Day 120 of 160

Day 120: Grandma Explains Compound Interest

At home in Tlaxcala, Leandro (A) shows his grandmother Leonila (B) the birthday money in his piggy bank; el domingo is the allowance Mexican children get, and a caja popular is a savings cooperative.

How to study this lesson 3 steps
  1. Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. A

    Abuelita, mire: ya junté 1,800 pesos en la alcancía. ¡Nomás me faltan 700 para la bici!

    Grandma, look: I've saved up 1,800 pesos in my piggy bank. I only need 700 more for the bike!

  2. B

    ¡Mira nomás, todo un capital! ¿Y si mientras juntas el resto te ayudo a abrir una cuenta de ahorro?

    Well, look at that, a small fortune! What if I help you open a savings account while you save up the rest?

  3. A

    ¿Y para qué lo meto al banco, si en la alcancía no se pierde?

    But why put it in the bank, if it doesn't get lost in the piggy bank?

  4. B

    Porque en la alcancía no crece. Si lo metieras al banco, te pagarían intereses nomás por dejarlo guardado.

    Because it doesn't grow in the piggy bank. If you put it in the bank, they'd pay you interest just for leaving it there.

  5. A

    ¿Y cuánto me pagarían? ¿Los 700 que me faltan?

    And how much would they pay me? The 700 I still need?

  6. B

    Ojalá. Ponle que te dieran una tasa del diez por ciento, que ya quisieras: 1,000 pesos serían 1,100 al año, y al siguiente, 1,210.

    If only. Say they gave you a rate of ten percent, which you'd be lucky to get: 1,000 pesos would be 1,100 after a year, and the year after that, 1,210.

  7. A

    ¿Por qué 1,210 y no 1,200? ¡Ah, porque el interés también gana interés!

    Why 1,210 and not 1,200? Oh, because the interest earns interest too!

  8. B

    ¡Exacto, y así se va acumulando! Tendría yo unos diez años cuando mi papá me abrió una cuenta en la caja popular.

    Exactly, and that's how it builds up! I must have been about ten when my dad opened an account for me at the caja popular.

  9. A

    Entonces, si guardara 50 pesos de mi domingo cada semana, para Navidad ya tendría la bici. ¡Y los intereses son para usted!

    So if I put away 50 pesos of my allowance every week, I'd have the bike by Christmas. And the interest is for you!

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