Spanish · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 4 of 12
Feelings and relationships
Sentimientos y relaciones
Talk about feelings and friendships in Spanish: me alegro de que with the subjunctive, each other with nos and se, and advice like no te preocupes.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- React to news with me alegro de que, me da pena que and me preocupa que
- Say what people do for each other: nos conocemos, os llamáis
- Tell a friend what not to do: no te preocupes, no la llames
- Comfort and advise a friend
Listen
In a café in Cáceres, Inés notices that her friend Clara looks upset. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Inés
Clara, ¿qué te pasa? Estás muy seria.
Clara, what's the matter? You look very serious.
Clara
Es que Sara se va a vivir a Berlín. Le han ofrecido un trabajo allí.
It's just that Sara is moving to Berlin. She's been offered a job there.
Inés
¿Sara, tu mejor amiga? ¡Qué pena!
Sara, your best friend? What a shame!
Clara
Sí. Nos conocemos desde el colegio y nos vemos casi todos los días.
Yes. We've known each other since school and we see each other almost every day.
Inés
Ya. Pero es una buena noticia para ella, ¿no?
I know. But it's good news for her, isn't it?
Clara
Claro. Me alegro mucho de que tenga un trabajo tan bueno. Pero me da pena que se vaya tan lejos.
Of course. I'm really glad she's got such a good job. But it makes me sad that she's going so far away.
Inés
Te entiendo. ¿Y cuándo se va?
I understand. And when is she leaving?
Clara
En septiembre. Pero lo he sabido por su hermano, y me molesta que ella no me cuente nada.
In September. But I found out from her brother, and it annoys me that she doesn't tell me anything.
Inés
No te enfades con ella. Seguro que no sabía cómo decírtelo.
Don't be angry with her. I'm sure she didn't know how to tell you.
Clara
Puede ser. Pero me preocupa que perdamos la amistad.
Maybe. But I'm worried that we'll lose our friendship.
Inés
No te preocupes. Berlín está a unas tres horas en avión. Podéis llamaros todas las semanas y visitaros en verano.
Don't worry. Berlin is about three hours away by plane. You can call each other every week and visit each other in the summer.
Clara
Tienes razón. Voy a llamarla ahora mismo.
You're right. I'm going to call her right now.
Understand
Feelings: me alegro de que + subjunctive
When you react to what another person does or what happens to them, the verb after goes into the subjunctive: (I'm glad she's got a good job), (It makes me sad that she's leaving). Many of these expressions work like : , , .
When the feeling is about your own action, use the infinitive, with no : (I'm glad to see you). The subjunctive of (to leave, to go away) is , , …
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| … | I'm glad that… |
| … | it makes me sad that…, it's a shame that… |
| … | it annoys me that… |
| … | I'm worried that… |
| … | I love it that… |
| … | I'm sorry that… |
- Me alegro de que estés bien.I'm glad you're well.
- Me preocupa que no duerma.I'm worried that he isn't sleeping.
- Me alegro de verte.I'm glad to see you.
Each other: nos conocemos
With plural verbs, , and can mean “each other”. These are called “reciprocal verbs”: (We've known each other since school), (They love each other very much).
Many ordinary verbs work this way: (to see each other), (to call each other), (to write to each other), (to visit each other). With an infinitive, the pronoun is joined to the end: (You can visit each other). Careful: can also mean “they're called”, so the situation decides.
- Nos vemos casi todos los días.We see each other almost every day.
- Os escribís mucho, ¿no?You write to each other a lot, don't you?
- Se conocieron en Cáceres.They met in Cáceres.
Don't…: the negative imperative with tú
To tell a friend not to do something, don't use the normal imperative. Use + the form of the present subjunctive: (don't be angry), (don't worry). Pronouns go before the verb, not at the end: (Call her), but (Don't call her).
| Infinitive | Do it! () | Don't do it! () |
|---|---|---|
More in the grammar: The imperative: giving instructions · The present subjunctive: que sea, que tenga
New words
- irseto leave, to go away · : she's moving to Berlin
- ofrecerto offer · , …; : she's been offered a job
- el mejor amigo / la mejor amigabest friend
- ¡Qué pena!What a shame! What a pity! · : it makes me sad
- el colegioschool · masculine; informal:
- casialmost, nearly
- alegrarse deto be glad (about) · + subjunctive
- entenderto understand · e → ie: , …
- molestarto annoy, to bother · works like : …
- enfadarseto get angry · / : to be angry with someone
- seguro que…I'm sure (that)…
- la amistadfriendship · feminine
- preocuparseto worry · : don't worry; …: I'm worried that…
- el aviónplane · masculine; : by plane
Practise
1.Complete: “Me alegro de que … un trabajo tan bueno.”
2.Tell a friend not to worry.
Don't worry.
3.Complete with the subjunctive of : “It makes me sad that she's going so far away.”
It makes me sad that she's going so far away.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.We've known each other since school.
5.Match the Spanish with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Which sentence means “I'm glad to see you”?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
¿Qué te pasa?
What's the matter?
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.