Spanish · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 2 of 12
Travel and hotels
Viajes y hoteles
Check in at a Spanish hotel, ask about the room and breakfast, report a problem politely and talk about what has happened today.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Book and check in for a number of nights
- Report a small problem in your room
- Ask for things politely with ¿Puede…? and ¿Me podría…?
- Say what has happened today with the present perfect
Listen
Marisa Vidal is staying at a hotel in Salamanca. In the morning she goes down to reception. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Receptionist
Buenos días, señora Vidal. ¿Qué tal ha dormido?
Good morning, Mrs Vidal. How did you sleep?
Marisa
No muy bien. El aire acondicionado no funciona y he tenido mucho calor.
Not very well. The air conditioning doesn't work and I was very hot.
Receptionist
Lo siento mucho. ¿En qué habitación está?
I'm very sorry. Which room are you in?
Marisa
En la treinta y cuatro, en la tercera planta.
In thirty-four, on the third floor.
Receptionist
Ahora mismo va el técnico. ¿O quiere cambiar de habitación?
The technician will be there right away. Or would you like to change rooms?
Marisa
No, gracias, me gusta mucho la habitación. Otra cosa: ¿me podría dar un mapa de la ciudad?
No, thank you, I really like the room. Another thing: could you give me a map of the city?
Receptionist
Claro, aquí tiene. ¿Ha desayunado ya?
Of course, here you are. Have you had breakfast yet?
Marisa
No, todavía no. ¿Hasta qué hora hay desayuno?
No, not yet. Until what time is breakfast served?
Receptionist
Hasta las once, en el restaurante del hotel.
Until eleven, in the hotel restaurant.
Marisa
Perfecto. Muchas gracias.
Perfect. Thank you very much.
Understand
The present perfect: he tenido, ha dormido
The “present perfect” () is made with in the present plus a “past participle”. For -ar verbs the participle ends in -ado ( → ), for -er and -ir verbs in -ido ( → , → ). The participle never changes.
In Spain, use it for things that happened today or in a period that isn't over yet (, ), and with (already, yet) and (not yet). In the morning it's also used for the night that has just ended:
For a finished time like or , use the preterite from chapter 1: , but . In Latin America the preterite is usually used for both. A few participles are irregular: → , → , → .
| Person | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| (I was very hot.) | ||
| (Have you had breakfast?) | ||
| / / | (How did you sleep?) | |
| / | (We arrived today.) | |
| / | (What have you done?) | |
| / / | (They haven't come back yet.) |
Asking politely: ¿Puede…? ¿Me podría…?
To ask someone to do something, use + infinitive as a question. With , ¿Puede…? is polite, and ¿Podría…? (could you…?) is even more polite. Add before the verb when it's for you: ¿Me podría dar…? (Could you give me…?).
To ask if you may do something, use ¿Puedo…? (Can I…?) or, more politely, ¿Podría…? (Could I…?). is the form for both and .
- ¿Puede venir el técnico?Can the technician come?
- ¿Me podría dar la llave, por favor?Could you give me the key, please?
- ¿Podría cambiar de habitación?Could I change rooms?
- ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?Can I pay by card?
At the hotel reception
For dates, say + first day + + last day: (from 12 to 14 May). The number of nights goes with : .
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| … | I have a booking in the name of… |
| a single room | |
| a double room | |
| for two nights, from the 12th to the 14th | |
| Is breakfast included? | |
| the key | |
| / | ID card / passport |
More in the grammar: The present perfect: he comido, has visto
New words
- señor / señoraMr / Mrs; sir / madam · : Mrs Vidal
- ¿Qué tal ha dormido?How did you sleep? · polite (); informal: (: to sleep)
- el aire acondicionadoair conditioning · masculine
- funcionarto work (machines) · : it doesn't work
- tener calorto be hot (a person)
- la habitaciónroom (in a hotel or home) · feminine; plural:
- la plantafloor, storey · feminine; : the third floor
- ahora mismoright now
- el técnico / la técnicatechnician, repair person
- cambiar de habitaciónto change rooms
- otra cosaanother thing
- yaalready; yet (in questions)
- todavía nonot yet
- el desayunobreakfast · masculine; : to have breakfast
Practise
1.You'd like the receptionist to give you the key. What's the most polite way to ask?
2.Complete with : “Have you had breakfast yet?” ()
Have you had breakfast yet?
3.Complete with the past participle of .
Today I've had lunch at the hotel.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I haven't had breakfast yet.
5.Match the Spanish with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Which sentence is correct?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Tengo una reserva a nombre de Marisa Vidal.
I have a booking in the name of Marisa Vidal.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.