Ask a librarian for a book recommendation | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a library, one person asks a librarian to recommend a simple book for language learners and checks how to borrow it..

EN → ES / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Ask a librarian for a book recommendation to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

¿Podría recomendarme un libro para estudiantes de idiomas?

poh-DREE-ah reh-koh-men-DAR-meh oon LEE-broh PAH-rah ehs-too-dee-AN-tehs deh ee-dee-OH-mahs Could you recommend a book for language learners?
B

¿Busca historias fáciles o artículos cortos?

BOOS-kah ees-TOH-ryahs fah-SEE-lehs oh ar-TEE-koo-lohs KOR-tohs Are you looking for easy stories or short articles?
A

Quiero cuentos cortos con palabras sencillas.

KYEH-roh KWEHN-tohs KOR-tohs kohn pah-LAH-brahs sen-SEE-yahs I want short stories with simple words.
B

Este libro tiene historias fáciles de entender y dibujos útiles.

EHS-teh LEE-broh TYEH-neh ees-TOH-ryahs fah-SEE-lehs deh en-ten-DEHR ee dee-BOO-hohs OO-tee-lehs This book has easy-to-understand stories and helpful pictures.
A

¿Puedo llevarlo a casa hoy?

PWEH-doh yeh-BAR-loh ah KAH-sah oy Can I take it home today?
B

Muestre su tarjeta de la biblioteca en el mostrador.

MWEHS-treh soo tar-HEH-tah deh lah bee-blee-oh-TEH-kah en el moh-strah-DOR Please show your library card at the desk.
A

Lo sacaré ahora.

loh sah-kah-REH ah-OH-rah I will check it out now.
B

Vuelva por otra recomendación después de terminarlo.

BWEHL-bah por OH-trah reh-koh-men-dah-SYOHN dehs-PWEHS deh tehr-mee-NAR-loh Come back for another recommendation after you finish it.

Word by Word

Podría “Podría” makes the request polite: “Could you recommend…?” It is useful at the beginning of a respectful request before an infinitive, as in “¿Podría recomendarme…?”. You might use it when asking a librarian or another service worker for help.
recomendarme “Recomendarme” means “recommend to me” in this request. The form combines recomendar with me, showing who should receive the recommendation. It is useful with a thing being recommended, as in “recomendarme un libro”, when asking someone for a suggestion.
un “Un” introduces one non-specific book in “un libro”, meaning “a book”. It is used before a singular noun when referring to one item without identifying a particular one. You use it when asking for or mentioning one possible item.
libro “Libro” means “book”, the item being requested and later borrowed in the library. It commonly appears with a description or purpose, as in “un libro para estudiantes de idiomas”. You would use it when asking for reading material.
para “Para” means “for” in “para estudiantes de idiomas” and shows the intended learners or purpose of the book. A common reuse pattern is “para + person or group”. You use it when describing who something is intended for.
estudiantes “Estudiantes” means “students” or “learners” in “estudiantes de idiomas”. The phrase identifies people who are learning languages. It commonly appears with “de” followed by the subject being studied, and you use it when talking about learners in an educational context.
de “De” has two functions in this lesson. In “estudiantes de idiomas”, it connects learners with the subject they study; in “después de terminarlo”, it introduces the action that follows “después”. Common reuse patterns are “noun de noun” and “después de + infinitive”.
idiomas “Idiomas” means “languages” in “estudiantes de idiomas”. It specifies what the students are learning. You can reuse it when describing language study or people who learn languages.
Busca “Busca” asks whether the person is looking for something in “¿Busca historias fáciles o artículos cortos?”. Here it is a polite question addressed to one person. It is useful before the item or options someone may be looking for, especially in a service conversation.
historias “Historias” means “stories” in the librarian’s first option, “historias fáciles”. It names one type of reading material being offered. You use it when discussing stories someone may read, choose, or recommend.
fáciles “Fáciles” describes the stories as easy in “historias fáciles” and the stories as easy to understand in “fáciles de entender”. The form describes more than one item here. It is useful when evaluating reading material for difficulty.
o “O” means “or” and joins the two choices “historias fáciles” and “artículos cortos”. It presents alternatives in a question or statement. You use it when asking someone to choose between options.
artículos “Artículos” means “articles”, the second type of reading material in the librarian’s question. It refers to short written texts that can be chosen instead of stories. You use it when discussing articles as reading material.
cortos “Cortos” means “short” in “artículos cortos” and “cuentos cortos”. It describes the length of the plural nouns it follows. You use it when specifying that stories or other texts are brief.
Quiero “Quiero” expresses the speaker’s desire: “I want short stories”. It is followed here by the thing the speaker wants, “cuentos cortos”. You use it when stating a preference or making a request for something.
cuentos “Cuentos” means “short stories” or “tales” in “cuentos cortos”. It identifies the reading material the speaker wants. It commonly appears with a description such as an adjective, and you use it when asking for or discussing short narrative texts.
con “Con” means “with” in “con palabras sencillas” and describes a feature of the stories. It links the stories with the words they contain. A common reuse pattern is “con + noun” when specifying contents or characteristics.
palabras “Palabras” means “words” in “palabras sencillas”. The speaker wants stories that use simple words. You use it when discussing the vocabulary or wording of a text.
sencillas “Sencillas” means “simple” or “straightforward” and describes “palabras” in “palabras sencillas”. It shows that the vocabulary should be easy for the learner. You use it when describing accessible language or uncomplicated wording.
Este “Este” means “this” and points to the specific book the librarian is recommending in “Este libro”. It identifies the book as the one being presented or discussed. You use it before a noun when pointing out a nearby or currently selected item.
tiene “Tiene” means “has” or “contains” in “Este libro tiene historias… y dibujos…”. It describes the contents or features of the book. A common reuse pattern is “tener + thing” when explaining what an item includes.
entender “Entender” means “understand” in the phrase “fáciles de entender”. The whole phrase says that the stories are easy for a reader to understand, while “entender” names the action. A common reuse pattern is “fácil de + infinitive” when evaluating how easy an activity is.
y “Y” means “and” and links the book’s two features: “historias fáciles de entender” and “dibujos útiles”. It joins items that are presented together. You use it to connect two words, phrases, or pieces of information.
dibujos “Dibujos” means “pictures” or “drawings” in “dibujos útiles”. They are an additional feature of the recommended book that helps the learner. You use it when talking about visual material in a book or other resource.
útiles “Útiles” means “helpful” or “useful” and describes the drawings in “dibujos útiles”. It explains that the pictures support the reader. You use it after a noun when describing something as useful for a purpose.
Puedo “Puedo” asks “Can I?” in “¿Puedo llevarlo a casa hoy?”. Here it asks for permission to take the book home. A common reuse pattern is “¿Puedo + infinitive…?” when requesting permission or checking whether something is possible.
llevarlo “Llevarlo” means “take it” or “carry it” here, referring to taking the book home. It combines llevar with lo, which refers to the book. The pattern “llevarlo a + place” is useful when saying where a known object will be taken.
a “A” means “to” in “a casa” and marks the destination of the book. It completes the pattern “llevarlo a + place”. You use it when describing where a person or object is going.
casa “Casa” means “home” in “a casa”. Together, “a casa” gives the destination where the speaker wants to take the book. You use it when talking about going or taking something home.
hoy “Hoy” means “today” and specifies that the speaker wants to take the book home on the current day. It gives a time reference for the requested action. You use it when arranging or asking about something happening today.
Muestre “Muestre” means “show” in the librarian’s polite instruction “Muestre su tarjeta…”. It asks the visitor to present an item at the desk. You use it in a respectful instruction when requesting that someone display or present something.
su “Su” means “your” in “su tarjeta” and identifies the card as belonging to the person being addressed. It is used before the noun it describes. You use it when referring politely to an addressed person’s item.
tarjeta “Tarjeta” means “card” in “tarjeta de la biblioteca”. It refers specifically to the library card needed for borrowing. You use it when talking about a card used for identification or access.
la “La” means “the” in “la biblioteca” and identifies a specific library. It appears before the noun it determines. You use it when referring to a particular place or thing known in the situation.
biblioteca “Biblioteca” means “library” in “la biblioteca”. The phrase “tarjeta de la biblioteca” identifies the card as belonging to the library. You use it when talking about the place where books are borrowed or read.
en “En” means “at” in “en el mostrador” and marks the location where the card should be shown. A common reuse pattern is “en + place”. You use it when saying where an action takes place.
el “El” means “the” in “el mostrador” and identifies the specific desk or counter in the library. It appears before the place noun. You use it when referring to a particular location known from the situation.
mostrador “Mostrador” means “desk” or “counter” in “en el mostrador”. It is the service point where the visitor shows the library card. You use it when directing someone to a service desk or counter.
Lo “Lo” means “it” in “Lo sacaré” and refers back to the book. It appears before the verb because it is the object of the planned action. You use it to refer to a known masculine object without repeating its noun.
sacaré “Sacaré” means “I will take it out” and, in this library context, “I will check it out”. Together with “Lo”, it describes the speaker’s planned borrowing action. You use it when saying that you are going to take a book out of the library.
ahora “Ahora” means “now” and shows that the speaker plans to check out the book immediately. It gives the timing of the action in “Lo sacaré ahora”. You use it when an action is happening or will happen at the present time.
Vuelva “Vuelva” means “come back” or “return” in the librarian’s polite instruction. It invites the visitor to return to the library for another recommendation. You use it when respectfully telling someone to return to a place.
por “Por” means “for” in “Vuelva por otra recomendación” and expresses the purpose of coming back: to get another recommendation. A useful reuse pattern is “volver por + thing”. You use it when someone returns to obtain or collect something.
otra “Otra” means “another” in “otra recomendación”. It indicates one additional recommendation after the first one. You use it before a singular noun when referring to an additional item of the same general type.
recomendación “Recomendación” means “recommendation” in “otra recomendación”. It is the suggestion the librarian offers after the learner finishes the book. You use it when asking for or giving advice about what to choose.
después “Después” means “after” or “afterward” in “después de terminarlo”. It places the return and new recommendation later than the action of finishing the book. A common reuse pattern is “después de + infinitive” when ordering two actions.
terminarlo “Terminarlo” means “finish it” in “después de terminarlo”, with lo referring to the book. It combines terminar with the object pronoun lo. You use it when describing the completion of a known object or task.

Grammar Points

infinitivo + pronombre átono

¿Podría recomendarme este libro?

poh-DREE-ah reh-koh-men-DAR-meh EHS-teh LEE-broh

Could you recommend this book to me?

In Spanish, object pronouns can attach directly to an infinitive, as in recomendarme (“recommend to me”).

después de + infinitivo

Después de terminarlo, quiero otra recomendación.

dehs-PWEHS deh tehr-mee-NAR-loh KYEH-roh OH-trah reh-koh-men-dah-SYOHN

After finishing it, I want another recommendation.

Use después de followed by an infinitive to express “after doing something.”

Spanish Vocabulary

artículos noun
ar-TEE-koo-lohs articles
busca verb
BOOS-kah are you looking for

¿Busca historias fáciles o artículos cortos?

cortos adj
KOR-tohs short
cuentos noun
KWEHN-tohs short stories; tales
estudiantes noun
ehs-too-dee-AN-tehs learners; students
fáciles adj
fah-SEE-lehs easy
historias noun
ees-TOH-ryahs stories
idiomas noun
ee-dee-OH-mahs languages
libro noun
LEE-broh book
podría verb
poh-DREE-ah could

¿Podría recomendarme un libro?

quiero verb
KYEH-roh I want
recomendarme verb
reh-koh-men-DAR-meh recommend to me

¿Podría recomendarme un libro?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Are you looking for easy stories or short articles?

Show Answer¿Busca historias fáciles o artículos cortos?

I want short stories with simple words.

Show AnswerQuiero cuentos cortos con palabras sencillas.

Can I take it home today?

Show Answer¿Puedo llevarlo a casa hoy?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

could

Show Answerpodría

learners; students

Show Answerestudiantes

stories

Show Answerhistorias

languages

Show Answeridiomas