Spanish A2.12 Listening Practice: Two Kinds Of Being
Spanish A2 listening practice with audio, transcript, key phrases, and a speaking challenge for two kinds of being.
Podcast listening is in beta while creation and discussion tools are refined. This published chapter includes its complete segmented audio and transcript.
Level
A2.12
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
19 segments
What to notice while you listen
What you'll understand
Control familiar sentence patterns while adding people, objects, time, and description.
Use identity versus current state to build an original spoken Spanish answer.
New pattern
identity versus current state
Practice aloud after listening
Soy estudiante y estoy listo.
A short Spanish listening chapter with transcript.
Unit 4: add identity versus current state to what you already control, then say one short answer that reuses earlier Spanish instead of starting from a memorized phrase.
Read while you listen.
1. Carmen · Teacher
Welcome back to Spanish with ChickyTutor! I'm Carmen. Today we are exploring the two kinds of 'being' in Spanish using ser and estar: identity versus current state.
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2. Diego · Student
Hi Carmen! I'm Diego. I always get confused about when to use 'soy' versus 'estoy'.
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3. Carmen · Teacher
Don't worry, Diego. Let's listen to Álvaro and Lucía in a quick five-sentence conversation. Focus on how they express identity versus how they feel right now.
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4. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
Lucía, ¿cómo estás? Yo estoy un poco nervioso hoy.
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5. Lucía · Native Speaker 2
Tranquilo Álvaro, el profesor es muy paciente.
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6. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
Es verdad, pero la prueba de español es difícil.
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7. Lucía · Native Speaker 2
¡Tú puedes! Tú eres inteligente.
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8. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
Gracias, Lucía. Soy estudiante y estoy listo.
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9. Carmen · Teacher
Great listening! Let's break down those five sentences now. First, Álvaro said: 'Lucía, ¿cómo estás? Yo estoy un poco nervioso hoy.' He uses 'estás' and 'estoy' from estar to describe temporary feeling.
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10. Diego · Student
Why does Álvaro use 'nervioso' ending in -o?
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11. Carmen · Teacher
Because Álvaro is male, so descriptive words agree with his gender. In sentence two, Lucía says: 'Tranquilo Álvaro, el profesor es muy paciente.' She uses 'es' from ser for a lasting characteristic.
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12. Diego · Student
If the teacher were just feeling impatient in this moment, would she use estar?
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13. Carmen · Teacher
Exactly, she would say 'está impaciente' for a temporary mood. Sentence three: 'Es verdad, pero la prueba de español es difícil.' Here 'es' states general facts and qualities.
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14. Diego · Student
Is 'es verdad' always formed with ser?
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15. Carmen · Teacher
Yes, 'es verdad' is a fixed phrase for 'it is true'. Sentence four: Lucía tells Álvaro, '¡Tú puedes! Tú eres inteligente.' She uses 'eres' from ser to highlight his core trait.
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16. Diego · Student
Would 'inteligente' ever change gender ending like 'nervioso' does?
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17. Carmen · Teacher
No, 'inteligente' ends in -e, so it stays the same for both men and women. Finally, Álvaro says: 'Gracias, Lucía. Soy estudiante y estoy listo.'
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18. Diego · Student
Why does he use 'soy' for student but 'estoy' for ready?
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19. Carmen · Teacher
Being a student is his role or identity ('soy'), while being ready is his current condition ('estoy'). Excellent job seeing the difference today!
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