Resolving a shared office booking conflict | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a shared office, two adults plan how to resolve a double-booked meeting room with a brief use request and a fair compromise..

EN → ES / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Resolving a shared office booking conflict to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

La sala de reuniones está reservada dos veces en el calendario de la oficina compartida.

lah SAH-lah deh reh-oo-NYOH-nehs ehs-TAH reh-ser-BAH-dah dohs BEH-sehs ehn ehl kah-lehn-DAH-ryoh deh lah oh-fee-SEE-nah kohm-par-TEE-dah. The meeting room is double-booked on the shared office calendar.
B

¿Quién la necesita con más urgencia?

kyen lah neh-seh-SEE-tah kohn mahs oor-HEN-syah? Who needs it more urgently?
A

Tengo una llamada privada con un cliente.

TEHN-goh OO-nah yah-MAH-dah pree-BAH-dah kohn oon KLYEHN-teh. I have a private client call.
A

Pero otra persona la reservó para trabajar a solas.

PEH-roh OH-trah pehr-SOH-nah lah reh-ser-BOH PAH-rah trah-bah-HAHR ah SOH-lahs. But someone else booked it for solo work.
B

Entonces pregunta si la otra persona puede dejarte usarla un momento.

ehn-TOHN-sehs preh-GOON-tah see lah OH-trah pehr-SOH-nah PWEH-deh deh-HAHR-teh oo-SAR-lah oon moh-MEHN-toh. Then ask whether they can let you use it briefly.
A

No quiero dar la impresión de que mi tarea es más importante.

noh KYEH-roh dahr lah eem-preh-SYOHN deh keh mee tah-REH-ah ehs mahs eem-por-TAHN-teh. I do not want to sound like my task is more important.
B

Propón un acuerdo, como usarla para la llamada y salir justo después.

proh-POHN oon ah-KWEHR-doh KOH-moh oo-SAR-lah PAH-rah lah yah-MAH-dah ee sah-LEER HOOS-toh dehs-PWEHS. Offer a compromise, like using it for the call and leaving right after.
A

Me parece justo. También puedo ayudar a la otra persona a encontrar otro espacio de trabajo.

meh pah-REH-seh HOOS-toh. tahm-BYEHN PWEH-doh ah-yoo-DAHR ah lah OH-trah pehr-SOH-nah ah ehn-kohn-TRAHR OH-troh ehs-PAH-syoh deh trah-BAH-hoh. That feels fair. I can also help them find another workspace.
B

Eso demuestra que también respetas su reserva.

EH-soh deh-MWES-trah keh tahm-BYEHN rehs-PEH-tahs soo reh-SER-bah. That shows you respect their booking too.
A

Puedo escribirle ahora y explicarle la situación.

PWEH-doh ehs-kree-BEER-leh ah-OH-rah ee ehk-splee-KAHR-leh lah see-too-ah-SYOHN. I can message them now and explain the situation.
B

Escribe un mensaje breve y sugiere ese acuerdo.

ehs-KREE-beh oon mehn-SAH-heh BREH-beh ee soo-HYEH-reh eh-seh ah-KWEHR-doh. Keep the message brief and suggest that compromise.

Word by Word

La La means the before sala, as in La sala. The lowercase form la also refers back to the room in la necesita and usarla; use it when the feminine singular object is already clear.
sala Sala means room, here the meeting room in La sala de reuniones. A common reuse pattern is sala de + place or activity, such as sala de reuniones.
de De links sala with the activity reuniones, giving sala de reuniones the meaning meeting room. Use de to connect a noun with the thing it describes or contains.
reuniones Reuniones means meetings in sala de reuniones. It is the plural form used when referring to meeting rooms generally or to meetings as an activity.
está Está means is in the current state está reservada dos veces. It is a form of estar, used here to describe the room's present booking status.
reservada Reservada means reserved or booked, describing the feminine noun sala in está reservada dos veces. Use it with a room or other feminine-named resource when saying that it has been booked.
veces Veces means times in dos veces, showing that the room has been booked twice. It is used after a number to count how often something happens.
en En means on or in here, placing the double booking on the shared calendar in en el calendario. Use en with a calendar, schedule, place, or other setting where something is recorded.
el El means the before the masculine noun calendario in el calendario. Use it before a known masculine singular noun.
calendario Calendario means calendar, specifically the shared office calendar in el calendario de la oficina compartida. A common reuse is calendario de + organization, person, or activity.
oficina Oficina means office in la oficina compartida. It can be used with a possessive or adjective to identify whose office or what kind of office it is.
compartida Compartida means shared, describing oficina in la oficina compartida. The feminine form matches oficina; use it for a resource or place used by more than one person.
Quién Quién means who in the question ¿Quién la necesita con más urgencia? It asks which person has the relevant need; use ¿Quién...? when asking about a person.
necesita Necesita means needs, referring to the person who needs the room. It is a form of necesitar, commonly followed by the thing someone needs, as in necesita la sala.
con Con means with in con más urgencia, helping express the degree of urgency. Use it in this pattern when describing how urgently someone needs something.
más Más means more in con más urgencia, comparing the urgency of two people's needs. It commonly comes before a noun or adjective to form a comparison.
urgencia Urgencia means urgency in con más urgencia, describing how pressing the need is. Use it with con to talk about doing or needing something urgently.
Tengo Tengo means I have in Tengo una llamada privada con un cliente. It is a form of tener; use Tengo + noun to state that you have an appointment, task, call, or other matter.
una Una means a before the feminine noun llamada in una llamada privada. Use it before a feminine singular noun when introducing one non-specific item.
llamada Llamada means call in una llamada privada con un cliente. It can be used for a scheduled or current phone or video call, especially with a person introduced by con.
privada Privada means private, describing llamada in una llamada privada. The feminine form matches llamada; use it when access or participation is limited.
cliente Cliente means client in con un cliente, identifying the person involved in the call. Use it after con when saying that a call, meeting, or conversation is with a client.
Pero Pero means but and introduces a fact that limits or contrasts with the private client call. Use it to connect an earlier statement with an opposing or qualifying point.
otra Otra means another or other before the feminine noun persona in otra persona. Use otra + feminine singular noun when referring to a different person or thing.
persona Persona means person in otra persona. It is used here to refer to the other individual who booked the room.
reservó Reservó means booked or reserved in otra persona la reservó. It is a form of reservar and identifies the other person's completed booking of the room.
para Para expresses purpose in para trabajar a solas: the room was booked for working alone. Use para + infinitive to say what an action, place, or reservation is intended for.
trabajar Trabajar means to work in para trabajar a solas. It is the infinitive used after para to state the purpose of the reservation.
a A is part of the expression a solas, which means alone in this dialogue. Use the complete expression a solas rather than interpreting a by itself in this meaning.
solas Solas completes a solas, meaning alone or by oneself, in para trabajar a solas. This expression is useful when describing work or time carried out without other people.
Entonces Entonces means then or so and introduces the suggested next action after the booking conflict is explained. Use it to connect a situation with a consequence or recommendation.
pregunta Pregunta means ask in the direct instruction pregunta si la otra persona puede dejarte usarla. It is a form of preguntar; use it to tell someone to ask a question.
si Si means whether in pregunta si la otra persona puede dejarte usarla. It introduces an indirect yes-or-no question after verbs such as preguntar.
puede Puede means can or is able to in puede dejarte usarla. It is a form of poder and is followed here by an action that the other person may allow.
dejarte Dejarte means let you or allow you in puede dejarte usarla: dejar allows an action and te identifies the person who will do it. A reusable pattern is dejar + person + infinitive.
usarla Usarla means use it, referring to the room in puede dejarte usarla. It combines the infinitive usar with la attached; use this form when the feminine object is already understood.
un Un means a before the masculine noun momento in un momento. Use it before a masculine singular noun when referring to one non-specific item or short period.
momento Momento means moment in un momento, which makes the requested use brief. A common polite request pattern is pedir algo por un momento or usar algo un momento.
No No means not and negates quiero in No quiero dar la impresión. Place it before the verb when rejecting or denying an intention.
quiero Quiero means I want in No quiero dar la impresión. It is a form of querer and is commonly followed by an infinitive to state what the speaker does or does not want to do.
dar Dar means to give in dar la impresión de que, where the whole expression means give the impression that. Use dar la impresión de que before the idea or behavior someone may infer.
impresión Impresión means impression in dar la impresión de que mi tarea es más importante. Together with dar, it describes the appearance or message that an action may communicate.
que Que introduces the clause mi tarea es más importante after de in de que mi tarea es más importante. Use it to connect an impression with the idea being conveyed.
mi Mi means my before tarea in mi tarea. Use it before a singular noun to show that it belongs to or concerns the speaker.
tarea Tarea means task in mi tarea es más importante. It refers to the speaker's piece of work and can be used with a possessive or other description.
es Es means is in mi tarea es más importante, identifying the task as having the stated quality. It is a form of ser used here with an adjective.
importante Importante means important in más importante, where it is part of the comparison about the task. Use it after ser to describe the importance of a task, request, or issue.
Propón Propón means propose or offer in the direct instruction Propón un acuerdo. It is a form of proponer; use it to tell someone to put forward a plan or compromise.
acuerdo Acuerdo means agreement or compromise in Propón un acuerdo. It names the mutually acceptable arrangement being suggested to resolve the conflict.
como Como introduces an example in como usarla para la llamada y salir justo después, meaning like using it for the call and leaving right after. Use como + infinitive to give an example of a proposed action.
usar Usar means to use in como usarla para la llamada. It is the infinitive naming the first part of the proposed compromise.
y Y means and, joining usarla para la llamada with salir justo después. Use it to connect two related actions or ideas.
salir Salir means to leave or go out in salir justo después. It is the infinitive naming the second action in the compromise, and it can follow another infinitive joined by y.
justo Justo means right or immediately in justo después, meaning right after; in Me parece justo it means fair. Use the surrounding expression to determine whether it refers to timing or fairness.
después Después means afterward or after in justo después, referring to leaving immediately after the call. Use it with an event or time expression to say what happens later.
Me Me means to me in Me parece justo, marking the speaker as the person who has this impression. The reusable pattern Me parece + adjective expresses a personal judgment.
parece Parece means seems in Me parece justo, expressing how the proposed arrangement appears to the speaker. It is a form of parecer and commonly appears with Me parece + adjective or Me parece que + clause.
También También means also or too and adds another offer in También puedo ayudar. Use it to introduce an additional action or point that applies as well.
puedo Puedo means I can in También puedo ayudar and Puedo escribirle. It is a form of poder, followed here by an infinitive to state an available action.
ayudar Ayudar means to help in puedo ayudar a la otra persona a encontrar otro espacio de trabajo. A reusable pattern is ayudar a alguien a + infinitive, as in helping someone find another workspace.
encontrar Encontrar means to find in ayudar a la otra persona a encontrar otro espacio de trabajo. It is the infinitive for locating an alternative place or resource.
otro Otro means another or other before the masculine noun espacio in otro espacio de trabajo. Use otro + masculine singular noun when offering a different option.
espacio Espacio means space in otro espacio de trabajo. Together with de trabajo, it refers to a place where someone can work.
trabajo Trabajo means work in espacio de trabajo, the complete expression for workspace. Use it after de to specify that a space is intended for work.
Eso Eso means that and refers to the proposed help as a whole in Eso demuestra que también respetas su reserva. Use it as a pronoun for an idea, action, or situation already mentioned.
demuestra Demuestra means shows or demonstrates in Eso demuestra que también respetas su reserva. It is a form of demostrar and is followed by que plus the point that the action communicates.
respetas Respetas means you respect in respetas su reserva. It is a form of respetar and takes the thing respected directly, here su reserva.
su Su means their in su reserva, referring to the other person's booking. Use it before a noun when the owner is someone other than the speaker; the exact owner is understood from context.
reserva Reserva means booking or reservation in su reserva. It names the other person's claim to the meeting room and can be used with a possessive such as su.
escribirle Escribirle means write to them in Puedo escribirle ahora, with le marking the person who receives the message. It combines escribir with the attached indirect-object pronoun le; use escribirle when contacting someone in writing.
ahora Ahora means now in escribirle ahora, indicating that the message can be sent immediately. Use it to place an action in the present moment.
explicarle Explicarle means explain to them in explicarle la situación, with le marking the person receiving the explanation. It combines explicar with attached le; use it when explaining a matter to another person.
situación Situación means situation in explicarle la situación, referring to the double booking and the need for a compromise. It is a useful noun for describing the circumstances that need to be explained.
Escribe Escribe means write in the direct instruction Escribe un mensaje breve. It is a form of escribir; use it to tell someone to produce a written message or text.
mensaje Mensaje means message in Escribe un mensaje breve. It refers to the written communication to the other person and commonly appears with escribir or enviar.
breve Breve means brief or short in mensaje breve, describing a message that does not contain unnecessary detail. Use it after a noun to request or describe concise communication.
sugiere Sugiere means suggest in the direct instruction sugiere ese acuerdo. It is a form of sugerir and is followed here by the agreement being put forward.
ese Ese means that before the masculine noun acuerdo in ese acuerdo. It points back to the specific compromise already mentioned rather than introducing a new one.

Grammar Points

dejarte + infinitivo

Puede dejarte usar la sala.

PWEH-deh deh-HAHR-teh oo-SAR lah SAH-lah.

They can let you use the room.

After dejar, the person allowed can be an object pronoun: dejarte means “let you”; the next verb stays in the infinitive.

adjetivo: género y número

La sala compartida parece justa.

lah SAH-lah kohm-par-TEE-dah pah-REH-seh HOOS-tah.

The shared room seems fair.

Spanish adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number: sala is feminine singular, so compartida and justa are feminine singular.

Spanish Vocabulary

calendario noun
kah-lehn-DAH-ryoh calendar
cliente noun
KLYEHN-teh client
compartido adj
kohm-par-TEE-doh shared compartida
llamada noun
yah-MAH-dah call
necesitar verb
neh-seh-see-TAHR to need necesita
oficina noun
oh-fee-SEE-nah office
privado adj
pree-BAH-doh private privada
quién pron
kyen who
reservada dos veces phrase
reh-ser-BAH-dah dohs BEH-sehs double-booked
reunión noun
reh-oo-NYOHN meeting reuniones
sala noun
SAH-lah room

meeting room

urgencia noun
oor-HEN-syah urgency

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Who needs it more urgently?

Show Answer¿Quién la necesita con más urgencia?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

room

Show Answersala

urgency

Show Answerurgencia

who

Show Answerquién

meeting

Show Answerreuniones