Integrated present: café dialogue (A1 ES)
Café dialogue with 20+ present forms and service questions. A1 reading with translation.
Conversación en la cafetería del barrio
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Practises integrated present in a service dialogue and scene description. Mixed phase.
Camarera: Sí, claro. ¿Lo quiere grande o pequeño?
Cliente: Pequeño, por favor. ¿Tienen bocadillos de jamón?
Camarera: Sí, los hacemos frescos cada mañana. ¿Quiere uno caliente?
Cliente: Sí, caliente. ¿Cuánto cuesta todo?
Camarera: Son tres euros con cincuenta. ¿Paga en efectivo o con tarjeta?
Cliente: Pago con tarjeta. ¿Aceptan tarjeta sin contacto?
Camarera: Sí, acerque la tarjeta al lector, por favor.
El cliente se sienta junto a la ventana. Fuera, la calle está tranquila. Una señora mayor lee el periódico en la mesa de al lado. Dos estudiantes hablan de un examen de mañana.
La camarera trae el café y el bocadillo. El cliente come despacio y mira el reloj. Tiene una cita a las once en el banco. No quiere llegar tarde.
Antes de irse, deja una moneda en el platillo de propinas. La camarera sonríe y dice hasta luego. Mañana el cliente vuelve; es un cliente habitual de la cafetería del barrio.
About this article
What you'll learn
Integrated Spanish present: café dialogue; 20+ examples
Practises integrated present in a service dialogue and scene description. Mixed phase.
After reading
Article learning block
Phrases, words, grammar, and quick practice from this text.
Phrases for training
Add useful phrases to SRS or mark them as already known.
Buenos días
newGood morning
Standard Spanish greeting.
Essential greeting for any situation.
¿Tiene café con leche?
newDo you have coffee with milk?
Formal question about availability.
Useful for ordering in a café.
Pequeño, por favor
newSmall, please
Adding "por favor" makes the request polite.
Politeness matters in service contexts.
¿Cuánto cuesta todo?
newHow much does everything cost?
Typical question when paying.
Essential for understanding prices.
Pago con tarjeta
newI pay by card
How to say paying by card.
Useful for payment situations.
Hasta luego
newSee you later
Common polite farewell expression.
For ending conversations.
Key words
Vocabulary that carries the school-day topic.
Café
cafetería
Cafetería
Place where you can order coffee and food.
Central location for practice.
Waitress
camarera
Waitress
Person who serves in a café.
Key person in the dialogue.
Sandwich
bocadillo
Sandwich
Type of light meal in Spain.
Popular food in Spanish cafés.
Cash
efectivo
Cash
Payment method with money.
Alternative to cards.
Tips
propinas
Tips
Money left as a thank you.
Cultural tradition in Spain.
Bank
banco
Bank
Place for financial operations.
Mentioned in context.
Grammar in context
Patterns from the text worth noticing after reading.
Verb tener
¿Tiene café con leche?
Verb tener in present tense
Tiene = you (formal) have. tener = to have.
The verb tener is essential for expressing needs.
Service questions
¿Lo quiere grande o pequeño?
Pronoun inversion in service context
¿Lo quiere? instead of ¿Quiere lo?
Typical structure for café orders.
Price expression
Son tres euros con cincuenta
ser + price: it costs (literally "they are")
Son = they (for price). Price = €3.50.
Useful for understanding prices in Spain.
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