Deciding whether to keep waiting | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: Near a slow service desk line, a person asks whether to keep waiting or leave a request for later review..

EN → ES / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Deciding whether to keep waiting to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Disculpa, esta fila ha estado avanzando despacio.

dees-KOOL-pah, EH-stah FEE-lah ah eh-STAH-doh ah-bahn-SAHN-doh dehs-PAH-see-oh. Excuse me, this line has been moving slowly.
B

¿Estás tratando de decidir si vale la pena quedarte?

ehs-TAHS trah-TAHN-doh deh deh-see-DEER see BAH-leh lah PEH-nah keh-DAR-teh? Are you trying to decide whether it is worth staying?
A

Sí. ¿Sabes si el mostrador de atención va con retraso?

SEE. SAH-behs see el moh-strah-DOR deh ah-tehn-SYOHN bah kohn reh-TRAH-soh? I am. Do you know if the service desk is running behind?
B

Varias solicitudes necesitan atención adicional, así que la fila avanza despacio.

BAH-ryahs soh-lee-see-TOO-dehs neh-seh-SEE-tahn ah-tehn-SYOHN ah-dee-syoh-NAHL, ah-SEE keh lah FEE-lah ah-BAHN-sah dehs-PAH-see-oh. Several requests need extra attention, so the line is moving slowly.
A

No puedo quedarme aquí mucho más tiempo.

noh PWEH-doh keh-DAR-meh ah-KEE MOO-choh mahs TYEHM-poh. I cannot stay here much longer.
B

Puedes seguir esperando o dejar tu solicitud en el mostrador.

PWEH-dehs seh-GEER ehs-peh-RAHN-doh oh deh-HAR too soh-lee-see-TOOD ehn el moh-strah-DOR. You can keep waiting, or leave your request at the desk.
A

Dejar la solicitud ayudaría si alguien puede revisarla más tarde.

deh-HAR lah soh-lee-see-TOOD ah-yoo-dah-REE-ah see ahl-GYEHN PWEH-deh reh-bee-SAR-lah mahs TAR-deh. Leaving the request would help if someone can review it later.
B

El personal del mostrador puede ponerse en contacto contigo cuando tenga novedades.

el pehr-soh-NAHL del moh-strah-DOR PWEH-deh poh-NEHR-seh ehn kohn-TAHK-toh kohn-TEE-goh KWAHN-doh TEHN-gah noh-beh-DAH-dehs. The desk can contact you when they have an update.
A

Eso me da una opción clara.

EH-soh meh dah OO-nah ohp-SYOHN KLAH-rah. That gives me a clear choice.
B

Entonces, quizá sea mejor dejarla si tu próximo compromiso no puede esperar.

ehn-TOHN-sehs, kee-SAH seh-ah meh-HOR deh-HAR-lah see too PROHK-see-moh kohm-proh-MEE-soh noh PWEH-deh ehs-peh-RAR. Then leaving it may be better if your next commitment cannot wait.

Word by Word

Disculpa “Disculpa” is a polite way to get someone’s attention or say “excuse me” here. It is useful when starting a brief question with another person in a public place.
esta “Esta” means “this” and points to the particular line being discussed. It appears directly before the feminine noun “fila” in “esta fila”.
fila “Fila” means a line or queue of people waiting. In “esta fila”, it identifies the queue whose movement is being discussed; it can be used with a place or service people are waiting for.
ha “Ha” helps form “ha estado avanzando”, describing the line’s progress up to now. It is used together with the following forms rather than carrying the whole meaning by itself.
estado In “ha estado avanzando”, “estado” contributes the idea of having been in a continuing state. It combines with “ha” and “avanzando” to describe how the line has been progressing.
avanzando “Avanzando” means moving forward or progressing in “ha estado avanzando”. It describes the ongoing movement of “esta fila”, and it can follow “estar” to describe an activity in progress.
despacio “Despacio” means slowly in “ha estado avanzando despacio”. It describes the speed of the line’s movement and can be placed after the action it describes.
Estás “Estás” means “you are” when addressing one person informally. In “Estás tratando de decidir”, it helps describe what that person is currently trying to do.
tratando “Tratando” means trying in “Estás tratando de decidir”. With “de”, it introduces the action the person is attempting, and the pattern can be used before an infinitive.
de Here “de” links “tratando” to the action being attempted in “tratando de decidir”. It is used before the infinitive “decidir” in this reusable pattern.
decidir “Decidir” means to decide in “tratando de decidir”. It names the choice the person is trying to make and follows “tratar de” in this construction.
si “Si” introduces the question of whether something is the case in “si vale la pena quedarte”. It connects the decision with the possibility being considered.
vale In “vale la pena”, “vale” contributes the idea of being worthwhile. The full expression “vale la pena” is used before an action such as “quedarte” to ask whether doing it is worth it.
la “La” is the article inside the fixed expression “vale la pena”. It accompanies the noun “pena”, so the complete expression—not “la” alone—communicates the idea of being worthwhile.
pena In “vale la pena”, “pena” is part of the expression used to discuss whether an action is worthwhile. Here the action being evaluated is “quedarte”, or staying.
quedarte “Quedarte” means staying in “si vale la pena quedarte”. It combines the action of staying with “te”, referring to the person being addressed, and follows the expression “vale la pena”.
Sí “Sí” means “yes” and confirms the preceding question. It is used here as a short reply before giving more information.
Sabes “Sabes” means “you know” when speaking informally to one person. In “¿Sabes si...?”, it introduces a question about whether the other person has information.
mostrador “Mostrador” means a service desk or counter in this dialogue. In “mostrador de atención”, it identifies the place where people receive service or submit requests.
atención In “mostrador de atención”, “atención” refers to service provided to people. Together with “mostrador de”, it specifies the kind of counter being discussed.
va In “va con retraso”, “va” contributes the idea of how the service desk is proceeding. The full phrase means that the desk is running behind or delayed.
con Here “con” is part of the expression “va con retraso”, describing the situation as occurring with a delay. This preposition links “va” with the noun “retraso”.
retraso “Retraso” means delay in “va con retraso”. The phrase describes a service that is taking longer than expected and can be used for a process or schedule.
Varias “Varias” means several and describes more than one item in “Varias solicitudes”. It agrees with the feminine plural noun “solicitudes” that follows it.
solicitudes “Solicitudes” means requests or applications in this service-desk context. In “Varias solicitudes necesitan atención adicional”, it refers to multiple requests that require further handling.
necesitan “Necesitan” means need in “Varias solicitudes necesitan atención adicional”. It states what the requests require and is followed here by the thing needed.
adicional “Adicional” means additional or extra in “atención adicional”. It describes attention beyond the ordinary service and follows the noun it specifies.
así In “así que”, “así” contributes the idea of “so” or “in this way”. Together with “que”, it introduces the result that the line is moving slowly.
que In “así que”, “que” completes the connector meaning “so” or “therefore”. The complete expression links the requests needing extra attention with the resulting slow movement of the line.
avanza “Avanza” means moves forward or progresses in “la fila avanza despacio”. It describes the line’s movement and is modified by “despacio” to show its speed.
No “No” negates the statement in “No puedo quedarme”. Together with “puedo”, it expresses that the speaker cannot stay.
puedo “Puedo” means “I can” in “No puedo quedarme aquí”. With “no”, it expresses a lack of ability or possibility, and it is followed by the infinitive “quedarme”.
quedarme “Quedarme” means to stay or remain in “No puedo quedarme aquí”. It combines the action with “me”, referring to the speaker, and follows “puedo”.
aquí “Aquí” means here and identifies the place where the speaker is staying. In “quedarme aquí”, it specifies the location of the action.
mucho In “mucho más tiempo”, “mucho” emphasizes the amount of additional time. It strengthens “más” to express that the speaker cannot remain for much longer.
más “Más” means more in “mucho más tiempo”. It marks additional time compared with the time already spent waiting.
tiempo “Tiempo” means time in “mucho más tiempo”. Together, “mucho más tiempo” refers to a considerably longer period of staying or waiting.
Puedes “Puedes” means “you can” when speaking informally to one person. In “Puedes seguir esperando o dejar...”, it presents the available actions.
seguir “Seguir” means continue in “seguir esperando”. It is followed by “esperando” to express continuing the activity of waiting.
esperando “Esperando” means waiting in “seguir esperando”. It names the activity that can continue after “seguir” and refers here to remaining in the line.
o “O” means or and connects the two alternatives in “seguir esperando o dejar tu solicitud”. It presents a choice between continuing to wait and leaving the request.
dejar “Dejar” means leave in “dejar tu solicitud en el mostrador”. It describes placing the request at the desk instead of continuing to wait.
tu “Tu” means your and identifies the request as belonging to the person being addressed. It appears before “solicitud” in “tu solicitud”.
solicitud “Solicitud” means request or application in “dejar tu solicitud”. It is the item that can be left at the service desk for later attention.
en Here “en” means at or in and indicates the location in “en el mostrador”. It links the action of leaving something with the place where it is left.
ayudaría “Ayudaría” means would help in “Dejar la solicitud ayudaría”. It presents leaving the request as a possible action that could be useful, especially if someone reviews it later.
alguien “Alguien” means someone and refers to an unspecified person in “si alguien puede revisarla”. It is useful when the identity of the person who may act is not known.
revisarla “Revisarla” means review it in “si alguien puede revisarla más tarde”. It combines the action of reviewing with “la”, which refers back to the request.
tarde In “más tarde”, “tarde” contributes the meaning of later in time. The complete expression indicates that the review would happen after the current moment.
El “El” is the article in “El personal del mostrador”. It introduces the noun phrase referring to the staff at the desk.
personal “Personal” means staff in “El personal del mostrador”. It refers collectively to the people working at the service desk and is followed by “del mostrador” to identify them.
del “Del” links “personal” with “mostrador” in “El personal del mostrador”, meaning the staff of or from the desk. It is used to connect the staff with the place or service they belong to.
ponerse en contacto “Ponerse en contacto” means to get in contact or make contact. In “puede ponerse en contacto contigo”, “ponerse” expresses entering a state, “en” links it to the state, and “contacto” names that contact; the complete expression is used when someone will communicate with another person.
contigo “Contigo” means with you in “ponerse en contacto contigo”. It identifies the person whom the desk will contact and is used after the expression “ponerse en contacto”.
cuando “Cuando” means when and introduces the time at which the desk can contact the person. Here it connects the contact with the moment when there are updates.
tenga “Tenga” means has in “cuando tenga novedades”, referring to the desk or its staff. After “cuando”, it describes the anticipated moment when the updates become available.
novedades “Novedades” means updates or new information in “cuando tenga novedades”. It refers to information the service desk may receive and then communicate.
Eso “Eso” means that and refers to the choice just described. In “Eso me da una opción clara”, it points back to the available alternatives.
me “Me” means me and identifies the person receiving the effect of “da” in “Eso me da”. It shows that the clear option is given to the speaker.
da “Da” means gives in “Eso me da una opción clara”. It describes the preceding information as providing the speaker with a clear option.
una “Una” means a or one and introduces “opción” in “una opción clara”. It presents one clear choice among the possible alternatives.
opción “Opción” means option or choice in “una opción clara”. It refers to one of the possible actions available to the speaker.
clara “Clara” means clear in “una opción clara”. It describes the option as easy to understand or distinguish and follows the noun “opción”.
Entonces “Entonces” means then and signals a conclusion based on what was just said. Here it introduces the recommendation that follows from the speaker’s limited time.
quizá “Quizá” means perhaps or maybe and makes the recommendation less definite in “quizá sea mejor”. It is useful when presenting a possible conclusion rather than an absolute one.
sea In “quizá sea mejor”, “sea” expresses the possibility that something is better. It links the uncertain recommendation with “mejor”, which evaluates the proposed action.
mejor “Mejor” means better in “sea mejor dejarla”. It evaluates leaving the request as the preferable choice under the stated condition.
dejarla “Dejarla” means leave it and refers to leaving the request. It combines “dejar” with “la”, which points back to “solicitud”, and appears after “sea mejor”.
próximo “Próximo” means next or upcoming in “tu próximo compromiso”. It identifies the commitment that will come after the current situation and agrees with “compromiso”.
compromiso “Compromiso” means commitment or scheduled obligation in “tu próximo compromiso”. It refers to the person’s next responsibility, which may limit how long they can continue waiting.
esperar “Esperar” means wait in “tu próximo compromiso no puede esperar”. With “no puede”, the phrase says that the upcoming commitment cannot be postponed, so there is no time to delay it.

Grammar Points

vale la pena + infinitivo

Vale la pena quedarse.

BAH-leh lah PEH-nah keh-DAR-seh.

It is worth staying.

Spanish uses vale la pena followed by an infinitive to say that an action is worthwhile.

tratar de + infinitivo

Estoy tratando de decidir.

ehs-TOY trah-TAHN-doh deh deh-see-DEER.

I am trying to decide.

Use tratar de followed by an infinitive to express trying to do something.

Spanish Vocabulary

avanzar verb
ah-bahn-SAR to move forward; to advance avanzando
decidir verb
deh-see-DEER to decide
despacio adv
dehs-PAH-see-oh slowly
disculpa intj
dees-KOOL-pah excuse me
fila noun
FEE-lah line; queue
ir con retraso phrase
eer kohn reh-TRAH-soh to be running behind va con retraso
mostrador de atención phrase
moh-strah-DOR deh ah-tehn-SYOHN service desk
quedarse verb
keh-DAR-seh to stay quedarte
saber verb
sah-BEHR to know sabes
si conj
see whether; if
tratar de phrase
trah-TAR deh to try to tratando de
valer la pena phrase
bah-LEHR lah PEH-nah to be worth it vale la pena

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

That gives me a clear choice.

Show AnswerEso me da una opción clara.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to stay

Show Answerquedarte

excuse me

Show Answerdisculpa

to decide

Show Answerdecidir

line; queue

Show Answerfila