Day 57: An Autograph Line at the FIL
At the Guadalajara International Book Fair (the FIL), Karina (A), a fan of the bestselling thriller writer Germán Olvera, gets in line for his autograph with her friend Anabel (B).
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
¡Qué fila tan larga! Pero de aquí no me muevo hasta que Germán Olvera me firme su novela nueva.
What a long line! But I'm not moving from here until Germán Olvera signs his new novel for me.
-
B
¿Dos horas parada por una firma? Ese señor escribe como si le pagaran por cada lugar común.
Two hours on your feet for an autograph? That man writes as if he were paid for every cliché.
-
A
Lleva cinco millones de ejemplares vendidos; algo estará haciendo bien, ¿no crees?
He's sold five million copies; he must be doing something right, don't you think?
-
B
El que venda millones no significa que escriba bien: tramas de fórmula y personajes de cartón.
Selling millions doesn't mean he writes well: formulaic plots and cardboard characters.
-
A
Pues el hecho de que medio país lo lea en el camión también dice algo.
Well, the fact that half the country reads him on the bus says something too.
-
B
Dice que sabe enganchar, pero eso no es estilo: cortar cada capítulo en pleno suspenso es una trampa barata.
It says he knows how to hook readers, but that's not style: cutting off every chapter on a cliffhanger is a cheap trick.
-
A
Para despreciarlo tanto, conoces muy bien sus capítulos. A ver, ¿cuántos libros suyos has leído?
For someone who despises him so much, you know his chapters very well. Go on, how many of his books have you read?
-
B
Todos, ¿contenta? Y en cuanto termines el nuevo, me lo prestas: necesito saber quién mató al notario.
All of them, happy now? And as soon as you finish the new one, lend it to me: I need to know who killed the notary.
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 58: Culture Shock at the Car Plant
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.