Spanish · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 7 of 12
Culture and traditions
Cultura y tradiciones
Explain festivals and customs in Spanish with se come and se celebra, and link ideas with que, quien, lo que and donde.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Describe customs with se: se come, se celebra, se dice que
- Link ideas with que, quien, lo que, donde and el que
- Ask about and explain a Spanish tradition
Listen
On 5 January in Toledo, Mercedes explains the Epiphany traditions to Liam, her daughter's Irish partner. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Liam
Mercedes, ¿qué es ese dulce tan grande?
Mercedes, what's that big cake?
Mercedes
Es el roscón de Reyes, un dulce que se come el seis de enero, el día de Reyes.
It's the roscón de Reyes, a sweet bread that people eat on 6 January, Epiphany.
Liam
¿El día de Reyes? ¿Qué se celebra ese día?
Epiphany? What's celebrated on that day?
Mercedes
La llegada de los Reyes Magos. Según la tradición, son ellos quienes traen los regalos a los niños.
The arrival of the Three Kings. According to tradition, they're the ones who bring the children their presents.
Liam
¿No es Papá Noel? En Irlanda los regalos los trae él.
Isn't it Father Christmas? In Ireland he's the one who brings the presents.
Mercedes
Hoy en día muchas familias celebran las dos cosas, pero lo que más esperábamos de pequeños eran los Reyes.
Nowadays lots of families celebrate both, but what we looked forward to most as children was the Three Kings.
Liam
¿Y qué se hace esta noche?
And what do people do tonight?
Mercedes
Por la tarde hay una cabalgata: los Reyes pasan por las calles y tiran caramelos. Luego los niños dejan sus zapatos en el salón, que es donde los Reyes ponen los regalos.
In the evening there's a parade: the Kings go through the streets and throw sweets. Then the children leave their shoes in the living room, which is where the Kings put the presents.
Liam
¡Qué bonito! Y me han dicho que el roscón tiene una sorpresa.
How lovely! And I've been told that the roscón has a surprise in it.
Mercedes
Sí, dos: una figurita y un haba. La persona a quien le toca la figurita es el rey de la fiesta, y el que encuentra el haba paga el roscón.
Yes, two: a little figure and a broad bean. The person who gets the figure is king of the party, and whoever finds the bean pays for the roscón.
Liam
Entonces espero que no me toque el haba.
Then I hope I don't get the bean.
Mercedes
Pues si te toca, ya sabes lo que tienes que hacer el año que viene.
Well, if you get it, you know what you have to do next year.
Understand
Se for customs: se come, se celebra
To describe customs, what people generally do, Spanish often uses + verb (chapter 3): (Roscón is eaten on 6 January). (What do people do tonight?). The verb agrees with the thing: , but (twelve grapes are eaten).
… means “people say that…” or “it's said that…”. You can also use (people) + the form, or just the form: … (In Toledo they say that…).
- En Nochevieja se comen doce uvas.On New Year's Eve people eat twelve grapes.
- En España se cena muy tarde.In Spain people have dinner very late.
- Se dice que trae buena suerte.People say it brings good luck.
Que, quien, lo que, donde
(A2) is the most common word for “who”, “which” and “that”: . After a preposition, use or for people: (the person who gets the figure), (my friend Ana, who I live with). also appears in … (they're the ones who…).
means “what” in the sense of “the thing that”: (what we looked forward to most). (no accent) means “where”. After a preposition, and are common too: (the day when the Kings arrive).
| Word | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| people and things | ||
| / | people, after a preposition | |
| what, the thing that | ||
| where | ||
| / | after a preposition; the one who | / |
More in the grammar: Relative pronouns: que, quien, lo que, donde · The passive and se: fue construido, se vende
New words
- el dulcecake, pastry; sweet thing · masculine; also means “sweet” (adjective)
- el roscón de Reyesring-shaped sweet bread eaten at Epiphany · masculine
- celebrarto celebrate
- los Reyes Magosthe Three Kings, the Three Wise Men · : Epiphany, 6 January; : Father Christmas
- el regalopresent, gift · masculine; : to give (as a present)
- hoy en díanowadays, these days
- la cabalgataparade (of the Three Kings) · feminine
- tirarto throw; to throw away
- el caramelosweet, boiled sweet · masculine
- la sorpresasurprise · feminine
- la figuritalittle figure, figurine · feminine
- el hababroad bean · feminine, but / because it starts with a stressed a; plural:
- tocarto get (by chance), to win; to touch · works like :
- encontrarto find · o → ue: , …
Practise
1.Complete: “En Nochevieja se … doce uvas.”
2.Complete: “What I like most is the parade.”
What I like most is the parade.
3.Complete with a relative word: “the living room, where the Kings leave the presents”.
the living room, where the Kings leave the presents
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.What's celebrated on that day?
5.Match the Spanish with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Complete: “Es mi amiga Ana, con … vivo.”
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
¿Qué se celebra ese día?
What's celebrated on that day?
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.