Day 8: A Ten-Year-Old's Terms for a Puppy
In their apartment in Querétaro, Emiliano (A), aged ten, hands his father César (B), a lawyer, a written proposal he has drawn up himself.
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
Pa, antes de que digas que no, lee esto: es una propuesta formal.
Dad, before you say no, read this: it's a formal proposal.
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B
“Propuesta para adoptar un perro”. Has de saber que aquí se revisa cláusula por cláusula, joven.
“Proposal to adopt a dog.” You should know that here we go through it clause by clause, young man.
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A
Cláusula uno: soy yo quien lo pasea, y es en la tarde cuando tengo tiempo.
Clause one: I'm the one who walks him, and the afternoon is when I've got time.
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B
¿Y en las mañanas? A las seis y media a ti no te levanta ni una grúa.
And in the mornings? At six thirty not even a crane could get you out of bed.
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A
Cláusula dos: en las mañanas lo saca mi mamá, que de todos modos sale a correr. Ya firmó.
Clause two: in the mornings Mom takes him out, since she goes running anyway. She's already signed.
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B
Conque tu mamá ya es tu fiadora, pero ¿quién me garantiza que vas a cumplir? También prometiste practicar guitarra diario.
So your mom's already your guarantor, but who's to say you'll keep your word? You also promised to practice the guitar every day.
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A
Y practiqué diario hasta que se rompió la cuerda. Fuiste tú quien prometió cambiarla, pa, y eso fue en marzo.
And I practiced every day until the string broke. You're the one who promised to change it, Dad, and that was back in March.
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B
Reconozco que ese golpe no lo vi venir, pero ¿y el veterinario, licenciado?
I admit I didn't see that one coming, but what about the vet, counselor?
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A
Cláusula tres: la mitad de mi domingo va a una alcancía para el veterinario. Firma aquí, abajo de la de mamá.
Clause three: half my allowance goes into a piggy bank for the vet. Sign here, under Mom's.
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B
Firmo, pero agrego una adenda: la cuerda de la guitarra la cambio mañana, antes de que me demandes.
I'll sign, but I'm adding an addendum: I'm changing that guitar string tomorrow, before you sue me.
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