárdala.

antes de + infinitivo

antes de irte

AHN-tehs deh EER-teh

before you leave

Use antes de followed by an infinitive to express that one action happens before another.

Spanish Vocabulary

bolsillo noun
bohl-SEE-yoh pocket

Guárdala en el bolsillo interior.

cartera noun
kah-TEH-rah wallet

¿Dónde debo poner mi cartera?

cerrar verb
seh-RRAHR to close

Puedo cerrar la cremallera.

cremallera noun
kreh-mah-YEH-rah zipper

Puedo cerrar la cremallera.

delantero adj
deh-lahn-TEH-roh front

el bolsillo delantero

dónde adv
DOHN-deh where

¿Dónde debo poner mi cartera?

guardar verb
gwar-DAHR to keep; to store guárdala

Guárdala en el bolsillo interior.

interior adj
in-teh-RYOR inside; inner

el bolsillo interior

mantener verb
mahn-teh-NEHR to keep; to maintain

Eso debería mantenerla segura.

más seguro phrase
mahs seh-GOO-roh safer

El bolsillo interior es más seguro.

poner verb
poh-NEHR to put

¿Dónde debo poner mi cartera?

seguro adj
seh-GOO-roh safe; secure

¿Es seguro el bolsillo delantero?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Where should I put my wallet?

Show Answer¿Dónde debo poner mi cartera?

Keep it in the inside pocket.

Show AnswerGuárdala en el bolsillo interior.

Is the front pocket safe?

Show Answer¿Es seguro el bolsillo delantero?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to put

Show Answerponer

inside; inner

Show Answerinterior

front

Show Answerdelantero

wallet

Show Answercartera