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🇪🇸 Spanish · Fluency Level 3

PART 3 · LESSON 29 OF 30 · 33 MINUTES

The Road Is Made by Walking

Sunday night on the beach in Cadiz, the night of Saint John. Pepa hands out paper and pens, Dad writes his wish in Spanish and reads it out, Sarah keeps hers to herself for once, Encarna says hers out loud as always, and Julian hasn't said a word since Seville, in case his slips out. At midnight the papers burn and Pepa sends everyone into the Atlantic. Hand out paper and pens - paper and pen for everyone, that's what you studied all year for - say what you wish for most - what I wish for most is to come back next summer, that's not a wish, that's a promise - keep a wish to yourself, or say it out loud - this time, I'm keeping it to myself, me, the usual, at my age there's no time for secrets - describe a silence - he hasn't opened his mouth all night, in case his wish slips out, four hours without a word, now that really is a miracle - and go into the sea the Cadiz way - seven waves, and a wish on each one, if Encarna does it, I'll do it, up to the ankles, and no further than that.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

It's Sunday, June 23rd, 2030, the night of Saint John, eleven o'clock, on the beach in Cadiz. The bonfires burn all along the sand, a rag doll beside each one. It's Sarah's third Saint John here, Encarna's second, and the first for Mom and Dad, nine days into their summer, and for Emily, who came down on the train with Curro. Lucia, Pablo and Paco, six days old, stayed in Triana. Pepa has her bag of paper and pens, Rosario the cool box. Julian is here too, and hasn't said a word since Seville. This is the conversation you'll be able to say by the end of the lesson.

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Words and phrases

The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.
un bolioon BOH-leea pen, short for ballpoint
Papel y boli para todos.pah-PEHL ee BOH-lee PAH-rah TOH-dohsPaper and pen for everyone.
para esoPAH-rah EH-sohthat's what it's for, word for word for that
Que para eso has estudiado todo el año.keh PAH-rah EH-soh ahs ehs-too-dee-AH-doh TOH-doh ehl AH-nyohThat's what you studied all year for.
lo que más deseoloh keh mahs deh-SEH-ohwhat I wish for most
Lo que más deseo es volver el verano que viene.loh keh mahs deh-SEH-oh ehs bohl-BEHR ehl beh-RAH-noh keh bee-EH-nehWhat I wish for most is to come back next summer.
Eso no es un deseo. Eso es una promesa.EH-soh noh ehs oon deh-SEH-oh EH-soh ehs OO-nah proh-MEH-sahThat's not a wish. That's a promise.
me lo guardomeh loh GWAHR-dohI'm keeping it to myself
Esta vez, me lo guardo.EHS-tah behs meh loh GWAHR-dohThis time, I'm keeping it to myself.
lo de siempreloh deh see-EHM-prehthe usual, word for word that of always

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