Being locked out and asking to wait inside | Learn Spanish in English

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Use Being locked out and asking to wait inside to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

No puedo entrar en mi apartamento.

noh PWEH-doh en-TRAR en mee ah-par-tah-MEN-toh I am locked out of my apartment.

¿Tienes una llave de repuesto en algún sitio?

TYEH-nehs OO-nah YAH-beh deh reh-PWEHS-toh ehn al-GOON SEE-tyoh Do you have a spare key somewhere?

Yo no tengo una, pero mi casero puede tener una.

yoh noh TEN-goh OO-nah, PEH-roh mee kah-SEH-roh PWEH-deh teh-NEHR OO-nah I do not, but my landlord may have one.

Intenta llamarlo ahora.

een-TEN-tah yah-MAR-loh ah-OH-rah Try calling them now.

¿Podría esperar dentro mientras hago la llamada?

poh-DREE-ah ehs-peh-RAR DEN-troh mee-EN-trahs AH-goh lah yah-MAH-dah Could I wait inside while I make the call?

Entra y espera un rato.

EN-trah ee ehs-PEH-rah oon RAH-toh Come in for a while.

Hace frío ahí fuera.

AH-seh FREE-oh ah-EE FWEH-rah It is cold out there.

Explicaré lo que pasó y preguntaré por la llave.

ehs-plee-kah-REH loh keh pah-SOH ee preh-goon-tah-REH por lah YAH-beh I will explain what happened and ask about the key.

Dime si necesitas algo mientras esperas.

DEE-meh see neh-seh-SEE-tahs AHL-goh mee-EN-trahs ehs-PEH-rahs Tell me if you need anything while you wait.

Word by Word

No In “No puedo entrar”, “No” makes the statement negative: the speaker cannot enter the apartment. It comes directly before the verb, as in the reusable pattern “No puedo …”. New example: “No puedo salir.”

puedo “Puedo” means “I can” or “I am able to” in “No puedo entrar”. It is used with an infinitive such as “entrar” to describe an ability or possibility. New example: “Puedo ayudarte.”

entrar “Entrar” means “to enter” or “to go in” in “No puedo entrar en mi apartamento”. After “puedo”, the verb stays in this infinitive form. New example: “Quiero entrar.”

en In “entrar en mi apartamento”, “en” introduces the place the speaker wants to enter: the apartment. The pattern “entrar en” is used with a place. New example: “Entrar en la casa.”

mi “Mi” means “my” in “mi apartamento”, showing that the apartment belongs to or is connected with the speaker. It comes before the noun and does not change for this masculine singular noun. New example: “mi casa”.

apartamento “Apartamento” means “apartment” in the statement about not being able to enter. It is the place introduced by “en” in “en mi apartamento”. New example: “Vivo en un apartamento.”

Tienes “Tienes” means “you have” in the question “¿Tienes una llave…?”. It is the form used to ask one person directly whether they possess something. New example: “¿Tienes tiempo?”

una “Una” means “a” or “one” before “llave” in “una llave de repuesto”. It introduces one feminine noun, and it can also refer back to the key in “mi casero puede tener una”. New example: “una puerta.”

llave “Llave” means “key” in “una llave de repuesto”. The word can be used with “tener” when asking whether someone has a key. New example: “Necesito una llave.”

de In “llave de repuesto”, “de” links “llave” with the description “repuesto”, giving the meaning “spare key”. The pattern “noun de noun” or “noun de description” is common for describing a noun. New example: “una llave de casa.”

repuesto “Repuesto” describes the key as a spare or replacement key in “llave de repuesto”. It follows “de” in this fixed description of an extra item. New example: “una pieza de repuesto.”

algún “Algún” means “some” or “any” in “en algún sitio”, referring to an unspecified place. It comes before the masculine singular noun “sitio”. New example: “en algún momento.”

sitio “Sitio” means “place” in “en algún sitio”, so the question asks whether the spare key is in some location. It commonly follows a place expression such as “en algún sitio”. New example: “Hay un sitio libre.”

Yo “Yo” means “I” in “Yo no tengo una”. It makes the speaker explicit and adds emphasis to the contrast with the landlord. New example: “Yo lo sé.”

tengo “Tengo” means “I have” in “Yo no tengo una”, referring back to the spare key. It is used with a direct object, including “una” when the noun is already understood. New example: “Tengo una llave.”

pero “Pero” means “but” and connects the speaker’s lack of a key with the different possibility that the landlord may have one. It introduces a contrast between two statements. New example: “Quiero ir, pero no puedo.”

casero “Casero” means “landlord” in “mi casero”. It identifies the person who may have the spare key and follows the possessive “mi”. New example: “Hablo con mi casero.”

puede “Puede” expresses possibility in “puede tener una”: the landlord may have a key. It is followed here by the infinitive “tener” to state what may be possible. New example: “Puede venir mañana.”

tener “Tener” means “to have” in “puede tener una”. After “puede”, it remains in the infinitive and describes what the landlord may possess. New example: “Puede tener la llave.”

Intenta “Intenta” means “try” in the direct suggestion “Intenta llamarlo ahora”. It tells one person to make an attempt and is followed here by an infinitive. New example: “Intenta abrir la puerta.”

llamarlo “Llamarlo” means “to call him” in “Intenta llamarlo ahora”, referring to the landlord. The object pronoun “lo” is attached to the infinitive “llamar”; this same pattern can be used with another male person already understood. New example: “Voy a llamarlo después.”

ahora “Ahora” means “now” in “llamarlo ahora” and asks the person to make the call at the present time. It can be placed after the verb phrase to specify when an action should happen. New example: “Hazlo ahora.”

Podría “Podría” introduces a polite request in “¿Podría esperar dentro…?”: “Could I wait…?”. It is used before an infinitive when asking permission in a respectful way. New example: “¿Podría pasar?”

esperar “Esperar” means “to wait” in “Podría esperar dentro”. It follows “podría” in the infinitive and describes the action for which the speaker is asking permission. New example: “Necesito esperar aquí.”

dentro “Dentro” means “inside” in “esperar dentro”, specifying where the speaker wants to wait. It can follow a movement or waiting verb when the inside location is understood. New example: “Puedes esperar dentro.”

mientras “Mientras” means “while” and links “mientras hago la llamada” to the waiting action. It introduces an action that happens at the same time as another action. New example: “Escucho música mientras trabajo.”

hago “Hago” means “I make” or “I do” in “hago la llamada”, where it refers to making the phone call. It is followed by the noun phrase “la llamada” to name the action being carried out. New example: “Hago una pregunta.”

la “La” means “the” before “llamada” in “la llamada”, referring to the specific call the speaker plans to make. It comes directly before this feminine singular noun. New example: “la puerta.”

llamada “Llamada” means “call” in “hago la llamada”. It names the phone call that the speaker will make while waiting inside. New example: “Tengo una llamada.”

Entra “Entra” means “come in” or “enter” in the invitation “Entra y espera un rato”. It is a direct instruction to one person and is followed by “y” plus another action. New example: “Entra, por favor.”

y “Y” means “and” and joins the two instructions in “Entra y espera un rato”. It connects actions that the listener is invited or told to do. New example: “Entra y siéntate.”

un “Un” means “a” or “one” before “rato” in “un rato”. It introduces a masculine singular noun and forms the expression for a short period of time. New example: “un momento.”

rato “Rato” means “a while” or “a short time” in “espera un rato”. The expression “un rato” gives an approximate, limited duration rather than an exact number of minutes. New example: “Voy a descansar un rato.”

Hace “Hace” is part of the weather expression “Hace frío”, meaning “It is cold”. In this expression, it is used with a weather condition rather than translated as a separate action. New example: “Hace calor.”

frío “Frío” means “cold” in “Hace frío”, describing the weather outside. It is used with “hace” in this common weather expression. New example: “El agua está fría.”

ahí “Ahí” means “there” in “ahí fuera”, pointing to the place outside where the other person is standing or waiting. It combines with a location word to make the place more specific. New example: “Está ahí.”

fuera “Fuera” means “outside” in “ahí fuera”. Together, “ahí fuera” identifies the outdoor place where it is cold. New example: “Estoy fuera.”

Explicaré “Explicaré” means “I will explain” in “Explicaré lo que pasó”. It presents an explanation as a future action the speaker plans to give to the landlord. New example: “Explicaré el problema.”

lo In “lo que pasó”, “lo” helps refer to the thing or situation that happened. Together with “que”, it forms “lo que” meaning “what” in this sentence. New example: “Entiendo lo que dices.”

que In “lo que pasó”, “que” links “lo” with the description of what happened, forming the expression “lo que”. It is also used in this pattern to introduce the information being referred to. New example: “Sé lo que necesitas.”

pasó “Pasó” means “happened” in “lo que pasó”, referring to the past event the speaker will explain. It describes an event that has already taken place. New example: “¿Qué pasó?”

preguntaré “Preguntaré” means “I will ask” in “preguntaré por la llave”. It presents a future question or request for information about the key. New example: “Preguntaré mañana.”

por In “preguntaré por la llave”, “por” introduces the person or thing the speaker will ask about: the key. The pattern “preguntar por” is used when asking about someone or something. New example: “Voy a preguntar por el precio.”

Dime “Dime” means “tell me” in “Dime si necesitas algo”. It is a direct request for the other person to give the speaker information, followed by the information requested. New example: “Dime la verdad.”

si “Si” means “if” in “si necesitas algo” and introduces the condition under which the listener should tell the speaker. It begins a conditional clause. New example: “Avísame si llegas tarde.”

necesitas “Necesitas” means “you need” in “si necesitas algo”. It describes a need belonging to the person being addressed and is followed here by “algo”, the thing needed. New example: “¿Necesitas ayuda?”

algo “Algo” means “anything” or “something” in “si necesitas algo”, referring to an unspecified thing the listener may need. It commonly follows verbs such as “necesitar” when the exact object is not known. New example: “Quiero algo.”

esperas “Esperas” means “you wait” in “mientras esperas”, referring to the listener’s waiting period. It follows “mientras” to describe an action happening at the same time as another action. New example: “Mientras esperas, puedes sentarte.”

Grammar Points

explicaré / preguntaré

Explicaré.

ehs-plee-kah-REH

I will explain.

The simple future uses the infinitive plus a future ending. Here, -é means “I will.”

dime

Dime.

DEE-meh

Tell me.

Dime is the informal imperative of decir, used to ask someone to tell you something.

Spanish Vocabulary

algún sitio phrase

al-GOON SEE-tyoh somewhere

apartamento noun

ah-par-tah-MEN-toh apartment

casero noun

kah-SEH-roh landlord

de repuesto phrase

deh reh-PWEHS-toh spare

una llave de repuesto

dentro adv

DEN-troh inside

entrar verb

en-TRAR to enter

esperar verb

ehs-peh-RAR to wait

intenta verb

een-TEN-tah try

llamarlo verb

yah-MAR-loh to call him

llave noun

YAH-beh key

tener verb

teh-NEHR to have

tienes verb

TYEH-nehs you have

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I am locked out of my apartment.

Show Answer

No puedo entrar en mi apartamento.

Try calling them now.

Show Answer

Intenta llamarlo ahora.

Come in for a while.

Show Answer

Entra y espera un rato.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

key

Show Answer

llave

try

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intenta

apartment

Show Answer

apartamento

to have

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tener