About This Lesson
Use Using a Library Computer and Printer to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
¿Puedo usar esta computadora?
PWEH-doh oo-SAR EH-stah kohm-poo-tah-DOH-rah? Can I use this computer?
B
Esa computadora está libre.
EH-sah kohm-poo-tah-DOH-rah eh-STAH LEE-breh. That computer is free.
A
La pantalla es muy brillante.
lah pahn-TAH-yah es mwee bree-YAHN-teh. The screen is very bright.
B
Puedes bajar el brillo aquí.
PWEH-dehs bah-HAR el BREE-yoh ah-KEE. You can lower the brightness here.
A
¿Puedo usar también la impresora?
PWEH-doh oo-SAR tahm-BYEN lah eem-preh-SOH-rah? Can I use the printer too?
B
Puedes usar la impresora cerca del escritorio.
PWEH-dehs oo-SAR lah eem-preh-SOH-rah SEHR-kah del es-kree-TOH-ryoh. You can use the printer near the desk.
A
Usaré auriculares si pongo algún audio.
oo-sah-REH ow-ree-koo-LAH-rehs see POHN-goh ahl-GOON OW-dyoh. I'll use headphones if I play any audio.
B
Eso mantendrá la sala tranquila.
EH-soh mahn-tehn-DRAH lah SAH-lah trahn-KEE-lah. That will keep the room quiet.Word by Word
Puedo
In «Puedo usar», «Puedo» means “I can” or “I am able to” and expresses the speaker’s request for permission. It is a form of poder used before an infinitive, as in «Puedo usar».
usar
In «Puedo usar esta computadora», «usar» means “to use.” It is the infinitive that follows «Puedo» and names the action being requested; the same pattern applies to «Puedo usar la impresora» in this dialogue.
esta
In «esta computadora», «esta» means “this” and points to the computer near the speaker. It comes directly before the noun in the pattern «esta + noun».
computadora
In «esta computadora» and «Esa computadora», «computadora» means “computer.” It is the object that someone wants to use or identifies as available in this library situation.
Esa
In «Esa computadora», «Esa» means “that” and identifies a particular computer. It appears before the noun in the reusable pattern «Esa + noun».
está
In «está libre», «está» helps describe the computer’s current availability. It is used with a description in «Esa computadora está libre».
libre
In «está libre», «libre» means “free” in the sense of available for use, not occupied. It gives the availability status of the computer after «está».
La
In «La pantalla», «La» means “the” and introduces the specific screen being discussed. It appears directly before the noun in the noun phrase «La pantalla».
pantalla
In «La pantalla es muy brillante», «pantalla» means “screen.” It is the library computer’s screen, described with «muy brillante».
es
In «La pantalla es muy brillante», «es» links the screen to the quality being described. It is used in the pattern «La pantalla es + description».
muy
In «muy brillante», «muy» means “very” and strengthens the description of the screen’s brightness. The reusable pattern here is «muy + adjective», as in «muy brillante».
brillante
In «La pantalla es muy brillante», «brillante» means “bright,” describing the strong light from the screen. It follows «muy» in the expression «muy brillante».
Puedes
In «Puedes usar», «Puedes» means “you can” and gives the other person permission or ability to do something. It is a form of poder used before an infinitive, as in «Puedes usar la impresora».
bajar
In «bajar el brillo», «bajar» means “to lower,” referring to reducing the screen brightness. It follows «Puedes» in the pattern «Puedes + infinitive».
el
In «el brillo», «el» means “the” and introduces the specific brightness control being discussed. It comes directly before the noun in «el brillo».
brillo
In «bajar el brillo», «brillo» means “brightness.” It is the setting that can be reduced, and it follows the object pattern «bajar + el brillo».
aquí
In «bajar el brillo aquí», «aquí» means “here” and points to the place or control where the brightness can be lowered. It is used to indicate the relevant location in the library.
también
In «usar también la impresora», «también» means “also” or “too,” adding the printer to the computer as another device the speaker wants to use. It appears after «usar» in this dialogue expression.
impresora
In «la impresora», «impresora» means “printer.” It is the second device the speaker asks to use and the device located near the desk.
cerca
In «cerca del escritorio», «cerca» means “near” and indicates a short distance from the desk. It is commonly used with «de» to identify what something is near.
del
In «cerca del escritorio», «del» means “of the” and forms the location expression “near the desk.” It is the combined form of «de» and «el» in the pattern «cerca del + noun».
escritorio
In «cerca del escritorio», «escritorio» means “desk.” It identifies the reference point for the printer’s location.
Usaré
In «Usaré auriculares», «Usaré» means “I will use” and states the speaker’s future intention. It is a future form of usar followed by the thing the speaker plans to use.
auriculares
In «Usaré auriculares», «auriculares» means “headphones.” The speaker plans to use them when playing audio so the library remains quiet.
si
In «si pongo algún audio», «si» means “if” and introduces the condition under which the speaker will use headphones. It connects a condition with its result in the sentence.
pongo
In «pongo algún audio», «pongo» means “I play” audio in this context. It is a form of poner, and the object follows it in the pattern «pongo + object».
algún
In «algún audio», «algún» means “any” or “some” and refers to an unspecified audio selection. It appears before the noun in the pattern «algún + noun».
audio
In «pongo algún audio», «audio» means “audio,” referring to sound played on the computer. It is the object of «pongo» in this dialogue.
Eso
In «Eso mantendrá la sala tranquila», «Eso» means “that” and refers back to the plan of using headphones while playing audio. It can point to a preceding action or idea as the subject of the next sentence.
mantendrá
In «Eso mantendrá la sala tranquila», «mantendrá» means “will keep” and describes the future effect of using headphones. It is used with the thing being kept in a condition, here «la sala tranquila».
sala
In «la sala tranquila», «sala» means “room,” referring to the library room. It is the place whose quiet condition is described in the sentence.
tranquila
In «la sala tranquila», «tranquila» means “quiet” or “calm” and describes the room’s condition. It follows «sala» in the expression «la sala tranquila».
Grammar Points
poder + infinitivo
¿Puedes bajar el brillo?
PWEH-dehs bah-HAR el BREE-yoh?Can you lower the brightness?
Use a form of poder followed by the infinitive to express ability or permission. The infinitive does not change.
futuro simple: -ré / -drá
Usaré auriculares si pongo algún audio; eso mantendrá la sala tranquila.
oo-sah-REH ow-ree-koo-LAH-rehs see POHN-goh ahl-GOON OW-dyoh; EH-soh mahn-tehn-DRAH lah SAH-lah trahn-KEE-lah.I will use headphones if I play any audio; that will keep the room quiet.
The simple future expresses what will happen. Usar becomes usaré; mantener becomes mantendrá.
Spanish Vocabulary
bajar
verb
bah-HAR
lower
brillante
adj
bree-YAHN-teh
bright
computadora
noun
kohm-poo-tah-DOH-rah
computer
esa
det
EH-sah
that
esta
det
EH-stah
this
está
verb
eh-STAH
is
libre
adj
LEE-breh
available
The computer is available.
muy
adv
mwee
very
pantalla
noun
pahn-TAH-yah
screen
puedes
verb
PWEH-dehs
can
puedo
verb
PWEH-doh
can
Can I use...?
usar
verb
oo-SAR
use
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
Can I use this computer?
Show Answer
¿Puedo usar esta computadora?That computer is free.
Show Answer
Esa computadora está libre.The screen is very bright.
Show Answer
La pantalla es muy brillante.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
this
Show Answer
estacan
Show Answer
puedoavailable
Show Answer
libreis