Spanish GCSE Reading and Grammar — Constance e Imran Episode 12 (learn through a novel)
- The story episode in Spanish.
- The translation into English.
- A grammar explanation with examples from the story.
Constance está sola en su habitación. Piensa en Imran. —Seguro quiere decirme que está enamorado de mí—, se repite. Es su primer amor, y todo parece más intenso que cualquier novela.
Constance is alone in her room. She thinks about Imran. —He’s definitely going to tell me he’s in love with me— she tells herself. It’s her first love, and everything feels more intense than any novel.
Imran es más reservado que cualquiera de su clase, y eso la atrae. Pero sus mundos son tan diferentes como el día y la noche, aunque al mismo tiempo son diferentes e iguales. Tienen problemas similares, sentimientos similares…
Imran is more reserved than anyone else in her class, and that attracts her. But their worlds are as different as day and night, even though at the same time they’re different and alike. They have similar problems, similar feelings…
—¿Cómo voy a encajar en su mundo? Lo único que sé de los musulmanes es que van a la mezquita. No conozco Pakistán, no sé hablar el idioma de sus padres. Es tan loco como tirarse a una piscina sin agua—.
—How am I going to fit into his world? All I know about Muslims is that they go to the mosque. I don’t know Pakistan, I don’t speak his parents’ language. It’s as crazy as jumping into an empty pool—.
Le viene a la cabeza la frase de ese filósofo alemán que tanto le gusta, Nietzsche: “En el amor hay siempre algo de locura, pero también hay siempre en la locura algo de razón.”
De pronto, suena el móvil. Es un mensaje de Imran: Mañana a las 5 en el banco del parque. Constance lo lee una y otra vez.
The line by that German philosopher she loves so much, Nietzsche, comes to her mind: “In love there is always some madness, but there is also always some reason in madness.”
Suddenly, her phone buzzes. It’s a message from Imran: Tomorrow at 5, on the bench. Constance reads it again and again.
When we compare something, we use some words called comparatives. They work in this way:
- 🐘 El elefante es más grande que el perro. → The elephant is bigger than the dog.
- 🐶 El perro es menos grande que el elefante. → The dog is less big than the elephant.
- 🐕🐈 El perro es tan grande como el gato. → The dog is as big as the cat.
In the episode, you have these examples:
- Todo parece más intenso que cualquier novela. → Everything feels more intense than any novel.
- Es más reservado que cualquiera de su clase. → Imran is more reserved than anyone else in her class.
- Sus mundos son tan diferentes como el día y la noche. → Their worlds are as different as day and night.
- Es tan loco como tirarse a una piscina sin agua. → It’s as crazy as jumping into an empty pool.
You probably think that and is y, and or is o. Well, this is not always the case… Take a look.
- Constance y Maya son amigas. Constance and Maya are friends.
- Constance e Imran son amigos. Constance and Imran are friends.
Why did I change? Because in Spanish, when the second word starts either with i or hi, we always put e. This is only to avoid a vowel clash. Now you know why the title of this story is Constance e Imran!
- Hablo inglés y español. I speak English and Spanish.
- Hablo francés e italiano. I speak French and Italian.
You can read this in the story:
Sus mundos son tan diferentes como el día y la noche, aunque al mismo tiempo son diferentes e iguales.
Exactly the same happens with or, which is o, but it becomes u when the second word starts with o or ho:
- Quiero estudiar español o francés. I want to study Spanish or French.
- Quiero estudiar alemán u holandés. I want to study German or Dutch.
Find all the episodes here: Contents – GCSE Spanish
Read the corresponding mini-blog here → Cualquier vs Cualquiera in Spanish: Why the Word Changes Form
Highly qualified native teacher with 30 years of experience. One-to-one lessons via Zoom. Contact me at laura@spanishforlondon.com
We post two new episodes every week — keep up with Constance and Imran’s story!
