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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

What if one verse from the Bible could help you practise Spanish grammar, pronunciation, and fluency—all in just a few minutes? In today’s episode, I’ll show you how the Bible can become one of your most powerful language-learning tools.

We're going to dive into John 5:24, using my Spanish KJV translation. We'll break down this verse the same way we do in my course, 'Learn Spanish with the Bible.' Get ready to transform your Spanish!

First, let's hear the verse in both English and Spanish. Listen closely for the sounds and the rhythm.

Here's the English:

{5:24} Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

And now, in Spanish:

{5:24} En verdad, en verdad os digo, el que oye mi palabra y cree en el que me ha enviado, tiene vida imperecedera; y no entrará en condenación, sino que pasa de muerte a vida.

Let’s go through the verse, a few words at a time:

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

En verdad, en verdad os digo,

Notice the verb form ‘digo’. Which verb is it? It’s decir (to say, to tell). And which tense is it?: digo. It’s the present tense. These are the six forms of the verb ‘decir’ in the present tense. Say them after me: digo, dices, dice, decimos, decís, dicen. That’s the verb ‘decir’ (to say, to tell) in the present tense.

In this line, ‘en verdad, en verdad os digo’, notice also the pronoun ‘os’. Which person does it refer to? In English this line is ‘verily, verily, I say unto you’ - ‘en verdad, en verdad os digo’. The pronoun ‘os’ refers to ‘vosotros’. ‘Os digo’ ( I say unto you).

Now let’s zoom in on the next line—you’ll hear a beautiful example of how vowels work in Spanish.

The next line in our verse is: He that heareth my word, - el que oye mi palabra

Notice how I say the word ‘palabra’. This word has three A, and the three of them have the same sound: A. The Spanish A always has that sound, whether it comes at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a word: A. Palabra.

And what about the word ‘oye’? I’ll say the line again: el que oye mi palabra (He that heareth my word).

‘Oye’ is a verb form. Do you know which verb it is? It’s the irregular verb ‘oír’ (to hear). ‘Oye’ means ‘he hears’, so it’s the present tense. These are the six forms of the verb ‘oír’ (to hear) in the present tense. Say them after me, out loud. Always say the Spanish words out loud, not just quietly or in your head: oigo, oyes, oye, oímos, oís, oyen.

See the full transcript.

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WHO AM I?
💃🏻 I’m Maria Fernandez, a native Spanish speaker from Madrid (Spain). I’ve taught Spanish for over 5000 hours, and counting. My mission is to make you fluent in Spanish super fast. Creating step-by-step lessons for you is one of the things I love most. 😀

Over the last few years I've published a bunch of courses, books and audiobooks. I’ve also studied an insane amount of English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Japanese.

To find out more about me, visit my website: kerapido.com

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Please, support it with a small donation. ¡Gracias!

Learn Spanish fast with my fun courses.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

In today’s episode we’re going to practise asking for directions in Spanish.

You’re in a small town, and you’re a bit lost. A friendly local sees you looking around and comes to help. I’ll be that friendly local.

¿Puedo ayudarle en algo? Can I help you with anything?¿Puedo ayudarle en algo?

And this is your line: Yes, I’m looking for the train station.

Can you say that in Spanish?: Yes, I’m looking for the train station.

Yes is: sí, sí,

I’m looking for is: busco, busco

Train station is: estación de tren, estación de tren

So “Yes, I’m looking for the train station” is: Sí, busco la estación de tren. – Sí, busco la estación de tren. [slow]

Did you get that right?: Sí, busco la estación de tren.

Now it’s my turn: It’s near the supermarket.

Está cerca del supermercado.Está cerca del supermercado.

Your line is: Is it far from here?

How would you say: Is it far from here?

Far is: lejos, lejos

From here is: de aquí, de aquí

So “Is it far from here?” is: ¿Está lejos de aquí? – ¿Está lejos de aquí? [slow]

Now listen to my answer:

No, está muy cerca. Siga todo recto y luego gire a la izquierda. [No, está muy cerca. Siga todo recto y luego gire a la izquierda.] No, it’s very close. Go straight on and then turn left.

No, está muy cerca. Siga todo recto y luego gire a la izquierda.

Let’s break that down.

Siga means: go or continue (It’s a formal command)

Todo recto means: straight on

Luego is: then

Gire a la izquierda: turn to the left

So all together: Siga todo recto y luego gire a la izquierda – Go straight on and then turn left. [slowly] Siga todo recto y luego gire a la izquierda

Your next line is: Thank you very much.

How do you say that in Spanish?: Thank you very much

Muchas gracias – Muchas gracias

Let’s say the full conversation together. Say all the lines out loud just a split second behind me. Imitate my pronunciation and intonation as much as you can.

Here’s the conversation:

¿Puedo ayudarle en algo?

Sí, busco la estación de tren.

Está cerca del supermercado.

¿Está lejos de aquí?

No, está muy cerca. Siga todo recto y luego gire a la izquierda.

Muchas gracias.

Let’s do more speaking practice.

See the full transcript.

💌 Sign up to get my free weekly Spanish lessons.

🇪🇸 Visit my Spanish learning website.

WHO AM I?
💃🏻 I’m Maria Fernandez, a native Spanish speaker from Madrid (Spain). I’ve taught Spanish for over 5000 hours, and counting. My mission is to make you fluent in Spanish super fast. Creating step-by-step lessons for you is one of the things I love most. 😀

Over the last few years I've published a bunch of courses, books and audiobooks. I’ve also studied an insane amount of English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Japanese.

To find out more about me, visit my website: kerapido.com

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Support it with a small donation. ¡Gracias!

Learn Spanish fast with my fun courses.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

In today’s episode we’re going to practise ordering drinks in Spanish in a bar. You’re with a group of friends and you want to order drinks for all of you. I’ll be your bartender.
¿Qué vais a tomar? What are you going to have?¿Qué vais a tomar?
And this is your line: A large beer, a jug of sangria and a small bottle of water.
Can you say that in Spanish? Let’s start with: A large beer.
A beer is: una cerveza, una cerveza. Large is: grande, grande.
So ‘a large beer’ is: Una cerveza grande – una cerveza grande. Did you get that right?: una cerveza grande.
Now: A jug of sangria.
A jug is: una jarra, una jarra. And sangria is the same in Spanish: sangría, sangría.
So ‘a jug of sangria’ is: Una jarra de sangría – una jarra de sangría. Did you get that right?: una jarra de sangría.
Now: A small bottle of water.
A bottle is: una botella, una botella. And small is: pequeña, pequeña. And water is: agua, agua.
So ‘a small bottle of water’ is: Una botella pequeña de agua – una botella pequeña de agua.
Now say the whole line: A large beer, a jug of sangria and a small bottle of water.
Una cerveza grande, una jarra de sangría y una botella pequeña de agua. Una cerveza grande, una jarra de sangría y una botella pequeña de agua.
Now it’s my turn:
¿Queréis un vaso para el agua? Do you want a glass for the water?¿Queréis un vaso para el agua?
Your line is: Yes, a glass with lots of ice.
How do you say: yes?
Yes is: sí, sí.
And how do you say: a glass?
A glass is: un vaso, un vaso.
With is: con, con.
And what about lots of ice?
Ice is: hielo, hielo. And lots of is: mucho, mucho. - mucho hielo, mucho hielo
So ‘a glass with lots of ice’ is: Un vaso con mucho hielo – un vaso con mucho hielo.
So your full line is: Yes, a glass with lots of ice.
Sí, un vaso con mucho hielo. – Sí, un vaso con mucho hielo.
Now I ask:
¿Cuántos vasos queréis para la sangría? How many glasses do you want for the sangria? ¿Cuántos vasos queréis para la sangría?
Your line is: Only three.
Only is: solo, solo. And number three is: tres, tres.
So ‘only three’ is: Solo tres – solo tres.
Now I bring you the drinks and say:
Aquí tenéis la cerveza, la sangría y el agua. Here you are: the beer, the sangria and the water. Aquí tenéis la cerveza, la sangría y el agua.
And you ask: How much is it all?
How much is: ¿Cuánto es?, cuánto es. It all is: todo, todo.
So: ¿Cuánto es todo? – ¿Cuánto es todo? Did you get that right?: ¿Cuánto es todo?
I reply: Dieciséis euros. Sixteen euros.
Sixteen is: dieciséis, dieciséis.

See the full transcript.

💌 Sign up to get my free weekly Spanish lessons.

🇪🇸 Visit my Spanish learning website.

WHO AM I?
💃🏻 I’m Maria Fernandez, a native Spanish speaker from Madrid (Spain). I’ve taught Spanish for over 5000 hours, and counting. My mission is to make you fluent in Spanish super fast. Creating step-by-step lessons for you is one of the things I love most. 😀

Over the last few years I've published a bunch of courses, books and audiobooks. I’ve also studied an insane amount of English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Japanese.

To find out more about me, visit my website: kerapido.com

Support the show