Speaking Quietly in the Library | Learn Spanish in English

About This Lesson

Use Speaking Quietly in the Library to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

¿Puedes hablar un poco más bajo aquí?

PWEH-dess ah-BLAR oon POH-koh mahs BAH-hoh ah-KEE? Could you speak a little more quietly here?

No sabía que estaba hablando tan alto.

noh sah-BEE-ah keh ehs-TAH-bah ah-BLAHN-doh tahn AHL-toh. I didn't realize I was speaking so loudly.

La gente está estudiando en la mesa de al lado.

lah HEN-teh ehs-TAH ehs-too-dee-AHN-doh ehn lah MEH-sah deh ahl LAH-doh. People are studying at the next table.

Bajaré la voz.

bah-hah-RAY lah bohs. I will lower my voice.

Será más fácil para todos concentrarse.

seh-RAH mahs FAH-seel PAH-rah TOH-dohs kohn-sehn-TRAHR-seh. It will make it easier for everyone to focus.

Puedo sentarme más cerca para que no tengamos que hablar alto.

PWEH-doh sehn-TAHR-meh mahs SEHR-kah PAH-rah keh noh tehn-GAH-mohs keh ah-BLAR AHL-toh. I can sit closer so we do not have to talk loudly.

Entonces podemos seguir trabajando sin molestar a nadie.

ehn-TOHN-sehs poh-DEH-mohs seh-GEER trah-bah-HAHN-doh seen moh-lehs-TAHR ah NAH-dyeh. Then we can keep working without bothering anyone.

Desde ahora hablaré más bajo.

DEHS-deh ah-OH-rah ah-blah-RAY mahs BAH-hoh. I will keep it down from now on.

Word by Word

Puedes “Puedes” means “can you” in the polite request “¿Puedes hablar...?”. It is a form of poder and is commonly followed by an infinitive when asking whether someone can do something.

hablar “Hablar” means “to speak” or “to talk” here. It follows “Puedes” in “Puedes hablar” and is used after poder to name the requested action.

un “Un” means “a” in “un poco”, referring to a small amount. It commonly comes before a singular noun, including the expression “un poco” for a small amount.

poco “Poco” means “little” in “un poco”, so “un poco más bajo” asks for only a small change. “Un poco” is a reusable way to express a small amount or degree.

más “Más” means “more” in “más bajo”, showing that the speaking should be at a lower level than before. It commonly comes before a word describing a comparison, as in “más bajo”.

bajo “Bajo” means “quietly” or “at a low volume” in “hablar ... más bajo”. In this library situation, it describes how quietly someone should speak; “hablar bajo” is a reusable expression for speaking quietly.

aquí “Aquí” means “here”, referring to the library location where the request is made. It can be placed at the end of a sentence to identify the relevant place.

No “No” means “not” at the beginning of “No sabía”. It makes the statement negative and commonly comes before the verb it negates.

sabía “Sabía” means “knew” or “realized” in “No sabía que...”. It is a form of saber and commonly introduces information with “que” when someone says they did not know something.

que “Que” means “that” in “No sabía que estaba hablando...”, introducing the information that was not known. The reusable pattern is “saber que” followed by information.

estaba “Estaba” means “was” in “estaba hablando”, describing the speaker’s ongoing situation at that time. It is a form of estar used here with “hablando” to describe an action in progress.

hablando “Hablando” means “speaking” in “estaba hablando”. It is the form of hablar used after “estaba” to describe speaking that was in progress.

tan “Tan” means “so” in “tan alto”, intensifying the description of the speaking volume. It commonly comes before a describing word in expressions of degree.

alto “Alto” indicates a high or loud volume in “tan alto”. Here it describes how loudly the person was speaking; it can be used with hablar to describe speaking at a high volume.

La “La” means “the” before “gente” in “La gente”. It is capitalized because it begins the sentence and comes before the noun it introduces.

gente “Gente” means “people” in “La gente está estudiando”. It refers to the people at the nearby table and is commonly used with “la” when speaking about people as a group.

está “Está” means “is” in “está estudiando”, describing what the people are doing now. It is a form of estar used with “estudiando” for an action in progress.

estudiando “Estudiando” means “studying” in “está estudiando”. It is used with “está” to describe studying that is currently in progress.

en “En” means “at” or “in” in “en la mesa de al lado”, identifying the location of the studying. It commonly comes before a place or location.

mesa “Mesa” means “table” in “la mesa de al lado”. It identifies the table where the nearby people are studying and can be used after an article when naming a specific table.

de “De” links “mesa” with “al lado” in “la mesa de al lado”, identifying which table is meant. In this expression, “de” helps describe the table by its position.

al “Al” is part of the expression “de al lado”, which refers to something next to or adjacent. It is the contracted form of “a” and “el” and commonly appears in the expression “al lado”.

lado “Lado” means “side” in “al lado”. In “de al lado”, it helps identify the table next to the speakers or another reference point.

Bajaré “Bajaré” means “I will lower” in “Bajaré la voz”, expressing the speaker’s promise to reduce the volume. It is a form of bajar and is followed here by “la voz”, the thing being lowered.

voz “Voz” means “voice” in “Bajaré la voz”. The reusable expression “bajar la voz” means to lower one’s voice or speak more quietly.

Será “Será” means “it will be” in “Será más fácil”, describing a future result. It is a form of ser and is commonly followed by a describing word such as “fácil”.

fácil “Fácil” means “easy” in “más fácil”, describing the result of speaking quietly. It commonly follows “ser” in expressions such as “ser fácil” when describing the difficulty of an action.

para “Para” means “for” in “para todos concentrarse”, showing who benefits from the easier situation. It can introduce a person or group for whom something is useful.

todos “Todos” means “everyone” in “para todos”. It refers to all the people involved and commonly follows “para” when describing who benefits.

concentrarse “Concentrarse” means “to focus” in “para todos concentrarse”. The “se” is attached to the infinitive, and the word is used here to describe the purpose of making things easier.

Puedo “Puedo” means “I can” in “Puedo sentarme”, expressing the speaker’s ability or option. It is a form of poder and is followed by an infinitive for the possible action.

sentarme “Sentarme” means “to sit down” in “Puedo sentarme más cerca”. The pronoun “me” is attached to the infinitive, showing that the speaker will sit down or position themself.

cerca “Cerca” means “near” or “close” in “más cerca”, referring to a shorter distance. It commonly appears with “más” when comparing distances.

tengamos “Tengamos” means “we have” in “no tengamos que hablar alto”, as part of the idea that speaking loudly should not be necessary. The reusable construction “tener que” + an infinitive expresses necessity or obligation.

Entonces “Entonces” means “then” in “Entonces podemos...”, connecting the proposed change with its result. It can introduce what will happen as a consequence of the previous action.

podemos “Podemos” means “we can” in “podemos seguir trabajando”, expressing what the two people will be able to do. It is a form of poder and is followed by an infinitive.

seguir “Seguir” means “to continue” or “to keep” in “seguir trabajando”. It is followed here by “trabajando” to show that the work will continue.

trabajando “Trabajando” means “working” in “seguir trabajando”. It follows “seguir” and describes the activity that continues.

sin “Sin” means “without” in “sin molestar a nadie”. It introduces an action that will not happen and is commonly followed by an infinitive.

molestar “Molestar” means “to bother” in “sin molestar a nadie”. It follows “sin” as the action that should be avoided and can take the person affected after “a”.

a “A” marks the person affected by “molestar” in “molestar a nadie”. It is used before a person or people who are directly affected by an action.

nadie “Nadie” means “anyone” in “sin molestar a nadie”, so the speakers will avoid bothering anyone. It commonly refers to no person in a negative or negative-like expression.

Desde “Desde” means “from” in “Desde ahora”, marking the starting point of a new period. Together with a time word, it commonly introduces when a change begins.

ahora “Ahora” means “now” in “Desde ahora”, referring to the present moment. The expression “Desde ahora” means “from now on” and announces a change beginning at this point.

hablaré “Hablaré” means “I will speak” in “hablaré más bajo”, expressing the speaker’s future intention. It is a form of hablar and is followed here by “más bajo” to describe the intended speaking volume.

Grammar Points

poder + infinitivo

Puedes hablar un poco bajo.

PWEH-dess ah-BLAR oon POH-koh BAH-hoh.

You can speak a little quietly.

Puedes se combina con otro verbo en infinitivo para expresar capacidad o posibilidad.

seguir + gerundio

Puedo seguir trabajando.

PWEH-doh seh-GEER trah-bah-HAHN-doh.

I can keep working.

Después de seguir se usa el gerundio para expresar que una acción continúa.

Spanish Vocabulary

al lado phrase

ahl LAH-doh next to; beside

La gente está estudiando en la mesa de al lado.

alto adv

AHL-toh loudly

No sabía que estaba hablando tan alto.

aquí adv

ah-KEE here

¿Puedes hablar un poco más bajo aquí?

bajo adv

BAH-hoh quietly; low

¿Puedes hablar un poco más bajo aquí?

estudiando verb

ehs-too-dee-AHN-doh studying

La gente está estudiando en la mesa de al lado.

gente noun

HEN-teh people

La gente está estudiando en la mesa de al lado.

hablando verb

ah-BLAHN-doh speaking

No sabía que estaba hablando tan alto.

hablar verb

ah-BLAR to speak

¿Puedes hablar un poco más bajo aquí?

mesa noun

MEH-sah table

La gente está estudiando en la mesa de al lado.

puedes verb

PWEH-dess can

¿Puedes hablar un poco más bajo aquí?

sabía verb

sah-BEE-ah knew

No sabía que estaba hablando tan alto.

un poco phrase

oon POH-koh a little

¿Puedes hablar un poco más bajo aquí?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I will lower my voice.

Show Answer

Bajaré la voz.

It will make it easier for everyone to focus.

Show Answer

Será más fácil para todos concentrarse.

I will keep it down from now on.

Show Answer

Desde ahora hablaré más bajo.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

speaking

Show Answer

hablando

loudly

Show Answer

alto

people

Show Answer

gente

to speak

Show Answer

hablar