Day 5 of 160

Day 5: Who Cut Down the Ceiba?

At home in Mérida, Aitana (A), who writes for her school newspaper, tells her mother Adriana (B), a local reporter, about the big ceiba tree in the park; Don Bartolo is an elderly neighbor.

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

    Mamá, ya tengo la noticia para el periódico escolar: el Ayuntamiento cortó la ceiba del parque.

    Mom, I've got my story for the school paper: the city cut down the ceiba in the park.

  2. B

    ¡Qué lástima! Pero a ver, ¿cómo sabes que fue el Ayuntamiento?

    What a shame! But hang on, how do you know it was the city?

  3. A

    Don Bartolo dice que serían las seis cuando llegó una camioneta. La cortarían por una plaga, ¿no?

    Don Bartolo says it must have been about six when a van turned up. They probably cut it down because of some pest, didn't they?

  4. B

    Mi amor, una camioneta no prueba que haya sido el Ayuntamiento. ¿Qué fuente te lo confirmó?

    Sweetheart, a van doesn't prove it was the city. Which source confirmed it for you?

  5. A

    Pues ninguna, pero en la colonia todos dicen lo mismo.

    Well, none, but everyone in the neighborhood is saying the same thing.

  6. B

    Llama al Ayuntamiento y pregunta quién dio la orden. No creo que la hayan cortado sin permiso.

    Call city hall and ask who gave the order. I doubt they cut it down without a permit.

  7. A

    Bueno, y mientras no me contesten, escribo “según los vecinos” y no lo doy por hecho.

    OK, and until they answer me, I'll write “according to the neighbors” and not treat it as a fact.

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