Spanish · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 12 of 12
Final review
Repaso final
Review B2 Spanish in a long, natural conversation: the subjunctive, si clauses, reported speech, idioms, colloquial Spanish and Latin American usage.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Follow and take part in a long, natural conversation between old friends
- Use the B2 subjunctive: aunque, como si, si hubiera…, que + imperfect subjunctive
- Tell a story with reported speech, regrets, idioms and colloquial Spanish
- Recognise common differences between Spain and Latin America
Listen
On a terrace in Madrid, Elvira meets her old university friend Ernesto, who has just come back after fifteen years in Mexico City. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Elvira
¡Ernesto! ¡Qué alegría! Hacía siglos que no nos veíamos. ¡No has cambiado nada!
Ernesto! How lovely! We haven't seen each other for ages. You haven't changed a bit!
Ernesto
¡Anda ya! Tengo el pelo blanco. Pero tú sí que estás estupenda. Me alegro mucho de que hayas podido venir.
Come off it! My hair's white. But you really do look great. I'm really glad you could come.
Elvira
¿Cómo no iba a venir? Bueno, cuéntamelo todo. ¿Por qué has vuelto después de quince años en México?
How could I not come? Well, tell me everything. Why have you come back after fifteen years in Mexico?
Ernesto
Pues mira, a mi mujer le ofrecieron un puesto en Madrid y, aunque allí estábamos muy bien, decidimos volver. Mis padres ya son mayores y los echaba mucho de menos.
Well, you see, my wife was offered a job in Madrid and, although we were very happy there, we decided to come back. My parents are getting old now and I missed them a lot.
Elvira
Te entiendo. ¿Y no fue difícil dejarlo todo?
I understand. And wasn't it hard to leave everything behind?
Ernesto
Muchísimo. Si me lo hubieras preguntado hace cinco años, te habría dicho que no volvería nunca. Pero la vida da muchas vueltas.
Very. If you'd asked me five years ago, I'd have told you I would never come back. But life takes some funny turns.
Elvira
¿Y qué tal la vuelta? ¿Mucho choque cultural?
And how's it been, coming back? Much culture shock?
Ernesto
Un poco, sí. Sigo diciendo «ahorita» y «¿mande?», y el otro día pedí un «celular» en una tienda y me miraron como si fuera un extraterrestre.
A bit, yes. I still say “ahorita” and “¿mande?”, and the other day I asked for a “celular” in a shop and they looked at me as if I were an alien.
Elvira
¡Qué fuerte! Ya verás, en dos semanas vuelves a decir «vale» cada dos minutos. Oye, ¿te acuerdas de lo que nos dijo el profesor Ruiz el último día de clase?
That's unbelievable! You'll see, in two weeks you'll be saying “vale” every two minutes again. Hey, do you remember what Professor Ruiz told us on the last day of class?
Ernesto
¡Claro! Nos dijo que dentro de veinte años casi nadie trabajaría en lo que había estudiado. Y tenía toda la razón: estudiamos Economía, y ahora yo doy clases de guitarra y tú tienes un restaurante.
Of course! He told us that in twenty years' time almost nobody would be working in what they'd studied. And he was absolutely right: we studied economics, and now I teach the guitar and you have a restaurant.
Elvira
Es verdad. Y no me arrepiento de nada, ¿eh? Aunque a veces pienso que debería haberlo abierto antes. Bueno, ¿brindamos?
That's true. And I don't regret anything, you know. Although sometimes I think I should have opened it sooner. Well, shall we have a toast?
Ernesto
Venga. ¡Por los viejos amigos y por los próximos veinte años! ¡Salud!
Come on, then. To old friends and to the next twenty years! Cheers!
Understand
The subjunctive at B2: a summary
In B2 you've completed the subjunctive system. Remember the basic idea from B1: the subjunctive appears after words that express doubt, wishes, feelings, purpose or things that aren't real facts. After a past verb or a conditional, use the imperfect subjunctive; for something that has already happened, use or + participle.
| After… | Example | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| (even if) | 1 | |
| past triggers: | 2 | |
| something that has happened | 3 | |
| (unreal past) | 5 | |
| reported commands | 6 | |
| 7 | ||
| unknown people or things | 10 | |
| 10 |
Natural spoken Spanish
Good B2 speakers mix grammar with the little phrases that make Spanish sound natural. (We hadn't seen each other for ages) exaggerates on purpose, as in English. (How could I not come?) is a very common way of saying “of course”.
Remember the verb phrases from chapter 8: (I still say), (you say again). (literally “come”) is used in Spain to mean “OK”, “come on” or “right then”.
- Hacía siglos que no nos veíamos.We hadn't seen each other for ages.
- La vida da muchas vueltas.Life takes some funny turns.
- No me arrepiento de nada.I don't regret anything.
- ¡Venga, vamos!Come on, let's go!
Spain and Latin America
About 90% of Spanish speakers live in the Americas. The grammar is the same, but some words and uses differ. In Latin America, isn't used: is the plural of both and . Many speakers also prefer the preterite where Spain uses the present perfect: instead of .
is an everyday verb in Spain, but it's vulgar in some countries, such as Mexico and Argentina; use or there.
| Spain | Latin America | English |
|---|---|---|
| you (plural, informal) | ||
| mobile phone | ||
| computer | ||
| / | car | |
| (Mexico and others) | right now, in a moment | |
| / | (Mexico) | Sorry? Pardon? |
More in the grammar: Spanish in Spain and Latin America · All si clauses: si hubiera sabido, lo habría hecho · More uses of the subjunctive: aunque, a menos que, alguien que · Reported speech: dijo que vendría · The imperfect subjunctive: hablara, tuviera, fuera · Verb phrases: acabar de, volver a, seguir + gerund
New words
- ¡Qué alegría!How lovely! I'm so happy! · : joy, happiness
- hacía siglos que no…it had been ages since… · : We hadn't seen each other for ages
- ¿Cómo no iba a…?How could I not…? Of course I would…
- ser mayorto be elderly, to be getting on ·
- La vida da muchas vueltas.Life takes some funny turns. (saying)
- la vueltareturn, coming back; turn · feminine
- el choque culturalculture shock · masculine
- ahoritaright now, in a moment (Latin America)
- ¿Mande?Sorry? Pardon? (Mexico)
- el celularmobile phone (Latin America) · in Spain:
- acordarse deto remember · o → ue: ¿Te acuerdas de…? Do you remember…?
- brindarto drink a toast · Shall we have a toast?
- vengaOK, come on, right then (Spain, informal)
- ¡Salud!Cheers! (when drinking); Bless you! (after a sneeze)
Practise
1.Complete: “Si me lo … hace cinco años, te habría dicho que no.”
2.Complete with the imperfect subjunctive of : “They looked at me as if I were an alien.”
They looked at me as if I were an alien.
3.Report what the professor said:
He told us that in twenty years' time almost nobody would be working in what they'd studied.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.We hadn't seen each other for ages.
5.Match the words with their meanings.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Complete: “Me alegro mucho de que … venir.” (you have been able to)
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
¡Qué alegría! Hacía siglos que no nos veíamos.
How lovely! We haven't seen each other for ages.
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.