Day 61: A Separation Agreement for Roommates
In the apartment in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, that they have shared for five years, Alessandra (A) reads out to Jocelyn (B), who is about to move out, a mock agreement she has drafted to divide the apartment, the deposit and their cat, Chamoy.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a Spanish word to see what it means.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Spanish, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning
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A
Para no acabar en pleito, redacté un acuerdo: “La suscrita, conforme a derecho, propone los siguientes términos de separación”.
So we don't end up fighting, I've drawn up an agreement: “The undersigned, in accordance with the law, proposes the following terms of separation.”
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B
¿Términos de separación? Me voy a vivir con mi novio, amiga, no me estoy divorciando de ti.
Terms of separation? I'm moving in with my boyfriend, not divorcing you.
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A
Cláusula primera: el departamento queda para la suscrita, y tu mitad del depósito se te reintegrará en seis cómodas mensualidades.
Clause one: the apartment goes to the undersigned, and your half of the deposit shall be refunded to you in six easy monthly installments.
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B
¿Seis meses? Son cinco mil pesos, y con eso pago la mudanza. Eso ya no me dio risa.
Six months? It's five thousand pesos, and that's what pays for my move. That one wasn't funny.
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A
Cláusula segunda: Chamoy permanecerá en el inmueble en virtud de su arraigo, porque los gatos son de la casa, no de la gente.
Clause two: Chamoy shall remain at the property on account of his roots here, because cats belong to the house, not to people.
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B
¿Arraigo? Yo firmé la adopción, y Chamoy duerme en mi cama desde el primer día.
Roots? I signed the adoption papers, and Chamoy has slept on my bed since day one.
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A
Apenas hubo firmado la adopción, la señorita se fue un mes a Vallarta, y el antibiótico se lo dio la suscrita.
No sooner had she signed the adoption papers than the young lady went off to Vallarta for a month, and it was the undersigned who gave him his antibiotics.
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B
¿Neta me lo vas a cobrar en cláusulas? Cinco años juntas, y ahora todo es quién se queda con qué.
Are you seriously going to make me pay for it in clauses? Five years together, and now it's all about who gets what.
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A
Perdón. Lo escribí de broma porque no sabía cómo decirte que me da pánico quedarme aquí sin ti.
Sorry. I wrote it as a joke because I didn't know how to tell you I'm terrified of staying here without you.
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B
Pues sin licenciados: te quedas con el depa y con Chamoy, me pagas en dos quincenas y los domingos me toca convivencia.
Then no lawyers: you keep the apartment and Chamoy, you pay me over the next two paydays, and on Sundays I get visiting rights.
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A
Acepto. Último punto: “El presente surtirá efecto al firmarlo Chamoy”. Y mira, ya se acostó encima.
I accept. One last point: “This agreement shall take effect upon being signed by Chamoy.” And look, he's already lying on it.
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