Spanish B2.14 Listening Practice: Tell Me With Mood
Spanish B2 listening practice with audio, transcript, key phrases, and a speaking challenge for tell me with mood.
Podcast listening is in beta while creation and discussion tools are refined. This published chapter includes its complete segmented audio and transcript.
Level
B2.14
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
16 segments
What to notice while you listen
What you'll understand
Handle past-event shape, commands, possession, and mood entry points with flexible repair.
Use contar and requested action to build an original spoken Spanish answer.
New pattern
contar and requested action
Practice aloud after listening
Quiero que me cuentes la verdad.
A short Spanish listening chapter with transcript.
Unit 8: add contar and requested action 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 the podcast! I'm Carmen. Today we are exploring how to express requests using the verb contar with the subjunctive mood, specifically focusing on phrases like 'quiero que me cuentes'. Let's listen to Álvaro and Lucía in action.
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2. Diego · Student
Hi Carmen, I'm Diego! I'm ready to learn how to express these direct requests naturally.
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3. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
Lucía, sé que ocurrió algo importante en la oficina y me estás ocultando detalles.
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4. Lucía · Native Speaker 2
Es un asunto delicado, Álvaro, y prefiero evitar los cotilleos.
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5. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
No te pido cotilleos, pero quiero que me cuentes la verdad sobre lo que pasó.
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6. Lucía · Native Speaker 2
Está bien, pero necesito que me asegures que esto no saldrá de aquí.
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7. Álvaro · Native Speaker 1
Tienes mi palabra, así que cuéntame exactamente qué ocurrió.
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8. Carmen · Teacher
Let's break down sentence three where Álvaro says: 'Quiero que me cuentes la verdad sobre lo que pasó.' He uses 'quiero que' followed by the present subjunctive form 'cuentes' to express a desire for Lucía to tell him something.
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9. Diego · Student
Why do we use the subjunctive 'cuentes' instead of the regular indicative form 'cuentas' here?
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10. Carmen · Teacher
When you express a wish, influence, or request directed at someone else using 'querer que', Spanish requires the subjunctive mood because the action is a desired outcome rather than a stated fact.
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11. Carmen · Teacher
Now consider sentence four where Lucía replies: 'Necesito que me asegures que esto no saldrá de aquí.' Here, 'necesito que' also triggers the subjunctive verb 'asegures'.
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12. Diego · Student
Does 'necesitar que' work the exact same way as 'querer que' when asking someone to do an action?
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13. Carmen · Teacher
Yes, exactly. Whenever you express a need or desire for another person to act, you follow 'que' with the subjunctive.
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14. Carmen · Teacher
Finally, in sentence five Álvaro says: 'Tienes mi palabra, así que cuéntame exactamente qué ocurrió.' Here he uses the direct imperative command 'cuéntame'.
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15. Diego · Student
Is using the command 'cuéntame' more forceful than saying 'quiero que me cuentes'?
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16. Carmen · Teacher
Yes, 'cuéntame' is a direct command, whereas 'quiero que me cuentes' frames the request around your personal desire, making it slightly more nuanced.
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