Spanish B1.14 Listening Practice: Names And Having
Spanish B1 listening practice with audio, transcript, key phrases, and a speaking challenge for names and having.
Podcast listening is in beta while creation and discussion tools are refined. This published chapter includes its complete segmented audio and transcript.
Level
B1.14
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
23 segments
What to notice while you listen
What you'll understand
Connect ideas across purpose, reason, future, condition, and past background.
Use llamarse and tener review to build an original spoken Spanish answer.
New pattern
llamarse and tener review
Practice aloud after listening
Me llamaba diferente antes.
A short Spanish listening chapter with transcript.
Unit 6: add llamarse and tener review 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 to today's lesson! I'm Carmen, and today we are reviewing how to talk about names and possession using the verbs 'llamarse' and 'tener' in Spanish.
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2. Diego · Student
Hi Carmen! I'm Diego. I know 'me llamo' and 'tengo', but I want to get better at using past forms like 'tenía'.
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3. Carmen · Teacher
You are in the right place, Diego! Let's listen to a short conversation between our native speakers, Álvaro and Lucía.
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4. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
Hola, me llamo Álvaro y ahora tengo un trabajo excelente en Madrid.
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5. Lucía · Native Speaker 2
¡Qué interesante! Me llamaba diferente antes cuando actuaba en el teatro.
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6. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
¿De verdad? Yo antes tenía curiosidad por los nombres de escenario.
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7. Lucía · Native Speaker 2
Sí, tenía un seudónimo curioso, pero ahora me llamo Lucía en todas partes.
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8. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
Me parece perfecto, aunque tengo que reconocer que esa etapa suena fascinante.
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9. Carmen · Teacher
Now, let me break down this dialogue for you sentence by sentence. First, Álvaro said: 'Hola, me llamo Álvaro y ahora tengo un trabajo excelente en Madrid.' Here, Álvaro uses 'me llamo' for 'my name is' and 'tengo' for 'I have' in the present tense.
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10. Diego · Student
Is 'tengo' used for current ongoing situations, like having a job?
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11. Carmen · Teacher
Yes, 'tengo' expresses current possession or states in the present tense.
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12. Carmen · Teacher
Next, Lucía replied: '¡Qué interesante! Me llamaba diferente antes cuando actuaba en el teatro.' She used our challenge line, 'me llamaba diferente antes', which means 'I used to be called something different before'.
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13. Diego · Student
Why does she use 'me llamaba' instead of 'me llamo'?
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14. Carmen · Teacher
'Me llamaba' is in the imperfect tense, which describes a past continuous state or habit that is no longer true.
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15. Carmen · Teacher
In the third sentence, Álvaro said: '¿De verdad? Yo antes tenía curiosidad por los nombres de escenario.' He used 'tenía', meaning 'I used to have' or 'I was curious'.
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16. Diego · Student
So 'tenía curiosidad' works like 'I used to be curious' in English?
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17. Carmen · Teacher
Exactly. Spanish often uses 'tener' plus a noun where English uses 'to be' plus an adjective.
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18. Carmen · Teacher
Fourth, Lucía explained: 'Sí, tenía un seudónimo curioso, pero ahora me llamo Lucía en todas partes.' She contrasts 'tenía' for her past stage name with 'ahora me llamo' for her current name.
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19. Diego · Student
What does the word 'seudónimo' mean?
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20. Carmen · Teacher
It means 'pseudonym' or 'stage name'.
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21. Carmen · Teacher
Finally, Álvaro concluded: 'Me parece perfecto, aunque tengo que reconocer que esa etapa suena fascinante.' He used the construction 'tengo que' followed by an infinitive.
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22. Diego · Student
Does 'tengo que' mean 'I have to'?
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23. Carmen · Teacher
Precisely! 'Tengo que' means 'I have to' obligation in Spanish. Well done listening today, Diego!
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