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Lesson 154 of 238

New here? This is lesson 154 of a free 238-lesson Spanish course.

Start hereHow this works

Imagine this in Spanish

Sometimes you need to explain a situation before you can discuss it. These chunks help you invite someone into an imagined example and show how it connects to a familiar pattern.

You'll learn several ways to say “imagine this,” “suppose,” and “a typical case is when.” You'll also learn a flexible way to group examples.

In the story, one Saturday customer turns a normal café shift into a situation nobody planned for.

By the end of this lesson

Set up a what-if example and say this is a typical case.

  • Imagínate estoImagine this.
  • Digamos que ___Say ___.
  • Supón que ___Suppose ___.
  • Un caso típico es cuando ___A typical case is when ___.
  • Lo mismo pasa en ___The same thing happens in ___.
  • ___, ___, y cosas así___, ___, and stuff like that.

Scene — a Saturday that won't end

It's Saturday at Café Laurel, and the lunch rush should be over. Instead, one regular has ordered, paid, and stayed at the same table for hours.

Justin is trying to describe the strange situation when Yako appears in the doorway.

A strange Saturday lunch rush at Café Laurel is still going because one regular customer remains at the same table while Justin explains the situation and Yako appears in the doorway.

Learn — what-if examples

These lines let you frame a hypothetical situation, introduce a typical case, and connect it to something that happens elsewhere.

Learn each chunk as a complete piece, then notice which details can follow it.

  1. Justin introduces the bizarre café situation with an animated open-handed gesture toward the lingering regular customer.

    Imagínate esto

    Imagine this.

    When to use it: Use this to invite someone to picture the situation you are about to describe.

    Imagínate is informal tú language, and it makes the example sound vivid and immediate.

    Say it: The stress falls on the first a: ee-mah-HEE-nah-teh.

  2. Justin points directly at the regular customer to illustrate the first possible situation.

    Digamos que ___

    Say ___.

    When to use it: Use this to introduce an imagined situation or a detail you want people to consider.

    Digamos que literally means “let's say that”; learn it as one useful setup chunk.

  3. Justin makes a thoughtful, supposing gesture while the regular customer continues sitting motionless at the café table.

    Supón que ___

    Suppose ___.

    When to use it: Use this when asking someone to imagine a possible situation.

    Supón is an informal tú command from suponer, “to suppose”; it introduces a hypothetical case.

    Say it: Stress the final syllable: soo-PON keh.

  4. Justin presents the lingering customer as a typical example, using a clear explanatory gesture beside the untouched table.

    Un caso típico es cuando ___

    A typical case is when ___.

    When to use it: Use this to describe a common situation that illustrates the point.

    Caso means case, while típico agrees with the masculine noun caso.

  5. Justin compares the café situation with another familiar place while indicating beyond the open doorway.

    Lo mismo pasa en ___

    The same thing happens in ___.

    When to use it: Use this to connect your current example with another place or situation.

    Pasa can mean “happens” here, and en introduces the place or setting where it happens.

  6. Justin counts several similar examples on his fingers while the regular customer continues the same endless stay.

    ___, ___, y cosas así

    ___, ___, and stuff like that.

    When to use it: Use this after several examples when you do not need to list every similar thing.

    Y cosas así keeps the list open; así means “like that” or “along those lines.”

Story — the regular who stayed

Justin turns one stubborn customer into a what-if example for Michael. Listen for the chunks that frame the situation and connect it to other cases.

Yako arrives with an unexpected correction.

  1. Saturday afternoon has gone quiet, but one customer is still occupying the best table.
  2. JustinYa pagó, pero sigue aquí desde hace horas. Es cierto.He already paid, but he's still here after hours. It's true.
  3. Michael¿Qué pasó exactamente?What happened exactly?
  4. JustinImagínate esto: un sábado tranquilo y una mesa ocupada todo el día.Imagine this: a quiet Saturday and a table occupied all day.
  5. Michael¿Y qué hizo el cliente?And what did the customer do?
  6. JustinDigamos que pidió un café, pagó y luego no se movió.Say he ordered a coffee, paid, and then didn't move.
  7. JustinSupón que también necesita la mesa para trabajar.Suppose he also needs the table to work.
  8. MichaelUn caso típico es cuando alguien confunde el café con una oficina.A typical case is when someone confuses the café with an office.
  9. JustinLo mismo pasa en otras cafeterías del barrio.The same thing happens in other cafés in the neighborhood.
  10. Michael¿Con clientes que pagan y nunca se van?With customers who pay and never leave?
  11. JustinSí: computadoras, llamadas, reuniones, y cosas así.Yes: computers, calls, meetings, and stuff like that.
  12. YakoEso no estaba en la nota.That wasn't in the note.
  13. MichaelTe doy un ejemplo: Yako también usa dos sillas.Let me give you an example: Yako also uses two chairs.
  14. YakoYo solo pasaba.I was just passing by.

Practice — set up the example

You'll listen for the difference between a direct example and a hypothetical one, then choose, build, and swap the chunks.

Read the English carefully: several options sound related, but only one fits the situation.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    Digamos que ___Drop the English here
    Supón que ___Drop the English here
    Un caso típico es cuando ___Drop the English here
    Lo mismo pasa en ___Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What did you hear?

  4. What do you say?

    You want Michael to picture a strange situation before you explain what happened.

  5. What does it mean?

    Es cierto

  6. What did you hear?

  7. True or false?

    This line presents a common pattern, not just a single unusual event.

  8. What did you hear?

  9. What do you say?

    You have described a similar situation in another café and want to connect it to this one.

  10. Which one doesn’t belong?

  11. What did you hear?

Say it — paint the picture

Now you are Justin, explaining the café problem to Michael while Yako listens from the doorway.

Tap ▶ to hear each model line, then tap the microphone for your turn. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Michael¿Qué pasó con ese cliente?What happened with that customer?
  2. Justin (you)Invite Michael to picture the situation.

    Imagínate esto

    Imagine this.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
Imagínate estoImagine this.
Digamos que ___Say ___.
Supón que ___Suppose ___.
Un caso típico es cuando ___A typical case is when ___.
Lo mismo pasa en ___The same thing happens in ___.
___, ___, y cosas así___, ___, and stuff like that.
Next: lesson 155Better than

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to review these example-setting chunks away from the lesson? Grab the Yak Cards and practice them anywhere.

Use the cards to turn ordinary situations into quick what-if examples.

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