Deciding whether to move an outdoor event indoors | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: Before an outdoor event, two adults consider moving indoors because strong wind could make tents, equipment, and a banner unsafe..

EN → ES / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Deciding whether to move an outdoor event indoors to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

El pronóstico dice que los vientos fuertes continuarán durante el evento al aire libre.

el proh-NOHS-tee-koh DEE-seh keh lohs BYEN-tohs FWER-tehs kohn-tee-noo-ah-RAHN DOO-rahn-teh el eh-BEN-toh al AH-ee-reh LEE-breh. The forecast says strong winds will continue during the outdoor event.
B

Eso podría ser un problema con las tiendas de campaña y el equipo de sonido.

EH-soh poh-DREE-ah sehr oon proh-BLEH-mah kohn lahs tee-EN-dahs deh kahm-PAH-nyah ee el eh-KEE-poh deh soh-NEE-doh. That could be a problem with tents and sound equipment.
A

Podemos asegurar las mesas, pero colocar la pancarta podría ser peligroso.

poh-DEH-mohs ah-seh-goo-RAHR lahs MEH-sahs, PEH-roh koh-loh-KAHR lah pahn-KAHR-tah poh-DREE-ah sehr peh-lee-GROH-soh. We can secure the tables, but putting up the banner might be dangerous.
B

La seguridad es más importante que mantener el montaje original.

lah seh-goo-ree-DAHD ehs mahs eem-por-TAHN-teh keh mahn-teh-NEHR el mohn-TAH-kheh oh-ree-khee-NAHL. Safety matters more than keeping the original setup.
A

¿Deberíamos cancelar o trasladarlo todo al centro comunitario?

deh-beh-REE-ah-mohs kahn-seh-LAHR oh trahs-lah-DAHR-loh TOH-doh al SEHN-troh koh-moo-nee-TAH-ryoh? Should we cancel, or move everything to the community hall?
B

Es mejor trasladarlo todo al interior si el salón está disponible.

ehs meh-KHOHR trahs-lah-DAHR-loh TOH-doh al een-teh-RYOR see el sah-LOHN ehs-TAH dee-spoh-NEE-bleh. Moving indoors is better if the hall is available.
A

Puedo llamar al organizador y preguntar por la opción de hacerlo en el interior.

PWEH-doh yah-MAHR al or-gah-nee-sah-DOHR ee preh-goon-TAHR pohr lah op-SYOHN deh ah-SEHR-loh en el een-teh-RYOR. I can call the organizer and ask about the indoor option.
B

Avísales también a los participantes antes de que salgan.

ah-BEE-sah-lehs tahm-BYEN ah lohs pahr-tee-see-PAHN-tehs AHN-tehs deh keh SAHL-gahn. Tell participants before they start traveling, too.
A

Los cambios de última hora son frustrantes, pero las condiciones peligrosas son peores.

lohs KAHM-byohs deh OOL-tee-mah OH-rah sohn froh-STRAHN-tehs, PEH-roh lahs kohn-dee-SYOH-nehs peh-lee-GROH-sahs sohn peh-OH-rehs. Late changes are frustrating, but dangerous conditions are worse.
B

La comunicación clara es importante cuando el clima cambia el plan.

lah koh-moo-nee-kah-SYOHN KLAH-rah ehs eem-por-TAHN-teh KWAHN-doh el KLEE-mah KAHM-byah el plahn. Clear communication matters when weather changes the plan.

Word by Word

El In ‘El pronóstico’, this means ‘the’ and introduces the specific forecast being discussed. It is used before a singular masculine noun. A reusable pattern is ‘el’ + a singular masculine noun when referring to a specific thing.
pronóstico ‘Pronóstico’ means ‘forecast’ here, specifically the weather forecast that predicts strong winds. It is the subject of ‘El pronóstico dice’. A common reuse pattern is ‘el pronóstico dice que’ followed by information about expected weather.
dice ‘Dice’ means ‘says’ in ‘El pronóstico dice que’. It presents information given by the forecast. A useful pattern is ‘X dice que’ followed by the information X communicates.
que In ‘dice que los vientos fuertes continuarán’, ‘que’ introduces the information being reported: that the strong winds will continue. It connects ‘dice’ with the following clause. A reusable pattern is ‘decir que’ plus a complete statement.
los In ‘los vientos fuertes’, ‘los’ means ‘the’ and refers to specific plural masculine winds. It appears before the noun phrase being discussed. A reusable pattern is ‘los’ + a plural masculine noun.
vientos ‘Vientos’ means ‘winds’ in the forecast. Here it refers to the strong winds expected during the event. A common reuse pattern is ‘vientos fuertes’ when describing strong wind conditions.
fuertes ‘Fuertes’ means ‘strong’ and describes the winds in ‘los vientos fuertes’. It gives the wind an intensity that creates a safety concern. A useful pattern is ‘fuertes’ after a plural noun, as in ‘vientos fuertes’.
continuarán ‘Continuarán’ says that the winds will continue during the event. It presents the continuation as an expected future development. A reusable pattern is ‘[subject] continuarán durante’ followed by a period or event.
durante ‘Durante’ means ‘during’ and places the continuing winds within the time of ‘el evento’. It is followed by the period or event in which something happens. A common pattern is ‘durante’ + an event or time period.
evento ‘Evento’ means ‘event’ in ‘el evento al aire libre’. It refers to the outdoor event being planned. A reusable pattern is ‘durante el evento’ for something happening while an event is taking place.
al In ‘al aire libre’, ‘al’ forms the expression meaning ‘in the open air’ or ‘outdoors’. It is the contraction of ‘a’ and ‘el’. A common reusable expression is ‘al aire libre’ for an activity or event held outdoors.
aire In ‘al aire libre’, ‘aire’ contributes the idea of open air. The whole expression describes the event as taking place outdoors. The exact reusable pattern is ‘al aire libre’.
libre In ‘al aire libre’, ‘libre’ helps describe air that is open rather than enclosed, so the expression means ‘outdoors’. Its meaning here comes from the complete expression, not from ‘libre’ alone. Reuse the exact pattern ‘al aire libre’ for outdoor events or activities.
Eso ‘Eso’ means ‘that’ and refers to the strong winds mentioned in the previous line. It presents those conditions as the subject of the next comment. A reusable pattern is ‘Eso podría ser’ when referring to a previously mentioned situation.
podría ‘Podría’ expresses a possibility in ‘Eso podría ser un problema’: the wind might cause a problem. It makes the statement cautious rather than certain. A useful pattern is ‘podría ser’ + a noun or description when discussing a possible result.
ser ‘Ser’ means ‘be’ in ‘podría ser un problema’. It completes the expression for saying that something could have a particular character or result. A reusable pattern is ‘podría ser’ followed by a noun such as ‘un problema’.
un In ‘un problema’, ‘un’ means ‘a’ and introduces one possible problem. It appears before the singular noun being identified. A common pattern is ‘un’ + a singular masculine noun.
problema ‘Problema’ means ‘problem’ here, referring to the difficulty the wind could create for the tents and sound equipment. It follows ‘podría ser’ as the possible result. A reusable pattern is ‘ser un problema con’ + an object or situation.
con ‘Con’ means ‘with’ in ‘un problema con tiendas de campaña y equipo de sonido’. It identifies the things affected by the problem. A useful pattern is ‘un problema con’ + a noun referring to the affected thing.
las In ‘las tiendas de campaña’, ‘las’ means ‘the’ and introduces specific plural feminine tents. It appears before the noun phrase being discussed. A reusable pattern is ‘las’ + a plural feminine noun.
tiendas In ‘tiendas de campaña’, ‘tiendas’ means ‘tents’, not shops. The following words specify the type of tents under consideration. The reusable expression is ‘tiendas de campaña’ when referring to camping or event tents.
de In ‘tiendas de campaña’, ‘de’ links ‘tiendas’ with ‘campaña’ to specify the type of tents. Here it contributes the meaning ‘for camping’. A reusable pattern is a noun followed by ‘de’ plus a word that specifies its type or purpose.
campaña In ‘tiendas de campaña’, ‘campaña’ contributes the camping-related meaning that identifies these as tents. The complete expression, rather than ‘campaña’ alone, means ‘tents’. Reuse the exact expression ‘tiendas de campaña’.
y ‘Y’ means ‘and’ and joins ‘las tiendas de campaña’ with ‘el equipo de sonido’. It connects two items affected by the wind. A reusable pattern is ‘X y Y’ when listing related items.
equipo In ‘el equipo de sonido’, ‘equipo’ means ‘equipment’. It refers to the sound equipment used for the event. A common pattern is ‘equipo de’ + a field or function, as in ‘equipo de sonido’.
sonido In ‘el equipo de sonido’, ‘sonido’ identifies the equipment as sound equipment. The phrase refers to equipment used for audio at the event. Reuse the exact expression ‘equipo de sonido’ when referring to sound equipment.
Podemos ‘Podemos’ means ‘we can’ in ‘Podemos asegurar las mesas’. It presents securing the tables as something the speakers are able to do. A reusable pattern is ‘podemos’ + an infinitive for an action the speakers can perform.
asegurar ‘Asegurar’ means ‘secure’ in ‘Podemos asegurar las mesas’, referring to making the tables safe or stable in the wind. It follows ‘podemos’ in the infinitive form. A useful pattern is ‘podemos asegurar’ + the object that needs to be secured.
mesas ‘Mesas’ means ‘tables’ and is the object of ‘asegurar’. These are the event tables that can be secured against the wind. A reusable pattern is ‘asegurar las mesas’ when describing making tables stable.
pero ‘Pero’ means ‘but’ and contrasts securing the tables with the possible danger of putting up the banner. It introduces an important limitation or opposing point. A reusable pattern is ‘X, pero Y’ for contrasting two statements.
colocar ‘Colocar’ means ‘put up’ or ‘place’ in ‘colocar la pancarta’. It refers to the action of putting the banner in position. A useful pattern is ‘colocar’ + an object when describing placing or setting something up.
la In ‘la pancarta’, ‘la’ means ‘the’ and introduces the specific banner for the event. It appears before the singular feminine noun. A reusable pattern is ‘la’ + a singular feminine noun.
pancarta ‘Pancarta’ means ‘banner’ in ‘colocar la pancarta’. It refers to the event banner that may be dangerous to put up in strong wind. A common pattern is ‘colocar la pancarta’ when describing putting up a banner.
peligroso ‘Peligroso’ means ‘dangerous’ and describes ‘colocar la pancarta’ as an unsafe action. Its meaning here applies to the action discussed in the sentence. A reusable pattern is ‘podría ser peligroso’ when an action may create danger.
seguridad ‘Seguridad’ means ‘safety’ in the statement that safety is more important than preserving the original setup. It names the priority guiding the decision. A useful pattern is ‘la seguridad es más importante que’ followed by a competing priority.
es ‘Es’ means ‘is’ and links ‘La seguridad’ with the comparison that follows. It states how the speakers rank safety. A reusable pattern is ‘X es más importante que Y’ for comparing priorities.
más ‘Más’ means ‘more’ in ‘más importante que’. It marks the higher degree in the comparison between safety and keeping the setup. A reusable pattern is ‘más’ + an adjective + ‘que’ for saying one thing has a greater degree of a quality.
importante ‘Importante’ means ‘important’ in the comparison of safety with the original setup. It describes the priority the speakers value more. A common pattern is ‘más importante que’ when ranking one concern above another.
mantener ‘Mantener’ means ‘keeping’ or ‘maintaining’ in ‘mantener el montaje original’. It refers to preserving the original event setup. A reusable pattern is ‘mantener’ + an object when describing keeping something unchanged or in place.
montaje ‘Montaje’ means ‘setup’ in ‘el montaje original’. It refers to the arrangement prepared for the outdoor event. A useful pattern is ‘mantener el montaje’ when discussing whether to preserve an event arrangement.
original ‘Original’ means ‘original’ and describes the setup that was planned first. It distinguishes that arrangement from a possible indoor arrangement. A reusable pattern is an adjective after a noun, as in ‘el montaje original’.
Deberíamos ‘Deberíamos’ means ‘we should’ in the question ‘¿Deberíamos cancelar o trasladarlo todo...?’. It asks for advice about the best action. A useful pattern is ‘deberíamos’ + an infinitive when suggesting or considering what to do.
cancelar ‘Cancelar’ means ‘cancel’ and is one of the two options under consideration. It follows ‘deberíamos’ in the infinitive form. A reusable pattern is ‘¿Deberíamos cancelar o...?’ when asking whether an event should be called off or another option chosen.
o ‘O’ means ‘or’ and presents ‘cancelar’ and ‘trasladarlo todo’ as alternative actions. It connects the two options in the question. A reusable pattern is ‘X o Y’ when offering alternatives.
trasladarlo ‘Trasladarlo’ means ‘move it’ or ‘transfer it’ here, referring to moving the event and its arrangements indoors. The pronoun ‘lo’ is attached to ‘trasladar’ and refers to what is being moved. A reusable pattern is ‘trasladar’ + an object, or an infinitive with an attached object pronoun such as ‘trasladarlo’.
todo In ‘trasladarlo todo’, ‘todo’ means ‘everything’ and expands the action to all the event items. The complete phrase means to move everything to the community center. A reusable pattern is ‘trasladar’ + an object + ‘todo’ when emphasizing that nothing is left behind.
centro ‘Centro’ means ‘center’ in ‘el centro comunitario’. It is part of the name of the community facility where everything might be moved. A reusable pattern is ‘centro’ followed by a specifying adjective, as in ‘centro comunitario’.
comunitario ‘Comunitario’ means ‘community’ and describes the center as serving the community. Together, ‘el centro comunitario’ means ‘the community hall or center’. Reuse the exact expression ‘centro comunitario’ for this type of facility.
mejor ‘Mejor’ means ‘better’ in ‘Es mejor trasladarlo todo al interior’. It presents moving everything indoors as the preferable option if the hall is available. A reusable pattern is ‘es mejor’ + an infinitive when recommending an action.
interior In ‘al interior’, ‘interior’ means ‘indoors’ or ‘the inside’. It identifies the destination for moving the event. A common reusable expression is ‘trasladar algo al interior’ for moving something indoors.
si ‘Si’ means ‘if’ and introduces the condition that the hall must be available. It connects that condition with the recommendation to move indoors. A reusable pattern is ‘si’ + a condition followed by a result or recommendation.
salón ‘Salón’ means ‘hall’ in ‘el salón está disponible’. It refers to the indoor space that could host the event. A useful pattern is ‘el salón está disponible’ when checking whether a hall can be used.
está ‘Está’ means ‘is’ in ‘está disponible’, describing the hall’s current availability. It presents availability as a state of the hall. A reusable pattern is ‘estar’ + an adjective when describing a current state or condition.
disponible ‘Disponible’ means ‘available’ in ‘si el salón está disponible’. It says that the hall can be used for the event. A common pattern is ‘estar disponible’ when checking whether a place, person, or resource can be used.
Puedo ‘Puedo’ means ‘I can’ in ‘Puedo llamar al organizador’. It offers the speaker’s ability or willingness to make the call. A reusable pattern is ‘puedo’ + an infinitive when offering to perform an action.
llamar ‘Llamar’ means ‘call’ in ‘llamar al organizador’. It refers to contacting the event organizer by phone or another call. A useful pattern is ‘llamar a’ + a person when saying whom you will contact.
organizador ‘Organizador’ means ‘organizer’ and identifies the person who manages the event. In ‘llamar al organizador’, this is the person being contacted. A reusable pattern is ‘llamar al organizador’ when contacting the person responsible for an event.
preguntar ‘Preguntar’ means ‘ask’ in ‘preguntar por la opción’. It refers to requesting information about the possibility of holding the event indoors. A common pattern is ‘preguntar por’ + a person, thing, or option when asking about it.
por In ‘preguntar por la opción’, ‘por’ means ‘about’ and introduces the option the speaker wants information about. It is part of the common expression ‘preguntar por’. A reusable pattern is ‘preguntar por’ + the subject of the question.
opción ‘Opción’ means ‘option’ in ‘la opción de hacerlo en el interior’. It refers to the possibility of holding the event indoors. A useful pattern is ‘la opción de’ + an infinitive for describing a possible course of action.
hacerlo In ‘hacerlo en el interior’, ‘hacerlo’ means ‘do it’ and refers to holding the event indoors. The attached ‘lo’ points back to the event or activity under discussion. A reusable pattern is ‘hacerlo’ + a place or manner phrase when referring back to an already mentioned activity.
en In ‘hacerlo en el interior’, ‘en’ means ‘in’ and identifies the place where the event would be held. It introduces ‘el interior’ as the location. A reusable pattern is ‘hacer algo en’ + a place.
Avísales ‘Avísales’ means ‘tell them’ or ‘notify them’ in the instruction to inform the participants. The attached ‘les’ refers to the participants, and the whole form is a direct instruction. A reusable pattern is ‘avisar’ + a person or group when giving them important information.
también ‘También’ means ‘also’ or ‘too’ and adds informing the participants to the other communication tasks. It shows that this message should be given in addition to contacting the organizer. A reusable pattern is ‘también’ when adding another action or person to what has already been mentioned.
a In ‘a los participantes’, ‘a’ introduces the people who should receive the notification. It identifies the recipients of the communication. A useful pattern is ‘avisar a’ + a person or group.
participantes ‘Participantes’ means ‘participants’ and refers to the people attending the event. They should be informed before they leave for it. A reusable pattern is ‘avisar a los participantes’ when notifying event attendees.
antes ‘Antes’ means ‘before’ in ‘antes de que salgan’. It places the notification earlier than the participants’ departure. A common pattern is ‘antes de que’ + a clause for an action that must happen before another action.
salgan ‘Salgan’ means ‘leave’ or ‘go out’ in ‘antes de que salgan’. It refers to the participants setting off for the event. A reusable pattern is ‘antes de que salgan’ when something should happen before people depart.
cambios ‘Cambios’ means ‘changes’ in ‘Los cambios de última hora’. It refers to alterations made close to the event time. A useful pattern is ‘cambios de’ + a time expression to specify when the changes occur.
última In ‘de última hora’, ‘última’ contributes the meaning ‘last’ or ‘late’ and describes the timing of the changes. The complete expression means ‘at the last minute’. Reuse the exact expression ‘de última hora’ for changes made very late.
hora In ‘de última hora’, ‘hora’ means ‘time’ as part of the expression for something happening at the last minute. The whole phrase, not ‘hora’ alone, describes late timing. A common reusable expression is ‘cambios de última hora’.
son ‘Son’ means ‘are’ and links ‘Los cambios de última hora’ with the description ‘frustrantes’. It states the speakers’ evaluation of those changes. A reusable pattern is ‘X son’ + a plural adjective or description.
frustrantes ‘Frustrantes’ means ‘frustrating’ and describes the late changes. It expresses that the changes cause annoyance or difficulty for the people involved. A useful pattern is ‘los cambios son frustrantes’ when evaluating inconvenient changes.
condiciones ‘Condiciones’ means ‘conditions’ in ‘las condiciones peligrosas’. Here it refers to the dangerous weather conditions affecting the event. A common pattern is ‘condiciones’ + an adjective to describe the state of the environment.
peligrosas ‘Peligrosas’ means ‘dangerous’ and describes the conditions in ‘las condiciones peligrosas’. It explains why the conditions are a more serious concern than late changes. A reusable pattern is ‘condiciones peligrosas’ when describing an unsafe environment.
peores ‘Peores’ means ‘worse’ and compares dangerous conditions with frustrating late changes. It says the safety risk is the more serious problem. A useful pattern is ‘X es peor que Y’ or, with plural subjects, ‘X son peores que Y’ when comparing problems or conditions.
comunicación ‘Comunicación’ means ‘communication’ in ‘La comunicación clara’. It refers to sharing information clearly when the weather changes the plan. A reusable pattern is ‘la comunicación es importante cuando’ followed by a situation requiring updates.
clara ‘Clara’ means ‘clear’ and describes communication that people can understand without confusion. In this dialogue, it is important for explaining a changed event plan. A common pattern is ‘comunicación clara’ when information needs to be understood easily.
cuando ‘Cuando’ means ‘when’ and introduces the situation in which the weather changes the plan. It connects the importance of clear communication with that situation. A reusable pattern is ‘cuando’ + a clause to describe the time or circumstance for an action.
clima ‘Clima’ means ‘weather’ in ‘cuando el clima cambia el plan’. It is the weather that causes the event plan to change. A useful pattern is ‘el clima cambia’ + an object when weather alters an arrangement or decision.
cambia ‘Cambia’ means ‘changes’ in ‘el clima cambia el plan’. It says that the weather alters the existing plan. A reusable pattern is ‘X cambia Y’ when one thing causes another thing to become different.
plan ‘Plan’ means ‘plan’ and refers to the original arrangement for the event. In ‘el clima cambia el plan’, it is what the weather alters. A common pattern is ‘cambiar el plan’ when circumstances require a different arrangement.

Grammar Points

podría + infinitivo

El organizador podría cancelar.

el or-gah-nee-sah-DOHR poh-DREE-ah kahn-seh-LAHR.

The organizer could cancel.

Use podría + infinitive to express a possibility or a tentative action.

más + adjetivo + que

La seguridad es más importante que el montaje original.

lah seh-goo-ree-DAHD ehs mahs eem-por-TAHN-teh keh el mohn-TAH-kheh oh-ree-khee-NAHL.

Safety is more important than the original setup.

Spanish forms comparisons with más + adjective + que, meaning “more ... than.”

Spanish Vocabulary

al aire libre phrase
ahl AH-ee-reh LEE-breh outdoors; in the open air
asegurar verb
ah-seh-goo-RAHR to secure; to fasten safely
colocar verb
koh-loh-KAHR to put up; to place
continuarán verb
kohn-tee-noo-ah-RAHN will continue
equipo de sonido noun
eh-KEE-poh deh soh-NEE-doh sound equipment
más importante que phrase
mahs eem-por-TAHN-teh keh more important than
peligroso adj
peh-lee-GROH-soh dangerous
podría verb
poh-DREE-ah could; might
pronóstico noun
proh-NOHS-tee-koh forecast

El pronóstico dice que...

seguridad noun
seh-goo-ree-DAHD safety
tiendas de campaña noun
tee-EN-dahs deh kahm-PAH-nyah tents
vientos fuertes noun
BYEN-tohs FWER-tehs strong winds

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

could; might

Show Answerpodría

forecast

Show Answerpronóstico

to put up; to place

Show Answercolocar

will continue

Show Answercontinuarán