Spanish course

Lesson 3 of 238

New here? This is lesson 3 of a free 238-lesson Spanish course.

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Good to see you in Spanish

It's the next morning, and Justin is back at Café Laurel. Michael welcomes him, and Yako is on his two chairs by the window.

You'll learn how to welcome someone, say it's good to see them, and ask a question back. You'll also say what people should call you, and ask if they speak English.

That last question is the one you'll use all over Mexico City, the moment your Spanish runs out.

Watch Yako. He says he speaks English, then doesn't say another word of it all morning.

By the end of this lesson

Welcome someone, say it's good to see them, ask “and you?”, tell people what to call you, and ask if they speak English.

  • Bienvenido.Welcome
  • Qué gusto verte.Good to see you
  • ¿Y tú?And you?
  • Dime ___.Call me ___
  • ¿Hablas inglés?Do you speak English?

Scene — the second morning

It's morning inside Café Laurel. Michael is behind the counter, ready with a hello and a coffee.

Yako is back on his two chairs by the window, as if he never left, and he waves the moment he sees Justin.

The second morning: Justin opens the café door and Michael looks up from the counter.

Learn — welcome and names

Here are today's five lines. Press Play, listen, then say each one out loud.

They're short welcomes. You don't have to memorize them yet.

  1. Michael says bienvenido with one hand open toward the room.

    Bienvenido.

    Welcome

    When to use it: When someone arrives at your place, your table, or your café.

    Bienvenido is for a man. For a woman it's bienvenida.

  2. Michael is happy to see Justin again.

    Qué gusto verte.

    Good to see you

    When to use it: When you see a friend again and you're happy about it.

  3. Yako answers and asks ¿y tú? back before Justin has finished.

    ¿Y tú?

    And you?

    When to use it: After you answer a question, send the same question back.

    Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? is the most common answer to ¿Cómo estás?

  4. Justin tells Michael what to call him.

    Dime ___.

    Call me ___

    When to use it: When someone uses a long name or a title, and you want them to use your name.

    Dime Justin. Dime Mike. It's friendly and relaxed.

  5. Justin asks Michael if he speaks English.

    ¿Hablas inglés?

    Do you speak English?

    When to use it: When you want to check if you can switch to English for a moment.

    Say it: The h in hablas is silent: “AH-blas”.

Story — back at Café Laurel

Watch Michael welcome Justin back, and watch Yako answer before the question is finished.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Tap ▶ to play the scene, and turn on Show English if you get stuck.

  1. The next morning. Justin opens the café door.
  2. Michael¡Buenos días! Bienvenido.Good morning! Welcome.
  3. JustinHola, buenos días.Hi, good morning.
  4. Michael¡Qué gusto verte! Qué buen clima hace hoy.Good to see you! Nice weather today.
  5. Yako waves from his two chairs.
  6. JustinHola, Yako. ¿Cómo est…?Hi, Yako. How are…?
  7. YakoBien, gracias. ¿Y tú?I'm good, thanks. And you?
  8. JustinBien, gracias.I'm good, thanks.
  9. Michael¿Un café, joven?A coffee, young man?
  10. JustinSí. Dime Justin.Yes. Call me Justin.
  11. JustinMichael, ¿hablas inglés?Michael, do you speak English?
  12. MichaelUn poquito.A little bit.
  13. YakoYo sí.I do.
  14. Yako doesn't say another word in English all morning.

Practice — welcome someone

Eleven quick exercises, each one a small welcome. Pick an answer and press Check.

Keep trying until it's right, or use the skip button and come back. After the right answer, you'll see why.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Bienvenido.

  3. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    Bienvenido.Drop the English here
    Qué gusto verte.Drop the English here
    ¿Y tú?Drop the English here
    ¿Hablas inglés?Drop the English here
    Buenos días.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Spanish, or tap one and then the other.

  4. What do you say?

    A friend you haven't seen for a week walks into the café. You're happy to see her.

  5. True or false?

    You say “Bienvenido” to welcome a woman who just arrived.

  6. What do you say?

    Yako asks how you are. You answer “Bien, gracias” and want to ask him the same thing back.

  7. Fill the gap

    Do you speak English?

    ¿____ inglés?

  8. What do you say?

    Michael keeps calling you “joven”. You want him to use your name.

  9. Build the line

    Good to see you

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  10. What does it mean?

    ¿Hablas inglés?

  11. Pick the reply

    Yako says:

    ¿Cómo estás?

    How are you?

    And you reply with:

Say it — the second morning

You play Justin. Michael speaks first, and you answer out loud.

Tap the microphone and your device checks you. Nothing is uploaded. Tap ▶ to hear the line, or the skip button to move on.

  1. MichaelBuenos días, joven. ¡Bienvenido!Good morning, young man. Welcome!
  2. Justin (you)Ask him to call you by your name.

    Dime ___.

    Call me ___

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
Bienvenido.Welcome
Qué gusto verte.Good to see you
¿Y tú?And you?
Dime ___.Call me ___
¿Hablas inglés?Do you speak English?
Next: lesson 4What's up

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

The welcome lines from the second morning are in Yak Cards, next to yesterday's hellos.

Say ¿y tú? a few times today. It turns every answer into a conversation.

Open Yak Cards