Coffee Break Spanish

This week’s topic is low-cost airlines and the advantages and disadvantages of low-cost travel. Mark and Alba discuss their experiences of flying with low-cost airlines (and indeed with other airlines!) and José introduces two phrases which you can use when you manage to find a real bargain! Language points covered include the use of quedarse , fijarse and no sólo … sino también . Premium members...

This episode of Coffee Break Spanish features the fifth instalment of our telenovela, Verano Español . At the end of the previous episode, Laura discovered that the boy who has been chatting her up on a daily basis in the panadería is none other than Ángel, her next-door neighbour. In episode 5 of the soap, Estela – Ángel’s sister – warns her about Ángel and his aventuras de verano , and Antonio p...

Following our recent musical episodes, listeners have been asking us for some suggestions of Spanish-language singers and groups. In episode 24 we’ve provided some suggestions, talking about Spanish groups Amaral and Ojos de Brujo , and we’ve also mentioned Colombian Juanes and the renowned Panamanian salsa performer Ruben Blades . Language points include more subjunctive talk, the use of al + inf...

This week Mark and Alba bring you a special musical episode: combining the Eurovision Song Contest with a performance from Mark of Tango by Spanish composer Albéniz. In the intermedio , José introduces the idea of ’embarrassment’ – vergüenza – and gives listeners some examples of how to use this concept in interesting expressions. Language points covered include llevar + time in the negative...

In this week’s lesson, Mark and Alba talk about music. Their discussion includes talk of playing musical instruments and how listening to music is changing because of technology. In the intermedio, José provides a couple of interesting phrases which can be used to say that you find something difficult. Language points covered include comparitives such as tan … como and tanto … como, avoiding the s...

In this episode of Season 3, Mark and Alba chat about what they were doing during the vacaciones de Semana Santa . Both Mark and Alba have been travelling, and Mark has some buenas noticias . In the  intermedio  José provides us with some interesting phrases to talk about things in the past, and language points covered include the combination of indirect and direct object pronouns when c...

Episode 20 features the fourth installment of our telenovela, Verano Español . Find out the latest about the life of Laura and her mother as they spend the summer in Spain en la casa de tía Julia . Will Laura find out a little more about the mystery customer in the panadería ? Please note that lesson 20 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 320 of Coffee Break Spanish. We have renumbered the...

In this week’s episode, Mark and Alba discuss some useful techniques for learning languages and share their ideas and advice with listeners. In the   intermedio  Alba talks about the northern Spanish city of Bilbao, and José introduces a construction which involves lo + adjective. Grammar points covered include the construction siempre que and the use of the subjunctive after para que ....

In episode 18 of Coffee Break Spanish Season 3, Mark and Alba talk about the advantages and disadvantages of buying things online, and share their experience, both positive and negative. In this week’s intermedio , Alba presents the city of Granada in the south of Spain, and José talks about ways to describe someone whose head is always in the clouds. Grammar points covered include the personal a...

This episode is dedicated to all fans of the imperfect subjunctive… and to those of you who are terrified of it! After listening to Mark and Alba’s discussion about all things hypothetical, you’ll be 100% confident in using the Spanish imperfect subjunctive. In addition, Alba talks about her favourite parts of Madrid, and José introduces some ways to express surprise in the intermedio . Please not...

Episode 16 features a conversation between Alba and Mark about what they’ve been doing since they last saw each other. Grammar points covered include possessive pronouns, and uses of the subjunctive. This week’s intermedio  features a presentation of Barcelona from Alba, and José looks at some more interesting ways of talking about going out for a drink or for something to eat. Please note th...

Episode 15 features the third installment of our ‘telenovela’, Verano Español . Find out the latest about the life of Laura and her mother as they spend the summer in Spain en la casa de tía Julia . How will Laura cope on her first day in her new job at the panadería ? Please note that lesson 15 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 315 of Coffee Break Spanish. We have renumbered the les...

In episode 14, Mark and Alba are joined by David, el novio de Alba . Topics discussed include Galicia (the region of Spain where David is from), St Valentine’s day, romantic Spanish and the imperfect subjunctive. In this week’s intermedio , Alba talks about the film Diarios de Motocicleta , and José introduces some different ways to express disbelief. Please note that lesson 14 of Season 3 was ori...

In episode 13, Mark and Alba discuss social networks including Facebook and Twitter and their value for language-learning. In addition, in this week’s intermedio , José discusses effective ways to say you’ve had enough of something, and Alba talks about the film Habana Blues . Grammar points discussed inlude subjunctive after el hecho de que, preferir que and the imperative in the vosotros form. P...

In episode 12, Mark and Alba get all poetic as they celebrate the 250th anniversary of el poeta nacional de Escocia , Robert Burns. Alba learns some Scots and in return she teaches Mark a poem by Spanish poet Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer. The intermedio includes a review of the film Secretos del Corazón , and José introduces some interesting ways to convey the concept of 'to fancy doing something'. Lang...

In episode 11, Mark and Alba talk about the holidays and about their New Year’s Resolutions. Alba presents a review of the film La Lengua de las Mariposas in the intermedio , and José’s topic of the week is paying compliments to people. Grammar points covered include the use of sí que for emphasis, and talking about how long you did things for in the past using both durante and a more simple prete...

It’s time for our second installment of the Coffee Break Spanish telenovela, Verano Español . Laura and her mother have just arrived in Spain to spend the summer in the house they’ve recently inherited from tía Julia . In this episode we’ll meet some of their new neighbours and Laura makes a new friend. Please note that lesson 10 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 310 of Coffee Break Spani...

In this 9th episode of Coffee Break Spanish Season 3, Mark and Alba discuss Christmas traditions in Spain. José introduces a couple of phrases which you can tell someone not to take something the wrong way in this week’s intermedio . Grammar points covered include al + infinitive, por and para , volver a hacer algo , and expressions which are followed by the subjunctive including antes de que, sin...

In episode 8, Alba and Mark discuss smoking laws in different countries. Language points covered include the future perfect tense, eg. “I will have stopped smoking”, the use of soler , and the phrase pillar a alguien desprevenido . José’s intermedio covers two phrases which you can use to describe how well you speak Spanish. Please note that lesson 08 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 308...

In this week’s episode, Mark and Alba talk about the different seasons of the year and about their own favourite times of year. This episode provides an opportunity for learners to learn to use the Spanish phrase o sea, and the combination of object pronouns is also covered. José’s intermedio introduces two ways to express surprise. Please note that lesson 07 of Season 3 was originally known as le...

In episode 6 of Coffee Break Spanish Season 3, Mark and Alba discuss their recent visits to Edinburgh and will entertain you with some singing! José introduces two phrases to say that things are in a mess, and language points include the pluperfect tense and using double indirect pronouns, e.g. a mi madre le gusta la música . Please note that lesson 6 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 306...

In episode 5 we launch our very own Spanish soap opera, Verano Español , which tells the story of Spanish dad, Antonio, Scottish mum Iona, and bilingual daughter Laura, and their adventures one summer in Spain. Each episode will provide you with listening practice, language study and information about the Spanish-speaking world. Please note that lesson 05 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson...

In this fourth episode of Coffee Break Spanish Season 3, Mark has just returned from a week in London and he discusses the advantages and disadvantages of living in a village, town or city with Alba. We also meet Laura from Verano Español , our forthcoming soap opera. In José’s intermedio he introduces two phrases which use the verb ponerse . Grammar points covered include the pluperfect tense, us...

This lesson was originally released in October, so in lesson 3 of Show Time Spanish, Alba tells Mark about a Halloween party she attended. They discuss the traditions of Halloween. In the intermedio José provides two alternative ways to say that you’re tired. Grammar points include reflexive verbs in different tenses, the subjunctive after quizás . Not the most seasonal of lessons, but lots o...

In our second episode of this series, Mark and Alba talk about languages and their own language skills. In the intermedio , José provides two phrases which can be used to tell someone that they are annoying you. Language points include progressive tenses using estar + gerund, and a particular use of the future tense. Please note that lesson 2 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 302 of Coffe...