About This Lesson
Use Finding an accessible route to the platform to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Disculpe, ¿hay una forma accesible de llegar al andén correcto?
dees-KOOL-peh, eye oon-ah FOR-mah ahk-seh-SEE-bleh deh yeh-GAR ahl ahn-DEN koh-REHK-toh? Excuse me, is there an accessible way to reach the correct platform?
B
El ascensor más cercano está cerrado por mantenimiento en este momento.
ehl ah-sen-SOR mahs ser-KAH-noh ehs-TAH seh-RRAH-doh por mahn-teh-nee-MYEN-toh en ehs-teh moh-MEN-toh. The closest elevator is closed for maintenance at the moment.
A
Eso podría ser difícil con mi maleta pesada.
EH-soh poh-DREE-ah sehr dee-FEE-seel kohn mee mah-LEH-tah peh-SAH-dah. That might be difficult with my heavy suitcase.
B
Use el ascensor que está junto a la entrada norte. Tendrá que caminar un poco más.
OO-seh ehl ah-sen-SOR keh ehs-TAH HOON-toh ah lah en-TRAH-dah NOR-teh. tehn-DRAH keh kah-mee-NAR oon POH-koh mahs. Use the elevator by the north entrance. It adds a short walk.
A
¿Podría indicarme cómo llegar, o es fácil seguir las señales?
poh-DREE-ah een-dee-KAR-meh KOH-moh yeh-GAR, oh ehs FAH-seel seh-GEER lahs seh-NYAH-lehs? Could you point me toward it, or are the signs easy to follow?
B
Pase las máquinas expendedoras de billetes y siga las señales azules.
PAH-seh lahs mah-KEE-nahs ehk-spen-deh-DOH-rahs deh bee-YEH-tehs ee SEE-gah lahs seh-NYAH-lehs ah-SOO-lehs. Go past the ticket machines, then follow the blue signs.
A
¿Aun así llegaré al tren antes de que salga?
own ah-SEE yeh-gah-REH ahl trehn AHN-tehs deh keh SAHL-gah? Will I still reach the train before it leaves?
B
Si sale ahora, debería llegar con tiempo de sobra.
see SAH-leh ah-OH-rah deh-beh-REE-ah yeh-GAR kohn TYEM-poh deh SOH-brah. If you leave now, you should get there with time to spare.
A
Iré hacia allí ahora mismo.
ee-REH AH-syah ah-YEE ah-OH-rah MEES-moh. I'll head that way now.
B
Pregunte al personal de la puerta si necesita ayuda durante el trayecto.
preh-GOON-teh ahl pehr-soh-NAHL deh lah PWEHR-tah see neh-seh-SEE-tah ah-YOO-dah doo-RAHN-teh ehl trah-YEHK-toh. Ask the gate staff if you need help on the way.Word by Word
Disculpe
“Disculpe” means “excuse me” and politely gets a staff member’s attention in “Disculpe, ¿hay una forma accesible...?”. Use it at the beginning when addressing someone you do not know or when asking for help.
hay
“Hay” presents something as existing or being available; here, “¿hay una forma accesible...?” asks whether an accessible route exists. A useful pattern is hay + noun when asking if something is present or available.
una
“Una” means “a” or “one” before “forma” in “una forma accesible”. Use “una” before a singular feminine noun when referring to one non-specific thing.
forma
“Forma” means “way” or “method”; in “una forma accesible de llegar”, it means a way to reach the platform. The reusable pattern is forma de + infinitive when describing a way to do something.
accesible
“Accesible” describes “forma” as suitable for reaching the platform with access needs. In “una forma accesible de llegar”, it is useful when asking for a route or service that can be used by a particular traveler.
de
In “forma accesible de llegar”, “de” links the idea of a way with the action that follows: a way to reach. The pattern forma de + infinitive is useful for describing how to do something.
llegar
“Llegar” means “to reach” or “to arrive”; here it refers to reaching “el andén correcto”. It appears as an infinitive after “de” in “de llegar al andén correcto”, a useful pattern for describing a way to arrive somewhere.
al
“Al” means “to the” in “llegar al andén correcto”. It is the combined form of a + el, used before the destination “andén”; use it when expressing movement toward a masculine singular destination.
andén
“Andén” means “platform”, specifically the train platform the traveler needs to reach. In a station, use it when asking for or identifying the platform for a train.
correcto
“Correcto” means “correct” or “right” and identifies which platform is needed in “el andén correcto”. The pattern noun + correcto is useful when distinguishing the right option from other possibilities.
El
“El” means “the” before “ascensor” in “El ascensor más cercano...”. It is capitalized because it begins the sentence; use it before a specific masculine singular noun when identifying an object such as an elevator.
ascensor
“Ascensor” means “elevator”; here it is the closest elevator that is unavailable. Use it when discussing elevator access in a station or another building.
más
In “más cercano”, “más” helps form the meaning “closest” by increasing the degree of “cercano”. The pattern más + adjective is useful when comparing locations, distances, or qualities.
cercano
“Cercano” means “near”, and in “El ascensor más cercano” it identifies the elevator nearest to the traveler. Together with “más”, the exact phrase refers to the closest available location or object.
está
“Está” means “is” or “is located” and presents the elevator’s current condition in “está cerrado”. A useful pattern is está + adjective when describing a current state.
cerrado
“Cerrado” means “closed”; in “está cerrado por mantenimiento”, it explains that the elevator cannot currently be used. Use it with “está” to describe a service, entrance, or facility that is not open.
por
In “cerrado por mantenimiento”, “por” introduces the reason for the closure: because of maintenance. The pattern estado + por + noun is useful when explaining why something is unavailable.
mantenimiento
“Mantenimiento” means “maintenance” and gives the reason for the elevator being closed in “por mantenimiento”. Use it in transport or building situations when equipment is being serviced.
en
In “en este momento”, “en” means “at” and introduces the time expression referring to now. The pattern en + time expression is useful for describing when a current situation applies.
este
“Este” means “this” in “este momento”, referring to the present moment. The fixed expression “en este momento” is useful when emphasizing that something is happening now.
momento
“Momento” means “moment”; in “en este momento”, the whole phrase means “at the moment” or “right now”. Use this expression when giving the current status of a service or situation.
Eso
“Eso” means “that” and refers to the route or situation just described in “Eso podría ser difícil”. Use it to react to information that has just been mentioned without repeating the whole situation.
podría
In “Eso podría ser difícil”, “podría” expresses possibility: that might be difficult. In “¿Podría indicarme cómo llegar?”, “Podría” makes a request politely; these are useful patterns for discussing possibility or asking someone for help.
ser
“Ser” means “to be” after “podría” in “podría ser difícil”, forming the idea “might be difficult”. The pattern podría ser + adjective is useful for assessing a possible result or situation.
difícil
“Difícil” means “difficult”; here, carrying out the alternative route may be difficult with the traveler’s suitcase. The phrase “difícil con mi maleta pesada” is useful when explaining why a route or task presents a problem.
con
“Con” means “with” and introduces the circumstance that makes the route difficult in “difícil con mi maleta pesada”. Use con + noun when explaining what someone has with them or what affects an activity.
mi
“Mi” means “my” and shows that the suitcase belongs to the traveler in “mi maleta pesada”. Use mi directly before a noun when identifying something that belongs to or concerns you.
maleta
“Maleta” means “suitcase”, the item the traveler is carrying in “con mi maleta pesada”. Use it when discussing luggage during travel, especially when explaining difficulty with a route.
pesada
“Pesada” means “heavy” and describes the suitcase in “mi maleta pesada”. It is useful when explaining that luggage makes walking, carrying, or changing routes more difficult.
Use
“Use” gives a formal instruction to use the elevator in “Use el ascensor que está junto a la entrada norte”. Use this form when politely directing a traveler or another person to use a facility.
que
In “el ascensor que está junto a la entrada norte”, “que” links “ascensor” with the description of its location. The pattern noun + que + verb is useful when identifying a particular object by describing it.
junto
“Junto” means “next to” or “beside” in “junto a la entrada norte”. The reusable location pattern is junto a + place or landmark when giving directions.
a
In “junto a la entrada norte”, “a” completes the location expression meaning “next to”. The whole pattern junto a + place is useful for stating that one object is beside another.
la
“La” means “the” before “entrada” in “la entrada norte”, identifying a specific entrance. Use it before a specific singular feminine noun such as an entrance or other named location.
entrada
“Entrada” means “entrance”; here it is the north entrance used as a landmark for locating the elevator. Use it when giving directions through a station or building.
norte
“Norte” means “north” and specifies which entrance is meant in “la entrada norte”. Use it with a place or landmark when directions depend on a compass direction.
Tendrá
In “Tendrá que caminar un poco más”, “Tendrá” helps express that the traveler will have to walk farther. The pattern Tendrá que + infinitive is useful for explaining an unavoidable action or requirement in a route.
caminar
“Caminar” means “to walk” and follows “Tendrá que” in “Tendrá que caminar un poco más”. Use this infinitive when explaining that someone must move on foot for part of a journey.
un
In “un poco más”, “un” helps form the quantity expression meaning “a little more”. The phrase “caminar un poco más” is useful when describing a small additional distance or amount of walking.
poco
In “caminar un poco más”, “poco” contributes the meaning “a little”, so the traveler will walk only a small additional amount. Use the expression un poco when describing a limited quantity or short extension.
indic ar me
The dialogue form “indicarme” means “to point me toward” or “to tell me how to get there” in “¿Podría indicarme cómo llegar?”. It combines the request to indicate a route with “me” as the person receiving the directions; use this pattern when politely asking staff for directions.
Grammar Points
Imperativo formal: disculpe / use / siga / salga
Disculpe, use el ascensor.
dees-KOOL-peh, OO-seh ehl ah-sen-SOR.Excuse me, use the elevator.
For polite instructions to one person, Spanish uses formal usted commands, often matching the present subjunctive form.
podría + infinitivo
¿Podría indicarme la entrada?
poh-DREE-ah een-dee-KAR-meh lah en-TRAH-dah?Could you point out the entrance to me?
podría makes a polite request; the attached me in indicarme means “to me”.
Spanish Vocabulary
accesible
adj
ahk-seh-SEE-bleh
accessible
una forma accesible
andén
noun
ahn-DEN
platform
al andén correcto
ascensor
noun
ah-sen-SOR
elevator
El ascensor más cercano
cercano
adj
ser-KAH-noh
nearby; closest
más cercano
El ascensor más cercano
cerrado
adj
seh-RRAH-doh
closed
está cerrado
correcto
adj
koh-REHK-toh
correct
el andén correcto
disculpar
verb
dees-kool-PAR
to excuse
Disculpe
Disculpe
en este momento
phrase
en EHS-teh moh-MEN-toh
at the moment; right now
en este momento
forma
noun
FOR-mah
way
una forma accesible
llegar
verb
yeh-GAR
to reach; to arrive
de llegar al andén correcto
mantenimiento
noun
mahn-teh-nee-MYEN-toh
maintenance
por mantenimiento
poder
verb
poh-DEHR
to be able to; might
podría
Eso podría ser difícil
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
I'll head that way now.
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Iré hacia allí ahora mismo.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
accessible
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accesiblecorrect
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correctoto excuse
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Disculpeplatform