About This Lesson
Use Confirming delay information and where to wait to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
El anuncio dice que hay un retraso, pero no explica por qué.
el ah-NOON-syoh DEE-seh keh eye oon reh-TRAH-soh, PEH-roh noh ehk-SPLEE-kah por KEH. The announcement says there is a delay, but it does not say why.
B
Creo que están revisando el tren antes de dejar subir a los pasajeros.
KREH-oh keh ehs-TAHN reh-bee-SAHN-doh el trehn AHN-tehs deh deh-HAR soo-BEER ah lohs pah-sah-HEH-rohs. I think they are checking the train before letting people board.
A
¿Deberíamos quedarnos aquí o buscar otro andén?
deh-beh-REE-ah-mohs keh-DAR-nohs ah-KEE oh boos-KAR OH-troh ahn-DEHN. Should we stay here, or should we look for another platform?
B
Quédate cerca por ahora. Si cambia algo, el personal indicará adónde ir.
KEH-dah-teh SEHR-kah por ah-OH-rah. See KAHM-byah AHL-goh, el pehr-soh-NAHL een-dee-kah-RAH ah-DOHN-deh EER. Stay close for now. If it changes, staff will say where to go.
A
Llevo equipaje, así que no quiero seguir moviéndome de un lado a otro.
YEH-boh eh-kee-PAH-heh, ah-SEE keh noh KYEH-roh seh-GEER moh-BYEHN-doh-meh deh oon LAH-doh ah OH-troh. I have luggage, so I do not want to keep moving around.
B
Preguntaré si pueden ayudarnos en caso de que tengamos que cambiar de andén.
preh-goon-tah-REH see PWEH-dehn ah-yoo-DAR-nohs ehn KAH-soh deh keh tehn-GAH-mohs keh kahm-BYAR deh ahn-DEHN. I will ask whether they can help if we need to switch platforms.
A
Eso ayudaría si el cambio se anuncia en el último momento.
EH-soh ah-yoo-dah-REE-ah see el KAHM-byoh seh ah-NOON-syah ehn el OOL-tee-moh moh-MEHN-toh. That would help if the change comes at the last minute.
B
Cuando actualicen el panel, podremos movernos sin tener que adivinar.
KWAHN-doh ahk-too-ah-LEE-sehn el pah-NEHL, poh-DREH-mohs moh-BEHR-nohs seen teh-NEHR keh ah-dee-bee-NAR. Once they update the board, we can move without guessing.Word by Word
El
In "El anuncio", this is the definite article meaning "the" before the announcement. It identifies a specific announcement.
anuncio
In "El anuncio", this means "announcement": the message heard at the station. It can be reused for a public message or notice.
dice
In "El anuncio dice", this means "says" or "states". It is the form of decir used to report what a message communicates; a common pattern is "X dice que...".
que
In "dice que hay un retraso", this links "dice" to the content of the announcement, meaning "that". It introduces the clause being reported.
hay
In "hay un retraso", this says that a delay exists: "there is a delay". It is useful for stating that something is present or occurring.
un
In "un retraso", this is the indefinite article meaning "a". It introduces one delay without treating it as previously identified.
retraso
In "hay un retraso", this means "delay", referring to the late train service. It can be reused for a delay in a journey, service, or schedule.
pero
In "pero no explica por qué", this means "but" and introduces a contrast. The announcement gives information about the delay but not its reason.
no
In "no explica", this negates the verb and means "not". It is placed before the verb to say that the announcement does not explain something.
explica
In "no explica por qué", this means "explains". It is the form of explicar used for what the announcement fails to clarify; a common pattern is "explicar algo".
por qué
In "no explica por qué", the whole expression asks for the reason and means "why". "Por" introduces the reason relationship, while "qué" asks what that reason is.
Creo
At the beginning of "Creo que están revisando", this means "I think" and presents the speaker's belief rather than a confirmed fact. A common reusable pattern is "Creo que..." followed by the idea believed.
están
In "están revisando", this means "are" and helps show that the checking is in progress. It is used with "revisando" to describe what they are doing now.
revisando
In "están revisando el tren", this means "checking" or "inspecting". Together with "están", it describes an ongoing inspection; the same pattern can be used with another activity.
tren
In "revisando el tren", this means "train", the vehicle being inspected before boarding. It can be reused when talking about a train journey or service.
antes
In "antes de dejar subir", this means "before" and places one action earlier than another. A common pattern is "antes de" followed by an infinitive.
de
In "antes de dejar", this links "antes" to the following infinitive and forms the expression "before letting". The pattern "antes de" is used to introduce an action that has not happened yet in the sequence.
dejar
In "dejar subir a los pasajeros", this means "let" or "allow". It introduces the action that the passengers are allowed to do, and "dejar" can commonly be followed by an infinitive.
subir
In "dejar subir a los pasajeros", this means "board" or "get on" the train. It is the action the passengers are waiting to be allowed to perform.
a
In "a los pasajeros", this preposition introduces the people who are allowed to board. It is part of the wording used with people in this expression.
los
In "los pasajeros", this is the plural definite article meaning "the". It identifies the passengers as a specific group.
pasajeros
In "los pasajeros", this means "passengers", the people waiting to board. It can be reused for travelers using a train, plane, bus, or other service.
Deberíamos
In "Deberíamos quedarnos aquí", this means "should we" in the question and presents a possible course of action. It is a form of deber used to make a suggestion or ask for one.
quedarnos
In "Deberíamos quedarnos aquí", this means "stay here". The ending "nos" is attached to the infinitive and refers to the speakers staying themselves; a common pattern is "quedarse en un lugar".
aquí
In "quedarnos aquí", this means "here" and identifies the speakers' current location. It can be used to point out or choose the place where someone remains.
o
In "aquí o buscar otro andén", this means "or" and connects the two alternatives: staying or looking for another platform. It is used to present a choice.
buscar
In "buscar otro andén", this means "look for". It is an infinitive coordinated with "quedarnos" and takes the thing being sought, such as "otro andén".
otro
In "otro andén", this means "another" and points to a different platform from the current one. It is used before the noun it describes.
andén
In "otro andén", this means "platform", the place where passengers wait to board. It can be reused when asking about or changing the platform for a train.
Quédate
In "Quédate cerca", this is a direct instruction meaning "stay". It tells one person to remain in a place, and the attached "te" refers to that person.
cerca
In "Quédate cerca", this means "near" or "close", with the location understood from the situation. It can be used after a verb of staying or remaining to say that someone should not go far away.
por
In "por ahora", this means "for now" and limits the instruction to the present period. The expression "por ahora" is useful when a decision is temporary.
ahora
In "por ahora", this means "now" and refers to the current time. Together, "por ahora" means that the situation applies at present but may change later.
Si
In "Si cambia algo", this means "if" and introduces a condition. It presents a possible change that would determine what happens next.
cambia
In "Si cambia algo", this means "changes". It describes a possible change in the situation, and a common pattern is "si cambia algo" when arrangements may be updated.
algo
In "cambia algo", this means "something" and refers generally to any relevant change. It is useful when the exact thing affected is not specified.
personal
In "el personal", this means "staff", referring collectively to the station employees. In this context it identifies the people who will give directions or information.
indicará
In "el personal indicará adónde ir", this means "will indicate" or "will tell us where to go". It is used for information the staff will provide if the situation changes.
adónde
In "adónde ir", this means "where to" and asks about the destination. It combines the destination question with the following infinitive, as in asking where someone should go.
ir
In "adónde ir", this means "go" and names the movement toward the destination being discussed. It is used after "adónde" to form "where to go".
Llevo
In "Llevo equipaje", this means "I have" or "I am carrying" luggage with me. It is a form of llevar used to describe what the speaker is carrying during the journey.
equipaje
In "Llevo equipaje", this means "luggage" or "baggage". It can be reused when explaining why moving between places is inconvenient.
así
In "así que no quiero seguir moviéndome", this contributes to the connector "así que", meaning "so" or "therefore". It introduces the consequence of carrying luggage.
quiero
In "no quiero seguir moviéndome", this means "I want". With "no", it expresses that the speaker does not want to continue moving; a common pattern is "querer" followed by an infinitive.
seguir
In "seguir moviéndome", this means "continue" or "keep". It is followed by the ongoing action "moviéndome" to express continuing that action.
moviéndome
In "seguir moviéndome de un lado a otro", this means "moving around". The ending "me" refers to the speaker, and the form describes continuing to move from place to place.
lado
In "de un lado a otro", this means "side". The complete expression describes moving from one side or place to another, which fits the speaker's wish not to keep changing position.
Preguntaré
In "Preguntaré si pueden ayudarnos", this means "I will ask". It announces the speaker's future action of requesting information or assistance.
pueden
In "si pueden ayudarnos", this means "can" or "are able to". It expresses whether the staff are able to provide help, and it is commonly followed by an infinitive.
ayudarnos
In "pueden ayudarnos", this means "help us". The ending "nos" means "us", and the infinitive can be used after a verb expressing ability or intention.
en
In "en caso de que tengamos que cambiar", this begins the expression meaning "in case". It helps introduce a possible situation that may require action.
caso
In "en caso de que", this means "case" as part of the expression "in case that". The expression introduces a possible circumstance.
tengamos
In "en caso de que tengamos que cambiar", this means "we have" within the expression for a possible need to change platforms. The pattern "tener que" expresses necessity, here referring to the speakers.
cambiar
In "cambiar de andén", this means "change" or "switch" platforms. The pattern "cambiar de" is used to describe moving from one option or place to another.
Eso
In "Eso ayudaría", this means "that" and refers back to the offer to ask for help. It presents that previous action as something that would be useful.
ayudaría
In "Eso ayudaría", this means "would help" and describes a helpful result under the possible condition that the platform changes unexpectedly. It is useful for discussing a hypothetical benefit.
cambio
In "si el cambio se anuncia", this means "change", referring to a change of platform or travel arrangement. It can be reused for a change in plans, location, or schedule.
se
In "el cambio se anuncia", this marks the passive wording in which the change is presented as being announced. It keeps the focus on the change rather than on who announces it.
anuncia
In "el cambio se anuncia", this means "is announced" because it is used with "se". It describes information being made public, especially a change or update.
último
In "el último momento", this means "last" and describes the final possible time. The complete phrase refers to a change announced very shortly before it takes effect.
momento
In "el último momento", this means "moment" or point in time. Together with "último", it forms the expression "at the last minute".
Cuando
In "Cuando actualicen el panel", this means "when" or "once" and introduces the time at which the speakers can act. It connects the future update with the result that follows.
actualicen
In "Cuando actualicen el panel", this means "update" and refers to the staff updating the display. It describes the event that must happen before the speakers move with confidence.
panel
In "actualicen el panel", this means "board" or "display", the station information board. It can be reused for a displayed source of travel information.
podremos
In "podremos movernos", this means "we will be able to" or "we can" once the board is updated. It expresses ability that becomes available after the stated condition.
movernos
In "podremos movernos", this means "move" or "move around". The ending "nos" refers to the speakers, and the infinitive is used after "podremos".
sin
In "sin tener que adivinar", this means "without". It introduces an action that will no longer be necessary once the information is clear.
tener
In "sin tener que adivinar", this is part of "tener que", meaning "have to" or "need to". With "sin", the whole expression means "without having to" do the following action.
adivinar
In "tener que adivinar", this means "guess". The speakers will be able to move without guessing where to go because the updated board will provide the information.
Grammar Points
en caso de que + subjuntivo
En caso de que actualicen el panel, deberíamos quedarnos cerca del andén.
ehn KAH-soh deh keh ahk-too-ah-LEE-sehn el pah-NEHL, deh-beh-REE-ah-mohs keh-DAR-nohs SEHR-kah del ahn-DEHN.In case they update the display, we should stay near the platform.
After «en caso de que», Spanish uses the subjunctive because the situation is possible, not certain.
deberíamos + infinitivo
Deberíamos quedarnos cerca del andén.
deh-beh-REE-ah-mohs keh-DAR-nohs SEHR-kah del ahn-DEHN.We should stay near the platform.
«Deberíamos» expresses advice or a recommendation and is followed by the infinitive.
Spanish Vocabulary
andén
noun
ahn-DEHN
platform
Buscar otro andén.
anuncio
noun
ah-NOON-syoh
announcement
El anuncio dice que hay un retraso.
deber
verb
deh-BEHR
should; ought to
deberíamos
¿Deberíamos quedarnos aquí?
dejar
verb
deh-HAR
to let; to allow
Antes de dejar subir a los pasajeros.
explicar
verb
ehks-plee-KAR
to explain
explica
No explica por qué.
pasajero
noun
pah-sah-HEH-roh
passenger
pasajeros
Los pasajeros.
por qué
adv
por KEH
why
No explica por qué.
quedarse
verb
keh-DAR-seh
to stay
quedarnos
¿Deberíamos quedarnos aquí?
retraso
noun
reh-TRAH-soh
delay
Hay un retraso.
revisar
verb
reh-bee-SAR
to check
revisando
Están revisando el tren.
subir
verb
soo-BEER
to board; to get on
Dejar subir a los pasajeros.
tren
noun
trehn
train
Están revisando el tren.
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to board; to get on
Show Answer
subirannouncement
Show Answer
anuncioto let; to allow
Show Answer
dejarto explain