In this final episode of this season of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine, we discuss the popular Spanish crime television series, La Casa de Papel . In response to listener, John's question, Fernanda explains how to say “to try” in Spanish, and more specifically, when to use the verb tratar , or the verb intentar. To finish, Anabel explains the meaning behind an interesting expression. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase you...
Apr 17, 2020•29 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast It's time for another episode of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine! We hope you're hungry as this week's episode is all about Mexican food! Listener Jorge would like to know more about the phrase el uno al otro and Sofía shares a joke about a much loved Mexican dish. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the Spanish language in a more natural way. This series is aimed at intermedia...
Apr 03, 2020•26 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast Mark, Fernanda and Anabel are back for another episode of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine. This week we're heading to Tenerife for El Carnaval de Santa Cruz ! Listener Iris has a question about the use of the words época and tiempo when talking about time, and Anabel shares a couple of interesting expressions. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the Spanish language in a more n...
Mar 20, 2020•24 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast It's time for another episode of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine! In this lesson, we're discussing a very important day for the Hispanic world, El Día de la Hispanidad . Our listener Namrata would like to know more about the use of the past participle in Spanish and Sofía challenges Mark with a tongue twister! In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the Spanish language in a more n...
Mar 06, 2020•28 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast Fernanda, Anabel and Mark are back for another episode of the Magazine and this time they're talking about the famous Spanish writer Federico García Lorca. Listener Eric has a question about demonyms and Anabel shares an interesting expression. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the Spanish language in a more natural way. This series is aimed at intermediate Spanish learners. If...
Feb 21, 2020•29 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast Join Fernanda, Sofía and Mark in the latest episode of the Magazine as they discuss the story behind the impressive Panama Canal. Listener Jean asks a question about pronunciation and Sofía shares some Panamanian colloquial words. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the Spanish language in a more natural way. This series is aimed at intermediate Spanish learners. If you have a qu...
Jan 31, 2020•30 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! We're starting a new year of Coffee Break Spanish with episode 4 of our third season of the Magazine, and the topic for this week is salsa. Not the kind of salsa you put on your fajitas, but the dance which is popular all over the world. There's a question from listener Namrata about combining infinitives, and Sofía shares a fantastic Spanish tongue twister which will get you practising your pronunciation. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you c...
Jan 17, 2020•30 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast It's time for a festive episode of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine. In this lesson, Anabel joins Mark and Fernanda to discuss Navidad en Madrid and together they discuss festive traditions in the Spanish capital. There's a question from listener Sarah about developing listening skills, and Anabel also shares a useful idiomatic expression which is linked to this time of year. The expression involves El Gordo, the famous lottery drawn at Christmas. If you'd like to watch this year's adverts for ...
Dec 13, 2019•26 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine we'll be investigating an astronaut and a dragon eating ice cream on the façade of a 17th Century cathedral. There's only one city in the Spanish-speaking world where you can see such a thing, and that is Salamanca. Join Mark, Fernanda and Anabel for a quick trip to this jewel in the crown of Castilla y León. In our grammar section we'll be answering listener Hanne's question about using the subjunctive after the word cuando . In each episode ...
Nov 29, 2019•31 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast In this first episode in our new season of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine, join Fernanda, Sofía and Mark as they discuss a topic close to every Latin American's heart: el fútbol . There's a question from listener Lonneke about the different verbs for "to walk", and Sofía provides us with some useful words and phrases associated with football. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to us...
Nov 15, 2019•37 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Launching on 15 November 2019, the new series of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine will help intermediate learners of Spanish build their understanding of the language and improve their listening skills. Each episode focuses on a text on a topic related to the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries around the world. In each episode there's also a phone-in question from a listener. Don't forget to follow Coffee Break Spanish on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and...
Nov 08, 2019•3 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast ¡Ha llegado el fin de la primera temporada de En Marcha ! It’s time for one more episode before we wrap up the series and, in this final instalment, it’s time for some questions. While recording En Marcha , we made sure to ask four key questions to almost everybody we interviewed, and this episode brings all of their answers together! Hear about people’s favourite Spanish destinations, dishes and the tips they have for tourists visiting Spain. ¡Vamos a escuchar las respuestas! This season of En ...
Jun 21, 2019•20 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast ¡Es la hora del tapeo! There’s no doubt that trying delicious local delicacies is one of the best things about visiting a new place. In this penultimate episode of Series 1 of En Marcha , Mark and the team head off on a gastronomic adventure around the streets of Málaga. Led by knowledgable guides Jaimie and Susanne from the food tour company Devour Tours , we discover the secrets of Málaga’s mouth-watering offering of food and drink, as well as learning more about the concept of tapas. ¡Que apr...
Jun 07, 2019•20 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast What springs to mind when you think of the city of Málaga? Until recently, it may have been the great weather and the beaches. But nowadays, the city has shaken off the dated image of ‘sol y playa’, and is establishing itself as one of Spain’s main cultural hubs. In this episode, through a series of interviews with local professionals, we hear about what led to this cultural transformation, and the opening of new museums and galleries across the city. This season of En Marcha con Coffee Break Sp...
May 24, 2019•20 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast In this 7th episode of En Marcha , Mark and the team head eastwards along the Costa Tropical, to the village of Frigiliana, officially one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. After spending the day finding out about the village through both its residents and its visitors, it’s time to return to Málaga, but not before dropping in on two more villages, one of which offers up an opportunity for Mark to catch up with some familiar faces. For more information about High Five Spanish, our Spanish...
May 10, 2019•20 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast How many times have you thought about catching a flight to a Spanish-speaking country to learn Spanish? In this episode, Mark catches up with an old friend, talks to the owner of a language school, and asks some students about their experiences at the school. You might have guessed that this episode focuses on a topic close to Mark’s heart: learning Spanish. But no need to book a flight just yet; this episode, and indeed all episodes of En Marcha , will show that you can still improve your Spani...
Apr 26, 2019•20 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast It’s time for another day trip to a beautiful city in the region of Málaga and, this time, the team are in Ronda, lovingly nicknamed the ‘city of dreams’. As the home of modern bullfighting in Spain, Ronda presents the perfect opportunity for the team to ask some people about their opinions on this controversial Spanish tradition. This episode will help you continue to build your listening comprehension skills while introducing you to this dreamlike city through a series of interviews with both ...
Mar 29, 2019•20 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Where better to soak up the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of a culture than in el mercado , and in this episode you can join the Coffee Break team in the Mercado Atarazanas in central Málaga. Whether it's fresh Mediterranean seafood, jamón ibérico , or goat's cheese from the hills around the city, you can find everything you need for the perfect Malagueño meal. This episode will help you build your vocabulary and listening skills while discovering more about the culture of this part of Spain...
Mar 15, 2019•20 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, join Mark and the Coffee Break team as they take the train to Córdoba for the day. You’ll hear them asking about what there is to see and do in Córdoba, before heading on a trip into the city’s famous Mezquita-Catedral . The team will also sample some of Spain’s best tortilla , and we’ll hear from other tourists who are spending the day in the city. This season of En Marcha con Coffee Break Spanish features 10 audio episodes, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Ju...
Mar 01, 2019•20 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast What's it like to live and work in Málaga? In this episode of En Marcha, Mark talks to Sara who works in the Tourism department of the Ayuntamiento de Málaga. They discuss the town, how it has changed over the years, and tourism in the surrounding area. There are also interviews with other Malagueños, and you can challenge yourself to follow the conversations and recognise the different accents used. This season of En Marcha con Coffee Break Spanish features 10 audio episodes, all of which will ...
Feb 15, 2019•20 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast In this first episode of the new series, Mark and the Coffee Break team arrive in Málaga, the beautiful city in the south of Spain. This episode sets the scene for the series and you'll be eavesdropping on Mark's conversations in Spanish with native speakers, while experiencing the sounds of the city. This season of En Marcha con Coffee Break Spanish features 10 audio episodes, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you'd ...
Feb 01, 2019•18 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Join Mark and the Coffee Break Spanish team "en marcha" in the south of Spain. In this season preview, Mark introduces the new show and you'll hear excerpts from some of the many interviews we've carried out in the area surrounding the city of Málaga in the region of Andalucía. We'll be talking to people who live or work in the area, and to people who are visiting the area. These conversations feature authentic Spanish, with a whole range of different accents and speeds of delivery, so it's the ...
Jan 18, 2019•16 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast In this final episode of the season, María is putting the final touches to her plans for travelling to Argentina with Rory as they start on the next chapter in their life. This episode looks at the sequence of tenses with pedir que + subjunctive among other topics. As usual Mark and Carmen are on hand to discuss the complex aspects of the language featured in this lesson. In the preview episode available here on the Radio Lingua site, you'll be able to listen to Carmen and Mark's introduction, t...
Jan 11, 2017•16 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast It's time for the penultimate episode in our series and this week we're joining Rory as he returns to Scotland ahead of his departure for Argentina with María. Once again the episode is rich in complex language and features a number of interesting idiomatic expressions including hacerse el duro , and much more. This season of Coffee Break Spanish features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d ...
Dec 16, 2016•12 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Coffee Break Spanish we join María for a diary entry in which she reflects on her decision to move to Argentina where she and Rory will start their new life. As usual the episode is rich in idiomatic expressions and complex grammar. One expression which is covered in the episode is salir redondo – find out more by listening now. This season of Coffee Break Spanish features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the pod...
Nov 10, 2016•13 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast It’s time for another episode of Coffee Break Spanish and this time we’re reading Rory’s email to Alejandro in which he updates his friend on the recent happenings in Mallorca, including the reception held in their honour in Palma. This episode gives us an opportunity to take a closer look at a range of interesting language points including the use of pedir que + subjunctive. This season of Coffee Break Spanish features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Ju...
Oct 27, 2016•16 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of our advanced Spanish course we’re joining María for a diary entry in which she’s thinking about the possibilities of living and working in Argentina with Rory. Of course, with Alejandro already in Argentina, he would be able to help them get settled. From a language point of view, Mark and Carmen discuss various aspects of grammar and idiomatic expressions including the use of “una vez” with the imperfect subjunctive. This season of Coffee Break Spanish features a total of 40 ...
Oct 12, 2016•13 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Rory and María take a trip to the village of Valldemossa and, while enjoying an ice cream, they talk about the possibilities open to them for their future plans which will undoubtedly involve a trip to Argentina where Rory hopes to continue his studies. Of course, Mark and Carmen are on hand to discuss the language used in their conversation. This episode includes a focus on the first person plural imperative form, meaning “let’s do something”. This season of Coffee Break Spanish features a tota...
Sep 15, 2016•13 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode we’re listening to Alejandro’s email. He’s continuing his travels around northern Europe before returning to Argentina, and he’s desperate to hear about all the updates from Rory and María in Mallorca. The episode contains a range of useful and interesting expressions, along with some tricky language including dudar que + subjunctive, the expression “eso de”, and the phrase “no dar tiempo”. This season of Coffee Break Spanish features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be i...
Sep 01, 2016•11 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast Alejandro has left for London and in this episode we’re reading an email from Rory with the latest updates on the story. Rory is thinking about the future and his plans for his PhD which perhaps will take him to Argentina. As usual, there is a huge range of complex grammar and advanced vocabulary covered, and Mark and Carmen are on hand to discuss the text in detail. This season of Coffee Break Spanish features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay s...
Aug 18, 2016•16 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast 
