36 Hours in Bilbao

Omar is a great cook and his English is amazing. He has a bit of a problem with the initial S sound.

Spanish Spain Speak Start Stay Slow Slowly

To Stir – mover

Stew – guiso

To Simmer – hervir a fuego lento

Starch – almidón

Smokey – humado

He describes a “depth” of flavor.  Deep – profundo   Depth  - profundidad

He also says this dish is “rustic” and “homey.”   Homey – casero   Rustic – rústico, tosco

Giving Directions in English

Hace falta poco vocabulario para dar y recibir direcciones en la calle.

Straight – todo recto

Go straight – sigue recto

Turn Left – gira a la izquierdo

Turn Right - gira a la derecha

It’s on the left – está a la izqierda

To Cross – cruzar

Opposite – en frente de

In Front of – delante de

Next to – al lado

Block – manzana

Light or Traffic Light – semóforo

Corner – esquina

It's this way - está por aquí
It's that way - está por allí

Is it far? - ¿está lejos?

not far - no está muy lejos
quite close - está bastante cerca
quite a long way - es un camino bastante largo
a long way on foot - es un camino largo a pie
a long way to walk - es un camino muy largo para ir caminando

Si ves a un turista perdido en la calle no dudes en preguntar - May I help you?

You

May I help you?

Can I help you?

Are you looking for something?

Fat American Tourists

We are looking for Burger King. We want hamburgers. We are very hungry. We haven’t eaten in two hours.

You

There is a Burger King very near here. Go straight on this street for two blocks. Then turn left and go two blocks and the Burger King will be on the right.

Fat American Tourists

The Burger King is four blocks from here? That is very far. Can we take a taxi?

You

Yes, but four blocks isn’t far. It’s less than half a kilometer from here.

Fat American Tourists

Half a kilometer! We want hamburgers; we don’t want to run a marathon.

You

…but a marathon is 42 kilometers. Yes, you can take a taxi from here.

Fat American Tourists

Thank you very much. Here, take this $100. (Americans are fat and stupid but rich and friendly)

Useful Phrases

Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the post office? - Perdone, ¿me podría decir como llegar al correo?

Excuse me, do you know where the beach is? - Perdona, ¿sabes donde está la playa?

Excuse me, I’m looking for a pharmacy. Do you know one near here?  -Perdona, busco una farmacia. Sabes si hay una cerca de aquí?

Can you show me on the map, please? - ¿Me lo puedes indicar en el mapa, por favor?

Is this the right way to the center? - ¿Vamos bien para el centro?

Estas son otras expresiones muy útiles para dar indicaciones:

• Perdón. ¿Dónde está el banco? = Excuse me. Where’s the bank?
• Estoy buscando la oficina de turismo. = I’m looking for the tourist office.
• ¿Está lejos? = Is it far?
• Me he perdido. = I am lost. / I have lost my way.
• ¿Me podría decir por dónde se va al banco? = Could you tell me the way to the bank?
• Un mapa de carreteras = a road map
• Un plano, mapa = a map
• ¿Me lo puede mostrar en el plano/mapa? = Could you show me on the map?
• ¿Hay un restaurante cerca de aquí? = Is there a restaurant near here?
• ¿Voy bien por aquí para el centro? = Is this the right way to the centre?
• ¿Por dónde se va a la casa de Ana? = How do I get to Ana’s house?
• ¿El banco queda lejos? = Is the bank far?
• Doble en la esquina. = Turn at the corner.
• Cruce la calle.= Cross the street
• Está en la acera de enfrente. = It’s on the other side of the street
• Está al final de la calle. = It’s at the end of the road.
• Está a 100 metros de aquí. = It’s 100 metres away.
• A unos diez minutos caminando = about 10 minutes on foot
• Coja la próxima a la izquierda. = Take the next left.
• Coja la segunda a la derecha. = Take the second road to the right
• La calle = street/road
• El callejón = alley
• Una calle lateral = side street
• La acera = sidewalk
• Una autopista = motorway / highway
• El carril = lane
• detrás de = behind
• Cambiar de carril = to change lanes
• El carril izquierdo = left-hand lane
• La salida = exitel
• norte = north
• Justo antes del semáforo = just before the traffic light
• El cruce = the crossroad, the intersection
• Suba / Baje la calle hasta llegar al semáforo = Go up / down the street until you reach the traffic light.
• ¿Ese autobús va al centro? = Does that bus go to the centre?
• ¿Es esta la parada correcta para el museo? = Is this the right stop for the museum?
• ¿Dónde cojo el autobús para…? = Where do I catch the bus for…?
• ¿Se puede ir en tren? = Can you get there by train?
• el sur = south
• el este = east
• el oeste = west
• cerca de = near
• enfrente de = in front of
• al lado de = next to
• delante de = in front of

 Bus: autobús.

• Bus stop: parada de bus.
• Map: mapa.
• Traffic lights: semáforos.
• Crossroads: cruce de caminos.
• Junction: empalme, confluencia, salida autopista.
• Corner: esquina.

• Roundabout: rotonda.
• Round point: rotonda.
• Schedule: horario.
• Weekdays: días laborales.
• Around the corner: a la vuelta de la esquina.

I love Valencia

I live in Valencia, Spain.     Vivo en Valencia.

I was born in Valencia.       Nací en Valencia.

I am from Valencia.            Soy de Valencia.

Where are you from?

Where do you live?

Where were you born?

Valencia is the third biggest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona. The city is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Valencia is far from Madrid but you can travel by train and it only takes 90 minutes. The train is very fast and it can go 300 kilometers per hour. The train is faster than a car. Are trains faster than planes? 

There are lots of good beaches in and around Valencia. Lots of tourists come here in the summer to go to the beach. You can swim in the sea or play on the beach. There are lots of restaurants along the beach where you can have lunch.

If you are a visitor to Valencia you should have a paella at the beach. What is paella? Paella is the most famous dish in Spain. The ingredients for paella are rice, chicken, rabbit, green beans, butter beans (we call them garrofó), tomato, saffron, and salt. What is your favorite food? What is the best dish in Spain? Is paella better than pizza?

There are many orange trees near Valencia and we are famous for oranges. I drink orange juice every day. Are there orange trees where you live?

I live in Valencia with my family: my mother and father and my brother. My brother is 8 years old and I am 10. I am two years older than my brother. My brother is two years younger than I. Do you have brothers and sisters? How old are they? Are you the oldest or the youngest in your family?

I go to school from Monday to Friday. I go to school five days a week.

Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday 

On the weekends—Saturday and Sunday—I don’t have school. On weekends I play with my friends, I go to the pool, and I ride my bike. What do you do on weekends?

I like to listen to music. I like to read. (I like reading) I don’t like doing my homework.I like cooking. (I like to cook)

What do you like to do?What things do you like to do?

Do you like to cook?

Can you cook?

Are you a good cook?

I can speak Spanish, French, English, and Valenciano. I can’t speak Chinese. I can play the flute.

What languages can you speak?

Can you speak French?

Can you swim?

Can you speak Chinese?

Can you play the guitar?

Meals in Spain

In Spain we eat at different times than people do in other countries. In the morning we have breakfast at around 08:00. For breakfast we just have milk, coffee, bread with tomato and olive oil, and cookies.

Next we have almuerzo which is a mid-morning snack. We have this meal between 10:00 and 11:00. Usually we eat a sandwich. 

Then there is lunch. We have lunch at 02:00 in the afternoon. Most countries have lunch earlier, at 12:00 or 01:00. This is our big meal of the day. We always have paella at lunch, never in the evening.

Late at night, at around 09:30 or 10:00 we have dinner. This is usually a lighter meal than lunch.We like to eat and cook all over Spain.