Spanish course

Lesson 74 of 238

New here? This is lesson 74 of a free 238-lesson Spanish course.

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I can't remember exactly in Spanish

Justin is trying to explain where someone can find a small shop, but the details are slippery.

This lesson gives you natural ways to pause, admit uncertainty, and gently correct yourself without stopping the conversation.

You'll say that something is hard to explain, you don't remember exactly, it's more like this, or something like that, and wait, I mean this.

By the end of this lesson

Explain uncertainty and correct a detail naturally.

  • Es difícil de explicarIt's hard to explain
  • No me acuerdo exactamenteI don't remember exactly
  • Es más bien ___It's more like ___
  • O algo asíOr something like that
  • Espera, digo ___Wait, I mean ___

Scene — a mixed-up address

At Café Laurel, Justin is explaining where Amanda can find a print shop near the plaza.

Michael knows the neighborhood, but Justin remembers the address only approximately.

Yako listens from his two chairs and quietly points at the wrong map.

At Café Laurel, Justin explains an approximate route to a print shop near the plaza while Michael knows the neighborhood and Yako quietly points at the wrong map from his two chairs.

Learn — soft corrections

These chunks help when your memory is incomplete or your first description comes out slightly wrong.

Learn them as ready-to-use pieces, especially Es más bien and Espera, digo.

  1. Justin spreads both hands in a puzzled explanatory gesture as he tells Amanda that the route is hard to explain.

    Es difícil de explicar

    It's hard to explain

    When to use it: Say this when an idea or location is difficult to describe clearly.

    De explicar means to explain; learn the whole chunk as one piece.

    Say it: Say de like dee and stress explicar on the final syllable.

  2. Justin touches his temple and looks uncertain while admitting that he does not remember the address exactly.

    No me acuerdo exactamente

    I don't remember exactly

    When to use it: Use this when you remember something generally but not every detail.

    Me acuerdo means I remember; exactamente comes at the end.

    Say it: Stress acuerdo on wer and exactamente on men.

  3. Justin traces a short alternative route in the air, offering an approximate location while Amanda follows his gesture.

    Es más bien ___

    It's more like ___

    When to use it: Use this to adjust a description toward a better, more accurate version.

    Más bien softens a correction, so it sounds less blunt than saying the first idea is wrong.

  4. Justin gives a small shrug with open palms as he adds that the approximate location may be something like that.

    O algo así

    Or something like that

    When to use it: Add this when your example or description is approximate.

    Así means like that here; the phrase leaves room for small differences.

    Say it: Stress así on the final syllable.

  5. Justin suddenly raises one finger and reaches toward a corrected spot on the map, stopping himself to say what he really means.

    Espera, digo ___

    Wait, I mean ___

    When to use it: Say this when you stop and replace your last detail with a correction.

    Digo means I mean or I say; put the corrected word after it.

    Say it: Stress espera on pe and digo on dee.

Story — almost the right place

Listen as Justin gives Amanda an approximate location, then repairs two details without abandoning the conversation.

The highlighted chunks are today's lines. Turn on Show English if you need support.

  1. Amanda is leaving for work and needs the print shop before her interview.
  2. Amanda¿Dónde está la imprenta?Where is the print shop?
  3. JustinEs difícil de explicar.It's hard to explain.
  4. JustinNo me acuerdo exactamente.I don't remember exactly.
  5. Michael¿Cerca de la plaza?Near the plaza?
  6. JustinEs más bien una papelería.It's more like a stationery shop.
  7. Amanda¿Junto al banco?Next to the bank?
  8. JustinO algo así.Or something like that.
  9. Yako¿Así?Like this?
  10. JustinEspera, digo enfrente del banco.Wait, I mean across from the bank.
  11. AmandaYa entendí. Gracias.I understand now. Thanks.
  12. Yako studies the map, then sits on the other chair as if he gave the directions.

Practice — say it more precisely

You'll identify each chunk, connect it to its meaning, and choose a better correction for a real conversation.

Listen for the difference between a firm statement and a soft guess.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    Es difícil de explicarDrop the English here
    O algo asíDrop the English here
    Déjame pensarDrop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Amanda asks where the shop is, but you can't describe the route clearly.

  4. What do you say?

    Amanda asks if it's a stationery shop; correct her by saying it's more like a copy shop.

  5. Build the line

    Or something like that

    Tap the words in order.

  6. What does it mean?

    Espera, digo ___

  7. What do you say?

    You want to ask whether someone knows how to do something.

  8. What does it mean?

    Déjame pensar

  9. What do you say?

    Michael asks if the shop is next to the bank, but you correct him: you mean across from the bank.

  10. What do you say?

    You point at a spot on the map and ask Yako if that's the place.

Say it — correct the detail

Now you are Justin, explaining an uncertain location while Amanda asks short follow-up questions.

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

  1. Amanda¿Dónde está la papelería?Where is the stationery shop?
  2. Justin (you)Say that explaining it is hard.

    Es difícil de explicar

    It's hard to explain

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
Es difícil de explicarIt's hard to explain
No me acuerdo exactamenteI don't remember exactly
Es más bien ___It's more like ___
O algo asíOr something like that
Espera, digo ___Wait, I mean ___
Next: lesson 75Forget it, I mean

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