About This Lesson
Use Moving forward in line and getting ready to order to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
La fila avanza.
lah FEE-lah ah-BAHN-sah The line is moving forward.
B
Ahora debemos avanzar.
ah-OH-rah deh-BEH-mohs ah-bahn-SAR We should step up now.
A
¿Somos los siguientes?
SOH-mohs lohs see-GYEN-tehs Are we next?
B
Casi, hay una persona delante de nosotros.
KAH-see, eye OO-nah pehr-SOH-nah deh-LAHN-teh deh noh-SOH-trohs Almost, there is one person ahead of us.
A
Tengo mi tarjeta lista.
TEHNG-goh mee tahr-HEH-tah LEE-stah I have my card ready.
B
Tenla en la mano.
TEHN-lah ehn lah MAH-noh Keep it in your hand.
A
Estoy listo para pedir.
ehs-TOY LEES-toh PAH-rah peh-DEER I am ready to order.
B
Pueden tomar nuestro pedido después.
PWEH-dehn toh-MAR NWEHS-troh peh-DEE-doh dehs-PWEHS They can take our order next.Word by Word
La
In “La fila avanza”, “La” means “the” and identifies “fila” as the feminine singular noun in this expression. It is used before a specific feminine singular noun, as in “La fila”.
fila
In “La fila avanza”, “fila” means the line or queue that people are waiting in. It is the noun that tells what is moving forward. A useful pattern is “la fila + verb” when talking about the queue.
avanza
In “La fila avanza”, “avanza” says that the line moves forward. It is the dialogue form related to “avanzar” and is used here with “La fila” as its subject. You can reuse “avanza” to say that a line or another thing moves forward.
Ahora
In “Ahora debemos avanzar”, “Ahora” means “now” and places the action at the present moment. It commonly appears at the beginning of a sentence before the action, as here.
debemos
In “Ahora debemos avanzar”, “debemos” says that we should or must do something. Here it is followed by “avanzar”, so the expression means that we should move forward now. A useful pattern is “debemos + action” for something we need to do.
avanzar
In “Ahora debemos avanzar”, “avanzar” means to move forward. It appears after “debemos” as the action that we should take. You can reuse “debemos + avanzar” when telling someone that the group needs to move forward.
Somos
In “¿Somos los siguientes?”, “Somos” means “are we” as part of the question about whether we are next. It is the dialogue form related to “ser” and refers to “we”. A useful question pattern is “¿Somos ...?” when checking what group we belong to or what position we have.
los
In “¿Somos los siguientes?”, “los” means “the” and comes before the masculine plural form “siguientes”. Together, “los siguientes” refers to the next people in line. Use “los” before a masculine plural noun or adjective used as a noun.
siguientes
In “¿Somos los siguientes?”, “siguientes” means “next” and refers to the people who will be served after the person ahead. It is used with “los” in the expression “los siguientes”. This pattern is useful when asking or saying who comes next.
Casi
In “Casi, hay una persona delante de nosotros”, “Casi” means “almost” and shows that the speakers are nearly next, but not quite. It can stand at the beginning of a short reply before an explanation.
hay
In “hay una persona delante de nosotros”, “hay” says that there is one person ahead of the speakers. It introduces something that exists or is present in a place. A useful pattern is “hay + noun”, as in “hay una persona”.
una
In “hay una persona delante de nosotros”, “una” means “a” or “one” before the feminine singular noun “persona”. It introduces one person in the line. Use “una” before a feminine singular noun when referring to one unspecified item or person.
persona
In “hay una persona delante de nosotros”, “persona” means “person”. It is the person who is ahead of the speakers in the line. A useful pattern is “hay una persona + place expression” to say that someone is present somewhere.
delante
In “delante de nosotros”, “delante” means “ahead” or “in front”. With “de nosotros”, it describes the position of the person relative to the speakers. The reusable pattern is “delante de + person or group” for something located ahead of them.
de
In “delante de nosotros”, “de” links the position “delante” to the people used as the reference point. The whole expression means “ahead of us”. A useful pattern is “delante de + noun or pronoun”.
nosotros
In “delante de nosotros”, “nosotros” means “us” and identifies the people whose position is the reference point. It follows “de” in this expression. The pattern “de nosotros” is used when something is described in relation to us.
Tengo
In “Tengo mi tarjeta lista”, “Tengo” means “I have” and says that the speaker possesses or has the card with them. It is the dialogue form related to “tener”. A useful pattern is “Tengo + thing” when saying that you have something ready or available.
mi
In “mi tarjeta”, “mi” means “my” and shows that the card belongs to or is associated with the speaker. It comes directly before “tarjeta”. Use “mi + noun” to identify one thing connected to yourself.
tarjeta
In “Tengo mi tarjeta lista”, “tarjeta” means “card”, specifically the card the speaker has ready to use at the counter. It appears after “mi” and before “lista”. A useful pattern is “tener una tarjeta” when saying that you have a card.
lista
In “Tengo mi tarjeta lista”, “lista” means “ready” and describes the card as prepared for use. It matches the feminine form of “tarjeta” in this dialogue. The pattern “tener + thing + listo or lista” describes something that is ready.
Tenla
In “Tenla en la mano”, “Tenla” means “keep or hold it”, referring to “tarjeta”. The form combines the command “ten” with “la”, which refers to the feminine noun “tarjeta”. A useful pattern is a command followed by an attached object pronoun, as in “Tenla” when telling someone to keep an item.
en
In “en la mano”, “en” means “in” or “on” and places the card in the hand. It introduces the location of the object. A useful pattern is “en + place”, as in “en la mano”.
mano
In “en la mano”, “mano” means “hand”. It is the place where the card should be kept. The reusable expression “en la mano” means that something is being held in the hand.
Estoy
In “Estoy listo para pedir”, “Estoy” means “I am” and describes the speaker’s current state of readiness. It is the dialogue form related to “estar”. A useful pattern is “Estoy + state or condition” for describing how you are at the moment.
listo
In “Estoy listo para pedir”, “listo” means “ready” and describes the speaker as prepared to order. It is the masculine form used in this dialogue. The pattern “estar listo para + action” expresses readiness to do something.
para
In “listo para pedir”, “para” introduces the action that the speaker is ready to do. Here it connects “listo” with “pedir”, giving the meaning “ready to order”. A useful pattern is “estar listo para + infinitive”.
pedir
In “Estoy listo para pedir”, “pedir” means “to order” in this counter-service situation. It follows “para” as the action the speaker is ready to do. A useful pattern is “para pedir” when referring to being ready to place an order.
Pueden
In “Pueden tomar nuestro pedido después”, “Pueden” means “they can” and says that the people at the counter are able to take the speakers’ order next. It is the dialogue form related to “poder”. A useful pattern is “pueden + action” for saying what someone can do.
tomar
In “Pueden tomar nuestro pedido después”, “tomar” means “to take”, as in taking or receiving an order. It follows “Pueden” as the action that the counter staff can perform. A useful pattern is “tomar + pedido” in a situation where someone receives an order.
nuestro
In “nuestro pedido”, “nuestro” means “our” and identifies the order as belonging to the speakers together. It comes before the masculine singular noun “pedido”. Use “nuestro + noun” to refer to something shared by us.
pedido
In “tomar nuestro pedido”, “pedido” means “order”, the food or drink request that the counter staff will receive. It is the object of “tomar” in this dialogue. A useful pattern is “tomar un pedido” or “tomar nuestro pedido” when someone receives a customer’s order.
después
In “Pueden tomar nuestro pedido después”, “después” means “afterward” or “next” and indicates that taking the order will happen after the person currently ahead is served. It appears at the end of the sentence to mark the timing. You can reuse “después” when saying that an action will happen later.
Grammar Points
hay + sustantivo
Hay una persona delante de nosotros.
eye OO-nah pehr-SOH-nah deh-LAHN-teh deh noh-SOH-trohsThere is a person in front of us.
Hay significa “there is” o “there are” y se usa para indicar que algo o alguien existe o está presente.
tenla = ten + la
Tenla en la mano.
TEHN-lah ehn lah MAH-nohKeep it in your hand.
En una orden afirmativa, el pronombre la puede unirse al verbo: tenla significa “keep it” o “hold it”.
Spanish Vocabulary
ahora
adv
ah-OH-rah
now
Ahora debemos avanzar.
avanza
verb
ah-BAHN-sah
moves forward; advances
La fila avanza.
avanzar
verb
ah-bahn-SAR
to move forward; to advance
Ahora debemos avanzar.
casi
adv
KAH-see
almost
Casi, hay una persona delante de nosotros.
debemos
verb
deh-BEH-mohs
we should; we must
Ahora debemos avanzar.
delante de
prep
deh-LAHN-teh deh
in front of; ahead of
Una persona delante de nosotros.
fila
noun
FEE-lah
line; queue
La fila avanza.
hay
verb
eye
there is; there are
Hay una persona delante de nosotros.
nosotros
pron
noh-SOH-trohs
us; we
Delante de nosotros.
persona
noun
pehr-SOH-nah
person
Hay una persona delante de nosotros.
siguientes
adj
see-GYEN-tehs
next; following
¿Somos los siguientes?
somos
verb
SOH-mohs
we are
¿Somos los siguientes?
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
The line is moving forward.
Show Answer
La fila avanza.We should step up now.
Show Answer
Ahora debemos avanzar.Are we next?
Show Answer
¿Somos los siguientes?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
next; following
Show Answer
siguientesnow
Show Answer
ahoraalmost
Show Answer
casimoves forward; advances