Servicios cotidianos
Everyday services
- Describir la ubicación de los servicios en un mapa. (Describe the location of services on a map.)
- Preguntar por el horario de apertura de un determinado servicio. (Ask for the opening hours of a certain service.)
-
"Estar" + participio ("Estar" + participle)
Discover essential Spanish vocabulary and grammar related to everyday public and commercial services. Learn how to ask about locations and opening hours using the verb estar with past participles. Practice dialogues and exercises designed for beginner learners to help you communicate effectively in typical city situations.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (19) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify the words into two groups: public services and commercial services, to better understand their function and location.
Servicios públicos
Servicios comerciales
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
La oficina
The office
2
La peluquería
The hairdresser's
3
El ordenador
The computer
4
Pronto
Quick
5
La farmacia
The pharmacy
Ejercicio 5: Ejercicio de conversación
Instrucción:
- ¿Qué hizo Eva hoy? ¿Por dónde pasó? (What did Eva do today? Where did she pass by?)
- ¿Dónde has estado hoy? (Where have you been today? )
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Eva ha ido al gimnasio esta mañana. Eva has gone to the gym this morning. |
|
Después ella ha pasado por la panadería para comprar algo de comida. Afterwards she has passed by the bakery to buy some food. |
|
Ha pasado por el banco por la tarde. She has passed by the bank in the evening. |
|
Hoy he ido al hospital porque trabajo allí como médico. I have gone to the hospital today because I work there as a doctor. |
|
He estado en el colegio esta mañana por mis hijos. I have been to the school this morning because of my children. |
|
He ido a la universidad y a la biblioteca hoy. I have gone to the university and the library today. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. La biblioteca está ____ ahora y puedes usar el ordenador.
(The library is ____ now and you can use the computer.)2. El banco ____ sus puertas a las nueve esta mañana.
(The bank ____ its doors at nine this morning.)3. ¿Puedes decirme dónde ____ la farmacia? Siempre paso por allí cuando voy al trabajo.
(Can you tell me where the pharmacy ____? I always pass by there when I go to work.)4. Los gimnasios ____ cerrados los domingos, pero la cafetería abre temprano.
(Gyms ____ closed on Sundays, but the café opens early.)Exercise 8: Everyday services in the city
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Comprar - Buy
Pretérito perfecto
- yo he comprado
- tú has comprado
- él/ella/Ud. ha comprado
- nosotros hemos comprado
- vosotros habéis comprado
- ellos/ellas/Uds. han comprado
Abrir - Open
Pretérito perfecto
- yo he abierto
- tú has abierto
- él/ella/Ud. ha abierto
- nosotros hemos abierto
- vosotros habéis abierto
- ellos/ellas/Uds. han abierto
Usar - Use
Presente
- yo uso
- tú usas
- él/ella/Ud. usa
- nosotros usamos
- vosotros usáis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. usan
Pasar - Pass
Presente
- yo paso
- tú pasas
- él/ella/Ud. pasa
- nosotros pasamos
- vosotros pasáis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. pasan
Exercise 9: "Estar" + participio
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: "Estar" + participle
Show translation Show answerscerrada, preparadas, cerradas, organizada, abierta, abiertos, alquilada, preparado
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Abrir to open Share Copied!
Pretérito perfecto
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) he abierto | I have opened |
| (tú) has abierto | You have opened |
| (él/ella) ha abierto | He/she has opened |
| (nosotros/nosotras) hemos abierto | we have opened |
| (vosotros/vosotras) habéis abierto | You have opened |
| (ellos/ellas) han abierto | they have opened |
Comprar to buy Share Copied!
Pretérito perfecto
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) he comprado | I have bought |
| (tú) has comprado | You have bought |
| (él/ella) ha comprado | he/she has bought |
| (nosotros/nosotras) hemos comprado | we have bought |
| (vosotros/vosotras) habéis comprado | You have bought |
| (ellos/ellas) han comprado | they have bought |
Usar to use Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) uso | I use |
| (tú) usas | You use |
| (él/ella) usa | he/she uses |
| (nosotros/nosotras) usamos | we use |
| (vosotros/vosotras) usáis | You use |
| (ellos/ellas) usan | they use |
Pasar to pass Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) paso | I pass |
| (tú) pasas | you pass |
| (él/ella) pasa | he passes/she passes |
| (nosotros/nosotras) pasamos | we pass |
| (vosotros/vosotras) pasáis | You pass |
| (ellos/ellas) pasan | they pass |
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Everyday Services in the City
Welcome to this introductory lesson on everyday services, designed for A1-level Spanish learners new to the city environment. This lesson focuses on understanding and using vocabulary related to public and commercial services you encounter daily, such as the library, post office, hospital, bakery, bank, and pharmacy.
Key Vocabulary
- Servicios públicos (public services): el banco, la biblioteca, el hospital, la comisaría, la oficina de correos
- Servicios comerciales (commercial services): la peluquería, la cafetería, la panadería
Main Grammar Focus: "Estar" + Past Participle
This lesson highlights the common construction using the verb estar combined with a past participle to describe the state or condition of places and services. For example, "La panadería está abierta hasta las ocho de la tarde" means "The bakery is open until eight in the evening." This pattern helps you ask and answer questions about location and operating hours of various facilities.
Practical Dialogue Practice
You will engage with dialogues that simulate real-life situations, such as locating the pharmacy on a map or asking about the opening hours of the post office. These conversations reinforce useful phrases like "¿Dónde está...?" (Where is...?) and "¿Está abierta ahora?" (Is it open now?).
Additional Learning Activities
The lesson also offers exercises on verb conjugation to improve your command of present and perfect tenses, as well as a short story to practice vocabulary contextually. For example, sentences like "Esta mañana, yo he comprado un libro en la biblioteca cercana" integrate verbs and vocabulary naturally.
Language Insights
Note that in Spanish, unlike English, the verb estar is commonly used with past participles to describe temporary states or locations, for instance, "La biblioteca está cerrada" (The library is closed). English uses simple adjectives or different verb constructions. Phrases such as "¿Dónde está la farmacia?" (Where is the pharmacy?) are direct and emphasize location, contrasted with the more general "Where is the pharmacy?" in English.
This lesson is perfect for learners aiming to navigate everyday urban environments confidently while practicing fundamental Spanish grammar and vocabulary.
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