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 + infinitive, and in addition to introducing some phrases meaning “to keep up to date”, José sings! Please note that lesson 24 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 324 of Coffee Break Spanish. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
Month: September 2011
Season 3 – Lesson 23 – Coffee Break Spanish
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 to talk about what you haven’t done for a while, the imperative in the vosotros form, and what happens when the imperative is combined with object and reflexive pronouns. Please note that lesson 23 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 323 of Coffee Break Spanish. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
Season 3 – Lesson 29 – Coffee Break French
In this latest lesson of Coffee Break French we’ll be joining Veronica and listening to her final text. She has been learning French in Nice along with Katie and Alf and in this final text she updates us on what she has been doing and tells us of some important decisions she has taken. Please note that lesson 29 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 329 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
Season 3 – Lesson 22 – Coffee Break Spanish
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 subjunctive and a particular use of verbs which differs from English, based on the phrase from the conversation, espero que no seas tú. Please note that lesson 22 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 322 of Coffee Break Spanish. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
Season 3 – Lesson 21 – Coffee Break Spanish
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 combined with an imperative, when to use sólo and when to use solo, and the tricky verb cundir. Please note that lesson 21 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 321 of Coffee Break Spanish. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.
