Season 3 – Lesson 03 – Coffee Break Spanish

This lesson was originally released in October, so in lesson 3, 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 of interesting Spanish! Please note that lesson 3 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 303 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 02 – Coffee Break Spanish

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 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 23 – Coffee Break French

Today’s episode is the first of two lessons which focus on Alf’s latest text which has lots of interesting language points to discuss. Alf has been attending cookery lessons in Nice and he reports back on this in this week’s episode. Language points include lots more preceding direct object examples and the intriguing use of que l’on instead of qu’on! Please note that lesson 23 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 323 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 01 – Coffee Break Spanish

Welcome to this first episode of Coffee Break Spanish Season 3! In this first episode of the series you’ll get to know our two main presenters, Mark and Alba, and you’ll also be meeting José who will help you to take your Spanish al siguiente nivel, “to the next level”. Please note that lesson 1 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 301 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 22 – Coffee Break French

In this week’s episode of Coffee Break French we hear about Veronica’s exciting weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix. We’ll be hearing about the party she attended at the house of one of her clients. We will be hearing more examples of the subjunctive along with a couple of interesting preceding direct objects! Please note that lesson 22 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 322 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 21 – Coffee Break French

Coffee Break French is back with episode 21 in which we’ll be hearing from Alf, one of our three students learning French in Nice. Alf will be telling us about a chance meeting he had with his neighbour and his new interest in the game of pétanque , French boules. Please note that lesson 21 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 321 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 2 – Lesson 40 – Coffee Break Spanish

It’s the end of an era: the final episode of Coffee Break Spanish. In the final lesson of Season 2, it’s time for las despedidas, the goodbyes. Andrew will be returning to England and bidding farewell to María-José, and Mark and Kara will also be saying adiós to the listeners of Coffee Break Spanish. In the coming weeks we’ll be explaining what’s next from Radio Lingua for Spanish learners. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this final episode of our show. Please note that lesson 40 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 240 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 2 – Lesson 39 – Coffee Break Spanish

It’s the penultimate episode of this season of Coffee Break Spanish and we continue to follow the adventures of María-José and Andrew as they come to the end of their time together in Spain. This week Andrew is signing up for his course in the ayuntamiento and needs to ask for some directions. We’ll here more examples of the subjunctive in use. Please note that lesson 39 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 239 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 20 – Coffee Break French

This week we’re testing you on what you’ve learned in the first twenty episodes of season 3. We’re providing you with a series of sentences in English to translate into French, and you’ll be encouraged to think of the grammatical constructions and vocabulary which have been covered in the texts of Veronica, Alf and Katie. You’ll have 20 seconds to work out each translation and then Mark will talk through the translation and talk about the language contained in the example. Please note that lesson 20 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 320 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 19 – Coffee Break French

We rejoin Veronica this week in our series of episodes coming from our featured learners in the south of France. “Veronica” has been getting to know one of her clients and, as we’ll be finding out this week, she has been invited to a party at this client’s house. In terms of the language covered in this episode, you’ll hear further examples of the subjunctive, and we’ll also be discussing the concept of transitive and intransitive verbs. Please note that lesson 19 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 319 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 2 – Lesson 38 – Coffee Break Spanish

This week María-José and Andrew discuss their plans for the following week when Andrew’s friend arrives in Spain and María-José will be attending a conference in Madrid. In this episode we introduce the concept of the subjunctive, something which often confuses language learners. You’ll learn how to use the subjunctive with cuando when it refers to the future, e.g. “when I get back from Madrid…” – cuando vuelva de Madrid. Please note that lesson 38 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 238 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 18 – Coffee Break French

We knew you’d be desperate to find out how Katie got on at the Cannes Film Festival with Jérôme, so we’re sticking with Katie’s diary entries this week. In this episode you’ll hear a full account of her evening in Cannes with Jérôme and his parents, and you’ll also hear how things have developed between Katie and Jérôme… In terms of the language covered in this episode, we’ll be taking a look at further examples of direct and indirect object pronouns, more examples of the subjunctive, and lots more. Please note that lesson 18 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 318 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 2 – Lesson 37 – Coffee Break Spanish

In this episode María-José tells Andrew about her visits to the Canary Islands. She uses lots of examples of the imperfect tense to describe what she used to do when she went there several times when she was younger. Please note that lesson 37 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 237 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 17 – Coffee Break French

We’re returning to Katie’s texts this week and we’ll be hearing her exciting news about her forthcoming visit to the Cannes Film Festival, thanks to Jérôme’s mother. In this episode we’ll be covering more examples of vouloir que with the subjunctive, and we’ll also hear an example of préférer que which follows a similar pattern. There’s even a conditional perfect thrown in too! Please note that lesson 17 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 317 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 16 – Coffee Break French – Subjunctive Special!

This week we’re consolidating what we’ve learned so far about the subjunctive in French. We’ll categorise the examples we’ve heard so far in the texts of Alf, Katie and Veronica, and Mark will walk you through some further examples including pour que, pourvu que, bien que, and many more. We’ll learn about situations when you use the subjunctive which relate to demands and wishes, and we’ll also cover situations involving opinions and emotions. This episode will help you to get to grips with the French subjunctive and lay the groundwork for further examples in future texts. Please note that lesson 16 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 316 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 2 – Lesson 36 – Coffee Break Spanish

We’re returning to another episode featuring María-José and Andrew this week in which María-José will ask the question ¿Qué estás haciendo?, ‘What are you doing?’. We’re focusing on the present continuous tense. Please note that lesson 36 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 236 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 2 – Lesson 35 – Coffee Break Spanish

We’re continuing our soap opera featuring María-José and Andrew and in this week’s episode Andrew needs some help with an assignment for his Spanish class. We’ll also be looking at the imperative – the command form – in this lesson. Please note that lesson 35 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 235 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 15 – Coffee Break French

This week’s lesson focuses on Alf’s diary entry for this week in which he talks a little more about his former career as a teacher. He also shares with us a decision that he has taken which he will return to in future lessons. Please note that lesson 15 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 315 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 2 – Lesson 34 – Coffee Break Spanish

In lesson 34 we’re continuing our ‘soap opera’. This week María-José is taking her friend to a restaurant, so we’ll be revisiting the language we learned previously in the course. We’ll also take the opportunity to look at the conditional tense or ‘mood’. Please note that lesson 34 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 234 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 14 – Coffee Break French

It’s time to return to Veronica’s diary entries in today’s lesson. We’ll be hearing about her recent visit to Italy, and she’ll also be telling us a bit more about her work. Please note that lesson 14 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 314 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.