Day 74: A Tanda Behind the Counter
At a café in Mérida, Mayra (A), a regular customer, overhears the barista, Jaqueline (B), talking about a tanda, a savings circle where everyone pays in each week and each member takes the whole pot in turn, by number.
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
Oiga, disculpe, ¿están armando una tanda?
Sorry to butt in, but are you setting up a tanda?
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B
Sí, con las compañeras. Cada quien pone quinientos pesos por semana.
Yes, with the girls I work with. Everyone puts in five hundred pesos a week.
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A
¿Y podría entrar yo? Me gustaría juntar para un viaje.
And could I join? I'd like to save up for a trip.
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B
Lo siento, pero hay que conocer a todas.
I'm sorry, but you have to know everyone.
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A
Pues vengo diario desde hace dos años. ¿Eso no contaría?
Well, I've been coming in every day for two years. Wouldn't that count?
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B
Bueno, les pregunto. Pero le tocaría el último número, ¿eh?
All right, I'll ask them. But you'd get the last number, OK?
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