El médico y el bombero

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5 free word translations

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About this article

Level A1 Reading focus

What you'll learn

Professions (médico, bombero), places (hospital, estación), helping (ayudar, curar, apagar).

This story introduces important professions in the city: a doctor and a firefighter. The text for the A1 level teaches vocabulary about work and helping.

After reading

Article learning block

Phrases, words, grammar, and quick practice from this text.

15 items

Phrases for training

Add useful phrases to SRS or mark them as already known.

Me siento mal

new

I feel bad / I am not feeling well

«Me siento mal» uses the reflexive verb «sentirse» to describe a state. It is how you naturally say you feel unwell in Spanish.

Essential for visiting a doctor and describing how you feel.

Estoy enfermo

new

I am sick / I am ill

«Estoy enfermo» uses «estar» for temporary health states. Remember: «estar» = state, «ser» = permanent characteristic.

Fundamental for telling a doctor you are unwell.

El médico me escucha con atención

new

The doctor listens to me carefully

«Escuchar con atención» means giving full attention. It shows the doctor cares about understanding your problem.

Useful for describing a doctor's visit.

El bombero apaga fuegos grandes y peligrosos

new

The firefighter puts out big dangerous fires

«Apagar fuegos» is the firefighter's main job. The verb «apagar» means to extinguish or put out.

Great for describing what a firefighter does.

Trabajan de día y de noche

new

They work day and night

«De día y de noche» means around the clock. It shows dedication and hard work. Useful for describing demanding jobs.

Good for talking about jobs that require lots of effort.

Quiero tener un trabajo para ayudar

new

I want to have a job to help

«Quiero tener un trabajo para ayudar» uses «querer + infinitive» to express future intentions and desires.

Great for talking about career dreams.

Key words

Vocabulary that carries the school-day topic.

médico — doctor

médico

doctor

«Médico» (doctor) heals sick people. The female form is «médica».

Basic profession. Doctors help us stay healthy.

bombero — firefighter

bombero

firefighter

«Bombero» fights fires and saves people. The female form is «bombera».

Basic profession. Firefighters protect us from fire.

hospital — hospital

hospital

«Hospital» is where doctors work and treat sick people.

Important place. You visit the doctor there when you are ill.

medicina — medicine

medicina

medicine

«Medicina» is what the doctor gives you to get better. It can be pills, syrup, etc.

Good to know when the doctor prescribes something for your health.

valiente — brave

valiente

brave

Being «valiente» means not being afraid of danger. Firefighters are very brave because they save people from peril.

Useful adjective to describe courageous people.

apagar — to put out, to extinguish

apagar

to put out, to extinguish

«Apagar» means to stop fire. Firefighters use water to extinguish fires.

Verb for describing the firefighter's main action.

Grammar in context

Patterns from the text worth noticing after reading.

Present tense: regular verbs

viven

present.regular_actions

«Viven» (they live), «trabajan» (they work), «ayudan» (they help) — these are regular verb forms in present tense with -en ending for third person plural.

Foundation for understanding present tense in Spanish.

Reflexive verbs: me siento

me siento

verbs.reflexive_present

«Me siento» uses a reflexive pronoun «me» to show the action returns to the subject. Common reflexive verbs: sentarse, sentirse, despertarse.

Essential for describing states and daily routines.

Ser vs Estar: states

Estoy enfermo

present.be_state

«Estoy enfermo» uses «estar» for temporary health states. «Ser» is for permanent characteristics. Compare: «Soy médico» (doctor by profession) vs «Estoy en el hospital» (currently at the hospital).