This article helps learners learn Spanish by exploring a natural, beginner-friendly conversation set in Buenos Aires. It recreates the essential parts of a dialogue between two speakers and extracts practical vocabulary, useful phrases, cultural notes and short practice tasks. Learners can use these examples to build confidence speaking about personal information, routines, hobbies and daily life.
Quick overview of the conversation
The dialogue covers common beginner topics: introductions, birthplace and birthday, family, physical appearance and personality, languages, classes and work, daily routine, holidays and travel, shopping habits, sports, favourite films and TV shows, food preferences (including vegetarian options), hobbies, housing and what the city is like. Short answers and simple sentences make it ideal for learners who want to learn Spanish through realistic, everyday speech.
Key phrases and model answers
Introductions
- ¿Cómo te llamas? — Me llamo Matilde.
- ¿De dónde eres? — Soy de Buenos Aires.
- ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? — Mi cumpleaños es el 24 de enero.
Family
- Tengo dos hermanos y una hermana. — I have two brothers and a sister.
- Mi mamá se llama Adriana, mi papá Carlos. — My mom is Adriana, my dad Carlos.
Appearance and personality
- Soy alta y tengo cabello castaño. — I’m tall and have brown hair.
- Soy divertida, inteligente y puntual. — I’m fun, intelligent and punctual.
Languages and work
- Hablo español, inglés y un poco de portugués. — I speak Spanish, English and a little Portuguese.
- Trabajo en el colegio y doy clases de español para extranjeros. — She works at high school and teaches Spanish for foreigners.
Vocabulary by topic
Daily routine (verbs)
- levantarse — to get up
- trabajar — to work
- volver — to return
- cenar — to have dinner
- dormir — to sleep
Shopping and places
- el supermercado — supermarket
- la carnicería — butcher
- la verdulería — greengrocer
- compras — shopping
Sports and leisure
- nadar — to swim (practises swimming twice a week)
- fútbol — football/soccer (very popular)
- andar en bicicleta — to ride a bike
- pasear — to go for a walk
Food
- pizza (favourite)
- empanadas (typical Argentine dish)
- asado / la barbacoa — traditional barbecue (vegetarians may avoid meat)
Cultural and practical notes
In Buenos Aires it’s common to buy specific products at specialised shops (for example, la carnicería for meat or la verdulería for vegetables), although large supermarkets exist. Soccer (fútbol) is the dominant sport, but people also enjoy cycling, basketball and volleyball. Many museums and parks offer free activities, and the city is known for its lively nightlife.
Pronunciation tips
- Rolling r: practicar palabras como perro y carro.
- Vowel clarity: pronounce vowels clearly (a, e, i, o, u) to be understood easily.
- Question intonation: raise the pitch at the end of yes/no questions (¿Vas al supermercado?).
Practice exercises
- Introduce yourself in Spanish: name, origin, birthday. Example: “Me llamo ___, soy de ___, mi cumpleaños es el ___.”
- Describe your daily routine using five verbs from the list above.
- Write three sentences about favourite foods, including one typical dish from your country.
- Answer: ¿Dónde compras la carne? ¿La fruta? (Use carnicería/verdulería or supermercado.)
Short dialogue (model)
— ¿De dónde eres?
— Soy de Buenos Aires. ¿Y tú?
— Soy de Mérida. ¿Qué haces?
— Soy profesora y doy clases de español para extranjeros.
Conclusion
This conversation offers a compact and realistic way to learn Spanish at the beginner level: short answers, everyday vocabulary and cultural details. Learners should practise aloud, repeat the model sentences, and try the exercises. Repeating similar conversations with friends or a tutor will build fluency quickly.
Suggested next steps: record short self-introductions, practice the shopping vocabulary in role-play, and describe pictures of homes and cities to expand descriptive language.
100s of videos to learn Spanish:
https://real-life-language.kit.com/b1531a6404
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