Day 172: The Ranch Well Is Drying Up
On the family's cattle ranch in Coahuila, Heriberto (A) shows his adult daughter Andrea (B), a biologist, how low the well has fallen.
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
-
A
Mira nada más, hija: el pozo nunca habÃa estado tan bajo.
Just look at this, honey: the well has never been this low.
-
B
¿Ya ves? Llevo años diciéndote que esto del clima va en serio.
You see? I've been telling you for years that this climate business is serious.
-
A
No creo que sea para tanto. Fue un año seco y ya; dudo que el próximo sea igual.
I don't think it's that bad. It was one dry year, that's all; I doubt next year will be the same.
-
B
Ojalá, pero lo preocupante es que el acuÃfero baja cada año, llueva o no.
I hope so, but the worrying thing is that the aquifer drops every year, rain or no rain.
-
A
¿Y qué quieres que haga, que venda el ganado? Mi abuelo sacó agua de este pozo toda su vida.
And what do you want me to do, sell the cattle? My grandfather drew water from this well all his life.
-
B
Nadie dice eso, papá. Lo mejor es medir el nivel cada mes y decidir con datos, no con corazonadas.
Nobody's saying that, Dad. The best thing is to measure the level every month and decide on facts, not hunches.
Your progress is saved in this browser only, with no sign-up. The course page and the menu show where you left off. Well done! Next up: Day 173: An Antenna for Grandpa's Evening News
If this free course has helped you in your Spanish journey, please consider supporting the project. It's a one-person effort, and even small contributions help keep it running and free for everyone.