About This Lesson
Use Choose a restaurant for a short lunch to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
¿Qué lugar elegimos para almorzar?
keh loo-GAR eh-leh-HEE-mohs PAH-rah ahl-mor-SAR Which place should we choose for lunch?
B
Elijamos un lugar cercano y práctico.
eh-lee-HAH-mohs oon loo-GAR sehr-KAH-noh ee PRAHK-tee-koh Let's pick somewhere close and convenient.
A
El lugar de esta calle tiene un menú sencillo para el almuerzo.
ehl loo-GAR deh EHS-tah KAH-yeh TYEH-neh oon meh-NOO sen-SEE-yoh PAH-rah ehl ahl-mor-SAR The place on this street has a simple lunch menu.
B
La cafetería cerca del parque podría ser más tranquila.
lah kah-feh-teh-REE-ah SEHR-kah dehl PAR-keh poh-DREE-ah sehr mahs trahn-KEE-lah The cafe near the park might be quieter.
B
Pero está más lejos.
PEH-roh ehs-TAH mahs LEH-hohs But it is farther away.
A
¿Necesitamos reservar en el lugar cercano?
neh-seh-see-TAH-mohs reh-sehr-BAR ehn ehl loo-GAR sehr-KAH-noh Do we need a reservation for the nearby place?
B
Probablemente no. A esta hora, normalmente podemos encontrar una mesa.
proh-bah-bleh-MEHN-teh noh. ah EHS-tah OH-rah, nor-MAHL-mehn-teh poh-DEH-mohs ehn-kohn-TRAR oo-nah MEH-sah Probably not. Around this time, we can usually find a table.
A
Entonces elijamos el lugar de esta calle.
ehn-TOHN-sehs eh-lee-HAH-mohs ehl loo-GAR deh EHS-tah KAH-yeh Then let's choose the place on this street.
B
Así tendremos más tiempo para comer.
ah-SEE tehn-DREH-mohs mahs TYEHM-poh PAH-rah koh-MEHR That leaves us more time to eat.Word by Word
¿Qué
In the question '¿Qué lugar elegimos para almorzar?', '¿Qué' asks which or what choice is being considered. It appears before a noun in '¿Qué lugar'. Use it when asking someone to identify or choose something.
lugar
In '¿Qué lugar elegimos?' and 'un lugar cercano', 'lugar' means place. Here it refers to a restaurant or café being considered for lunch. It can be used with an article and an adjective to identify a place.
elegimos
Here, 'elegimos' asks which option the two people choose for lunch. It is a form of elegir, and in '¿Qué lugar elegimos para almorzar?' it is followed by the chosen option and its purpose. Use it when discussing a shared choice.
para
In 'para almorzar', 'para' marks the purpose of choosing the place: having lunch. It connects the purpose to the infinitive 'almorzar'. Use it to explain what an action, place, or amount of time is intended for.
almorzar
In 'para almorzar', 'almorzar' means to have lunch. It is the infinitive that names the purpose of choosing a place. Use it when referring to the activity of having lunch.
Elijamos
'Elijamos' means let’s choose or let’s pick and proposes a shared decision. It is a form of elegir; the dialogue uses 'Elijamos' at the start of a sentence and 'elijamos' after 'Entonces'. Use it to suggest doing something together.
un
In 'un lugar cercano', 'un' introduces one non-specific place, meaning a or one. It comes before the singular noun 'lugar'. Use it when introducing one possible person, thing, or place.
cercano
In 'un lugar cercano', 'cercano' describes the place as nearby or close. It follows the noun it describes in this expression. Use it when selecting an option based on short distance.
y
In 'cercano y práctico', 'y' links two qualities of the suggested place: nearby and convenient. Use it to join words or descriptions that belong to the same idea.
práctico
In 'un lugar cercano y práctico', 'práctico' describes the place as convenient for this short lunch. It gives a practical reason for choosing one option. Use it when evaluating whether a place or option suits a situation.
El
In 'El lugar de esta calle', 'El' introduces the specific place being discussed. It is the definite article before the singular noun 'lugar'. Use it before a known or identified noun.
de
In 'de esta calle', 'de' connects the place with the street and helps identify which place is meant. The phrase refers to the place associated with this street. Use it to connect a noun with another noun that identifies or describes it.
esta
In 'esta calle', 'esta' points to the particular street relevant to the conversation. It comes before the noun 'calle'. Use it when referring to a specific nearby or currently identified thing.
calle
In 'de esta calle', 'calle' means street and identifies the location of the place. Use it when describing where a restaurant, shop, or other place is located.
tiene
In 'El lugar de esta calle tiene un menú sencillo', 'tiene' says that the place has or offers a menu. It is a form of tener. Use the pattern shown here to say that a person or place has something.
menú
In 'tiene un menú sencillo para el almuerzo', 'menú' means menu. It is the item that the place has and it concerns the lunch being offered. Use it when discussing the food choices available at a restaurant or café.
sencillo
In 'un menú sencillo', 'sencillo' describes the menu as simple. It gives information about the kind of lunch option available. Use it to describe an option that is not complicated or elaborate.
almuerzo
In 'para el almuerzo', 'almuerzo' means lunch. It identifies the meal for which the menu is intended. Use it when talking about the midday meal or plans connected with it.
La
In 'La cafetería cerca del parque', 'La' introduces the specific café being compared. It is the definite article before 'cafetería'. Use it before a known or identified noun.
cafetería
In 'La cafetería cerca del parque', 'cafetería' means café or cafeteria. Here it is one of the places being considered for lunch. Use it when referring to a place that serves drinks or food.
cerca
In 'cerca del parque', 'cerca' means near and gives the café’s location relative to the park. It is used with a reference point introduced by 'del' here. Use it to describe one place as near another place.
del
In 'cerca del parque', 'del' links the location word 'cerca' to 'parque' and means near the park in this context. It combines de and el before the masculine noun 'parque'. Use it when this kind of link comes before a masculine singular noun.
parque
In 'cerca del parque', 'parque' means park. It is the reference point used to describe where the café is. Use it when giving a place’s location in relation to a park.
podría
In 'podría ser más tranquila', 'podría' presents the café being quieter as a possibility. It is a form of poder and is followed here by the infinitive 'ser'. Use it to make a tentative suggestion rather than state something as certain.
ser
In 'podría ser más tranquila', 'ser' means to be and connects the café with the possible quality 'más tranquila'. It is the infinitive after 'podría'. Use it after a possibility expression to describe a possible quality or condition.
más
In 'más tranquila' and 'más lejos', 'más' marks a comparison, meaning more or farther in these contexts. It comes before the word that expresses the quality or distance. Use it when comparing two places or options.
tranquila
In 'más tranquila', 'tranquila' describes the café as quiet or calm, with 'más' making the comparison. It is the feminine form of tranquilo, matching 'cafetería'. Use it to describe a place where the atmosphere is calm.
Pero
In 'Pero está más lejos', 'Pero' introduces information that contrasts with the café being possibly quieter. It signals a drawback or different consideration. Use it to connect an idea with contrasting information.
está
In 'está más lejos', 'está' says where the café is located in relation to the other option. It is a form of estar and is followed by the distance expression 'más lejos'. Use it to describe the location or current position of a place.
lejos
In 'está más lejos', 'lejos' describes distance as far away, while 'más' makes it farther than the other place. Use it with a location expression when explaining that an option requires going a greater distance.
Necesitamos
In '¿Necesitamos reservar...?', 'Necesitamos' asks whether the two people need to make a reservation. It is a form of necesitar and is followed by the infinitive 'reservar'. Use it to discuss a shared need or required action.
reservar
In 'Necesitamos reservar', 'reservar' means to reserve or book. It is the action that may be needed before going to the place. Use it after a need expression when naming an action that must be done.
en
In 'reservar en el lugar cercano', 'en' identifies the place where the reservation would be made. Here it means at the nearby place. Use it with a place to locate an action or activity.
Probablemente
In 'Probablemente no', 'Probablemente' means probably and expresses that the answer is likely but not certain. It modifies the negative reply 'no'. Use it when giving a cautious answer about what is likely.
no
In 'Probablemente no', 'no' gives a negative answer and says that a reservation is probably not needed. It can stand alone as a negative reply, as it does here. Use it to reject or negate a question’s possibility.
A
In 'A esta hora', 'A' introduces the time when the situation is being considered. The expression means around this time. Use it at the beginning of a time expression to say when something happens.
hora
In 'A esta hora', 'hora' means time or hour. Together with 'esta', it refers to the current point in the day. Use it in time expressions to say when an action or situation occurs.
normalmente
In 'normalmente podemos encontrar una mesa', 'normalmente' means usually or normally. It describes what is typical around this time. Use it to talk about a usual pattern or expectation.
podemos
In 'podemos encontrar una mesa', 'podemos' says that the two people can usually find a table. It is a form of poder followed by the infinitive 'encontrar'. Use this pattern to express shared ability or possibility.
encontrar
In 'podemos encontrar una mesa', 'encontrar' means to find. It is the infinitive after 'podemos' and takes 'una mesa' as the thing found. Use the pattern 'podemos encontrar una mesa' when discussing being able to find available seating.
una
In 'una mesa', 'una' introduces one non-specific table, meaning a or one. It comes before the singular noun 'mesa'. Use it when introducing one possible or available feminine noun.
mesa
In 'encontrar una mesa', 'mesa' means table. Here it refers to a table available at the restaurant. Use it when talking about restaurant seating or a table in another setting.
Entonces
In 'Entonces elijamos el lugar de esta calle', 'Entonces' means then or so and introduces the decision that follows the comparison. It connects the conclusion to what was just said. Use it when moving from information or reasoning to a decision.
Así
In 'Así tendremos más tiempo para comer', 'Así' means that way or so and introduces the result expected from choosing the closer place. It links the decision with its practical consequence. Use it to explain what an action will achieve.
tendremos
In 'tendremos más tiempo para comer', 'tendremos' says that the two people will have more time as a result of their choice. It is a form of tener referring to a future result. Use it to state what someone will have after a decision or action.
tiempo
In 'más tiempo para comer', 'tiempo' means time, specifically the amount available for eating. The word 'más' increases this amount and 'para comer' explains its purpose. Use it with tener when discussing how much time is available.
comer
In 'para comer', 'comer' means to eat. It names the activity for which the extra time will be used. Use it after 'para' to explain what time or another resource is intended for.
Grammar Points
elijamos + sustantivo
Elijamos un lugar cercano.
eh-lee-HAH-mohs oon loo-GAR sehr-KAH-nohLet's choose a nearby place.
Elijamos es una forma exhortativa que significa “let’s choose”; se usa para proponer una acción conjunta.
tendremos + sustantivo
Así tendremos tiempo.
ah-SEE tehn-DREH-mohs TYEHM-pohThat way we will have time.
Tendremos es el futuro de tener y expresa que algo estará disponible o sucederá más adelante.
Spanish Vocabulary
almorzar
verb
ahl-mor-SAR
to have lunch
para almorzar
cafetería
noun
kah-feh-teh-REE-ah
cafe
La cafetería cerca del parque
calle
noun
KAH-yeh
street
El lugar de esta calle
cerca
adv
SEHR-kah
near
cerca del parque
cercano
adj
sehr-KAH-noh
nearby
un lugar cercano
elegir
verb
eh-leh-HEER
to choose
elegimos
¿Qué lugar elegimos?
lugar
noun
loo-GAR
place
¿Qué lugar elegimos?
menú
noun
meh-NOO
menu
un menú sencillo
práctico
adj
PRAHK-tee-koh
convenient; practical
un lugar cercano y práctico
qué
pron
keh
which; what
Qué
¿Qué lugar elegimos?
sencillo
adj
sen-SEE-yoh
simple
un menú sencillo
tener
verb
teh-NEHR
to have
tiene
tiene un menú sencillo
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
Which place should we choose for lunch?
Show Answer
¿Qué lugar elegimos para almorzar?Let's pick somewhere close and convenient.
Show Answer
Elijamos un lugar cercano y práctico.But it is farther away.
Show Answer
Pero está más lejos.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
convenient; practical
Show Answer
prácticomenu
Show Answer
menúto choose
Show Answer
elegimosnearby