Spanish · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 1 of 12
Discussing and debating
Discutir y debatir
Argue a point in Spanish: aunque with the indicative or the subjunctive, connectors like sin embargo and en cambio, and polite interruptions.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Defend your position and concede a point in a discussion
- Choose between aunque + indicative (although) and aunque + subjunctive (even if)
- Structure an argument with sin embargo, en cambio and por un lado… por otro
- Interrupt politely and keep your turn
Listen
At a Sunday family lunch in Gijón, Joaquín and his sister Marta argue about when children should get their first smartphone. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Joaquín
Oye, Marta, ¿es verdad que no le vais a comprar un móvil a Leo hasta los dieciséis?
Hey, Marta, is it true you're not going to buy Leo a mobile until he's sixteen?
Marta
Sí, lo hemos decidido entre los dos. Aunque todos sus amigos ya tienen uno, nosotros pensamos que es demasiado pronto.
Yes, we've decided that between the two of us. Although all his friends already have one, we think it's too early.
Joaquín
Pues yo no estoy de acuerdo. Hoy en día, un niño de doce años sin móvil se queda fuera de todo.
Well, I don't agree. Nowadays a twelve-year-old without a mobile gets left out of everything.
Marta
No digo que el móvil sea malo. Pero las redes sociales tienen muchos peligros, y a los doce años no saben controlar el tiempo que pasan delante de la pantalla.
I'm not saying mobiles are bad. But social media has a lot of dangers, and at twelve they can't control the time they spend in front of a screen.
Joaquín
Perdona que te interrumpa, pero eso también les pasa a los adultos. Y tú también estás siempre con el móvil.
Sorry to interrupt, but that happens to adults too. And you're always on your phone as well.
Marta
Déjame terminar. Es verdad que los adultos también lo usamos demasiado. Sin embargo, un adulto sabe poner límites, y un niño de doce años, no.
Let me finish. It's true that we adults use it too much as well. However, an adult knows how to set limits, and a twelve-year-old doesn't.
Joaquín
Bueno, eso depende del niño. Por un lado, entiendo lo que dices; por otro, el móvil también tiene ventajas. Mi hija me puede llamar si pasa algo.
Well, that depends on the child. On the one hand, I understand what you're saying; on the other, mobiles have advantages too. My daughter can call me if something happens.
Marta
Para eso hay móviles básicos, sin internet. Son más baratos y no tienen esos inconvenientes.
That's what basic phones without internet are for. They're cheaper and they don't have those drawbacks.
Joaquín
Ya, pero aunque le compréis uno de esos, Leo va a querer uno como el de sus amigos.
Yes, but even if you buy him one of those, Leo's going to want one like his friends'.
Marta
Pues aunque lo quiera, no se lo vamos a comprar. Lo que sí queremos es hablar con otros padres del colegio: si todos esperan, nadie se queda fuera.
Well, even if he wants one, we're not going to buy it for him. What we do want is to talk to other parents at the school: if they all wait, nobody gets left out.
Joaquín
Eso no es mala idea. En mi casa, en cambio, tenemos una norma: nada de móviles en la mesa ni en el dormitorio.
That's not a bad idea. In my house, on the other hand, we have a rule: no mobiles at the table or in the bedroom.
Marta
Pues mira, en eso estamos de acuerdo. Ya ves: hablando se entiende la gente.
Well, look, we agree on that. You see: people understand each other by talking.
Understand
Aunque: although or even if?
can take the indicative or the subjunctive, and the meaning changes. With the indicative, you present something as a fact: … (Although all his friends have a mobile… and they do). English says “although”.
With the subjunctive, the situation isn't a known fact, or it doesn't matter to your point: (Even if he wants one, we won't buy it). English usually says “even if”. This is very common when you concede a point in a discussion and still keep your position.
| Spanish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Although it's raining, I'm going out. (It is raining.) | |
| Even if it rains, I'm going out. (It may or may not.) | |
| Although it's expensive, I'm buying it. | |
| Even if it's expensive, I'll buy it. |
Building an argument
Connectors show how your ideas fit together. (however) introduces a contrast and usually starts a new sentence or follows a semicolon. (on the other hand, whereas) compares two different people or situations: … Por un lado… por otro (lado) weighs up two sides of a question.
To reject an idea that someone thinks you hold, say + subjunctive: (I'm not saying mobiles are bad). It works like (B1).
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| besides, what's more | |
| however | |
| on the other hand, whereas | |
| por un lado… por otro (lado)… | on the one hand… on the other (hand)… |
| es verdad que…, pero… | it's true that…, but… |
| + subjunctive | I'm not saying that… |
Interrupting and keeping your turn
In a lively Spanish discussion, people often talk over each other, so it helps to know how to cut in politely and how to hold your turn. (Sorry to interrupt) has the subjunctive because the interruption is the thing you apologise for. With , say .
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| … | Sorry to interrupt, but… |
| Hang on a moment. | |
| Can I say something? | |
| Let me finish. | |
| … | As I was saying… |
| … | What I mean is that… |
More in the grammar: Discourse markers: sin embargo, por lo tanto, o sea · More uses of the subjunctive: aunque, a menos que, alguien que
New words
- aunquealthough; even if · + indicative for a fact, + subjunctive for “even if”
- quedarse fuera (de)to be left out (of) · : gets left out of everything
- la red socialsocial network; las redes sociales: social media · feminine
- el peligrodanger · masculine
- Perdona que te interrumpa.Sorry to interrupt. · :
- Déjame terminar.Let me finish. · :
- sin embargohowever
- poner límitesto set limits
- por un lado… por otro (lado)…on the one hand… on the other (hand)…
- la ventajaadvantage · feminine
- el inconvenientedrawback, disadvantage · masculine
- en cambioon the other hand, whereas
- la normarule · feminine
- Hablando se entiende la gente.People understand each other by talking. (saying)
Practise
1.Which sentence means “Even if he wants one, we won't buy it”?
2.Complete with the subjunctive of : “Even if it's expensive, I'll buy it.”
Even if it's expensive, I'll buy it.
3.Complete with a connector that means “however”.
We adults use it too much as well. However, we know how to set limits.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Sorry to interrupt, but it isn't true.
5.Match the Spanish with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Someone thinks you're against mobiles. Complete: “No digo que el móvil … malo.”
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Perdona que te interrumpa, pero no estoy de acuerdo.
Sorry to interrupt, but I don't agree.
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.