Taking a Break from Studying | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: During a study session, two adults pause so one person can rest and return later to vocabulary review..

EN → ES / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Taking a Break from Studying to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

He estado estudiando durante mucho tiempo.

eh ehs-TAH-doh ehs-too-dee-AHN-doh doo-RAHN-teh MOO-choh tee-EHM-poh I've been studying for a long time.
B

Deja tu trabajo a un lado.

DEH-khah too trah-BAH-khoh ah oon LAH-doh Put your work aside.
B

Descansa un momento.

dehs-KAHN-sah oon moh-MEHN-toh Rest for a moment.
A

Ahora me cuesta concentrarme.

ah-OH-rah meh KWEHS-tah kohn-sehn-TRAHR-meh It's hard to concentrate now.
B

Eso normalmente significa que tu cerebro necesita un descanso.

EH-soh nohr-mahl-MEHN-teh seeg-nee-FEE-kah keh too seh-REH-broh neh-seh-SEE-tah oon dehs-KAHN-soh That usually means your brain needs a break.
A

¿Debería repasar el vocabulario más tarde?

deh-beh-REE-ah reh-pah-SAHR ehl boh-kah-boo-LAH-ryoh mahs TAR-deh Should I review vocabulary later?
B

Empieza con las palabras más fáciles cuando vuelvas.

ehm-PYEH-sah kohn lahs pah-LAH-brahs mahs fah-SEE-lehs KWAHN-doh BWEHL-bahs Start with the easier words when you come back.
A

Cerraré el cuaderno mientras descanso.

seh-rrah-REH ehl kwah-DEHR-noh mee-EHN-trahs dehs-KAHN-soh I'll close the notebook while I rest.
B

Entonces podemos continuar con más calma.

ehn-TOHN-sehs poh-DEH-mohs kohn-tee-noo-AHR kohn mahs KAL-mah Then we can continue more calmly.

Word by Word

He In “He estado estudiando”, “He” is the auxiliary that helps express “I have been studying.” It is used with “estado” and “estudiando” in this ongoing-activity construction.
estado “Estado” means “been” in “He estado estudiando.” It is the participle form of estar and works with “He” to describe an activity continuing over a period of time.
estudiando “Estudiando” means “studying” in “He estado estudiando.” It is the ongoing-action form of estudiar and combines with “He estado” to describe the activity.
durante “Durante” marks the time period in “durante mucho tiempo”, meaning “for” a long time here. A reliable pattern is “durante” followed by a time expression.
mucho “Mucho” indicates a large amount in “mucho tiempo”, giving the idea of a long duration. Here it directly modifies “tiempo” in the time expression “durante mucho tiempo”.
tiempo “Tiempo” means “time” in “durante mucho tiempo.” It names the duration and follows “mucho” in this common time expression.
Deja “Deja” tells the other person to put or leave something aside in “Deja tu trabajo a un lado.” It is used as a direct command followed by the thing being moved aside.
tu “Tu” means “your” in “tu trabajo.” It identifies the work as belonging to the person being addressed and comes directly before “trabajo”.
trabajo “Trabajo” means “work” in “Deja tu trabajo a un lado.” Here it is the thing that the other person is told to set aside, and it functions as the object after “Deja”.
a “A” is the preposition used in “a un lado”, the phrase that completes the instruction to put something aside. It connects “un” and “lado” to form this location or direction expression.
un “Un” is the article before “lado” in “a un lado.” It introduces the singular noun in this fixed expression for setting something aside.
lado “Lado” means “side” in “a un lado.” Together with “a un”, it forms “a un lado”, meaning that the work should be placed aside.
Descansa “Descansa” tells the other person to rest in “Descansa un momento.” It is a direct command followed by a short time expression.
momento “Momento” means “moment” in “un momento.” The expression “un momento” gives the short length of time for the rest.
Ahora “Ahora” means “now” and places the difficulty in the present in “Ahora me cuesta concentrarme.” It commonly appears at the beginning to establish the time of the situation.
me “Me” marks the person experiencing the difficulty in “me cuesta concentrarme”, meaning that concentrating is difficult for me. It appears before “cuesta” in this construction.
cuesta “Cuesta” expresses difficulty in “me cuesta concentrarme.” With “me” and the infinitive “concentrarme”, it says that concentrating is hard for the speaker.
concentrarme “Concentrarme” means “to concentrate” in “me cuesta concentrarme.” It is the activity that is difficult, and “me” is attached to the infinitive to refer to the speaker.
Eso “Eso” means “that” and refers to the preceding difficulty in “Eso normalmente significa que tu cerebro necesita un descanso.” It introduces the interpretation of what was just said.
normalmente “Normalmente” means “usually” or “normally” in “Eso normalmente significa...”. It modifies “significa” and shows that the explanation is a usual interpretation.
significa “Significa” means “means” in “Eso normalmente significa que...”. It connects “Eso” with the explanation introduced by “que”.
que “Que” introduces the content of “significa” in “significa que tu cerebro necesita un descanso.” The clause after it explains what the situation means.
cerebro “Cerebro” means “brain” in “tu cerebro necesita un descanso.” It is the thing described as needing a break.
necesita “Necesita” means “needs” in “tu cerebro necesita un descanso.” It expresses what the brain requires and is followed here by “un descanso”.
descanso “Descanso” means “break” or “rest” in “necesita un descanso.” It is the noun naming what the brain needs, and it follows “necesita”.
Debería “Debería” expresses “should I” in “¿Debería repasar el vocabulario más tarde?”. The question asks whether reviewing the vocabulary later would be advisable.
repasar “Repasar” means “to review” in “Debería repasar el vocabulario más tarde?”. It is an infinitive following “Debería” and takes “el vocabulario” as its object.
el “El” is the definite article before “vocabulario” in “el vocabulario.” It introduces the specific study material being reviewed.
vocabulario “Vocabulario” means “vocabulary” in “repasar el vocabulario.” It is the study material that follows the verb “repasar”.
más “Más” contributes the meaning of “more” in the time expression “más tarde”, which means “later.” It combines with “tarde” to place the action after the present time.
tarde “Tarde” means “later” in “más tarde.” Together, “más tarde” is used to refer to a time after now.
Empieza “Empieza” tells the other person to start in “Empieza con las palabras más fáciles.” It is followed by “con” to identify the material used as the starting point.
con “Con” means “with” in “Empieza con las palabras más fáciles.” The pattern “Empieza con” introduces what someone should begin with.
las “Las” is the definite plural article before “palabras” in “las palabras más fáciles.” It introduces the specific group of words being discussed.
palabras “Palabras” means “words” in “las palabras más fáciles.” It names the vocabulary items and is modified by “fáciles”.
fáciles “Fáciles” means “easy” in “las palabras más fáciles.” It describes “palabras” and identifies which words should be reviewed first.
cuando “Cuando” means “when” in “cuando vuelvas.” It introduces the time condition for starting with the easier words.
vuelvas “Vuelvas” means “you come back” in “cuando vuelvas.” It describes the return that marks when the vocabulary review should begin.
Cerraré “Cerraré” means “I will close” in “Cerraré el cuaderno mientras descanso.” It expresses the speaker’s planned action and is followed by the object “el cuaderno”.
cuaderno “Cuaderno” means “notebook” in “Cerraré el cuaderno.” It is the object that the speaker plans to close while resting.
mientras “Mientras” means “while” in “mientras descanso.” It connects the closing of the notebook with the period during which the speaker rests.
Entonces “Entonces” means “then” in “Entonces podemos continuar con más calma.” It marks the next step or consequence after the rest.
podemos “Podemos” means “we can” in “podemos continuar”. It expresses the shared possibility of continuing and is followed by the infinitive “continuar”.
continuar “Continuar” means “to continue” in “podemos continuar con más calma.” It is the infinitive that follows “podemos” and names the activity that can resume.
calma “Calma” means “calmness” in “con más calma”, describing the manner of continuing. The pattern “con más calma” means that the activity can continue more calmly.

Grammar Points

he estado + gerundio

He estado estudiando durante mucho tiempo.

eh ehs-TAH-doh ehs-too-dee-AHN-doh doo-RAHN-teh MOO-choh tee-EHM-poh

I have been studying for a long time.

This form describes an action that started in the past and has continued up to now.

cuando + subjuntivo, futuro

Cuando vuelvas, cerraré el cuaderno.

KWAHN-doh BWEHL-bahs, seh-rrah-REH ehl kwah-DEHR-noh

When you come back, I will close the notebook.

After cuando, Spanish uses the subjunctive for a future event; the main clause uses the future.

Spanish Vocabulary

a un lado phrase
ah oon LAH-doh aside

Used in the expression meaning to put something aside.

ahora adv
ah-OH-rah now Ahora

Refers to the present time.

concentrarme verb
kohn-sehn-TRAHR-meh to concentrate

The action that is difficult for the speaker.

deja verb
DEH-khah put aside; leave Deja

A command telling someone to put something aside.

descansa verb
dehs-KAHN-sah rest Descansa

A command telling someone to rest.

durante prep
doo-RAHN-teh during; for

Indicates the duration of an activity.

eso pron
EH-soh that Eso

Refers to the difficulty described in the previous sentence.

he estado estudiando phrase
eh ehs-TAH-doh ehs-too-dee-AHN-doh I have been studying He estado estudiando

Used to describe an activity that has continued for some time.

me cuesta concentrarme phrase
meh KWEHS-tah kohn-sehn-TRAHR-meh it is hard for me to concentrate

Used to say that concentrating is difficult for the speaker.

momento noun
moh-MEHN-toh moment

Refers to a short period of time.

mucho tiempo phrase
MOO-choh tee-EHM-poh a long time

Describes a long period of time.

trabajo noun
trah-BAH-khoh work

The work being studied or completed.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I've been studying for a long time.

Show AnswerHe estado estudiando durante mucho tiempo.

Put your work aside.

Show AnswerDeja tu trabajo a un lado.

Rest for a moment.

Show AnswerDescansa un momento.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

put aside; leave

Show AnswerDeja

work

Show Answertrabajo

during; for

Show Answerdurante

moment

Show Answermomento