Simple Stories in Spanish

This episode is a faster retell of El gatito valiente from season. 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 in the third person and the present tense. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “viga” (beam),“tierra” (dirt), “borde” (edge), “busca” (looks for), “grúa” (crane) and “volquete” (dump truck). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at: https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2025/04/02/simple-stories-in-spanish-told-faster-el-gatito-valiente/ You can find the original recording of this story here: https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2022/05/30/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-gatito-valiente/ Support the show

My son wrote a research story for his 5th grade class about black panthers. Through his writing I learned a lot about black panthers that I didn’t know before, like they are actually jaguars and leopards, not their own species! I enjoyed the story so much that I asked him to tell it with me. This story is in the third person and the present tense. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “pantera” (panther),“depredador” (predator), “presa” (prey), “hogar” (home), and “genial” (cool/neat). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2025/03/24/simple-stories-in-spanish-panteras-negras/ If you would like to send money to my son for his hard work, just write "for John" in the comment. Support the show

This episode is a faster retell of the celebration of Las Fallas. One of my favorite fiestas occurs in March in the city of Valencia, España. San José (St. Joseph) is the patron saint of Valencia and in his honor, they build impressive life-like sculptures. They also decorate a tall statue of the Virgen María with sweet-smelling carnations and light up the sky with “fuegos artificiales”, or fireworks. This legend is told in the both the present and past tenses. Repeated words and phrases include “madera” (wood), “quema” (burn), “fuego” (fire), “vestido” (dress) and “calle” (street). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at: https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2025/03/17/simple-stories-in-spanish-told-faster-las-fallas/ You can find the original recording of this story here: https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2021/04/04/simple-stories-in-spanish-la-celebracion-de-las-fallas/ Support the show

Every now and again I am sent a story by a listener. Today’s fascinating, true story comes from Sharon. The Florida Everglades is facing a big problem. Many of its native species are being killed off by Burmese pythons. However, a dog named Greg is helping to clear to Everglades of this stealthy predator, hunting down snakes invisible to the naked eye. This story is in the third person and the present and past tenses. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “piton” (python),“pantano” (swamp), “cazar” (to hunt), “cazador” (hunter), and “refugio” (shelter). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2025/03/10/simple-stories-in-spanish-greg-el-perro-cazador-de-pitones/ Support the show

One of my favorite activities is to create stories with my students. Today’s was created by my Spanish 1 college class. You can see illustrations of our class story on my website through the link in the show notes. Dave is a fun-loving, active young woman. She does a different activity every day of the week. Her activities take her all over the world. This story is in the third person and the present tense with a little bit of past and conditional tenses. Please suspend all logic as the point of the story was to talk about the calendar, weather, and activities, and it is not logical. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “verano” (summer),“invierno” (winter), “tiempo” (weather), “charcos” (puddles),“camión” (truck), and “baloncesto” (basketball). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2025/02/19/simple-stories-in-spanish-dave-la-chica/ Support the show

Today celebrates 5 years of Simple Stories in Spanish! In honor of its 5th anniversary, I have decided to retell one of my favorite stories from season 1. This story was inspired by the capuchin monkeys that I saw all over Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica. Who doesn’t enjoy a day at the beach? Ramona certainly does. She goes to the beach every day and watches all the tourists. But Ramona isn’t just anybody, she is a capuchin monkey and is very famous for her thieving ways. This story is in the third person and the present tense. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “playa” (beach), “arena” (sand), “comida” (food), and “mono” (monkey). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2025/02/02/simple-stories-in-spanish-ramona-la-mona-capuchina/ Support the show

Isabel wishes she were home for Christmas instead of all alone in a big city. She knows that other people in her apartment building are also alone, so when the electricity goes out, she decides to spread light and joy through candles and song. This story is in the third person and the present tense. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “siente” (feels),“vecinos” (neighbors), “velas” (candles),“caja” (box), “Navidad” (Christmas), “Nochebuena” (Christmas Eve, and “villancicos” (carols). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/12/15/simple-stories-in-spanish-feliz-navidad/ Support the show

Juan lives a boring life in a boring house, driving a boring car to a boring job. When he turns 40, he decides that it is time to do something exciting, so he turns to the world of extreme sports. This story is in the third person and the present tense with a sprinkling of past and future. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “aburrida” (boring),“deportes” (sports), “paracaidismo” (skydiving), “espeleología” (spelunking), and “buceo” (scuba diving). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2025/01/27/simple-stories-in-spanish-2/ Support the show

Pablo Pavo is a lazy turkey. He lives in the woods and just wants to eat all day. The other woodland animals are worried about Pablo. They know hunting season is coming and Pablo needs to learn how to avoid humans. Each animal gives Pablo advice on how to stay safe. But, will Pablo listen? This story is in the third person and the present tense with multiple instances of the present subjunctive tense. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “pavo” (turkey), “consejo” (advice),“evitar” (to avoid), “cazar” (to hunt), and “patas” (legs/feet). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/11/25/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-pavo-flojo/ Support the show

Catalina, Gustavo, and Benjamín are trapped. Their only way out is to build a robot for the man who took them: Javier. But, Catalina and Gustavo have a different plan - one that will allow them to escape with their robot son and take down Javier in the process. Will they be able to pull it off? This story is in the third person and the present tense with some past, future, perfect, and subjunctive tenses as well. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “cerebro” (brain), “piel” (skin), “salir” (to leave), and “enciende” (ignite/turn on). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/11/05/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-hijo-robot-parte-6-conclusion/ Support the show

Catalina and Gustavo worked hard to bring their child Benjamín to life. After the neighbors discovered their secret, they were taken away to a secret location. Now, their son is being held hostage in a way to make them create more robots like him. Will Catalina and Gustavo find a way out? This story is in the third person and the present tense with some future, conditional, subjunctive, and perfect tense use as well. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “taller” (workshop), “cerebro” (brain), “tapar” (to cover), “confía” (trusts), and “mientras” (while). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/10/27/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-hijo-robot-parte-5/ Support the show

Benjamín is not like other children. He goes to school and enjoys playing, but he is not a normal child: he is a robot child. He had an accident in front of his friend Elian. Now, Elian and other kids are whispering about him and calling him a monster. Catalina and Gustavo are willing to do anything to protect their little family, but will it be enough? This story is in the third person and the present tense with some future tense and subjunctive as well. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “se acerca” (approaches/nears), “vete” (go away), “piedras” (stones), and “abraza” (hugs). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/09/24/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-hijo-robot-parte-4/ Support the show

Catalina and Gustavo built a robot child. Now that child wants to go to school like other children. There are so many things that could go wrong, but they take the risk. Will it work? Will they be able to convince everyone that Benjamín is a normal 10-year-old child? This story is in the third person and the present tense with some future tense as well. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “ajustes” (adjustments), “vuelven” (return), “cuerpo” (body), and “seguro” (safe). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/09/11/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-hijo-robot-parte-3/ Support the show

Catalina and Gustavo want a child so badly that they build a robot together. They are so happy when everything works. They love spending time with their robot son, but he feels like something is missing. This story is in the third person and the present tense with some future tense as well. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “reemplazar” (replace), “jardín trasero” (backyard), “vecinos” (neighbors), “rostro” (face), and “herida” (wound). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/08/28/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-hijo-robot-parte-2/ Support the show

Catalina and Gustavo are very happy together, but something, or someone, is missing. When they learn they can’t have children, Catalina decides they should build a child, not a monster like Frankenstein, but a robot child. This story is in the third person and the present tense with some future tense as well. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “funciona” (works/functions), “crear” (create), “piel” (skin), “cerebro” (brain), and “á” and “emos” at the end of a verb (will). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/08/13/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-hijo-robot/ Support the show

Arturo the monster lives alone in the mountains. He is tired of being alone in his cave and decides to go to the city to make some animal friends. Some animals look down on him because of his size, looks, and smell, but one animal steals his heart. This story is in the third person and the past tense with some present tense dialogue. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “apestaba” (stank/smelt bad),“lastimado” (hurt), “mono” (monkey), and “cerdo” (pig). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/07/30/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-monstruo/ Support the show

Laura almost died. She was bit by an enormous viper, but thankfully Mauricio arrived with an antidote just in time. Mauricio is confused. One minute he was battling in a competition of knights, drinking water offered by the princess and the next minute he finds out he has been married to her for a year. Fausto is a snake. He was never able to get to the potion that would turn him back into a person. How will this story end? This story is in the third person and the past tense. It also includes complex grammar in the form of the conditional and past subjunctive and past perfect tenses. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “hada madrina” (fairy godmother),“varita mágica” (magic wand), “recordar” (to remember), and “parecía” (seemed). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/07/03/simple-stories-in-spanish-felices-para-siempre/ Support the show

Mauricio is a great knight who only wants one thing: to make his queen happy. But he doesn’t know how to do that because she is dying of a snake bite. The queen needs a doctor, not a silly knight. Perhaps the answer is in the books Laura is always reading. This story is in the third person and the past tense. It also includes complex grammar in the form of the conditional and past subjunctive and past perfect tenses. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “caballero” (knight),“víbora” (viper/snake), “veneno” (venom/poison), and “enferma” (sick). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/06/16/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-caballero-mauricio/ Support the show

Fausto wants to be king so he is causing problems that only he can solve. First birds, then rats terrorized the town before he came in and led them away with his magic. The kingdom is impressed, but will they be impressed enough to overthrow Queen Laura and make him their king? This story is in the third person and the past tense. It also includes complex grammar in the form of the conditional and past subjunctive tenses. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “culebra” (snake), “morder” (to bite), “escamas” (scales), veneno (venom/poison), and “cuerda” (rope). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/06/05/simple-stories-in-spanish-el-mago-fausto/ Support the show

Part 2 of "La princesa Laura" Fausto is not happy that his plan to become king was ruined when Mauricio drank a potion intended for Laura. Now Laura is queen and Mauricio is everyone’s hero. If only Fausto could become more important to the people than Laura and Mauricio. Maybe if he causes problems that only he can solve with his magic, the people will see that they need him as their king. This story is in the third person and the past tense. It also includes complex grammar in the form of the conditional and past subjunctive tenses. Important vocabulary in the story includes: “reina” (queen), “reino” (kingdom), “mago” (magician/wizard), “creía” (believed/thought), and encantar (to enchant/curse). No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2024/05/21/simple-stories-in-spanish-problemas-en-el-reino/ Support the show