Day 53: The Path Across the Cornfield
Near Cholula, Puebla, Don Crescencio (A; don is a respectful title), a farmer, stops to talk to Liliana (B), who has just bought the plot of land next to his fields.
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
Buenas tardes, señora. ¿Qué va a construir con tanto material?
Good afternoon. What are you going to build with all this material?
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B
Voy a bardear el terreno: llevo meses planeándolo, porque aquí se mete de todo.
I'm going to wall in the plot: I've been planning it for months, because all kinds of things get in here.
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A
Pero por su terreno pasa el camino a mi milpa: llevo cuarenta años cruzando con mi yunta.
But the path to my cornfield runs across your land: I've been crossing it with my oxen for forty years.
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B
Le iba a mandar esta carta: “Cabe señalar que la escritura no contempla ninguna servidumbre; por consiguiente, le agradecería no cruzar mi predio”.
I was going to send you this letter: “It should be noted that the deeds provide for no right of way; consequently, I would be grateful if you did not cross my land.”
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A
Cabe señalar que mi milpa no tiene otra salida, y según mi abogado, eso es una servidumbre de paso.
It should be noted that my cornfield has no other way out, and according to my lawyer, that constitutes a right of way.
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B
No quiero pleitos. ¿Y si dejo un portón en la barda y le doy su propia llave?
I don't want any quarrels. What if I leave a gate in the wall and give you your own key?
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A
Así sí, señora. Asimismo, le agradecería que aceptara los primeros elotes de la temporada.
Now that's more like it. Furthermore, I would be grateful if you accepted the first corn of the season.
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