Rest your eyes from the screen | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: At work, two adults take a short screen break so tired eyes feel better before finishing a task..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Rest your eyes from the screen to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Tengo los ojos cansados.

TEN-goh lohs OH-hohs kahn-SAH-dohs. My eyes are tired.
B

Tómate un descanso corto de la pantalla.

TOH-mah-teh oon dehs-KAHN-soh KOR-toh deh lah pahn-TAH-yah. Take a short break from the screen.
A

¿Cuánto tiempo debo mirar a otro lado?

KWAHN-toh TYEM-poh DEH-boh mee-RAHR ah OH-troh LAH-doh? How long should I look away?
B

Mira a otro lado durante un minuto.

MEE-rah ah OH-troh LAH-doh doo-RAHN-teh oon mee-NOO-toh. Look away for a minute.
A

Puedo beber un poco de agua mientras descanso.

PWEH-doh beh-BEHR oon POH-koh deh AH-gwah MYEN-trahs dehs-KAHN-soh. I can drink some water while I rest.
B

Eso debería hacer que tus ojos se sientan mejor.

EH-soh deh-beh-REE-ah ah-SEHR keh toos OH-hohs seh SYEN-tahn meh-HOR. That should help your eyes feel better.
A

Entonces puedo terminar la tarea.

ehn-TOHN-sehs PWEH-doh tehr-mee-NAHR lah tah-REH-ah. Then I can finish the task.
B

Primero tómate el descanso y luego termina la tarea.

pree-MEH-roh TOH-mah-teh ehl dehs-KAHN-soh ee LWEH-goh tehr-MEE-nah lah tah-REH-ah. Take the break first, then finish the task.

Word by Word

Tengo “Tengo” means “I have” here and is used in “Tengo los ojos cansados” to describe the speaker’s physical condition. A useful pattern is “Tengo” followed by a noun or noun phrase.
los “Los” is the definite article used before the plural noun “ojos” in “los ojos”. It identifies the specific eyes being discussed.
ojos “Ojos” means “eyes” in this dialogue. The exact phrase “los ojos” is useful when talking about someone’s eyes.
cansados “Cansados” means “tired” and describes the eyes in “los ojos cansados”. It matches the plural form of “ojos” here.
Tómate “Tómate” tells someone to take something for themselves; here, “Tómate un descanso” means “Take a break”. It is useful in a direct suggestion involving a break or rest.
un “Un” means “a” in “un descanso”. It introduces one non-specific break.
descanso “Descanso” means “break” or “rest” in “Tómate un descanso”. The reusable expression “tomarse un descanso” refers to taking time to rest.
corto “Corto” means “short” and describes the break in “un descanso corto”. It can describe a limited length of time or duration.
de “De” means “from” in “un descanso corto de la pantalla”. It links the break to the screen being left temporarily.
la “La” is the definite article used before “pantalla” in “la pantalla”. It identifies the particular screen in the situation.
pantalla “Pantalla” means “screen”. In “de la pantalla”, it identifies the screen from which the person should take a break.
Cuánto “Cuánto” asks about an amount or duration in “¿Cuánto tiempo debo mirar a otro lado?”. The pattern “Cuánto tiempo” asks how long something should continue.
tiempo “Tiempo” means “time” and combines with “Cuánto” to ask about duration. “¿Cuánto tiempo...?” is a useful way to ask how long.
debo “Debo” expresses “I should” or “I must” in “debo mirar a otro lado”. It is commonly followed by an infinitive to ask or state what the speaker should do.
mirar “Mirar” means “look” in “mirar a otro lado”. It appears after “debo” and is also used in the instruction “Mira a otro lado”.
a “A” marks the direction in “mirar a otro lado”. Together with “otro lado”, it forms the idea of looking elsewhere.
otro “Otro” means “another” or “other” in “a otro lado”. It identifies a different side or direction from the screen.
lado “Lado” means “side” in the expression “a otro lado”, which means to look elsewhere. This expression is useful when directing someone’s gaze away from something.
Mira “Mira” is a direct instruction meaning “look” in “Mira a otro lado”. It is useful when telling someone where to direct their attention.
durante “Durante” means “for” or “during” and marks the length of the break in “durante un minuto”. It is commonly followed by a period of time.
minuto “Minuto” means “minute”. In “durante un minuto”, it specifies how long the person should look away.
Puedo “Puedo” means “I can” in “Puedo beber un poco de agua”. It is commonly followed by an infinitive to state an ability or possible action.
beber “Beber” means “drink” and follows “Puedo” in “Puedo beber un poco de agua”. The phrase “beber un poco de agua” is useful when talking about drinking some water.
poco “Poco” means “a little” or “some” in the expression “un poco de agua”. The pattern “un poco de” introduces a small amount of something.
agua “Agua” means “water” in “un poco de agua”. This phrase is useful when asking for or describing a small amount of water.
mientras “Mientras” means “while” and links two actions happening at the same time in “mientras descanso”. It is useful for introducing an action that occurs during another action.
Eso “Eso” means “that” and refers to the preceding idea of taking a break and resting. In “Eso debería...”, it serves as the subject of what is expected to help.
debería “Debería” expresses “should” in “Eso debería hacer que tus ojos se sientan mejor”. A useful pattern is “debería” followed by an infinitive to describe an expected result or action.
hacer “Hacer” means “make” or “cause” in “hacer que tus ojos se sientan mejor”. In the pattern “hacer que” it introduces a result that one action is expected to cause.
que “Que” introduces the result clause after “hacer” in “hacer que tus ojos se sientan mejor”. The pattern “hacer que” connects a cause with what happens as a result.
tus “Tus” means “your” and describes the eyes in “tus ojos”. It is used before the plural noun belonging to the person being addressed.
se In “se sientan mejor”, “se” marks that the eyes are experiencing their own change of state. It is part of the expression used for the eyes to feel better.
sientan “Sientan” means “feel” in “tus ojos se sientan mejor”. The reusable pattern “hacer que tus ojos se sientan mejor” describes something causing the eyes to feel better.
mejor “Mejor” means “better” and describes the improved state of the eyes in “se sientan mejor”. It is useful for describing improvement in how someone feels.
Entonces “Entonces” means “then” or “so” and connects the break with the next action in “Entonces puedo terminar la tarea”. It is useful for introducing a consequence or next step.
terminar “Terminar” means “finish” and follows “puedo” in “puedo terminar la tarea”. The pattern “terminar la tarea” means to finish the task.
tarea “Tarea” means “task” in “terminar la tarea”. It is the object of “terminar” and refers here to the work that remains.
Primero “Primero” means “first” and marks the first step in “Primero tómate el descanso”. It is useful for ordering actions in instructions.
y “Y” means “and” and links the two instructions in “tómate el descanso y luego termina la tarea”. It connects the first action with the following one.
luego “Luego” means “then” or “afterward” and introduces the second step in “y luego termina la tarea”. The pattern “Primero... y luego...” clearly orders actions.
termina “Termina” is a direct instruction meaning “finish” in “termina la tarea”. It is useful when telling someone to complete a specific task.

Grammar Points

Tómate + sustantivo

Tómate un descanso corto.

TOH-mah-teh oon dehs-KAHN-soh KOR-toh.

Take a short break.

The informal affirmative command of tomarse attaches the reflexive pronoun te to the verb: tómate.

hacer que + subjuntivo

hacer que se sientan mejor

ah-SEHR keh seh SYEN-tahn meh-HOR

to make them feel better

After hacer que, the following verb uses the subjunctive to express the result caused by an action.

Spanish Vocabulary

a otro lado phrase
ah OH-troh LAH-doh away; to another side
cansado adj
kahn-SAH-doh tired cansados
corto adj
KOR-toh short
cuánto det
KWAHN-toh how much; how long
descanso noun
dehs-KAHN-soh break
mirar verb
mee-RAHR to look mira
ojo noun
OH-hoh eye ojos
otro det
OH-troh other; another
pantalla noun
pahn-TAH-yah screen
tener verb
teh-NEHR to have tengo
tiempo noun
TYEM-poh time
tomarse verb
toh-MAHR-seh to take tómate

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

My eyes are tired.

Show AnswerTengo los ojos cansados.

Then I can finish the task.

Show AnswerEntonces puedo terminar la tarea.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

how much; how long

Show Answercuánto

short

Show Answercorto

to take

Show Answertómate

eye

Show Answerojos