Keeping valuables safe in a crowded market | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: At a crowded market, two adults talk about keeping valuables in safe pockets and staying close while walking..

EN → ES / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Keeping valuables safe in a crowded market to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Este mercado está más lleno de gente de lo que esperaba.

EH-steh mehr-KAH-doh ehs-TAH mahs YEH-noh deh HEN-teh deh loh keh ehs-peh-RAH-bah. This market is more crowded than I expected.
B

Guarda tus objetos de valor en el bolsillo delantero.

GWAHR-dah toos ohb-HEH-tohs deh bah-LOR ehn el bohl-SEE-yoh deh-lahn-TEH-roh. Keep your valuables in the front pocket.
A

¿Debo cerrar completamente la cremallera de mi bolso?

DEH-boh seh-RRAHR kohm-pleh-TAH-men-teh lah kreh-mah-YEH-rah deh mee BOHL-soh? Should I zip my bag completely?
B

Cierra bien la cremallera y sujeta el bolso delante de ti.

SYEH-rrah byen lah kreh-mah-YEH-rah ee soo-HEH-tah el BOHL-soh deh-LAHN-teh deh tee. Zip it fully and hold it in front of you.
A

Mi teléfono está en el bolsillo interior.

mee teh-LEH-foh-noh ehs-TAH ehn el bohl-SEE-yoh een-teh-RYOR. My phone is in the inside pocket.
B

Es más seguro que el bolsillo exterior.

ehs mahs seh-GOO-roh keh el bohl-SEE-yoh ehk-steh-RYOR. That is safer than the outside pocket.
A

Tendré cuidado mientras caminamos.

tehn-DREH kwee-DAH-doh MYEHN-trahs kah-mee-NAH-mohs. I will be careful while we walk.
B

Mantente cerca para que no nos separemos.

mahn-TEHN-teh SEHR-kah PAH-rah keh noh nohs seh-pah-REH-mohs. Stay close so we do not get separated.

Word by Word

Este “Este” means “this” in “Este mercado”, pointing to the market being discussed. A reusable pattern is “Este” + a noun when identifying one nearby or current thing.
mercado “mercado” means “market” in “Este mercado”, the place where the speakers are walking. It is used to name a place where people buy and sell things.
está “está” says that the market is currently in a particular condition in “está más lleno de gente”. It is a form of “estar”, commonly used with an adjective to describe a current state.
más “más” marks a higher degree in “más lleno de gente”, meaning that the market is more crowded than expected. It commonly comes before an adjective or description when comparing degrees.
lleno “lleno” means “full” or “crowded” in “más lleno de gente”, describing the market as containing many people. The pattern “lleno de” identifies what fills a place.
de In “lleno de gente”, “de” connects the description of being full or crowded with what fills the market. The reusable pattern is “lleno de” + a noun.
gente “gente” means “people” collectively in “lleno de gente”. Here it identifies who is filling the market after “de”.
lo In “de lo que esperaba”, “lo” helps refer to the degree or thing being compared rather than naming a separate object. Together with “que”, it forms the reusable expression “lo que” for “what” or “that which”.
que In “de lo que esperaba”, “que” introduces the part describing what the speaker expected. The pattern “lo que” can refer to what someone knows, wants, or expects.
esperaba “esperaba” refers to what the speaker expected before seeing the market in “lo que esperaba”. It is a form of “esperar”, and the reusable pattern here is “lo que esperaba” for referring to an expectation.
Guarda “Guarda” tells one person to keep or store something in “Guarda tus objetos de valor en el bolsillo delantero”. It is a form of “guardar”; a useful pattern is “Guarda” + an object + “en” + a place.
tus “tus” means “your” in “tus objetos”, showing that the valuables belong to the person being addressed. It is used before a plural noun in patterns such as “tus” + plural noun.
objetos “objetos” means “objects” or “belongings” in “objetos de valor”. It is the plural form of “objeto”, and the expression “objetos de valor” refers to belongings that are valuable.
valor “valor” means “value” in “objetos de valor”, identifying the belongings as valuable. The pattern “de valor” can follow a noun to describe something as valuable.
en In “en el bolsillo delantero”, “en” marks the place where the valuables should be kept. A reusable pattern is “en” + a place or container.
el “el” is the definite article used before “bolsillo” in “el bolsillo delantero”. The pattern is “el” + a noun when referring to a specific masculine noun.
bolsillo “bolsillo” means “pocket” in “el bolsillo delantero”, the place where the valuables should go. It can be used in location patterns such as “en el bolsillo” + a description.
delantero “delantero” means “front” in “el bolsillo delantero”, specifying the pocket’s position. The expression “bolsillo delantero” identifies a pocket located at the front.
Debo “Debo” asks whether the speaker should or must do something in “¿Debo cerrar completamente la cremallera?”. It is a form of “deber”, and the reusable pattern is “Debo” + an infinitive.
cerrar “cerrar” means “to close” in “cerrar completamente la cremallera”, referring to closing the zipper. It commonly follows “deber” and can be used with an object, as in “cerrar” + an object.
completamente “completamente” means “completely” in “cerrar completamente la cremallera”, saying that the action should be done all the way. It can modify an action to show that nothing should remain incomplete.
la “la” is the definite article before “cremallera” in “la cremallera”. The pattern is “la” + a noun when referring to a specific feminine noun.
cremallera “cremallera” means “zipper” in “cerrar completamente la cremallera”, naming the fastening on the bag. A useful expression is “cerrar la cremallera” when telling someone to zip something closed.
mi “mi” means “my” in “mi bolso” and “Mi teléfono”, showing that the bag and phone belong to the speaker. It is placed before a singular noun to express possession.
bolso “bolso” means “bag” or “purse” in “mi bolso” and “el bolso”. It can be used as the object of an action, as in “sujeta el bolso”.
Cierra “Cierra” tells one person to close or zip something in “Cierra bien la cremallera”. It is a form of “cerrar”; a useful pattern is “Cierra” + an object to give a direct instruction.
bien “bien” means “well” or “properly” in “Cierra bien la cremallera”, asking the person to secure the zipper properly. The pattern “cerrar bien” can describe closing something securely.
y “y” means “and” and joins the two instructions in “Cierra bien la cremallera y sujeta el bolso delante de ti”. It connects actions that should be carried out together or one after the other.
sujeta “sujeta” tells the person to hold or keep the bag secure in “sujeta el bolso delante de ti”. It is a form of “sujetar”; a useful pattern is “sujeta” + an object + a location.
delante “delante” means “in front” in “delante de ti”, locating the bag relative to the person addressed. The reusable pattern is “delante de” + a person or place.
ti “ti” refers to the person being addressed in “delante de ti”, meaning “in front of you”. It is used after the preposition “de” in this expression.
teléfono “teléfono” means “phone” in “Mi teléfono”, identifying the speaker’s phone. It can be used in a location sentence such as “Mi teléfono está en el bolsillo interior”.
interior “interior” means “inside” or “inner” in “el bolsillo interior”, specifying that the pocket is on the inside. The expression “bolsillo interior” identifies an inner pocket.
Es “Es” links the subject with the description “más seguro” in “Es más seguro que el bolsillo exterior”. It is a form of “ser”, and the pattern “Es” + an adjective gives a description or evaluation.
seguro “seguro” means “safe” in “Es más seguro que el bolsillo exterior”, describing the inside pocket as safer. It can be used in the comparative pattern “más seguro que”.
Tendré “Tendré” expresses the speaker’s intention to be careful in “Tendré cuidado”. It is a form of “tener”, and the reusable expression is “Tendré cuidado” when promising to act carefully.
cuidado “cuidado” means “care” in “Tendré cuidado”, contributing to the meaning “I will be careful”. The common pattern is “tener cuidado” when someone needs to act cautiously.
mientras “mientras” means “while” and introduces the simultaneous action in “mientras caminamos”. The reusable pattern is “mientras” + a clause to describe what happens during another action.
caminamos “caminamos” means “we walk” in “mientras caminamos”, referring to the shared walking of the two speakers. It is a form of “caminar”, and “mientras caminamos” can describe what happens during their walk.
Mantente “Mantente” tells one person to stay or remain in a condition in “Mantente cerca”. It is a form of “mantener”, and the pattern “Mantente” + a description gives advice or an instruction about remaining that way.
cerca “cerca” means “close” or “near” in “Mantente cerca”, telling the person to remain near the speaker. The expression “Mantente cerca” is useful when people need to stay together in a crowded place.
para In “para que no nos separemos”, “para” introduces the purpose or desired result of staying close. The reusable pattern is “para que” + a clause.
no “no” negates the clause in “no nos separemos”, expressing that the speakers should not become separated. The basic reusable pattern is “no” + a verb.
nos In “nos separemos”, “nos” refers to the speaker and the person addressed together as the people who could become separated. It is part of the expression “no nos separemos”, meaning that they should not separate from each other.
separemos “separemos” describes the two people becoming separated in “no nos separemos”. It is a form of “separar”, and the reusable pattern here is “para que no nos separemos” when expressing the purpose of staying together.

Grammar Points

Mantente + adverbio

Mantente cerca.

mahn-TEHN-teh SEHR-kah.

Stay close.

In a tú command, the reflexive pronoun te attaches to the imperative: mantener → mantente.

Spanish Vocabulary

bolsillo noun
bohl-SEE-yoh pocket

en el bolsillo delantero

bolso noun
BOHL-soh bag; handbag

el bolso

cerrar verb
seh-RRAHR to close; to zip up cierra

Cierra bien la cremallera

cremallera noun
kreh-mah-YEH-rah zipper

la cremallera

delante de prep
deh-LAHN-teh deh in front of delante de ti

delante de ti

delantero adj
deh-lahn-TEH-roh front

el bolsillo delantero

esperar verb
ehs-peh-RAHR to expect esperaba

de lo que esperaba

guardar verb
GWAHR-DAHR to keep; to store guarda

Guarda tus objetos de valor

lleno de gente phrase
YEH-noh deh HEN-teh crowded más lleno de gente

está más lleno de gente

mercado noun
mehr-KAH-doh market

Este mercado

objeto de valor phrase
ohb-HEH-toh deh bah-LOR valuable item objetos de valor

tus objetos de valor

sujetar verb
soo-heh-TAHR to hold sujeta

sujeta el bolso

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I will be careful while we walk.

Show AnswerTendré cuidado mientras caminamos.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

pocket

Show Answerbolsillo

zipper

Show Answercremallera

to keep; to store

Show Answerguarda

market

Show Answermercado