Spanish GCSE Reading and Grammar — Constance e Imran Episode 8 (learn through a novel)
- The story episode in Spanish.
- The translation into English.
- A grammar explanation with examples from the story.
Constance llega a casa y deja el libro sobre la mesa.
Constance arrives home and leaves the book on the table.
«Hoy discutimos en clase de literatura…»
“Today we argued in literature class…”
La madre suspira.
Her mother sighs.
«¡Ah, la chica lectora!» dice con sarcasmo. Constance aprieta el libro contra el pecho.
“Ah, the bookish girl!” she says with sarcasm. Constance presses the book against her chest.
«¿Alguna vez te importa lo que hago?»
“Do you ever care about what I do?”
La madre se cruza de brazos.
Her mother crosses her arms.
«Haz lo que quieras. Yo trabajo todo el día, no estoy para escuchar tus tonterías.»
“Do whatever you want. I work all day, I’m not here to listen to your nonsense.”
Constance respira hondo.
Constance takes a deep breath.
«Imran tiene una madre que lo presiona. Yo tengo una que no espera nada. ¿Cuál es peor?»
“Imran has a mother who pressures him. I have one who expects nothing. Which is worse?”
La madre se gira y la mira por primera vez.
Her mother turns and looks at her for the first time.
«¿Peor? Peor sería que no tuvieras madre. Así que deja de quejarte.»
“Worse? Worse would be if you didn’t have a mother. So stop complaining.”
Un segundo de silencio, una sombra en su mirada, pero enseguida aparta la vista. Constance da un paso hacia ella.
There’s a pause, a shadow in her eyes, but she quickly looks away. Constance takes a step toward her.
«No quiero órdenes. Quiero que estés. Que seas mi madre.»
“I don’t want orders. I want you to be here. To be my mother.”
La madre no responde. Se queda inmóvil, con los brazos cruzados, como si la frase la hubiera golpeado. Finalmente, gira la cabeza hacia la televisión. Constance recoge su libro y sube a su cuarto. Cierra la puerta, se sienta en la cama y lo abre despacio. El silencio la rodea. Afuera, la casa sigue igual de vacía. Constance acaricia la primera página y piensa:
Her mother doesn’t answer. She stands frozen, arms still crossed, as if the words had struck her. Finally, she turns her head toward the TV. Constance picks up her book and goes upstairs to her room. She closes the door, sits on the bed, and opens it slowly. Silence surrounds her. Outside, the house is just as empty. Constance strokes the first page and thinks:
«Si nadie me escucha aquí, hablaré con mis libros.»
“If no one listens to me here, I will speak to my books.”
«¡Ah, la chica lectora!» dice con sarcasmo.
One of the most easy things to understand but most difficult to remember when you talk or write is the agreement in Spanish. This simply means that words are like football players following the ball, all of them running in the same direction. If one is feminine, the rest are feminine (or masculine, or singular, or plural). So you have la chica lectora (la is feminine, chica is feminine, lectora is feminine). Here you have more examples:
- la chica alta – the tall girl
- las chicas altas – the tall girls
- el chico alto – the tall boy
- los chicos altos – the tall boys
And to continue comparing words and football players, consider that the captain of the team is the article (la, las, el, los). Simply follow the direction. And remember: this must become second nature. Otherwise, you will lose grades in your exam.
«Hoy discutimos en clase de literatura…»
Three words to talk about time:
- Ayer, hoy, mañana – yesterday, today, tomorrow
- Ayer fui al cine con mi amiga y luego comimos una pizza.
Yesterday, I went to the cinema with my friend and then we ate pizza. - Hoy tengo clase de guitarra.
Today I have a guitar lesson. - Mañana voy a estudiar para el examen de inglés.
Tomorrow, I am going to study for the English exam.
Find all the episodes here: Contents – GCSE Spanish
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We post two new episodes every week — keep up with Constance and Imran’s story!
