Reserving a quiet study room | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a library, one person reserves a quiet study room and asks about the request form and key return..

EN → ES / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Reserving a quiet study room to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Me gustaría reservar una sala de estudio.

meh goos-tah-REE-ah reh-sehr-BAR OO-nah SAH-lah deh ehs-TOO-dee-oh I would like to reserve a study room.
B

Voy a comprobar qué salas están disponibles hoy.

boy ah kohm-proh-BAR keh SAH-lahs ehs-TAHN dees-poh-NEE-bles oy Let me check which rooms are open today.
A

Necesito un lugar tranquilo para estudiar con un compañero de clase.

neh-seh-SEE-toh oon loo-GAR trahn-KEE-loh pah-rah ehs-too-dee-AR kohn oon kohm-pah-NYEH-roh deh KLAH-seh I need a quiet place to study with a classmate.
B

Una sala pequeña está libre esta tarde.

OO-nah SAH-lah peh-KEH-nyah ehs-TAH LEE-breh EHS-tah TAR-deh A small room is free this afternoon.
A

¿Puedo reservarla en el mostrador de atención?

PWEH-doh reh-sehr-BAR-lah en el moh-strah-DOR deh ah-tehn-see-ON Can I book it at the service desk?
B

Por favor, rellena el formulario de solicitud aquí.

por fah-BOR reh-YEH-nah el for-moo-LAH-ryoh deh soh-lee-see-TOOD ah-KEE Please fill in the request form here.
A

¿Devuelvo la llave en este mostrador de atención?

deh-BWEHL-boh lah YAH-beh en EHS-teh moh-strah-DOR deh ah-tehn-see-ON Do I return the key to this service desk?
B

Devuélvela antes del cierre.

deh-BWEHL-beh-lah AHN-tehs del SYEH-rreh Bring it back before closing.

Word by Word

Me In “Me gustaría reservar una sala de estudio”, “Me” identifies the person who would like something: the speaker. This pronoun is used before “gustaría” when expressing a personal wish or polite request.
gustaría In “Me gustaría reservar una sala de estudio”, “gustaría” expresses the speaker’s polite wish to reserve a room. It is useful for making a courteous request rather than stating the request too directly.
reservar “Reservar” means to reserve or book, as in “Me gustaría reservar una sala de estudio”. It is used for arranging a room or other service in advance and follows “gustaría” here.
una In “una sala”, “una” introduces one unspecified feminine room. It is used before the singular noun “sala” when mentioning a room for the first time.
sala “Sala” means room in “una sala de estudio”. It can be used for a room identified by its purpose, such as a study room in a library.
de In “sala de estudio”, “de” connects the room with its purpose, giving the meaning “study room”. This linking word is used between a noun and a noun that specifies what the first noun is for.
estudio In “sala de estudio”, “estudio” identifies studying as the purpose of the room. This noun can follow “de” to specify the purpose or type of a place.
Voy In “Voy a comprobar qué salas están disponibles hoy”, “Voy” helps express that the speaker is going to check something now. The expression “Voy a comprobar” is useful when announcing an action the speaker is about to take.
a In “Voy a comprobar”, “a” connects “Voy” with the action “comprobar”. This pattern is used to say that someone is going to do an action.
comprobar “Comprobar” means to check or verify, as in “Voy a comprobar qué salas están disponibles hoy”. It is used when someone examines information before giving an answer.
qué In “qué salas están disponibles hoy”, “qué” asks which rooms are available. It appears before the noun when selecting or identifying something from possible options.
salas “Salas” means rooms in “qué salas están disponibles hoy”. The plural form is used because the speaker is checking more than one possible room.
están In “salas están disponibles”, “están” says that the rooms have a particular current status. With “disponibles”, it is used to ask or state whether rooms can be used.
disponibles “Disponibles” means available in “qué salas están disponibles hoy”. It describes rooms that can be reserved or used, which is useful when asking about open options.
hoy “Hoy” means today in “están disponibles hoy”. It limits the availability question to the current day and can be used when checking schedules or arrangements.
Necesito “Necesito” means “I need” in “Necesito un lugar tranquilo para estudiar”. It introduces the speaker’s requirement and is commonly followed by the thing needed.
un In “un lugar”, “un” introduces one unspecified masculine place. It is used before the singular noun “lugar” when the speaker describes the place needed.
lugar “Lugar” means place in “un lugar tranquilo”. Here it refers to a physical location where the speaker can study, and it can be followed by a description of that location.
tranquilo In “un lugar tranquilo”, “tranquilo” describes the place as quiet. It is useful when explaining the condition a place should have for studying or another activity.
para In “para estudiar”, “para” introduces the purpose of the place: studying. This pattern is used before an infinitive to explain what an action or place is intended for.
estudiar “Estudiar” means to study in “un lugar tranquilo para estudiar”. It follows “para” to state the activity the speaker wants to carry out there.
con In “estudiar con un compañero de clase”, “con” means with and identifies who will study together with the speaker. It is used before the person accompanying or participating in an activity.
compañero In “un compañero de clase”, “compañero” refers to the person who studies with the speaker. Together with “de clase”, it identifies that person as a classmate.
clase In “compañero de clase”, “clase” identifies the shared class. This expression is used when describing someone who belongs to the same class as the speaker.
pequeña In “Una sala pequeña”, “pequeña” describes the room as small. It is placed after “sala” here to give a physical description of the available room.
está In “Una sala pequeña está libre”, “está” says that the room has a current state. With “libre”, it communicates that the room is available at that time.
libre “Libre” means free or available in “Una sala pequeña está libre esta tarde”. It is useful for saying that a room, seat, or other resource is not occupied.
esta In “esta tarde”, “esta” points to the current afternoon. It is used before “tarde” to identify the specific time being discussed.
tarde In “esta tarde”, “tarde” means afternoon. This expression sets the time when the small room is free and can be used when arranging an activity for that part of the day.
Puedo In “¿Puedo reservarla en el mostrador de atención?”, “Puedo” asks whether the speaker may or can do something. It is commonly placed before an infinitive when requesting permission.
reservarla In “Puedo reservarla”, “reservarla” means to reserve it, referring to the room. The form combines “reservar” with “la”, and this type of object reference is useful when the thing being reserved is already known.
en In “en el mostrador de atención”, “en” indicates the place where the booking can be made. It is used before a location such as a desk, counter, or office.
el In “el mostrador”, “el” identifies a specific masculine desk or counter. It is used before “mostrador” when the listener can identify which desk is meant.
mostrador “Mostrador” means desk or counter in “el mostrador de atención”. Here it refers to the library service point where a person can make the booking or ask for help.
atención In “mostrador de atención”, “atención” identifies the desk as a service or assistance desk. This noun is used after “de” to specify the kind of service provided there.
Por favor Together, “Por” and “favor” form “Por favor”, a polite expression used to ask someone to do something. In “Por favor, rellena el formulario”, it softens the instruction and is useful when making a courteous request.
rellena In “Por favor, rellena el formulario”, “rellena” tells the listener to fill in the form. It is used for a direct instruction when someone needs to complete written information.
formulario “Formulario” means form in “el formulario de solicitud”. It refers to a document with spaces or questions that a person must complete to make a request.
solicitud In “formulario de solicitud”, “solicitud” identifies the form as one used for a request or application. It is used after “de” to specify the purpose of the form.
aquí “Aquí” means here in “rellena el formulario de solicitud aquí”. It points to the place where the listener should complete the form and is useful when giving a nearby location.
Devuelvo In “¿Devuelvo la llave en este mostrador de atención?”, “Devuelvo” asks whether the speaker should return something. It is used with the returned object to ask about the correct procedure.
la In “la llave”, “la” identifies a specific feminine key. It is used before “llave” because the conversation is referring to the key needed for the study room.
llave “Llave” means key in “la llave”. Here it is the object that must be returned to the service desk after use.
este In “este mostrador de atención”, “este” points to this particular desk or counter. It is used before “mostrador” when indicating a nearby masculine place.
Devuélvela In “Devuélvela antes del cierre”, “Devuélvela” tells the listener to return the key, referring back to “la llave”. The form combines the instruction to return with “la” as the object reference, a pattern useful when the item is already known.
antes In “antes del cierre”, “antes” means before and sets a time limit. It is used to say that the key must be returned earlier than the closing time.
del In “antes del cierre”, “del” introduces the closing as the time boundary and combines the meaning of “de” with “el”. This form is used in time expressions such as a requirement to do something before a specified event.
cierre “Cierre” means closing in “antes del cierre”. Here it names the library’s closing as the deadline for returning the key.

Grammar Points

Me gustaría + infinitivo

Me gustaría reservar un estudio.

meh goos-tah-REE-ah reh-sehr-BAR oon ehs-TOO-dee-oh

I would like to reserve a study room.

Use the conditional gustaría with me for a polite request. The following verb remains in the infinitive.

Spanish Vocabulary

compañero de clase phrase
kohm-pah-NYEH-roh deh KLAH-seh classmate

con un compañero de clase

comprobar verb
kohm-proh-BAR to check

Voy a comprobar qué salas están disponibles hoy.

disponible adj
dees-poh-NEE-bleh available disponibles

qué salas están disponibles hoy

estudiar verb
ehs-too-dee-AR to study

para estudiar con un compañero de clase

estudio noun
ehs-TOO-dee-oh study

una sala de estudio

gustar verb
goos-TAR to like; would like gustaría

Me gustaría reservar una sala de estudio.

hoy adv
oy today

qué salas están disponibles hoy

lugar noun
loo-GAR place

un lugar tranquilo

necesitar verb
neh-seh-see-TAR to need necesito

Necesito un lugar tranquilo para estudiar.

reservar verb
reh-sehr-BAR to reserve; to book

Me gustaría reservar una sala de estudio.

sala noun
SAH-lah room

una sala de estudio

tranquilo adj
trahn-KEE-loh quiet

un lugar tranquilo

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Bring it back before closing.

Show AnswerDevuélvela antes del cierre.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to like; would like

Show Answergustaría

available

Show Answerdisponibles

room

Show Answersala

to check

Show Answercomprobar