Gym equipment etiquette | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: At a busy gym, a member asks staff to handle equipment being held with towels without singling anyone out..

EN → ES / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Gym equipment etiquette to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Me di cuenta de que varias máquinas se estaban apartando con toallas durante mucho tiempo.

meh dee KWEHN-tah deh keh BAH-ryahs mah-KEE-nahs seh es-TAH-bahn ah-par-TAHN-doh kohn toh-AH-yahs doo-RAHN-teh MOO-choh TYEHM-poh I noticed several machines were being reserved with towels for a long time.
B

Eso puede ser frustrante, especialmente cuando el gimnasio está lleno.

EH-soh PWEH-deh sehr froos-TRAHN-teh, es-peh-syal-MEN-teh KWAHN-doh el heem-NAH-syoh es-TAH YEH-noh That can be frustrating, especially when the gym is busy.
A

No quería enfrentarme directamente a nadie.

noh keh-REE-ah en-fren-TAR-meh dee-rek-tah-MEN-teh ah NAH-dyeh I did not want to confront anyone directly.
B

El personal puede hacer un recordatorio general sin señalar a nadie en particular.

el pehr-soh-NAHL PWEH-deh ah-SEHR oon reh-kor-dah-TOR-yoh heh-neh-RAHL seen seh-nyah-LAR ah NAH-dyeh en par-tee-koo-LAHR Staff can give a general reminder without singling anyone out.
A

Eso parecería menos agresivo.

EH-soh pah-reh-seh-REE-ah MEH-nohs ah-greh-SEE-boh That would feel less aggressive.
B

Puedo hacer un anuncio y vigilar la sala del gimnasio con más frecuencia.

PWEH-doh ah-SEHR oon ah-NOON-syoh ee bee-hee-LAR lah SAH-lah del heem-NAH-syoh kohn mahs freh-KWEHN-syah I can make an announcement and monitor the gym floor more often.
A

Eso debería mejorar el acceso al equipo sin crear tensión.

EH-soh deh-beh-REE-ah meh-hoh-RAR el ahk-SEH-soh al eh-KEE-poh seen kreh-AHR ten-SYOHN That should improve access without creating tension.
B

Por favor, vuelve a informarnos si sigue ocurriendo lo mismo.

pohr fah-BOHR, BWEHL-beh ah een-for-MAR-nohs see SEE-gheh oh-koo-RRYEHN-doh loh MEES-moh Please report it again if the same thing keeps happening.

Word by Word

Me In Me di cuenta de que, Me marks the person who realized something: me or to me. This expression is useful for reporting an observation, followed by de que and the information noticed.
di In Me di cuenta de que, di helps form the expression meaning I realized or noticed. Use the complete pattern Me di cuenta de que + a clause when reporting something you came to notice.
cuenta In Me di cuenta de que, cuenta is part of the expression for becoming aware of something, rather than meaning an account by itself. The expression is followed by de que when what was noticed is stated.
de Here de links the expression Me di cuenta to the information that follows. In Me di cuenta de que, it introduces the clause explaining what the speaker noticed.
que Here que introduces the information that was noticed: several machines were being reserved. It commonly follows de in Me di cuenta de que + a clause.
varias Varías means several and indicates more than one item here. It is used before a feminine plural noun, as in varias máquinas.
máquinas Máquinas means machines, specifically the gym machines being reserved in this dialogue. A useful pattern is varias máquinas followed by a description of what those machines are doing.
se In se estaban apartando, se helps present the machines as being reserved without naming the people doing it. This construction is useful when the action or its effect is more important than the actor.
estaban Estaban indicates that the reserving was in progress at the time being described. Together with apartando, it describes an ongoing situation: se estaban apartando.
apartando Apartando means reserving or setting aside in this context. It appears after estaban to describe the ongoing action, and apartar can be used for setting something aside for later use.
con Here con means with and identifies what was used to reserve the machines: con toallas. It is useful for naming an object or instrument involved in an action.
toallas Toallas means towels, the objects used to hold the machines in this situation. A practical pattern is con + a plural object to say what something is done with.
durante Durante marks the length of time for which the reserving continued. In durante mucho tiempo, it means for a long time and is useful before a time period.
mucho In mucho tiempo, mucho indicates a large amount of time, giving the meaning for a long time. It commonly comes before tiempo when describing duration.
tiempo Tiempo means time here and completes the duration expression durante mucho tiempo. This phrase is useful when emphasizing that an action continues for a long period.
Eso Eso refers to the situation just described, namely the machines being reserved with towels. It is useful for reacting to or evaluating a previously mentioned situation.
puede Puede expresses that the situation can or may have a certain effect: it can be frustrating. It is followed by ser in puede ser + an adjective when describing a possible result or quality.
ser Ser means to be after puede and links the situation with the description frustrante. The pattern puede ser + adjective is useful for saying that something can have a particular effect or quality.
frustrante Frustrante describes the situation as frustrating for gym users. It can be used after ser to evaluate an event or situation, as in puede ser frustrante.
especialmente Especialmente means especially and highlights the condition that makes the situation more frustrating. It is useful before or after a clause that gives a particularly important circumstance.
cuando Cuando means when and introduces the circumstance in which the situation is especially frustrating. It is useful before a clause describing a time or condition.
el El is the masculine singular form of the word for the in el gimnasio. It comes before the singular noun gimnasio in this dialogue.
gimnasio Gimnasio means gym, the place whose condition affects access to the machines. A useful pattern is el gimnasio + a description of how busy or available it is.
está Está describes the gym’s current condition in está lleno. It is useful with an adjective when describing a temporary state or condition.
lleno Lleno means full here, referring to a gym with many people and therefore a busy atmosphere. It agrees with the masculine singular noun gimnasio in el gimnasio está lleno.
No No negates the following idea in No quería enfrentarme directamente a nadie. It is placed before the verb phrase when saying that the speaker did not want something.
quería Quería expresses what the speaker wanted in the situation, and No quería says the speaker did not want to confront anyone. This pattern is useful for politely or personally describing an intention with an infinitive.
enfrentarme Enfrentarme means to confront or face people here, with me attached to the infinitive. In No quería enfrentarme directamente a nadie, it describes a direct confrontation that the speaker wished to avoid.
directamente Directamente means directly and describes how the speaker did not want to confront anyone. It is useful after an action verb to specify that something is done in a direct manner.
a Here a marks the person affected by the confrontation in enfrentarme directamente a nadie. This use commonly appears before a person or people who are directly involved in an action.
nadie Nadie means anyone or nobody, and with No in this sentence it means anyone: the speaker did not want to confront anyone. It is useful after a negative expression when referring to no person.
personal Personal means staff in this gym context, referring collectively to the employees who can address the issue. It is useful when discussing action taken by staff at a facility.
hacer In hacer un recordatorio general, hacer contributes to the idea of giving or making a reminder. This pattern is useful for describing an announcement or reminder directed at a group.
un Un means a or an and introduces the singular noun recordatorio. It is used before a singular masculine noun when referring to one reminder.
recordatorio Recordatorio means reminder, here a general message about gym etiquette. A useful pattern is hacer un recordatorio + adjective to describe the type of reminder being given.
general General means general and shows that the reminder is addressed broadly rather than to one identified person. It can follow a noun to describe its broad scope.
sin Sin means without and introduces the action that is avoided: sin señalar a nadie. It is commonly followed by an infinitive when describing something done without carrying out another action.
señalar Señalar means to point out or single out someone in this context. In sin señalar a nadie en particular, it describes addressing the issue without identifying a specific person.
en Here en forms part of en particular, which narrows the reference to one specific person. The expression is useful after nadie when clarifying that no individual is being singled out.
particular In en particular, particular means specific or individual. The complete expression is useful for emphasizing that a person is not being identified separately.
parecería Parecería means would seem or would appear, presenting an expected impression of the proposed approach. It is useful when evaluating how an action would be perceived.
menos Menos means less and makes the comparison in menos agresivo. It is useful before an adjective when saying that something has a lower degree of a quality.
agresivo Agresivo means aggressive and describes the perceived tone of the approach. In parecería menos agresivo, it is compared with another possible way of addressing the issue.
Puedo Puedo means I can and expresses the staff member’s ability or willingness to act. It is followed by infinitives in Puedo hacer and vigilar to name the actions offered.
anuncio Anuncio means announcement, the public message the staff member can make. In hacer un anuncio, it names an announcement as the object of hacer.
y Y means and and joins the two actions the staff member proposes: hacer un anuncio and vigilar. It is useful for linking coordinated actions in the same plan.
vigilar Vigilar means to monitor or watch, here referring to the gym floor. It follows puedo and is useful when offering to observe an area more closely.
la La means the and introduces the feminine singular noun sala. It appears in la sala del gimnasio, referring to a specific area.
sala Sala means room or area, here the gym area being monitored. The phrase la sala del gimnasio is useful for identifying a particular space within a facility.
del Del is the combined form of de and el in la sala del gimnasio. Here it links sala to gimnasio and means of the gym.
más Más means more and increases the frequency expressed in con más frecuencia. It is useful before a noun or adverbial expression to indicate an increased amount or degree.
frecuencia Frecuencia means frequency, and con más frecuencia means more often. This expression is useful for saying that an action will happen at shorter or more regular intervals.
debería Debería means should and expresses an expected result rather than a guaranteed one. It is useful before an infinitive when suggesting what an action is expected to achieve.
mejorar Mejorar means to improve, here describing the expected effect on access to the equipment. It follows debería in debería mejorar + object.
acceso Acceso means access, specifically the ability to use the gym equipment in this dialogue. A useful pattern is mejorar el acceso a + a resource or place.
al Al is the combined form of a and el and means to the in acceso al equipo. It introduces the resource to which access refers.
equipo Equipo means equipment in this gym context, not a group of people. It is the object of access in mejorar el acceso al equipo.
crear Crear means to create or cause, here referring to causing tension. After sin, it describes an action that the proposed solution should avoid: sin crear tensión.
tensión Tensión means tension, referring to uncomfortable conflict among gym users. It is the object of crear in sin crear tensión, a useful pattern for describing an unwanted consequence.
Por In Por favor, Por contributes to the fixed polite-request expression rather than meaning for by itself. The expression is used when asking someone to take an action courteously.
favor In Por favor, favor is part of the fixed expression used to make a request polite. It appears at the beginning of the request Por favor, vuelve a informarnos.
vuelve In vuelve a informarnos, vuelve tells the listener to do the action again or return to doing it. This pattern is useful for requesting repetition with vuelve a + an infinitive.
informarnos Informarnos means to inform us or report to us, with nos attached to the infinitive informar. In vuelve a informarnos, it identifies the staff as the people who should receive the report.
si Si means if and introduces the condition for reporting again: the same thing continues to happen. It is useful before a clause that states when an action should be taken.
sigue Sigue means continues in sigue ocurriendo, showing that the event has not stopped. It commonly combines with a gerund to express that an action keeps happening.
ocurriendo Ocurriendo means happening or occurring in sigue ocurriendo lo mismo. Together, sigue ocurriendo describes an event that continues, which is useful when reporting a repeated problem.
lo In lo mismo, lo refers to the situation or thing as a general whole rather than naming a specific noun. This expression is useful when referring back to the same situation without repeating its details.
mismo In lo mismo, mismo means same and refers back to the previously reported problem. The complete expression means the same thing and is useful when an earlier situation keeps recurring.

Grammar Points

seguir + gerundio

La tensión sigue ocurriendo.

lah ten-SYOHN SEE-gheh oh-koo-RRYEHN-doh

The tension keeps happening.

Seguir + gerundio expresa que una acción o situación continúa.

darse cuenta de + sustantivo

Me di cuenta de lo mismo.

meh dee KWEHN-tah deh loh MEES-moh

I realized the same thing.

Darse cuenta de es una expresión pronominal; el pronombre cambia según la persona.

Spanish Vocabulary

apartarse verb
ah-par-TAR-seh to reserve; to set aside se estaban apartando

se estaban apartando con toallas

darse cuenta de phrase
DAR-seh KWEHN-tah deh to realize Me di cuenta de

Me di cuenta de que varias máquinas se estaban apartando.

directamente adv
dee-rek-tah-MEN-teh directly

enfrentarme directamente a nadie

durante mucho tiempo phrase
doo-RAHN-teh MOO-choh TYEHM-poh for a long time

durante mucho tiempo

enfrentarse a verb
en-fren-TAR-seh ah to confront enfrentarme directamente a

No quería enfrentarme directamente a nadie

frustrante adj
froos-TRAHN-teh frustrating

Eso puede ser frustrante

gimnasio noun
heem-NAH-syoh gym el gimnasio

cuando el gimnasio está lleno

lleno adj
YEH-noh full; crowded

el gimnasio está lleno

máquina noun
MAH-kee-nah machine máquinas

varias máquinas

personal noun
pehr-soh-NAHL staff El personal

El personal puede hacer un recordatorio general

recordatorio noun
reh-kor-dah-TOR-yoh reminder un recordatorio

hacer un recordatorio general

toalla noun
toh-AH-yah towel toallas

con toallas

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I did not want to confront anyone directly.

Show AnswerNo quería enfrentarme directamente a nadie.

That would feel less aggressive.

Show AnswerEso parecería menos agresivo.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

full; crowded

Show Answerlleno

machine

Show Answermáquinas

towel

Show Answertoallas

frustrating

Show Answerfrustrante