Waiting for Your Turn | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a public waiting area, two adults talk about staying nearby, watching the screen, and keeping a ticket ready for their turn..

EN → ES / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Waiting for Your Turn to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Todavía estoy esperando mi turno.

toh-dah-VEE-ah ehs-TOY ehs-peh-RAHN-doh mee TOOR-noh I am still waiting for my turn.
B

Hoy ellos tardan mucho en llamar a cada persona.

OY EH-yohs TAR-dahn MOO-choh ehn yah-MAR ah KAH-dah pehr-SOH-nah They are taking a long time to call each person today.
A

Así que debo quedarme cerca.

ah-SEE keh DEH-boh keh-DAR-meh SEHR-kah So I should stay nearby.
B

Puede que ellos te llamen pronto.

PWEH-deh keh EH-yohs YAH-mehn TEH PROHN-toh They may call you soon.
A

¿Qué mostrador debo mirar?

keh moh-strah-DOR DEH-boh mee-RAR Which counter should I watch?
B

La pantalla mostrará el mostrador correcto.

lah pahn-TAH-yah moh-strah-RAH ehl moh-strah-DOR koh-RREHK-toh The screen will show the right counter.
A

Entonces tendré el ticket en la mano.

ehn-TOHN-sehs tehn-DREH ehl TEE-keht ehn lah MAH-noh Then I'll keep the ticket in my hand.
B

Así es más fácil cuando llega tu turno.

ah-SEE ehs mahs FAH-seel KWAHN-doh YEH-gah too TOOR-noh That makes it easier when your turn comes.

Word by Word

Todavía “Todavía” means “still” here: the speaker continues to wait. It commonly appears before the verb, as in “Todavía estoy esperando”, when an action has not ended.
estoy “Estoy” means “I am” and works with “esperando” to express that the speaker is currently waiting. This exact form is used for the speaker in “estoy esperando”.
esperando “Esperando” means “waiting” in “estoy esperando”, describing an action that is in progress. It can be reused after “estoy” for an activity the speaker is doing now.
mi “Mi” means “my” and shows that the turn belongs to the speaker in “mi turno”. It is placed directly before the thing or person connected to the speaker.
turno “Turno” means “turn” here, specifically the speaker’s turn in “mi turno”. It is useful when talking about waiting for or reaching a turn.
Hoy “Hoy” means “today” and sets the time for the delay described in the sentence. It can be placed at the beginning, as in “Hoy ellos tardan mucho”.
ellos “Ellos” means “they” and identifies the people who are taking a long time and calling people. In “Hoy ellos tardan mucho”, it is the subject of the sentence.
tardan “Tardan” means “take a long time” in this dialogue, referring to how long they take to call each person. The citation form is “tardar”; the exact form “tardan” is used with “ellos”.
mucho “Mucho” means “a lot” and strengthens the idea that the calling process takes a long time in “tardan mucho”. It commonly follows a verb when describing a large amount or degree.
en In “tardan mucho en llamar”, “en” links the idea of taking a long time with the activity that causes the delay. This exact construction can be reused before an infinitive after “tardan mucho”.
llamar “Llamar” means “to call” in “en llamar a cada persona”. It is the infinitive used after “en” to name the activity that takes a long time.
a In “llamar a cada persona”, “a” marks the person being called. It is placed before the person or people who receive the action of calling.
cada “Cada” means “each” and shows that people are called one by one in “cada persona”. It comes directly before the singular noun it specifies.
persona “Persona” means “person” in “cada persona”, referring to every individual being called. It can follow “cada” when describing people individually.
Así In the exact phrase “Así que”, “Así” helps introduce the consequence “so” or “therefore”. Here it connects the long waiting time with the speaker’s decision to stay nearby.
que In “Así que”, “que” is part of the linking expression meaning “so” or “therefore”. It connects the situation just mentioned with the result that follows.
debo “Debo” means “I should” or “I must” here, expressing what the speaker considers necessary to do. The citation form is “deber”; “debo” is used with the speaker’s action in “debo quedarme cerca”.
quedarme “Quedarme” means “to stay” or “to remain” here, with “me” referring to the speaker. It follows “debo” in “debo quedarme cerca” to state what the speaker should do.
cerca “Cerca” means “nearby” in “quedarme cerca”, describing a location close to the waiting area. It can follow a verb of staying or remaining to specify the desired location.
Puede In “Puede que ellos te llamen”, “Puede” introduces the possibility that they may call the listener. This exact form is used at the beginning of the possibility expression “Puede que”.
te “Te” refers to “you” as the person who may receive the call in “te llamen”. It is placed before “llamen” in this expression.
llamen “Llamen” means “call” in the possibility expression “Puede que ellos te llamen”. Here it describes a possible action directed at the listener, with “te” supplying “you”.
pronto “Pronto” means “soon” and says that the possible call may happen in the near future. It commonly appears after the verb or phrase it modifies, as in “te llamen pronto”.
Qué “Qué” means “which” in the question “Qué mostrador”, asking the listener to identify one counter from the available counters. It comes directly before the noun in this question.
mostrador “Mostrador” means “counter” in “Qué mostrador” and “el mostrador correcto”. It refers to the service counter that the screen will identify.
mirar “Mirar” means “to look at” or “to watch” in “debo mirar”. It is an infinitive after “debo”, naming the action the speaker should perform.
La “La” means “the” before the feminine singular noun “pantalla” in “La pantalla”. It is used directly before that noun to identify the screen.
pantalla “Pantalla” means “screen” in “La pantalla mostrará”. It is the subject that will display which counter is correct.
mostrará “Mostrará” means “will show” here, describing what the screen will display. The citation form is “mostrar”; this exact form is used with “La pantalla” for a future event.
el “El” means “the” before “mostrador” in “el mostrador correcto”. It identifies the specific counter that the screen will show.
correcto “Correcto” means “right” or “correct” in “el mostrador correcto”. It describes which counter is the appropriate one to watch.
Entonces “Entonces” means “then” and introduces the speaker’s next decision after hearing which counter to watch. It can appear at the beginning, as in “Entonces tendré el ticket”.
tendré “Tendré” means “I will have” or “I will hold” here, referring to keeping the ticket in the speaker’s hand. The citation form is “tener”; the exact form “tendré” is used for the speaker’s future action.
ticket “Ticket” means “ticket” in “el ticket” and refers to the item the speaker is holding while waiting. It is the direct object of “tendré” in this sentence.
mano “Mano” means “hand” in the exact expression “en la mano”. This expression describes an object being physically held in the hand.
es “Es” means “is” in “es más fácil”, describing the situation as easier. It is the form used for the statement introduced by “Así”.
más “Más” means “more” and forms the comparison “más fácil”, meaning “easier”. It is placed before the adjective in this expression.
fácil “Fácil” means “easy” in “más fácil”, describing the benefit of keeping the ticket ready. It follows “más” when making this comparison.
cuando “Cuando” means “when” and introduces the time condition in “cuando llega tu turno”. It links the easier preparation with the moment the listener’s turn arrives.
llega “Llega” means “comes” or “arrives” in “llega tu turno”, referring to the moment the listener’s turn arrives. The citation form is “llegar”; this exact form is used with “tu turno”.
tu “Tu” means “your” and shows that the turn belongs to the listener in “tu turno”. It is placed directly before the noun it describes.

Grammar Points

Futuro simple: mostrar → mostrará; tener → tendré

mostrará / tendré

moh-strah-RAH / tehn-DREH

will show / I will have

El futuro simple expresa acciones posteriores. La terminación cambia según la persona: -á para él/ella y -é para yo.

Infinitivo + pronombre: quedar + me → quedarme

quedarme

keh-DAR-meh

to stay

El pronombre reflexivo me puede unirse al final del infinitivo, formando una sola palabra.

Spanish Vocabulary

así que conj
ah-SEE keh so

Así que debo quedarme cerca.

cada det
KAH-dah each; every

Hoy ellos tardan mucho en llamar a cada persona.

cerca adv
SEHR-kah nearby

Así que debo quedarme cerca.

esperar verb
ehs-peh-RAR to wait esperando

Todavía estoy esperando mi turno.

hoy adv
OY today

Hoy ellos tardan mucho en llamar a cada persona.

llamar verb
yah-MAR to call

Hoy ellos tardan mucho en llamar a cada persona.

mucho adv
MOO-choh a long time; much

Hoy ellos tardan mucho en llamar a cada persona.

persona noun
pehr-SOH-nah person

Hoy ellos tardan mucho en llamar a cada persona.

quedarse verb
keh-DAR-seh to stay quedarme

Así que debo quedarme cerca.

tardar verb
tar-DAR to take time tardan

Hoy ellos tardan mucho en llamar a cada persona.

todavía adv
toh-dah-VEE-ah still

Todavía estoy esperando mi turno.

turno noun
TOOR-noh turn

Todavía estoy esperando mi turno.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I am still waiting for my turn.

Show AnswerTodavía estoy esperando mi turno.

So I should stay nearby.

Show AnswerAsí que debo quedarme cerca.

They may call you soon.

Show AnswerPuede que ellos te llamen pronto.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to take time

Show Answertardan

a long time; much

Show Answermucho

to wait

Show Answeresperando

person

Show Answerpersona