Day 91: A Surprise Party She Forbade
In Zamora, Michoacán, a town famous for its chongos, a sweet curd dessert, Paola (A) and her older sister Melissa (B), who had told everyone she hated surprises, clean up the morning after the surprise party Paola threw for Melissa's thirtieth birthday.
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
Buenos días, cumpleañera. ¿Qué tal amaneció la que odia las sorpresas? Porque anoche la vi bailando hasta las tres.
Good morning, birthday girl. And how's the woman who hates surprises this morning? Because last night I saw her dancing till three.
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B
Amanecí con confeti en las orejas. Por más que le advertí a todo Zamora que odio las sorpresas, nadie me hizo caso.
I woke up with confetti in my ears. However much I warned all of Zamora that I hate surprises, nobody listened.
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A
Porque les dije que era pura pose. Y a juzgar por el grito que pegaste cuando prendimos la luz, acerté.
Because I told them it was all a pose. And judging by the scream you let out when we turned on the light, I was right.
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B
Ese grito fue de terror, hermanita. Si bien el pastel estuvo buenísimo, el mariachi a las once fue un atentado contra los vecinos.
That scream was pure terror, little sister. The cake may have been delicious, but a mariachi band at eleven was an assault on the neighbors.
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A
¿Atentado? Los vecinos se acabaron los chongos y le pidieron “El Rey” dos veces al mariachi. Tú cantaste las dos.
An assault? The neighbors polished off the chongos and asked the mariachis for “El Rey” twice. You sang both times.
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B
Por cortesía, y he de reconocer que el mariachi afinaba. Pero organizar una fiesta que la festejada prohibió es casi un delito.
Out of politeness, and I must admit the mariachis were in tune. But throwing a party the birthday girl had banned is practically a crime.
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A
Delito sería dejar pasar tus treinta sin festejo. Aun cuando nos hubieras cerrado la puerta, te llevábamos serenata.
A crime would be letting your thirtieth go by without a celebration. Even if you'd shut the door on us, we'd have serenaded you.
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B
Te confieso algo: lo sabía desde el martes. Mi mamá no aguanta un secreto, y fingir la sorpresa me costó tres noches de ensayo.
I'll confess something: I'd known since Tuesday. Mom can't keep a secret, and faking the surprise cost me three nights of rehearsal.
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A
¿Lo sabías? ¡Y yo escondiendo cuarenta invitados en la cochera! He de reconocer que el grito te salió muy convincente.
You knew? And here I was hiding forty guests in the garage! I must admit, that scream came out very convincing.
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B
Tu turno. Por mucho que digas que fue por mí, tanto empeño esconde algo. ¿Qué confiesas tú?
Your turn. However much you say it was for me, all that effort is hiding something. What's your confession?
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A
Que a mí sí me encantan las sorpresas, y en marzo cumplo yo. Considéralo un anticipo con intereses.
That I actually love surprises, and my birthday's in March. Think of it as an advance, with interest.
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B
Sale. Pero la tuya la organizo yo, y a mi mamá le avisamos una hora antes.
Deal. But I'm organizing yours, and we'll tell Mom an hour before.
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