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Lesson 226 of 238

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Free Spanish CourseLesson 226 of 238

So here's what happened in Spanish

Alex missed the weekend, so Justin has to tell the story again. This time, the goal isn't merely to list stops and meals.

You'll learn six chunks that give a retelling a shape: setting the scene, signaling a turn, adding a picture, and pausing when you're not ready for the next part.

At the next table, Yako remembers the weekend with suspicious confidence.

By the end of this lesson

Retell an experience with clear transitions, emphasis, and a natural pause.

  • Resulta que ___So what happened was ___
  • El detalle es que ___The thing is, ___
  • Ahí fue cuando ___That's when ___
  • Para que te des una ideaJust so you get the picture
  • ¿Y sabes qué?And you know what?
  • Todavía no llego a esoI'm not there yet

Scene — the weekend, retold

Late afternoon at Café Laurel. Alex has joined Justin at the front table and wants the weekend story, but Alex wasn't there for any of it.

Yako is at the next table, listening while pretending to read. Justin has notes, though the notes are already making the trip look unusually tidy.

At Café Laurel, Justin sits with Alex at the front table while Yako listens from the next table and almost corrects Justin’s overly tidy travel notes.

Learn — shape the story

These chunks help you guide a listener through a story instead of dropping disconnected events on them.

Notice how some introduce information, while others signal a turning point or a pause.

  1. Justin gestures toward his weekend notes as he begins explaining what happened, while Alex leans forward to listen and Yako watches from the next table.

    Resulta que ___

    So what happened was ___

    When to use it: Use this to launch the real story behind an event or explain what actually happened.

    It sounds conversational and often introduces background that the listener does not yet know.

    Say it: reh-SOOL-tah keh

  2. Justin points to a small overlooked detail in his travel notes while Alex studies his face and Yako quietly turns an ear toward them.

    El detalle es que ___

    The thing is, ___

    When to use it: Use this to introduce the important complication or qualification in your account.

    It focuses attention on one relevant detail, often gently correcting an overly simple version.

    Say it: el deh-TAH-yeh ehs keh

  3. Justin lifts one finger at the crucial moment of the weekend story, with Alex focused on him and Yako pausing over his pretend reading.

    Ahí fue cuando ___

    That's when ___

    When to use it: Use this to mark the moment when the next important event began.

    It points back to a specific moment and gives the listener a clear turning point.

    Say it: ah-EE fweh KWAHN-doh

  4. Justin uses both hands to frame an imaginary scene so Alex can visualize the weekend, while Yako discreetly observes from the next table.

    Para que te des una idea

    Just so you get the picture

    When to use it: Use this before a concrete detail that helps your listener imagine the situation.

    It is a natural conversational frame in Mexico; add the example immediately afterward.

    Say it: PAH-rah keh teh dehs OO-nah ee-DEH-ah

  5. Alex leans across the table with a curious raised hand, while Justin pauses and Yako looks over the top of his magazine.

    ¿Y sabes qué?

    And you know what?

    When to use it: Use this to create interest before revealing an unexpected or especially meaningful detail.

    The question invites attention, but it usually leads straight into your own next sentence.

    Say it: ee SAH-behs keh

  6. Justin gently holds up a stopping hand to indicate that the story has not reached that part yet, as Alex settles back and Yako resumes his false reading.

    Todavía no llego a eso

    I'm not there yet

    When to use it: Use this when someone jumps ahead and you need to hold your place in the story.

    It means you have not reached that part of the account, not that you cannot physically get there.

    Say it: toh-dah-VEE-ah noh YEH-goh ah EH-soh

Story — almost one stop too many

Alex wasn't there, so listen for how Justin turns a list of weekend events into a story with emphasis and a point.

Yako nearly supplies a stop that never happened. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Alex opens a chair at Justin's table. Yako listens from the next table, one hoof resting on a notebook.
  2. Alex¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana?What did you do this weekend?
  3. JustinResulta que fui a un pueblo pequeño el sábado.So what happened was, I went to a small town on Saturday.
  4. Alex¿Y luego?And then?
  5. JustinEn el camino, paramos para comer; después caminamos por el centro.On the way, we stopped to eat; afterward, we walked through downtown.
  6. JustinEl detalle es que el lugar estaba cerrado, aunque el mapa decía que abría.The thing is, the place was closed, even though the map said it was open.
  7. Alex¿Y qué pasó después?And what happened next?
  8. JustinAhí fue cuando empezó a llover y tuvimos que cambiar de plan.That's when it started raining and we had to change our plan.
  9. Yako¿También pasaron por el mirador?Did you also go by the overlook?
  10. JustinTodavía no llego a eso; de hecho, nunca fuimos al mirador.I'm not there yet; in fact, we never went to the overlook.
  11. YakoCasi lo recuerdo.I almost remember it.
  12. JustinPara que te des una idea, pasamos más tiempo esperando que visitando lugares.Just so you get the picture, we spent more time waiting than visiting places.
  13. AlexEntonces, ¿fue un mal fin de semana?So, was it a bad weekend?
  14. Justin¿Y sabes qué? No. Lo mejor fue que no tuvimos que seguir el plan.And you know what? No. The best part was that we didn't have to follow the plan.
  15. Yako quietly crosses out “mirador” in his notebook, then looks at the empty line beneath it.

Practice — make the point

Practice the chunks as tools for storytelling, then bring back a few trip lines from earlier lessons.

The point is to sound organized without making the weekend sound more perfect than it was.

0 of 12 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    Resulta que ___Drop the English here
    El detalle es que ___Drop the English here
    Para que te des una ideaDrop the English here

    English

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

  3. Fill the gap

    So what happened was ___

    ____ que ___

  4. What do you say?

    Alex wants the important complication: the restaurant was closed even though the map said it was open.

  5. Pick the reply

    Alex says:

    ¿Y sabes qué pasó después?

    And you know what happened next?

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    Just so you get the picture

    Tap the words in order.

  7. What does it mean?

    Fui a ___ el sábado

  8. What do you say?

    Yako jumps ahead to the overlook, but Justin has not reached that part and they never went there.

  9. True or false?

    This chunk can create interest before an unexpected detail.

  10. Pick the reply

    Alex says:

    ¿Entonces fue un mal fin de semana?

    So, was it a bad weekend?

    And you reply with:

  11. What did you hear?

  12. What did you hear?

Say it — tell Alex what happened

Now retell the weekend to Alex yourself. Use the microphone for each Justin turn, and listen for how the exchange stays conversational.

Tap ▶ to hear the model line first if you want it. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Alex¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana?What did you do this weekend?
  2. Justin (you)Start the weekend story with what actually happened.

    Resulta que ___

    So what happened was ___

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
Resulta que ___So what happened was ___
El detalle es que ___The thing is, ___
Ahí fue cuando ___That's when ___
Para que te des una ideaJust so you get the picture
¿Y sabes qué?And you know what?
Todavía no llego a esoI'm not there yet
Next: lesson 227And that's why I'm telling you

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these storytelling chunks handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

Use the Yak Cards to practice opening a story, marking a turn, and holding your place when someone jumps ahead.

Open Yak Cards