El celular y el bus
The cellphone and the bus
1 · Spanish Story
La historia
María busca su celular en la mesa. No lo ve allí. Su mamá está en la cocina. María dice: "Qué pena. ¿Vieron mi celular?"
Su hermano mira bajo una silla. Su papá mira el sofá. María revisa su bolso. Todos buscan con calma. Nadie habla fuerte. Nadie grita.
La mamá sonríe. El celular está en la cocina. Está junto al pan. María se ríe. Dice: "Lo dejé aquí temprano." Todos se acercan.
María toma el celular. Mira la hora. Ve el bus. Dice: "Ya voy, gracias." Sale de la casa de una. Toma su bolso. Corre a la parada.
2 · Key Phrases
Language to keep
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Qué pena
Excuse me; sorry to bother youA polite way to start speaking after a small problem or interruption.
Usage: This phrase is very common in Colombia. It sounds polite and natural in everyday speech.
Qué pena, ¿me ayuda con el celular?
Excuse me, can you help me with the cellphone?
No lo ve allí
She does not see it thereUse lo for a masculine noun like celular in this sentence pattern.
No lo ve en la mesa.
She does not see it on the table.
mira bajo una silla
looks under a chairA common phrase for checking a place with the eyes.
Él mira bajo una cama.
He looks under a bed.
junto al pan
next to the breadJunto a means beside or next to.
El vaso está junto al plato.
The glass is next to the plate.
de una
right awayAn informal Colombian expression for doing something immediately.
Usage: Conversational; common in relaxed speech. This phrase is common in Colombia and sounds very casual.
Salimos de una.
We leave right away.
3 · English Translation
The full story in English
María looks for her cellphone on the table. She does not see it there. Her mother is in the kitchen. María says: "Excuse me. Did you see my cellphone?"
Her brother looks under a chair. Her father looks at the sofa. María checks her bag. Everyone looks calmly. No one speaks loudly. No one shouts.
Her mother smiles. The cellphone is in the kitchen. It is next to the bread. María laughs. She says: "I left it here early." Everyone comes closer.
María takes the cellphone. She looks at the time. She sees the bus. She says: "I'm going now, thanks." She leaves the house right away. She takes her bag. She runs to the stop.