Finding a quiet place to work | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a library, one person asks for a quiet work area and learns where silent study and phone calls are allowed..

EN → ES / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Finding a quiet place to work to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

¿Hay un lugar tranquilo donde pueda trabajar?

eye oon loo-GAHR trahn-KEE-loh DOHN-deh PWEH-dah trah-bah-HAHR? Is there a quiet area where I can work?
B

Hay mesas para estudiar en silencio arriba, a la izquierda.

eye MEH-sahs PAH-rah ehs-too-dee-AHR en see-LEE-syoh ah-REE-bah ah lah ees-kee-EHR-dah. There are desks for quiet study upstairs on the left.
A

¿Podría hacer una llamada corta allí?

poh-DREE-ah ah-SEHR OO-nah yah-MAH-dah KOR-tah ah-YEE? Could I take a short call there?
B

Esas mesas son solo para estudiar en silencio.

EH-sahs MEH-sahs sohn SOH-loh PAH-rah ehs-too-dee-AHR en see-LEE-syoh. Those desks are only for silent study.
A

Entonces, haré llamadas en otro lugar.

ehn-TOHN-sehs ah-REH yah-MAH-dahs en OH-troh loo-GAHR. I'll take phone calls somewhere else, then.
B

El vestíbulo es mejor para las llamadas.

el behs-TEE-boo-loh es meh-HOHR PAH-rah lahs yah-MAH-dahs. The lobby is better for calls.
A

Una mesa de la planta de arriba me servirá.

OO-nah MEH-sah deh lah PLAHN-tah deh ah-REE-bah meh sehr-bee-RAH. An upstairs desk will work for me.
B

Suele estar tranquilo por la tarde.

SWEH-leh ehs-TAHR trahn-KEE-loh pohr lah TAHR-deh. It is usually calm in the afternoon.

Word by Word

Hay "Hay" means there is or there are; here it introduces the question about whether a quiet place exists. It is commonly used before a noun to ask or state that something exists, such as in "Hay mesas".
un "Un" means a or an and introduces one unspecified place in "un lugar tranquilo". It is used before a singular masculine noun, as when asking about one available place.
lugar "Lugar" means place, referring here to a possible area in the library. It commonly appears in expressions such as "un lugar" when identifying a location.
tranquilo "Tranquilo" describes the place as quiet or calm in "un lugar tranquilo". It describes a location suitable for focused work, such as a quiet area in a library.
donde "Donde" means where and connects the place with the activity the speaker wants to do there. It is useful after a place expression when adding information about what can happen in that place.
pueda "Pueda" expresses that the speaker can work in the possible place described in the question. It is a form of "poder" used here in the clause introduced by "donde"; use this kind of clause when asking about a place where an activity is possible.
trabajar "Trabajar" means to work and names the activity the speaker wants to do. It is an infinitive that can follow a form of "poder", as in "pueda trabajar", when describing an activity someone can do.
mesas "Mesas" means desks or tables; here it refers to the desks available for quiet study. It is plural because the speaker is being told about more than one desk in the library.
para "Para" marks the purpose of the desks in "para estudiar en silencio": they are intended for studying silently. It commonly comes before an infinitive to express purpose, especially when explaining what something is for.
estudiar "Estudiar" means to study and names the permitted activity at the desks. After "para", it expresses purpose, as in "para estudiar" when describing a place or object intended for study.
en "En" contributes the meaning in or under the condition of silence in "en silencio". The whole expression means in silence, and it is useful when describing how an activity must be carried out.
silencio "Silencio" means silence in the expression "en silencio". Together with "en", it describes studying without making noise, a useful expression for quiet public places.
arriba "Arriba" means upstairs or above and locates the desks on an upper level. It can be used when directing someone to a place higher in a building.
a "A" contributes the location meaning at or on in "a la izquierda", identifying the left side. This expression is useful when giving directions inside a building or room.
la "La" means the and introduces the specific side in "a la izquierda". It is used before a singular feminine noun or noun-like expression when referring to a definite location.
izquierda "Izquierda" means left and identifies the side where the desks are located. It is commonly used with "a la" when giving a direction, as in "a la izquierda".
Podría "Podría" means could and makes the question "¿Podría hacer una llamada corta allí?" polite rather than direct. It is a form of "poder" used for a courteous request, such as asking permission in a library.
hacer "Hacer" means to make or have in "hacer una llamada"; here it means to make a phone call. The reusable pattern is "hacer una llamada" when asking about or describing a single call.
una "Una" means a or an and introduces one call in "una llamada corta". It is used before a singular feminine noun when referring to one unspecified item or event.
llamada "Llamada" means call in "una llamada corta". It commonly follows "hacer" in "hacer una llamada" when someone wants to make a phone call.
corta "Corta" means short and describes the expected duration of the call. It modifies "llamada" in "una llamada corta", a useful pattern when specifying that a call will not last long.
allí "Allí" means there and refers to the desks or quiet area mentioned earlier. Use it to point back to a specific place that has already been identified in the conversation.
Esas "Esas" means those and points to the desks that were just discussed. It is used before a plural feminine noun such as "mesas" when identifying particular items at some distance or already under discussion.
son "Son" means are and links "Esas mesas" with their permitted purpose. It is useful when stating what a group of things is or what role it has.
solo "Solo" means only and limits the use of the desks to silent study. It is placed before the purpose expression in "solo para estudiar en silencio" when stating a restriction.
Entonces "Entonces" means then or in that case and shows that the speaker is responding to the restriction just given. It is useful when drawing a practical conclusion from new information.
haré "Haré" means I will make or I will do; in "haré llamadas", it means I will make calls. It is a form of "hacer" used to announce a future decision, such as choosing a different place for calls.
llamadas "Llamadas" means calls and refers to phone calls in general in "haré llamadas". It commonly follows "hacer" when describing making more than one call or making calls as an activity.
otro "Otro" means another or other and indicates a different place in "en otro lugar". It is useful before a singular masculine noun when choosing an alternative location or option.
El "El" means the and introduces the specific lobby being discussed. It is used before a singular masculine noun when referring to a definite place.
vestíbulo "Vestíbulo" means lobby, the area recommended for making calls. It is useful when identifying a building's entrance or shared waiting area.
es "Es" means is and links the lobby with the judgment that it is better for calls. It is used to describe or evaluate a singular place or thing.
mejor "Mejor" means better and says that the lobby is more suitable for calls than the quiet desks. It is useful when recommending one option as more appropriate for a particular purpose.
las "Las" means the and introduces calls as the specific activity referred to in "para las llamadas". It is used before a plural feminine noun when referring to known or general items of that type.
mesa "Mesa" means desk or table; here it refers to one desk upstairs that suits the speaker. It is commonly used for a piece of furniture where someone can work or study.
de "De" links the desk with the floor or level in "de la planta de arriba", identifying which desk it is. It commonly connects a thing with its location, source, or belonging.
planta "Planta" means floor or level in "la planta de arriba". This expression is useful when identifying a floor in a building, especially when directing someone upstairs.
me "Me" means to me or for me in "me servirá", showing who the desk will suit. It is used with expressions of suitability when saying that something will work for a person.
servirá "Servirá" means will work or will be suitable for the speaker in "me servirá". It is a form of "servir" used to evaluate whether an option will meet someone's needs.
Suele "Suele" means usually does or tends to and introduces the usual condition of the place in "Suele estar tranquilo". It is a form of "soler" followed by an infinitive, useful for describing a regular situation or habit.
estar "Estar" means to be and describes the condition of the place in "estar tranquilo". It follows "suele" here, forming a pattern for saying that a place is usually in a particular condition.
por "Por" means during or in when it introduces the time period in "por la tarde". This expression is useful for saying when something normally happens during the day.
tarde "Tarde" means afternoon in "por la tarde". Together with "por la", it identifies the part of the day when the library is usually calm.

Grammar Points

hay + sustantivo

Hay un lugar tranquilo.

eye oon loo-GAHR trahn-KEE-loh.

There is a quiet place.

Hay is invariable and means “there is” or “there are”; the noun and adjective determine singular/plural and gender.

podría + infinitivo

Podría hacer una llamada corta.

poh-DREE-ah ah-SEHR OO-nah yah-MAH-dah KOR-tah.

I could make a short call.

Podría expresses a possibility or polite suggestion and is followed by the infinitive form of the verb.

Spanish Vocabulary

arriba adv
ah-REE-bah upstairs / above

Hay mesas para estudiar en silencio arriba, a la izquierda.

donde adv
DOHN-deh where

¿Hay un lugar tranquilo donde pueda trabajar?

en silencio phrase
en see-LEE-syoh silently / in silence

Hay mesas para estudiar en silencio arriba, a la izquierda.

estudiar verb
ehs-too-dee-AHR to study

Hay mesas para estudiar en silencio arriba, a la izquierda.

hay verb
eye there is / there are

¿Hay un lugar tranquilo donde pueda trabajar?

izquierda noun
ees-kee-EHR-dah left

Hay mesas para estudiar en silencio arriba, a la izquierda.

lugar noun
loo-GAHR place

¿Hay un lugar tranquilo donde pueda trabajar?

mesa noun
MEH-sah desk / table mesas

Hay mesas para estudiar en silencio arriba, a la izquierda.

poder verb
poh-DEHR can / to be able to pueda

¿Hay un lugar tranquilo donde pueda trabajar?

podría verb
poh-DREE-ah could

¿Podría hacer una llamada corta allí?

trabajar verb
trah-bah-HAHR to work

¿Hay un lugar tranquilo donde pueda trabajar?

tranquilo adj
trahn-KEE-loh quiet / calm tranquila

¿Hay un lugar tranquilo donde pueda trabajar?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Could I take a short call there?

Show Answer¿Podría hacer una llamada corta allí?

I'll take phone calls somewhere else, then.

Show AnswerEntonces, haré llamadas en otro lugar.

It is usually calm in the afternoon.

Show AnswerSuele estar tranquilo por la tarde.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

place

Show Answerlugar

can / to be able to

Show Answerpueda

desk / table

Show Answermesas

to work

Show Answertrabajar