This seventh season of Simple Stories in Spanish is updating some of my favorite episodes. Having written more than 100 stories for this podcast, I have decided to give a few of them a facelift. After some big changes in my personal life, I would like to start by updating my own personal story with a remake of Season 2, episode 1: ¿Quién soy yo? This story is told in the present and past tenses. Repeated words and phrases include “soy” (I am), “he enseñado” (I have taught), “además” (in addition...
Sep 18, 2022•18 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Before the Spanish sailed across the ocean and spread the language of Castellano, the Americas were filled with multiple dialects of rich languages. Little by little, these diverse native tongues are disappearing. There are people that want to save the indigenous tongues of their ancestors, and they are doing so in interesting ways. This story is told in the present and past tenses. Repeated words and phras...
Aug 03, 2022•15 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Nancy is a visual artist. Her medium is not paint, sculpture or architecture - it is photography. With her photography she is able to capture the love between two people and the characters of two dogs. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “obras” (works), “fondo” (background), “retrato” (portrait), “luz” (light), “pareja” (couple), “objetivos” (camera lenses), and “hac...
Jul 17, 2022•17 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Julius didn’t know when he left Germany to study in France that he would fall in love with a girl from Mexico. Now he has a reason to learn Spanish and visit this incredible country. This story is told in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “Alemania” (Germany), “vuelo” (flight), “boleto” (ticket), “fue” (went), and “quería” (wanted). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories ...
Jul 03, 2022•16 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. I love to travel. I love to see new sights and experience new foods. I love meeting new people. There are a few things I don’t love about traveling, but they don’t seem to matter once I reach my destination. This story is told in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “viajar” (to travel), “vuelo” (flight), “boleto” (ticket), “equipaje” (luggage), “maleta” (suitcase), “facturar” (check-in) “segu...
Jun 22, 2022•16 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Dayana the alpaca is surprised to learn that her wooly coat is going to be sheared. She loves her wool, so she runs away. While she is away, she meets a graceful vicuña, an overgrown oveja (sheep), and a sheared llama. Dayana learns that it might not be so bad to have her coat cut after all. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “lana” (wool), “oveja” (sheep), “hilo” (y...
Jun 13, 2022•18 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Juan is a little cat. He thought today would be like any other day exploring with his family, but instead he woke up to discover that is home became a construction site! Will he be able to make his way through the heavy equipment and find his family? This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “viga” (beam), “tierra” (dirt), “borde” (edge), “busca” (looks for), “grúa” (crane)...
May 30, 2022•16 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Latriz has a very important job. She is a receptionist in a clinic. The people who come to the clinic talk to her before they talk to the nurse or doctor. The people who call the clinic talk to her for guidance. Latriz needs to help them stay calm and get the help they need. Latriz’s job is very important. This story includes a lot of dialogue is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include...
May 15, 2022•15 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Why is the raven black? 7-year-old Agapita has created a series of drawings to explain the dark feathers of this intelligent bird who just wanted to get a glimpse of his creator. This story was originally written in English by Scott Wyatt. This story is told mostly in the past tense with some dialogue in the present. Repeated words and phrases include “cuervo” (raven/crow), “dibujo” (drawing), “creador” (cr...
May 08, 2022•16 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Nathan is in love with Ana. They are getting married. But Ana is from Spain and Nathan is from California. Nathan’s family is both excited and nervous for the trip, language, and cultural differences they will find in this “boda en España”. This story is told mostly in the present tense with a little in the past. Repeated words and phrases include “boda” (wedding), “padres” (parents), “hermoso” (beautiful),...
May 01, 2022•16 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. The story of the three little pigs, or los tres cerditos , is one of the first many kids learn. This story of hard work, personal responsibility, and delayed gratification never goes out of style. This story is told mostly in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “cerditos” (little pigs), “lobo” (wolf), “bosque” (forest), “paja” (straw), “madera” (wood), “ladrillos” (bricks), “fuerte” (strong),...
Apr 17, 2022•15 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. After the birth of their daughter Adela, Mark and Alayna decided to spend some time in Spain. They love the food, culture, and people of España and are used the opportunity to practice the language as well. This story is told mostly in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “fueron” (they went), “postre” (dessert), “viajar” (to travel), and “hermoso” (beautiful). No matter where you are in your ...
Apr 10, 2022•16 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Brandon and Julia love dinosaurs. They have a bunch of plastic toy dinosaurs that they play with together. There is only one problem. Julia’s Tyrannosaurus Rex is always eating Brandon’s dinosaurs. Brandon and Julia both know a lot about dinosaurs. Will Brandon be able to find one that Julia’s T-Rex can’t eat? This story is told in the present and past tenses. Repeated words and phrases include “juega” (pla...
Apr 03, 2022•15 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. It is springtime in the northern hemisphere. With springtime comes more time outside, cleaning the yard and getting it ready to produce. My yard has sections of grass, flowers, fruit trees, and a vegetable garden. In the spring, I spend time getting each area ready for summer. This story is told in the first-person present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “primavera” (spring), “jardín” (yard), “hue...
Mar 27, 2022•15 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Paloma is a near perfect child. She just has one problem that threatens to take over her life - Paloma is a worrier. She worries about EVERYTHING from school to shopping to what she wears. Paloma reaches out to her mom, who realizes that she needs more help than she can give. So, Paloma meets with a therapist. At first, she is worried, but after time she begins to develop confidence and her worrying subside...
Mar 21, 2022•14 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Life with a toddler can be fun and difficult. That is why routines are so important. When Lily doesn’t take her nap, the rest of the day is rough for her dad, Esteban. Perhaps a nighttime routine with soothing songs will be exactly what they both need to sleep. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “dormir” (to sleep), “la siesta” (nap), “lavar” (to wash), “el baño” (th...
Mar 06, 2022•15 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Claire loves to dance. She dances every chance she gets. She dances in the car, the supermarket, and around the house when she should be doing her chores. Even though Claire loves to dance, she learns that sometimes she shouldn’t because dancing can cause problems. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “bailar” (to dance), “girar” (to spin/twirl), “quehaceres” (chores),...
Feb 27, 2022•15 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Jayden, Charley and Theo love fishing with their mom. One Saturday they grab their fishing poles and head to the lake. Find out what they catch in today’s story. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “el pez” (the fish), “pescar” (to fish), “caña de pescar” (fishing rod), “carrete” (fishing reel), “sedal” (fishing line), “anzuelo” (fishing hook), “cebo” (bait), “gusano”...
Feb 20, 2022•16 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Silvia loves sweets a bit too much. Her love of sugar catches up with her in the form of a toothache. Now she must visit the dentist. First, the hygienist takes x-rays and cleans up her teeth. Then the dentist comes in for a visit. One thing is for sure, Sylvia needs to take better care of her teeth! This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include “caramelos” (candy), “higienista...
Feb 13, 2022•15 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Ronaldo comes from a family obsessed with football (or soccer), so it is no surprise that he wants to be a famous football star like his “tocayo”, or namesake, Cristiano Ronaldo. But Ronaldo only wants to play front and center, hogging the ball and making all the goals. He needs to learn the importance of each position to truly become a great player. This story is told mostly in the present tense with a par...
Feb 06, 2022•16 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Victoria is feeling nervous and scared about leaving her small town and going to university in a big city. Her friend Piper doesn’t seem scared at all. Victoria learns that some of Piper’s confidence comes from her success in a martial arts class. Victoria decides to give it a try and she learns that small girls like her can be fierce opponents. This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words and ph...
Jan 30, 2022•17 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Today’s story comes from a request for a story about musical instruments. Perhaps you will remember “La mentira de Miguel” (season 1, episode 11). Miguel wanted to go to a rock concert with his friend Wes, but, due to his lying, ended up going to a classical music concert with his mom and sister. Little did he know how much that concert would change his life. He thought rock music was the only sound worth l...
Jan 23, 2022•16 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Today’s story comes from a request for a story about monarch butterflies. Hannah is a curious girl. When a butterfly lands in her back yard, she wants to learn all about it. After visiting the library, she learns that these butterflies are special and that they fly all the way to Mexico from Canada. What else will she learn about the mariposa monarca? This story is told in the present tense. Repeated words ...
Jan 16, 2022•16 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Today’s story comes from a request for underwater vocabulary. The Mesoamerican Reef system is the second largest in the world. Located in el /Mar Caribe, Caribbean Sea, the most beautiful section of this reef is accessible through the island of Roatán in Honduras. Here you can see the plant and animal life that call this tropical paradise home. This story is told mostly in the the present tense. Repeated wo...
Jan 09, 2022•15 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Today’s story comes from a request for vocabulary for doctor-patient interactions. Luis just wants to dance the night away, but a car accident lands him in the emergency room with his date. Now, instead of salsa, he must deal with x-rays, stitches and a cast. What fun! This story is told mostly in the the present tense with one paragraph in the past tense. Repeated words and phrases include “choca” (crash),...
Jan 02, 2022•17 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Today’s story comes from a request for vocabulary for medical interactions. Julio loves winter because winter means skiing. He makes sure to wear all the right clothing: hat, scarf, gloves, and - most importantly - his helmet. When his helmet falls off the ski lift, he thinks he will be fine if he just goes slow. Unfortunately, though, accidents happen. This story is told mostly in the the present tense wit...
Dec 19, 2021•15 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast This sixth season of Simple Stories in Spanish is inspired by requests from my listeners. Today’s story comes from a request for winter-themed vocabulary. Luisa loves winter. She loves everything about winter including frost, snow, ice, and hockey. But it is December in Canada, and it still hasn’t snowed. Will Luisa be able to make snow angels, snowmen and snow forts? She wishes on a falling star that winter will come - and it does! This story is told in the the present tense. Repeated words and...
Dec 12, 2021•14 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast I wrote a short novel called “La aventura de Zunzuncito”. For this fifth season of Simple Stories in Spanish, I will be sharing a chapter from the novel each week. This week is chapter 12 - the last chapter! Zunzuncito is reaching the end of his journey. He crossed the grand lake, passed through the land of giants and arrived at the valley of snails. Now he just needs to suck the nectar and he will be big. Because being big will make him happy, right? This story is told mostly in the the present...
Nov 21, 2021•18 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast I wrote a short novel called “La aventura de Zunzuncito”. For this fifth season of Simple Stories in Spanish, I will be sharing a chapter from the novel each week. This week is chapter 11! Zunzuncito is getting closer to the magic flower that will grant his wish to be big. He crossed the grand lake and passed through the land of giants. Only one place remains: the valley of snails. Zunzuncito feels so close and yet so far from his goal. He is feeling impatient. This story is told mostly in the t...
Nov 14, 2021•13 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast I wrote a short novel called “La aventura de Zunzuncito”. For this fifth season of Simple Stories in Spanish, I will be sharing a chapter from the novel each week. This week is chapter 10! After crossing the grand lake, Zunzuncito and Monty must pass through the land of giants. The land of giants is fascinating, until Zunzuncito sees something horrible: animals in cages. Seeing the animals in cages makes him think of being trapped in the spiderweb. He has to do something, but what can a tiny bir...
Nov 07, 2021•13 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast 
