As I have shared stories over the last two years, I have received some requests from listeners for stories involving certain topics. Season 6 is a compilation of these requests. The stories cover a variety of topics from accidents to butterflies to soccer to family life. Happy listening!
The links below will bring you to the audio, transcript, video and pdf of each of the stories.
Episode 1: Un cuento de invierno Today’s story comes from a request for winter-themed vocabulary. Luisa loves winter. She loves everything about winter including frost, snow, ice, and hockey. But it is December in Canada, and it still hasn’t snowed. Will Luisa be able to make snow angels, snowmen and snow forts? She wishes on a falling star that winter will come – and it does! This story is told in the the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “nieve” (snow), “hielo” (ice), “escarcha” (frost), “bufanda” (scarf), “cae” (fallas), “copos de nieve” (snowflakes), and “muñeco de nieve” (snowman).
Episode 2: Un accidente en la montaña Today’s story comes from a request for vocabulary for medical interactions. Julio loves winter because winter means skiing. He makes sure to wear all the right clothing: hat, scarf, gloves, and – most importantly – his helmet. When his helmet falls off the ski lift, he thinks he will be fine if he just goes slow. Unfortunately, though, accidents happen. This story is told mostly in the the present tense with one paragraph in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “telesilla” (ski lift), “casco” (helmet), “cabeza” (head), “heridas” (wounds), “puntadas” (stitches), “corte” (cut), and “choca” (crash).
Episode 3: Un accidente de coche Today’s story comes from a request for vocabulary for doctor-patient interactions. Luis just wants to dance the night away, but a car accident lands him in the emergency room with his date. Now, instead of salsa, he must deal with x-rays, stitches and a cast. What fun! This story is told mostly in the the present tense with one paragraph in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “choca” (crash), “duele” (hurts/pains), “pierna” (leg), “brazo” (arm), “cuello” (neck), “collarín” (neck brace) “heridas” (wounds), “puntadas” (stitches), “corte” (cut), and “yeso” (cast).
Episode 4: Bajo el mar Today’s story comes from a request for underwater vocabulary. The Mesoamerican Reef system is the second largest in the world. Located in el /Mar Caribe, Caribbean Sea, the most beautiful section of this reef is accessible through the island of Roatán in Honduras. Here you can see the plant and animal life that call this tropical paradise home. This story is told mostly in the the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “pez” (fish), “bucear” (scuba dive), “aletas” (fins), “tortuga” (turtle), “cangrejo” (crab), “tiburón ballena” (tiburón = shark, ballena = whale), and “choca” (crash).
Episode 5: Las mariposas monarcas Today’s story comes from a request for a story about monarch butterflies. Hannah is a curious girl. When a butterfly lands in her back yard, she wants to learn all about it. After visiting the library, she learns that these butterflies are special and that they fly all the way to Mexico from Canada. What else will she learn about the mariposa monarca? This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “mariposa” (butterfly), “alas” (wings), “oruga” (caterpillar), “algodoncillo” (milkweed), “biblioteca” (library), and “bibliotecaria” (librarian).
Episode 6: La música de Miguel Today’s story comes from a request for a story about musical instruments. Perhaps you will remember “La mentira de Miguel” (season 1, episode 11). Miguel wanted to go to a rock concert with his friend Wes, but, due to his lying, ended up going to a classical music concert with his mom and sister. Little did he know how much that concert would change his life. He thought rock music was the only sound worth listening to, but after hearing violins, flutes, trumpets, and tubas, he has a new appreciation for instruments. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “mentira” (lie), “chido” (cool), “ensayar” (to rehearse/practice), “labios” (lips), and “sopla” (blow).
Episode 7: La pequeña Victoria Today’s story came from a jiu jitsu and kickboxing instructor looking for fighting vocabulary. Victoria is feeling nervous and scared about leaving her small town and going to university in a big city. Her friend Piper doesn’t seem scared at all. Victoria learns that some of Piper’s confidence comes from her success in a martial arts class. Victoria decides to give it a try and she learns that small girls like her can be fierce opponents. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “confianza” (confidence/trust), “débil” (weak), “fuerte” (strong), “agarra” (grab/hold), “golpea” (punch/hit), “patea” (kicks), “rueda” (rolls), “apalancamiento” (leverage) and “entrenar” (to train/practice).
Episode 8: El gran Ronaldo Today’s story was requested as football is a popular sport the world around. Ronaldo comes from a family obsessed with football (or soccer), so it is no surprise that he wants to be a famous football star like his “tocayo”, or namesake, Cristiano Ronaldo. But Ronaldo only wants to play front and center, hogging the ball and making all the goals. He needs to learn the importance of each position to truly become a great player. This story is told mostly in the present tense with a paragraph in the past. Repeated words and phrases include “portero” (goalie), “delantero” (forward position), “pelota” (ball), “árbitro” (referee), “tanteo” (score), “tocayo” (namesake), and “entrenador” (coach).
Episode 9: Una visita al dentista Today’s story comes from a specific request for a girl that visits the dentist. Silvia loves sweets a bit too much. Her love of sugar catches up with her in the form of a toothache. Now she must visit the dentist. First, the hygienist takes x-rays and cleans up her teeth. Then the dentist comes in for a visit. One thing is for sure, Sylvia needs to take better care of her teeth! This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “caramelos” (candy), “higienista dental” (dental hygienist), “hilo dental” (dental floss), “encías” (gums), “sarro” (tartar), “carie” (cavity), and “empaste” (filling).
Episode 10: ¡A pescar! Today’s story comes from a request for a fishing story. Jayden, Charley and Theo love fishing with their mom. One Saturday they grab their fishing poles and head to the lake. Find out what they catch in today’s story. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “el pez” (the fish), “pescar” (to fish), “caña de pescar” (fishing rod), “carrete” (fishing reel), “sedal” (fishing line), “anzuelo” (fishing hook), “cebo” (bait), “gusano” (worm), and “orilla” (shore).
Episode 11: ¡A bailar! Today’s story was requested by a young dancer. Claire loves to dance. She dances every chance she gets. She dances in the car, the supermarket, and around the house when she should be doing her chores. Even though Claire loves to dance, she learns that sometimes she shouldn’t because dancing can cause problems. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “bailar” (to dance), “girar” (to spin/twirl), “quehaceres” (chores), “guardar” (to put away), “la escoba” (broom) and “limpiar” (to clean).
Episode 12: Hora de dormir Today’s story about a nighttime routine was requested by the father of a toddler. Life with a toddler can be fun and difficult. That is why routines are so important. When Lily doesn’t take her nap, the rest of the day is rough for her dad, Esteban. Perhaps a nighttime routine with soothing songs will be exactly what they both need to sleep. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “dormir” (to sleep), “la siesta” (nap), “lavar” (to wash), “el baño” (the bath), “burbujas” (bubbles), “dedos/deditos” (fingers and toes), and “mecer” (to rock).
Episode 13: Preocupada Today’s story about a girl who worries was requested by a child therapist. Paloma is a near perfect child. She just has one problem that threatens to take over her life – Paloma is a worrier. She worries about EVERYTHING from school to shopping to what she wears. Paloma reaches out to her mom, who realizes that she needs more help than she can give. So, Paloma meets with a therapist. At first, she is worried, but after time she begins to develop confidence and her worrying subsides. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “preocupada” (worried), “se preocupa por” (worries about), “no te preocupes” (don’t worry), “siente” (feels), “a gusto” (comfortable/at ease), and “terapeuta” (therapist).
Episode 14: Preparando mi jardín Today’s story about gardening was requested by someone who works in food production and research. It is springtime in the northern hemisphere. With springtime comes more time outside, cleaning the yard and getting it ready to produce. My yard has sections of grass, flowers, fruit trees, and a vegetable garden. In the spring, I spend time getting each area ready for summer. This story is told in the first-person present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “primavera” (spring), “jardín” (yard), “huerto” (vegetable garden/fruit orchard), “yuyos” (weeds), “podar” (to prune), “semillas” (seeds), “césped” (grass/lawn), and “mantilla” (mulch).
Episode 15: Los dinosaurios Today’s story about dinosaurs was requested by a family that loves dinosaurs! Brandon and Julia love dinosaurs. They have a bunch of plastic toy dinosaurs that they play with together. There is only one problem. Julia’s Tyrannosaurus Rex is always eating Brandon’s dinosaurs. Brandon and Julia both know a lot about dinosaurs. Will Brandon be able to find one that Julia’s T-Rex can’t eat? This story is told in the present and past tenses. Repeated words and phrases include “juega” (plays), “agarra” (grabs), “gruñe” (growls), “medía” (measured), “pesaba” (weighed), “placas” (pates), “cuernos” (horns), and “juega a comerlo” (pretends to eat it).
Episode 16: Una familia canadiense en España Today’s story was requested by a family traveling in Spain after the birth of their daughter. After the birth of their daughter Adela, Mark and Alayna decided to spend some time in Spain. They love the food, culture, and people of España and are used the opportunity to practice the language as well. This story is told mostly in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “fueron” (they went), “postre” (dessert), “viajar” (to travel), and “hermoso” (beautiful).
Episode 17: Los tres cerditos Today’s story was requested by a listener as it was the first story they learned in Spanish. The story of the three little pigs, or los tres cerditos, is one of the first many kids learn. This story of hard work, personal responsibility, and delayed gratification never goes out of style. This story is told mostly in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “cerditos” (little pigs), “lobo” (wolf), “bosque” (forest), “paja” (straw), “madera” (wood), “ladrillos” (bricks), “fuerte” (strong), and “sopló” (blew).
Episode 18: Una boda en España Today’s story was requested by a father who is getting ready to travel to Spain for his son’s wedding. Nathan is in love with Ana. They are getting married. But Ana is from Spain and Nathan is from California. Nathan’s family is both excited and nervous for the trip, language, and cultural differences they will find in this “boda en España”. This story is told mostly in the present tense with a little in the past. Repeated words and phrases include “boda” (wedding), “padres” (parents), “hermoso” (beautiful), “iglesia” (church) and “anillo” (ring).
Episode 19: El color del cuervo Today’s story was originally written in English by Scott Wyatt, who requested to hear it in Spanish. Why is the raven black? 7-year-old Agapita has created a series of drawings to explain the dark feathers of this intelligent bird who just wanted to get a glimpse of his creator. This story is told mostly in the past tense with some dialogue in the present. Repeated words and phrases include “cuervo” (raven/crow), “dibujo” (drawing), “creador” (creator/maker), “mundo” (world) and the verbs “veo” (I see), “vio” (s/he saw), “hizo” (made), and “sería” (would be).
Episode 20: La recepcionista Today’s story was requested by a longtime listener looking for phrases to use at work. Latriz has a very important job. She is a receptionist in a clinic. The people who come to the clinic talk to her before they talk to the nurse or doctor. The people who call the clinic talk to her for guidance. Latriz needs to help them stay calm and get the help they need. Latriz’s job is very important. This story includes a lot of dialogue is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “cita” (appointment), “tarjeta” (card), “fiebre” (fever), “ayuda” (help) and “pregunto” (I ask).
Episode 21: El gatito valiente Today’s story was requested by a father who listens with his son, who loves construction trucks. Juan is a little cat. He thought today would be like any other day exploring with his family, but instead he woke up to discover that is home became a construction site! Will he be able to make his way through the heavy equipment and find his family? This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “viga” (beam), “tierra” (dirt), “borde” (edge), “busca” (looks for)
Episode 22: La lana de Dayana Today’s story was requested by the owner of a yarn shop. Dayana the alpaca is surprised to learn that her wooly coat is going to be sheared. She loves her wool, so she runs away. While she is away, she meets a graceful vicuña, an overgrown oveja (sheep), and a sheared llama. Dayana learns that it might not be so bad to have her coat cut after all. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words include “lana” (wool), “oveja” (sheep), “hilo” (yarn), and “huye” (runs away).
Episode 23: El viaje Today’s story was inspired by multiple requests for stories about traveling, in the first person, and in the past tense. I love to travel. I love to see new sights and experience new foods. I love meeting new people. There are a few things I don’t love about traveling, but they don’t seem to matter once I reach my destination. This story is told in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “viajar” (to travel), “vuelo” (flight), “boleto” (ticket), “equipaje” (luggage), “maleta” (suitcase), “facturar” (check-in) “seguridad” (security), “aduana” (customs), and “tirolesa” (zipline – also called “tirolina”).
Episode 24: Amor en México Today’s story was requested by a man learning Spanish because of a girl he met. Julius didn’t know when he left Germany to study in France that he would fall in love with a girl from Mexico. Now he has a reason to learn Spanish and visit this incredible country. This story is told in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “Alemania” (Germany), “vuelo” (flight), “boleto” (ticket), “fue” (went), and “quería” (wanted).
Episode 25: Una fotógrafa profesional Today’s story was requested by professional photographer Nancy Levine (browneyesgallery.com). Nancy is a visual artist. Her medium is not paint, sculpture or architecture – it is photography. With her photography she is able to capture the love between two people and the characters of two dogs. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “obras” (works), “fondo” (background), “retrato” (portrait), “luz” (light), “pareja” (couple), “objetivos” (camera lenses), and “hace” (makes).
Episode 26: Las lenguas indígenas Today’s story was requested by a listener who wanted to learn more about preserving indigenous languages through rap music. Before the Spanish sailed across the ocean and spread the language of Castellano, the Americas were filled with multiple dialects of rich languages. Little by little, these diverse native tongues are disappearing. There are people that want to save the indigenous tongues of their ancestors, and they are doing so in interesting ways. This story is told in the present and past tenses. Important vocabulary in the story includes: lengua -tongue, lenguaje -language, gente -people, orgulloso -proud, orgullo – pride, raíces -roots, and hay que – one must.
No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. Happy listening!