Asking for a Quiet Study Room | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a library, one person asks whether a study room is available for quiet reading..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Asking for a Quiet Study Room to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

¿Hay una sala de estudio disponible?

eye OO-nah SAH-lah deh ehs-TOO-dyoh dees-poh-NEE-bleh Is a study room available?
B

Hay una abierta ahora.

eye OO-nah ah-BYEHR-tah ah-OH-rah One is open now.
A

¿Puedo leer allí?

PWEH-doh leh-EHR ah-YEE Can I read in there?
B

Puedes usarla para leer y cerrar la puerta.

PWEH-dehs oo-SAR-lah PAH-rah leh-EHR ee seh-RRAHR lah PWEHR-tah You can use it for reading and close the door.
A

¿Seguirá tranquila?

seh-gee-RAH trahn-KEE-lah Will it stay quiet?
B

Las paredes bloquean casi todo el ruido.

lahs pah-REH-dehs bloh-KEH-ahn KAH-see TOH-doh ehl RROO-ee-doh The walls block most of the noise.
A

Esta sala me sirve.

EHS-tah SAH-lah meh SEER-beh This room works for me.
B

Por favor, déjala limpia para otras personas.

pohr fah-BOHR DEH-hah-lah LEEM-pyah PAH-rah OH-trahs pehr-SOH-nahs Please leave it clean for other people.

Word by Word

Hay “Hay” means there is or there are, introducing something that exists or is available. In this dialogue, “Hay una sala de estudio disponible” asks whether such a room is available. A reusable pattern is “Hay” followed by a noun phrase.
una “Una” means a or one in the feminine form. In “Hay una sala de estudio disponible,” it introduces one feminine room, and in “Hay una abierta ahora,” it refers to one feminine room without repeating the noun. It is used before a feminine singular noun or in place of one.
sala “Sala” means room in this dialogue. In “sala de estudio,” it identifies the room as a study room. A reusable pattern is “sala de” followed by the activity or purpose connected with the room.
de “De” connects “sala” with “estudio” in “sala de estudio,” showing the room’s purpose or type. Here, “de estudio” means for study or study-related. A reusable pattern is a noun followed by “de” and another noun.
estudio “Estudio” means study in “sala de estudio,” describing the purpose of the room. Together, “sala de estudio” refers to a room intended for studying. It can be reused after “de” to identify a study-related place or activity.
disponible “Disponible” means available in “sala de estudio disponible.” It describes the room as ready for someone to use. A reusable pattern is a noun followed by “disponible” when asking or stating whether something can be used.
abierta “Abierta” means open in “Hay una abierta ahora,” referring to an available room that is open. Its feminine form matches the room being referred to, even though “sala” is not repeated. It can be used after “una” when the feminine noun is understood from context.
ahora “Ahora” means now and places the situation at the present time. In “Hay una abierta ahora,” it says that one room is open at this moment. It can be placed at the end of a sentence to specify when something is true.
Puedo “Puedo” means can I in the question “¿Puedo leer allí?” It asks for permission or asks whether the speaker is able to read there. A reusable pattern is “Puedo” followed by an infinitive to ask about doing something.
leer “Leer” means to read. In “¿Puedo leer allí?”, it follows “Puedo” and names the action the speaker wants permission to do. It is reusable after “Puedo” when asking to perform an activity.
allí “Allí” means there, referring to the study room or another place away from the speaker. In “¿Puedo leer allí?”, it identifies where the reading would happen. It can be used after an action to indicate a particular location.
Puedes “Puedes” means you can in “Puedes usarla para leer y cerrar la puerta.” It gives the other person permission or indicates that the person is able to do the actions that follow. A reusable pattern is “Puedes” followed by an infinitive or an infinitive phrase.
usarla “Usarla” means use it, referring to the feminine study room. The form includes the action of using and a pronoun referring to that room. It can be reused before a purpose phrase such as “para leer” when explaining how something may be used.
para “Para” introduces the purpose in “para leer,” meaning for reading or in order to read. Here it connects the use of the room with the activity of reading. A reusable pattern is “para” followed by an infinitive to express purpose.
y “Y” means and and joins actions in “leer y cerrar la puerta.” It links reading with closing the door in the instructions for using the room. It can connect two actions or other coordinated elements.
cerrar “Cerrar” means to close. In “cerrar la puerta,” it names the action the listener is asked to perform with the door. A reusable pattern is “cerrar” followed by the thing being closed.
la “La” means the in the feminine form. In “la puerta,” it introduces the specific door connected with the room. It is used before a feminine singular noun.
puerta “Puerta” means door in “cerrar la puerta.” The phrase tells the listener which object to close. A reusable pattern is “cerrar” followed by “la puerta” when giving an instruction about a door.
Seguirá “Seguirá” means will remain or will continue in “¿Seguirá tranquila?” The question asks whether the room will continue to be quiet. A reusable pattern is “Seguirá” followed by an adjective when asking whether a state will continue.
tranquila “Tranquila” means quiet or calm in “¿Seguirá tranquila?” It describes the feminine room and asks about its continuing condition. It can be used after “Seguirá” to describe a state that is expected to continue.
Las “Las” means the in the feminine plural form. In “Las paredes,” it introduces several specific walls. It is used before a feminine plural noun.
paredes “Paredes” means walls. In “Las paredes bloquean casi todo el ruido,” the walls are described as blocking most of the noise. A reusable pattern is a plural noun followed by a verb to describe what those things do.
bloquean “Bloquean” means block in “Las paredes bloquean casi todo el ruido.” It describes the effect the walls have on the noise. A reusable pattern is “bloquean” followed by the thing that is being blocked.
casi “Casi” means almost and limits the amount in “casi todo el ruido.” It shows that the walls block nearly all, but not necessarily every bit, of the noise. It commonly appears before a quantity or amount expression.
todo “Todo” means all or the whole amount in “casi todo el ruido.” Together with “casi,” it means nearly all of the noise. It can be used before a noun phrase to refer to the complete amount of something.
el “El” means the in the masculine singular form. In “el ruido,” it introduces the specific noise being discussed. It is used before a masculine singular noun.
ruido “Ruido” means noise. In “casi todo el ruido,” it is the sound that the walls block. A reusable pattern is “el ruido” when referring to a particular source or amount of noise.
Esta “Esta” means this in the feminine form. In “Esta sala me sirve,” it points to the room near the speakers. It is used before a feminine singular noun to identify something nearby or currently under discussion.
me “Me” means for me or to me in “Esta sala me sirve.” It marks the person for whom the room is suitable. A reusable pattern is “me” before a verb when describing how something affects or suits the speaker.
sirve “Sirve” means works or is suitable in “Esta sala me sirve.” The speaker says that this room meets their needs. A reusable expression is “me sirve” when accepting or approving an option that is suitable.
Por favor “Por favor” means please and makes the request polite in “Por favor, déjala limpia para otras personas.” “Por” contributes the linking word in the expression, and “favor” contributes the idea of a favor; together, “Por favor” is used to make a request. It is a reusable polite expression placed before or after a request.
déjala “Déjala” means leave it, referring to the feminine room. The ending refers back to the room, while the whole form gives the instruction to leave it in the stated condition. It can be reused when telling someone to leave a feminine object somewhere or in a particular state.
limpia “Limpia” means clean in “déjala limpia.” It describes the condition in which the room should be left, and its feminine form matches the room. A reusable pattern is an instruction to leave something followed by an adjective describing its desired condition.
otras “Otras” means other in the feminine plural form. In “otras personas,” it refers to people different from the current speakers or users. It is used before a feminine plural noun when referring to additional or different people or things.
personas “Personas” means people in “para otras personas.” It identifies the users who may use the room later. A reusable pattern is “para” followed by a person or group who will benefit from an action.

Grammar Points

Hay + sustantivo

Hay una sala de estudio disponible.

eye OO-nah SAH-lah deh ehs-TOO-dyoh dees-poh-NEE-bleh

There is an available study room.

Spanish uses hay to express “there is” or “there are,” without changing for singular or plural nouns.

Poder + infinitivo + pronombre

Puedo usarla ahora.

PWEH-doh oo-SAR-lah ah-OH-rah

I can use it now.

An object pronoun such as la can attach to the infinitive, referring to a previously mentioned feminine noun.

Spanish Vocabulary

abierto adj
ah-BYEHR-toh open abierta
ahora adv
ah-OH-rah now
allí adv
ah-YEE there
cerrar verb
seh-RRAHR to close
disponible adj
dees-poh-NEE-bleh available
haber verb
ah-BEHR to be; there is/are hay
leer verb
leh-EHR to read
poder verb
poh-DEHR can; to be able to puedo
sala de estudio phrase
SAH-lah deh ehs-TOO-dyoh study room
seguir verb
seh-GEER to stay; to continue seguirá
tranquilo adj
trahn-KEE-loh quiet tranquila
usar verb
oo-SAR to use usarla

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is a study room available?

Show Answer¿Hay una sala de estudio disponible?

One is open now.

Show AnswerHay una abierta ahora.

Can I read in there?

Show Answer¿Puedo leer allí?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

there

Show Answerallí

open

Show Answerabierta

available

Show Answerdisponible

can; to be able to

Show Answerpuedo