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Voice setup

Browser voices come from your system — install the voice in your OS settings:

  • Windows: Settings → Time & language → Speech → Manage voices → Add voices → select Spanish (Spain)
  • macOS: System Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content → System voice → Manage voices → download Spanish (Spain)
  • iPhone / iPad setup: Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content → Voices → Tap Spanish (Spain), download a voice
  • Android setup: Settings → Language & Input → Text-to-speech output → Tap gear icon next to Google TTS → Install voice data → Download Spanish (Spain) voice
8Mi ciudadSection 4 of 8

8.4

Grammar

Ir a, ir en, ir a pie

Look and think

Claire says . How do you say by bus or on foot?

Ir a + place = to go to: (a + el = al).

Ir en + transport = to go by: , , , , . But on foot is a pie or .

Ask: — / —

questionanswer
¿Adónde vas?Voy a la playa / al museo.
¿Cómo vas?Voy en autobús / en tren / a pie.
¿Dónde está…?Está cerca / lejos / en la plaza.

Examples

  • Voy al trabajo en bici.
    I go to work by bike.

  • Mis padres van a Sevilla en tren.
    My parents are going to Seville by train.

  • ¿Vamos al parque a pie?
    Shall we walk to the park?

Tener que + infinitive

Look and think

The woman says . What does tener que mean?

Tener que + infinitive = to have to. Conjugate and keep the second verb in the infinitive:

It is also a friendly way to give advice or instructions:

tener que + infinitive
yotengo que ir
tútienes que girar
él / ella / ustedtiene que coger
nosotros / nosotrastenemos que cruzar
vosotros / vosotrastenéis que seguir
ellos / ellas / ustedestienen que esperar

Examples

  • Tengo que comprar un billete.
    I have to buy a ticket.

  • ¿Tenemos que cambiar de tren?
    Do we have to change trains?

  • Tienes que girar a la izquierda.
    You have to turn left.

Giving directions

Look and think

The woman says , , . Claire would say , , to a friend. What is the difference?

To give directions, Spanish uses short command forms. Learn them as phrases for now: to a friend (tú) , , , ; to someone you call usted: , , , .

You can always avoid commands with tienes que / tiene que: It is polite and easy.

túusted
go straight onsigue todo rectosiga todo recto
turn right / leftgira a la derecha / izquierdagire a la derecha / izquierda
cross the streetcruza la callecruce la calle
take the first streetcoge la primera callecoja la primera calle

Examples

  • Sigue todo recto y cruza la plaza.
    Go straight on and cross the square.

  • Gire a la izquierda en el semáforo.
    Turn left at the traffic lights.

  • El museo está en la segunda calle a la derecha.
    The museum is in the second street on the right.