Business-Spanish - Teach Yourself by Juan Kattan-Ibarra
Business-Spanish - Teach Yourself by Juan Kattan-Ibarra
Business
Spanish
Juan Kattan-lbarra
468.34 KAT
Kattan-Ibarra Juan
,
Business Spanish
328509
BUSINESS SPANISH
Juan Kattan-Ibarra
Copyright© 1989
Juan Kattdn-Ibarra
Introduction viii
Background section
17 La geografia de Espafia (The geography of Spain) 224
La economia espanola (1) (The Spanish economy) 226
18 La economia espanola (2) (The Spanish economy) 228
La mujer espanola en el trabajo (Spanish women at 230
work)
Contents vii
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Verb tables 291
Units 1-16 are divided into two sections each. One section
normally aims at developing oral competence through the use of
dialogues ODialogos'), while the other concentrates mainly on the
written language, helping to build understanding and giving guidance
on writing, especially letter writing. The layout of each section is
understood the gist of what was said you can turn to the text and
study the new language forms.
In the Background section, the talks and interviews can be used as a
listening comprehension exercise, testing your ability to understand a
longer piece of speech which contains a little unfamiliar language
along with the familiar. Always try to understand the general
meaning, rather than translate word for word, and guess the meaning
Introduction xi
of new words and expressions through their context. Then look at the
questions which follow, and listen to the talk or interview again
before answering them.
Acknowledgments
The author and publishers would like to thank the following for their
kind permission to reproduce material in this book: Actualidad
Economica, Madrid; Banco Hispano Americano, Madrid; Caja
Postal de Ahorros, Madrid; Diario El Pais, Madrid; Ferrocarril
Metropolita de Barcelona S.A.; Fira de Barcelona; Grupo Asegura-
dos Catalana-Occidente, Barcelona; Instituto Espanol de Comercio
Exterior, Madrid; Instituto de la Pequeiia y Mediana Empresa
Industrial, Madrid.
Pronunciation Guide
The aim of this brief pronunciation guide is to offer hints which will
enable you to produce sounds recognisable to a speaker from any part
of the Spanish-speaking world. It cannot by itself teach you to
pronounce Spanish accurately. The best way to acquire a reasonably
good accent is to listen to and try to imitate native speakers.
Listed below are the main elements of Spanish pronunciation and
their approximate English equivalents. Please note that 'English' here
means 'Standard British English'.
Vowels
Spanish vowels are generally shorter, clearer and more precise than
English vowels. Unstressed vowels are not weakened as in English
but are given much the same value in pronunciation as those which
are stressed. For example, in the English word 'comfortable', the
vowels which follow the syllable 'com' are weak, while in Spanish
every vowel in the word 'confortable' has the same quality.
There are only five vowel sounds in Spanish:
Note
When i occurs before another vowel, it is viene prefiere
pronounced like the
y in yes.
When u occurs before another vowel, it is aduana bueno
pronounced like the w in wind.
After q, u is not pronounced at all; u is quien que
and gue
also silent in gui guia guerra
u is pronounced in gui and gue, a very lingiiistica vergiienza
infrequent sound combination in Spanish.
Pronunciation Guide xiii
Consonants
The pronunciation of Spanish consonants is generally similar to that
of English consonants. But note the following features:
Spanish-American pronunciation
c before e, i, like the s in sale centro cinco
z like the s in sale zapato taza
11 like the y of yawn or the j of jam llamar calle
Spelling
feliz felices
pez peces
Liaison
No N_^esta v aqui.
^Habla espanol?
1 Introducing yourself and others
Seccion A
Dialogo (Dialogue)
Senor Jose Ibarra, managing director of Pldsticos Vizcaya in Bilbao
and senora Mercedes Santos, the sales manager, come to see senor Luis
Morales at his office in Madrid.
el plastico plastic
hola hello
buenos dias good morning
<;que desean? can I help you?
£esta el seiior M .? is senor M. in?
yo soy . . I am . . .
Explicaciones (Explanations)
3 Pasen por aqui. Come this way. If you are addressing one person
only you would say pase por aqui.
Gramatica (Grammar)
1 The definite article (the)
and 8.
4 Business Spanish
yo / nosotros/as we
tu you (sing., vosotros/as you (pi., fam.)
familiar)
el he olios they (masc.)
ella she ellas they (fern.)
listed you (sing., ustedes you (pi., formal)
formal)
To say this or these and that or those in Spanish we normally use the
following words.
The above words may be used with a noun, or may refer to a noun
without mentioning it specifically. In the first case they are adjectives;
in the second case they are pronouns and they must carry an accent.
Practica (Practice
20.
Secretaria Hotel San Carlos, habitacion 20. Muy bien. ^Y el
mimero de telefono?
Vd. (Writing it down). This is the telephone number.
Thank you.
Secretaria De nada. Hasta luego.
Vd. Goodbye.
pero but
probablemente probably
regresa manana she comes back tomorrow
£en que hotel esta Vd.? in which hotel are you?
la habitacion room
ly el numero de telefono? and the telephone number?
de nada not at all
hasta luego goodbye
8 Business Spanish
Seccion B
Plasticos Vizcaya sent a letter to a local businessman in Seville
announcing the arrival of the new representative for Andalusia and
Estremadura. This is an extract from that letter.
Cortes.
El senor Cortes representa a nuestra empresa en Andalucia y
Le saluda atentamente,
Jose Ibarra^
Director gerente
10 Business Spanish
productos
y posibilidades de credito and credit possibilities
Explicaciones
1 Company letter head. This goes normally at the top or in the top
right-hand corner. If there is no company letter head, the writer's
address may be placed in the bottom left-hand corner. For an
explanation of the initials S.A. see page 28.
2 Date. Normally on the right, usually preceded by the name of
the town from where the letter is being sent.
3 Reader's name, position and address. This must go on the left.
Throughout the book you will come across other such forms.
6 Body of the letter. As in English, the letter will be divided into
paragraphs for each idea or subject, with a line space between each
paragraph. Words may be divided at the end of a line, bearing in mind
the syllable structure of the word, e.g. re-pre-sen-tan-te, nues-tra.
Introducing yourself and others 1
Gramatica
1 Plural of nouns
The Spanish equivalent of words such as my, your, his are as follows:
mi my nuestro/a our
tu your (fam.) vuestro/a your (fam.)
su his/ her /its/ your su their/your
The above words also have plural forms: mis, tus, sus, nuestros/as,
vuestros/as, sus.
Mi jefe. My boss.
Nuestro representante. Our representative.
Nuestros represent antes. Our representatives.
conozco know
I conocemos we know
conoces you know conoceis you know (fam.)
(fam.)
conoce he/she conocen they/you know
knows, you
know
sell
Practica
3 Change the infinitives into the correct form of the present tense.
trabajar to work
presentar a to introduce
2 Describing a place
Section A
1 Read this description of Bilbao, one of the main industrial centres
in Spain.
Explicaciones
2 Dialogo
Pldsticos Vizcaya may be moving to a new industrial complex (un
poligono industrial) on the outskirts of Bilbao. In this conversation
senor Ibarra and his partner David Lewis discuss the facilities available
at the new place.
y una gasolinera.
Sr. Lewis ^Y que tal son las instalaciones del poligono? <j,Son
Explicaciones
Creo/pienso que . . .
,
/ think (that) . . .
Gramatica
To describe a place, we often use verbs like ser, tener and hay.
Nota: For the present tense of ser and estar see Unit 1.
Describing a place 19
The Spanish word for a is un for masculine nouns and una for feminine
nouns.
The plural forms unos, unas are translated into English as some.
Nota: For the present tense forms of first conjugation (-ar) and second
conjugation (-er) verbs see Unit 1.
20 Business Spanish
5 Stem-changing verbs
Some verbs, like encontrar (to find), pensar (to think), atender (to
serve) undergo a change in the stem (the main part of the verb,
without its ending) which only occurs when the stem is stressed.
Therefore, the and second person plural are not affected by this
first
Other verbs conjugated like encontrar are: contar (to tell, to count),
mostrar (to show), recordar (to remember), rogar (to ask, to beg),
devolver (to return, to give back), Hover (to rain), poder (to be able),
soler (to be accustomed to), volver (to return).
Other verbs conjugated like pensar are: atender (to serve), cerrar (to
close, to shut), comenzar (to begin), empezar (to begin), entender (to
understand), perder (to lose), preferir (to prefer), querer (to want),
1 1
tener (to have) , venir (to come).
Although the first person singular of tener and venir is irregular (tengo,
vengo), their other forms in the present tense follow the pattern of pensar.
Describing a place 21
Practica
1 Read this passage about Bilbao and then, following the model,
write a similar text about Barcelona using the notes provided.
Notes on Barcelona:
5 Change the infinitives into the correct form of the present tense.
a menudo often
Seccion B
Una circular
Estimado cliente:
Paloma Campino
Directora Comercial
24 Business Spanish
la gerencia management
el agrado pleasure
proxima forthcoming
sala de convenciones conference room
comodo comfortable
el edificio building
la reserva reservation
rogamos escribir (rogar) please write (to reguest, ask)
atender to attend to
la solicitud reguest
recibir to receive
el saludo greeting
Explicaciones
This is another set phrase used in formal letter writing. The verb is in
the future tense. It is also found in the first person singular:
Nota: For the use of this phrase in the present tense see Unit 1; for the
future tense see Unit 8.
Gramatica
2 Preposition + infinitive
Practica
mAjsioi zrotc.
Seccion A
1 Read this description of a shoe factory in Valencia.
la fabrica factory
el calzado shoe, footwear
amplio large
el par, los pares pair, pairs
al extranjero overseas, abroad
28 Business Spanish
Explicaciones
anonima, are used when the firm does not trade under the proprietors'
names. It is the Spanish equivalent of a joint-stock company in the
United Kingdom or a corporation in the United States. Many
Spanish firms carry the initials S.A. after their name. Other types of
trading companies are:
2 Dialogo
Javier Solar, senior executive (alto ejecutivoj of Transiberica, a
multinational company with its main office (Ta casa matrizj in Madrid,
is interviewed by a journalist who is writing a report about the company.
This is the first part of their conversation.
Explicaciones
Gramatica
1 Interrogative sentences
(a) In Spanish, questions may be asked by using the same word order
as in a statement, but with a rising intonation. In writing, the question
mark at the beginning of every interrogative sentence indicates that
this is a question. For example:
Usted es el senor Solar, £no? You are senor Solar, aren't you?
Usted habla espanol, ^verdad? You speak Spanish, don't you?
(d) Again, like English, Spanish uses a range of question words, such
as:
iQue? {What?)
iQue papel juega Transiberica? What role does Transiberica
play?
2 Gender of nouns
(a) Verbs which end in -uir change i into y in the present tense,
except in the first and second person plural. For example, contribuir
(to contribute) is conjugated like this:
Other verbs conjugated in this way are: construir (to build), destruir
(to destroy), distribuir (to distribute), incluir (to include), huir (to
escape), sustituir (to substitute), etc.
voy I go vamos we go
vas you go (fam.) vais you go (fam.)
va he/she/you goes van you/they go
Jugar (to play) is a stem-changing verb where u changes into ue. There
are no other verbs like it.
Verbs derived from decir are conjugated in the same way: contradecir
(to contradict), predecir (to predict), etc.
5 Reflexive verbs
as oneself, e.g. alegrarse (to enjoy onself), but often it is not expressed
at all in English. The reflexive pronouns me, te, se, nos, os, se could be
said to correspond to forms such as myself, yourself, himself, etc.
Reflexive verbs are conjugated in the usual way, but with a reflexive
pronoun preceding the conjugated verb. For example:
When there is an infinitive the reflexive pronoun follows the -ar, -er or
-ir and becomes one word with the infinitive:
Practica
1 Read the passage about Levante S.A. again and then, without
looking at the text, try to complete the missing words in this
paragraph:
Describing an organisation 35
la maleta suitcase
el maletin briefcase
el bolso handbag
el cinturon belt
la cazadora short blouson jacket
la chaqueta jacket
ELECTROHOGAR
Fabrica: articulos electrodomesticos
En: Terrasa, provincia de Barcelona
Plantilla: 400 empleados
Articulos: refrigeradores, cocinas, estufas, aspiradoras, etc.
Mercado: Espaiia y los paises de la Comunidad
Economica Europea
36 Business Spanish
la cocina cooker
la estufa heater
el o la aspirador(a) vacuum cleaner
5 Fill in the blank spaces with the right verb in the correct form of
the present tense, choosing from this list: despertarse, acordarse,
equivocarse, marcharse, encontrarse, casarse, sentirse, modernizarse.
1
(d) El senor Perez . . . siempre a las 7.30 de la maiiana.
(e) Yo . . . a casa. Adios.
(f) Vd. Yo no soy Carlos Yanez, soy Luis Yafiez.
. . .
x
For asking and telling the time see Appendix 1.
38 Business Spanish
Section B
Read these letters requesting and giving commercial references about
a firm.
Atentamente,
Describing an organisation 39
solicitar to request
Explicaciones
Gramatica
Words like mio and nuestro - muy senor mio, muy senor nuestro are
Describing an organisation 41
its/yours
Practica
1 On your desk this morning you have found the following memo
from your boss:
Use the letters on pages 38-9 and the Explicaciones above as a guide.
Seccion A
Dialogo
Maria Ines Fernandez is the director of a small Medical Market
Research Company in Madrid. In this dialogue she discusses her work
with an acquaintance. Notice the use of the familiar form, very prevalent
in Spain today.
conocido/a acquaintance
la antigiiedad seniority
actualmente at present
la verdad es que the truth is that
como es una empresa pequena as it is a small company
los estudios de mercado market research (studies)
supervisar todo el proceso to supervise the whole process
las guias de entrevistas interview questionnaires
los resultados results
el informe report
por nuestra cuenta on our own account
<;Te gusta viajar? Me gusta. Do you like travelling? I like
(gustar) it (to like)
aunque although
el (dia) siguiente the following (day)
tampoco me gusta la rutina I don't like routine either
un horario fijo fixed hours
jque va! not at all
empiezo mi trabajo (empezar) I start work (to start)
incluso mas tarde even later
acabar (muy cansado/a) to end up (very tired)
lo que necesitas (necesitar) what you need (to need)
un buen descanso a good rest
vamos a tomar una copa lefs go and have a drink
^que te parece? (parecer) what do you think? (to think,
seem)
Discussing your work 45
Explicaciones
Gramatica
singular noun alguno and ninguno drop the -o and become algiin,
ningun.
(c) Cualquiera does not change for gender and number; it translates
into English as any. Before a noun it normally drops the -a.
(d) Otro changes for gender and number; it translates into English
as (the) other, (the) others or another.
with an indirect object pronoun. These pronouns are: me, te, se, nos,
os, les. For other uses of indirect object pronouns see Unit 5.
Parecer (to seem) and permitir (to allow, to let) are often used in the
same way as gustar:
seem to you?)
No me permite mantener una vida social normal. It doesn't let
Practica
compania . . .
Now rewrite the above passage in the first person singular, as if senor
Alvarez were talking about his job to someone else. Begin like this:
'Me I la mo Agustin Alvarez y soy el . .
.'.
or
Seccion B
Teresa Robles, a secretary at INVEME S.A. wrote a letter to a friend
describing her job. This is part of that letter.
/Ma*aCoj ,
M,u\rQ a. &j CU(**Xu ,
Explicaciones
Gramatica
(a) Notice the irregularity in the first person singular of the present
tense in these verbs:
(o>ue).
venir (to come) vengo, vienes, viene . . .
3 Personal a
The preposition a is placed before a direct object when the object is a
person.
Practica
Say you like your new job. It is interesting, the salary is good and
you have five weeks holiday a year. Say you normally arrive in
the office at 9.00 and leave at 5.00. Your work is varied: you write
reports, you receive clients from other countries, sometimes you
attend meetings with the management, you supervise the work of
other people, you select new staff and from time to time you
travel abroad.
Section A
Dialogo
Pldsticos Vizcaya are buying a new company car. This is a conversation
between the managing director senor Ibarra and a car salesman.
LINCE M-2
FICHA TECNICA
Motor: Potencia 65 CV a 5.400 rpm
Cilindrada 1.360 cc
Cilindros 4 en linea
Cambio 5 velocidades
Traction Delantera
Alimentation Carburador
Frenos Discos/Tambores
Maletero 273/668 litros
necesitar to need
comprar un coche to buy a ear
no demasiado grande not too big
<,que me recomienda? what do you recommend? (to
(recomendar) recommend )
a ver . . let's see
puedo recomendarle aquel I canrecommend that one
de tamano mediano medium sized
es el coche que le conviene this is the car for you (to suit)
(convenir)
es suave its smooth
esta muy bien equipado its very well equipped
esta muy bien de precio its very reasonably priced
un presupuesto reducido a limited budget
gastar to spend
al contado/con facilidades cash/in instalments
le sale por (salir) it will cost you
por tratarse de una empresa since it is for a company
elmotor engine
la potencia power
el cilindro cylinder
la cilindrada cylinder capacity
en linea in line
el cambio gear
la(s) velocidad(-es) speed(s)
la traccion delantera front-wheel drive
la alimentacion fuel system
carburador carburettor
los frenos brakes
Describing a product and a process 57
Explicaciones
1 ^En que puedo servirle? What can I do for you? This is a very
formal phrase sometimes used by shop assistants. More frequent
expressions are: iQue desea? What would you like? (desear, to wish) or
£Le/la atienden? Are you being served? (atender, e>ie, to serve) For
the use of le/la see the section Gramatica.
^Cuanto cuesta?
^Cuanto vale?
How much does it cost?
^Que precio tiene?
^Cuanto sale?
To ask and say how much something comes to, we use the phrases:
Gramatica
Ser and estar are the verbs most frequently used in describing a
product. Study these examples:
2 Verb + infinitive
Poder (o>ue), necesitar, preferir (e>ie) and querer (e>ie) are often
used with an infinitive. Look at these examples.
No podemos mucho.
gastar We can't spend much.
Necesito comprar un coche. / need to buy a car.
Preferimos comprarlo al contado. We prefer to buy it cash.
^Quiere Vd. mirarla? Do you want to look at it?
(a) The English object pronouns me, you, him, her, it, us, them, are
either indirect (He shows him the car) or direct (He buys it). In
Spanish these pronouns are:
me (to) me me me
te (to) you (fam.) te you (fam.)
le (to) you, him, le you (masc), him
her, it la you (fern.), her
In Spain and Latin America you will also hear lo and los instead of le
and les in the masculine form, but this alternative only applies to
direct object pronouns. For indirect pronouns the third person is
If there are two object pronouns, the indirect one must come first.
4 Si {If).
Note that unlike si (yes), si (//) does not carry an accent. For other
uses of si see Units 15 and 16.
60 Business Spanish
Practica
1 Study the dialogue and the ficha tecnica again and then answer
these questions.
coche?
Vd. Say it is in the car park. Ask if he/she wants to see it.
emplea it uses
avanzada advanced
facil easy
liviana light
4 Study the advertisement again and then fill in the blank spaces
below with the correct form of ser, estar or tener, as appropriate.
tecnologia.
(e) El teclado . . . silencioso.
parece?
Cliente Esta muy
^Cuanto vale? bien.
Vendedor Normalmente vendemos por cincuenta mil . . .
Seccion B
Study this passage which describes the export of fruit products from
the region of Valencia.
Gramatica
1 Passive voice
In this context the past participle will change for gender and number:
the word se + a verb in the third person. The verb must agree with the
subject in number:
final destination.
In the previous sentences exportar and enviar are not reflexive verbs
but normal verbs, although we use the se of reflexive verbs (see
Unit 3).
palabra? word?
2 Al + infinitive
Practica
1 Study again the text on fruit export in Valencia and then try to
reconstruct it using these phrases:
la fruta se recoge
es llevada
se encargan de .
se seleccionan . .
se ponen
son transportadas
se envian
Now repeat the above using the construction se -I- verb in the third
person.
fabricar to manufacture
los ordenadores computers
las mercancias merchandise, goods
los agricultores mismos the farmers themselves
Ia(s) uva(s) grapes
los vendimiadores grape harvesters
6 Making enquiries and
appointments
Section A
Read these letters making enquiries about the Esplendida typewriters
advertised on page 61.
Explicaciones
This is a formula which is used not only in writing but also orally, for
example: Tenga(n) la bondad de pasar (Will you please come in). As a
spoken request to do something it should only be used in very formal
situations. Grammatically, tenga(n) is an imperative form. For
information on how to form the imperative see Unit 12.
2 Les rogamos (que) nos envien. Please send us, or kindly send us.
Le/les ruego or rogamos can also be treated as a formula to request
something in writing. It is also used orally in public announcements,
for example: Se ruega a los senores pasajeros embarcar (Passengers . . .
Gramatica
The past participle must agree in gender (masc. or fern.) and number
(sing, or plural) with the noun it refers to. Note that this use of estar
may sometimes contrast with the construction ser + past participle
that we studied in Unit 5. Compare these sentences:
The first sentence indicates the result of an action whereas the second
is a passive sentence describing an action.
Practica
MUEBLES DE OFICINA
EL MAS AMPLIO SURTIDO
YA LOS MAS BAJOS PRECIOS
MESA METAUCA
SILLON
DIRECCION
MESA MADERA
71
MESA
MAQUINA
SILLA
MESA
REUNIONES
MADERA
This office furniture is just what you need for your new office in Spain.
they are able to make deliveries within the next three weeks.
* Close the letter by saying that you look forward to hearing from
them.
Here are some words and phrases you may need:
la filial branch
informar to let someone know
cuales son sus condiciones what their terms are
2 Reply each of these requests by saying that what you are being
asked to do has already been done.
Ejemplo: Tenga la bondad de enviar las mercancias. Ya estan
enviadas.
despachar to dispatch
el informe report
fotocopiar to photocopy
pagar la factura to pay the invoice
corregir los errores to correct the mistakes
cobrar un cheque to cash a cheque
Making enquiries and appointments 73
Seccion B
Dialogo 1
Dialogo 2
Senor Scott telephones the sales manager of another Valencian
company. The telephone rings at Comercial Campos.
Secretaria ^Oiga?
Sr. Scott Si, ^digame?
after)
estar libre (hasta) to be free (until)
estupendo very good
hasta manana till tomorrow
el jefe de ventas sales manager
un momentito just a moment (diminutive)
;,de parte de quien? who's speaking?
de parte de James Scott ifs James Scott
6<>iga? are you there?
el despacho office
esta almorzando (almorzar) he's having lunch (to have
lunch)
volver a llamar to call again
^como dice? (decir) I beg your pardon? (to say)
no le oigo bien (oir) I cant hear you well (to
hear)
hasta luego goodbye
Making enquiries and appointments 75
Explicaciones
Gramatica
Verbs ending in -ir which change the stem from e to i (see Unit 3) also
show this change in the present participle.
Verbs in -ir which change e to ie (see Unit 2) also take i in the present
participle. This does not apply to first and second conjugation verbs
(-ar and -er).
-ir and certain -er verbs which change o to ue (see Unit 2) take u in the
present participle.
When the phrase contains a pronoun, this may go before the verb
estar or it may be added to the end of the present participle, in which
case the word must carry an accent:
Nota: The present tense may also be used to refer to an action which occurs at
the moment of speaking. For example:
Practica
Recepcionista Gracias.
Vd. Now ask ifsenora Miranda is in. Say you would
like to speak to her.
Recepcionista La senora Miranda esta entrevistando a una
persona en este momento. ^Quiere Vd. volver
a llamar despues de las 1 1 .00?
Vd. Yes, certainly. Goodbye, thank you.
Recepcionista De nada, adios.
entrevistar to interview
el candidato candidate
el puesto post, position
el/la contable accountant
discutir to discuss
un asunto a matter, an affair
una llamada a call
7 Discussing plans and obligations
Seccion A
Dialogo 1
Explicaciones
1 Using the familiar form. Notice the use of the familiar form
between the two colleagues. This is widely used in Spain today, even
in situations where one would expect more formality. Generally, as a
Discussing plans and obligations 81
foreigner who not yet aware of the social mechanisms which lead
is
into the use of familiar or polite forms, it is best to stick to Vd. and
Vds. with people you don't know, particularly in official situations
(e.g. customer and bank clerk). When in doubt, wait to see what form
Dialogo 2
Maria Ines Fernandez and Miguel have lunch together and discuss her
next visit to South America. They also talk about their plans for the
weekend.
Expiicaciones
1 A los chicos les encanta. The children love it. The verb encantar
(literally to charm, to delight) is normally conjugated like gustar, e.g.
Gramatica
1 Ir a + infinitive
To express future plans we can use a number of constructions, among
them ir a + infinitive, which is equivalent in English to to be
going + infinitive. In this context we need to use the present tense of ir
(for its forms see Unit 3), as in
2 Pensar + infinitive
Note: future plans and events may also be expressed with the future tense. For
its forms see Unit 9.
Hay que (one has to, you, we have to) is an impersonal form used to
express obligation or necessity.
5 Preposition + pronoun
With the exception of the first and second persons singular, the
pronouns which follow prepositions are: el, ella, Vd., nosotros,
vosotros, ellos, ellas, Vds. For example:
For the first and second persons singular we use mi and ti,
respectively:
With the preposition con, the first and second persons singular
become conmigo and contigo, respectively:
Practica
1 Study the two dialogues again and then answer these questions.
Hotel dolour,
T--10 Jantt'ccoo dt Chile
thtcL Larrercc .
Someone at work
asking Maria Ines about her travel plans. These
is
are the questions. What are her answers? Refer to the information on
the diary.
Section B
On her desk this morning Teresa Robles, a secretary at INVEME
S.A. found the following messages (recados).
JitAuZiAC
Discussing plans and obligations 87
TerescL
la confirmation confirmation
el vuelo flight
la agencia de viajes travel agency
preguntar por to ask for
una habitation individual a single room
fuera out
el recado message
la fotocopiadora photocopying machine
estar estropeado/a to be out of order
el tecnico technician
hoy mismo today without fail
Gramatica
1 Gender of nouns
Si hay algiin recado para mi/Maria Ines ... If there are any
messages for me/'Maria Ines . . .
Tienes que preguntar por Carmen Diaz. You should ask for
Carmen Diaz.
Voy a pasar por ti a las 4.00. 77/ call in at your house at
4 o'clock.
Lo hago por ti. I'm doing it for you.
Voy a Buenos Aires por dos dias. I'm going to Buenos Aires for
two days.
Voy a salir por la tarde. I'm going out forI in the evening.
Practica
1 Study the first message again and say whether the following
sentences are true or false (V) or (F). Correct any false statements.
2 While Miguel was out Teresa took a message for him and as it
was not urgent she decided to leave a note on his desk. Write it out as
she would have done, using the familiar form. Here is what you have
to say:
4 Fill in the blank spaces below with the correct preposition: por
or para.
Section A
Dialogo 1
Explicaciones
1 Soy yo. It's me. Notice the word order here, verb + pronoun,
instead of the normal construction pronoun + verb, as in yo soy (su
secretaria) (/ am (her secretary)).
2 Llamo de. I'm calling from. Notice the use of the present tense
llamo instead of estoy llamando. The latter would be preferred if the
emphasis was on the action itself, as in <;que estas haciendo? (what are
you doingl), estoy llamando a Elsa (Vm calling Elsa).
Dialogo 2
After confirming the flight Teresa telephones the Hotel Bolivar in
Caracas to book a single room for her boss.
Explicaciones
called . . .)
Dialogo 3
At the airport Caracas Maria Ines Fernandez was met by the
in
representative of a local marketing company that was coordinating
the work for her in that city.
Explicaciones
1 Notice the special use of the word buscar (literally, to look for),
which in this context translates as to meet. The sentence Fll meet you
at the airport (station, etc.) would be conveyed in Spanish as Ire a
buscarle (la/te) al aeropuerto (estacion, etc.).
2 The construction Permitame que (Let me . . . . . .) is followed by
a present subjunctive. For its forms and other uses see Units 13-14.
Gramatica
The future tense is formed with the infinitive followed by the ending,
which is the same for all three conjugations. For example:
96 Business Spanish
estar to be
estare I will be
estaras you will be (fam.)
estara you/he/she/it will be
estaremos we will be
estareis you will be (fam.)
estaran you/they will be
Some verbs have an irregular stem in the future tense, but the endings
are the same as those of regular verbs. Here is a list of the most
important:
direis, dirdn
haber (to have, aux.) habre, habrds, habrd,
habremos, habreis, habrdn
hacer (to do, make) hare, hards, hard, haremos,
hareis, hardn
poner (to put) pondre, pondrds, pondrd,
pondremos, pondreis,
pondrdn
querer (to want) querre, querrds, querrd,
querremos, querreis,
querrdn
saber (to know) sabre, sabrds, sabrd,
sabremos, sabreis, sabrdn
salir (to go out, leave) saldre, saldrds, saldrd,
saldremos, saldreis, saldrdn
tener (to have) tendre, tendrds, tendrd,
tendremos, tendreis,
tendrdn
venir (to come) vendre, vendrds, vendrd,
vendremos, vendreis,
vendrdn
Making travel arrangements 97
Examples:
Ese dia saldre para Santiago de Chile. Fll leave that day for
Santiago in Chile.
(a) de
(b) a
(c) para
Para el 3 de febrero.
Una habitation para ella.
(d) en
En el aeropuerto.
En mi oficina.
En Caracas.
98 Business Spanish
Practica
representante en Caracas?
company in Argentina.
Colega Parece un viaje muy interesante. Espero que te vaya
muy bien.
Vd. Thank your colleague and tell him/her it's your first trip
to Latin America.
4 Fill in the blank spaces with the correct preposition, a, de, en, or
para. Use the contraction al (a + el) where appropriate.
. John Kennedy
. . mediodia. . . .
noche aproximadamente.
Section B
Un telegrama
Maria Ines Fernandez sent a telegram to someone in Buenos Aires
announcing her arrival. First study these instructions from the
Spanish postal and telecommunications service (Direction General
100 Business Spanish
Explicaciones
direction.
3 La escalera. Stairs. You would indicate this if you are
addressing your letter or telegram to a large block of flats that has
more than one entrance.
TEXTO:
llegar£ Buenos Aires martes once febrero
Atentamente
el expedidor sender
el domicilio address
la poblacion town
TFNO abbreviation for telefono
102 Business Spanish
Gramatica
Gender of nouns
Practica
cancelar to cancel
la salud health
Section A
1 Un anuncio
INGENIERO COMERCIAL
Retribucion sobre 3.400.000 ptas. brutas/ano.
+ Coche representative
+ Otras ventajas sociales
•Se incorporara a importante Multinacional fabri-
cate de bienes de equipo con base en Valen-
cia.
•Dependiendo del Director-Gerente, sera respon-
sable de la promocion y asistencia tecnica de
una linea de producto/mercado contando con
una red de ventas y de servicio en toda Espana.
•La formacion y continua actualizacion requiere
dominio del idioma ingles.
• Pensamos en un Ingeniero de 27 a 38 ahos con
experiencia minima de 3 anos en puesto similar.
Rogamos escriban con detallado historial y foto-
grafia reciente a la Ref IC de Publicidad Levan-
te. Pintor Sorolla, 9. 46002 Valencia.
Applying for a job 1 05
mercado
contando con (contar con) which has (to have)
una red de ventas y de a sales and service network
servicio
la formation education, training
la continua actualization ongoing training
requiere dominio de (requerir) it calls for a good knowledge
of (to require)
en puesto similar in a similar job or position
un detallado historial a detailed c.v.
Explicaciones
IC de Publicidad Levante
Pintor Sorolla, 9
46002 Valencia
Ricardo Marquez
Applying for a job 1 07
Explicaciones
Notice the phrase Muy senores mios {Dear Sirs), instead of Muy
senores nuestros (Dear Sirs). This is because Ricardo Marquez is
Gramatica
he / have
has you have (fam.)
(-ar) trabajado worked
ha he/she has, you have
(-er) leido read
hemos we have
(-ir) decidido decided
habeis you have (fam.)
han you/they have
Verb + preposition
depender de to depend on
ser responsable de to be responsible for
pensar en to think of
cumplir con to fulfil
Practica
3 Put the infinitives into the correct form of the perfect tense.
establecer to establish
contratar to engage
las mercancias goods
pagar topay
el gobierno government
contener to contain
la inflacion inflation
1 10 Business Spanish
HOTELES PLAYA
IMPORTANTE EMPRESA
ANDALUZA EN PROCESO
DE EXPANSION
DE ARTE SECRETARIA
• Buscamos un profesional con
experiencia como Director de Arte
en agendas de publicidad.
• Se incorporaria inmediatamente
en el equipo creativo senior para Se requiere:
llevar cuentas de gran importancia - Aleman e ingles hablados y escritos
y prestigio. correctamente.
• La remuneracion bruta anual sera - Mecanografia.
de 6.000.000 de pesetas mas
bonus.
Seccion B
1 Un historial profesional
This is the c.v. sent by Ricardo Marquez with his letter of application.
HISTORIAL PROFESIONAL
1975-1980.
1 12 Business Spanish
la edad age
el estado civil civil status
particular private
el jefe manager
dcha. abbreviation for derecha, right
izq. abbreviation for izquierda, left
Nota: dcha, and izq. are used in this context to indicate door on the right /left
respectively.
Explicaciones
2 Dialogo
The company which has advertised for a product manager is considering
the applications and shortlisting candidates. Two of the company
executives, senora Morales and senor Garcia, discuss Ricardo's
application and decide to invite him for an interview.
Explicaciones
Gramatica
Some verbs form the past participle in an irregular way. Here are the
n ones.
Practica
Imagine that you are one of the people involved in the selection and
are discussing the candidate with a colleague. Fill in your part of the
conversation below.
3 Say you have already done what you are being asked about.
Ejemplo: ^Has leido este anuncio?
Si, ya lo he leido.
el articulo article
la correspondencia mail
los sellos stamps
HISTORIAL PROFESIONAL
NOMBRE APELLIDO
DIRECCION
ACTIVIDAD ACTUAL
CARGOS/ACTIVIDADES ANTERIORES
ESTUDIOS
REFERENCIAS
FIRMA FECHA
10 Attending an interview
Seccion A
Ricardo Marquez and some of the other candidates who applied for
the position of product manager (director de producto) received a
letter inviting them for an interview:
s4s
Agustm Arenas J.
Director de Personal
1 1 8 Business Spanish
month
tenemos mucho gusto en we have great pleasure in
anunciarle informing you
Vd. ha sido preseleccionado you have been shortlisted
en base a una entrevista on the basis of an interview
que tendra lugar (tener lugar) which will take place (to take
place)
el miercoles 25 del presente on Wednesday 25th of this
month
le rogamos que confirme por please confirm in writing
escrito
a la brevedad posible as soon as possible
su asistencia your attendance
a dicha entrevista at the said interview
Explicaciones
Explicaciones
Practica
tarde.
(b) La conferencia/Avenida Almagro 31, 4°/lunes 3 del co-
rriente/7.30 de la tarde.
(c) Las conversaciones/Plaza del Rey 12/martes 17 del mes
proximo/8 de la tarde.
JO*** A(WU~tA~
Note: certain phrases, such as Thank you for your letter of. do not translate
. .
directly into Spanish. Use similar expressions found in this and previous units
of the book to convey the same ideas.
Seccion B
Ricardo Marquez and Maria del Carmen Cortines were interviewed
for the position of product manager. These are extracts from the two
interviews.
. .
Dialogo 1
MAISA.
Entrevistadora Bueno, hablemos ahora sobre sus actividades en
esta ultima empresa . . .
Explicaciones
Dialogo 2
Entrevistador Senorita Cortines, ^en que ano termino Vd. sus
estudios de Administration de Empresas?
M. Cortines Los termine en julio de 1978.
Entrevistador Pero, segun su historial de trabajo, Vd. obtuvo su
primer empleo en 1979. ^.Que hizo Vd. despues de
terminar sus estudios universitarios?
M. Cortines Pues, como mayoria de las empresas hoy en
la
dia exigen el conocimiento de uno o mas idiomas,
me fui a Inglaterra durante seis meses para hacer
un curso intensivo de ingles.
Entrevistador £Y como califica Vd. su dominio del idioma?
M. Cortines Bueno, la verdad es que lo entiendo y lo escribo
bastante bien y lo hablo con cierta facilidad.
Entrevistador ^Habla Vd. algun otro idioma?
M. Cortines Si, hablo algo de frances. Lo estudie en el
£en que ano termino Vd.? what year did you finish? (to
(terminar) finish)
los termine en 1978 I finished them in 1978
segun according to
Vd. obtuvo su primer empleo you got your first job (to get)
(obtener)
124 Business Spanish
Explicaciones
Gramatica
(24th April), etc., the preterite and not the perfect tense must be used:
(b) Formation. There are two sets of endings for the preterite
tense:one for -ar verbs and another one for verbs in -er and -ir. For
example:
terminar ( to finish)
termine I finished terminamos we finished
terminaste you finished terminasteis you finished
(fam.) (fam.)
termino you/he/she/it terminaron you/they
finished finished
(fam.) (fam.)
perdio you/he/she/it perdieron you/they lost
lost
126 Business Spanish
decidir ( to decide)
decidi / decided decidimos we decided
decidiste you decided decidisteis you decided
(jam.) (fam.)
decidio you/he/she/it decidieron you/they
decided decided
^En que ano termino Vd. sus estudios? When did you finish
your studies?
Perdi mi empleo. / lost my job
^Por que decidio Vd. dejar esa firma? Why did you decide to
leave that firm?
dijeron.
hacer (to do, make) hice, hiciste, hizo, hicimos, hicisteis,
hicieron.
querer (to want) quise, quisiste, quiso, quisimos,
quisisteis, quisieron.
Attending an interview 127
vinieron.
traer {to bring) traje, trajiste, trajo, trajimos,
trajisteis, trajeron
1979.
iQue hizo Vd. despues? What did you do afterwards?
In the second dialogue, notice the use of the reflexive verb irse (to go,
leave).
Me fui a Inglaterra. / went to England.
Me fui en diciembre. / left in December.
(d) Spelling changes in the preterite tense. Some verbs need a change in
the spelling in the first person singular to enable the final consonant of
the stem to keep the same sound as in the infinitive. For example:
2 Algo de (some)
3 Lo que (what)
Notice the use of lo que in these sentences.
Practica
Now imagine that you are the person being interviewed. Answer the
questions in the dialogue above with information about yourself.
(a) Put the infinitives in the passage in the correct form of the
preterite tense.
Section A
Dialogo
Ricardo Mdrquez has been selected for the position of product manager
at Agromecdnica Internacional in Valencia. On his first day in the job he
meets some of the people in the company. Notice the use of the familiar
form between colleagues, even when they haven't met before.
Explicaciones
Seran alrededor de las 6.00, <<,no? It must be around 6.00, isn't it?
9 Te llevaras muy bien con el. You 11 get on very well with him. The
expression here is llevarse bien/mal con aiguien {to get on well/badly
with someone). Study these other examples:
Gramatica
(b) Formation. There are two sets of endings for the imperfect
tense: one for -ar verbs and one for verbs in -er and -ir. Examples:
1 36 Business Spanish
job.
^,D6nde vivias? Where did you live?
Making social contacts 137
the morning.
Cuando de casa esa maiiana eran casi las 9.30. Hacia sol y
sali
Llevar may also be used with a present participle to say how long you
have been doing something.
Lie van mucho rato discutiendo. They've been arguing for a long
while.
Llevamos una hora esperando. We've been waiting for an hour.
Ella llevaba un aiio en Nueva York. She had been in New York
for a year.
Lie vabamos media hora hablando We had been talking for half
an hour.
Making social contacts 139
^Cuanto tiempo hace que trabajas aqui? How long have you
been working here?
Hace dos anos que trabajo aqui. I've been working here for two
years.
Trabajo aqui desde hace dos anos. I've been working here for
two years.
Practica
2 Elena Barros is being asked about the publicity firm where she
used to work. Look at this information and then answer for Elena.
You are introduced to someone who's new in the town and who's
been working for Mexoil in another country.
en el extranjero abroad
5 Say you have just had, or done what you are being offered.
Ejemplo: ^,Quiere Vd. un cafe (tomar)
Gracias, pero acabo de tomar.
un cigarrillo a cigarette
fumar to smoke
tomar to have, drink
un bocadillo a sandwich
quedarse a la cena to stay for dinner
su desayuno your breakfast
142 Business Spanish
Section B
1 Ricardo Marquez has been with the company for some time
now. On a visit to a trade fair (una feria de muestras) in Venezuela he
was invited by a colleague to visit his home and meet his family. On
his return to Spain, Ricardo sent the following letter thanking his
host.
Ricardo Marquez
attend you)
de igual manera in the same way
durante su proxima visita during your next visit
Explicaciones
saluda cordialmente.
Explicaciones
The emphasis here is on the action (the verb) rather than the person
(the subject).
Gramatica
2 Use of infinitive
Practica
Say you called in at the office but you were told that he/she was at a
meeting. Say you are having a party at your home and that you hope
to see him/her there with his girlfriend/her boyfriend. The party will
beat 8.00pm.
Seccion A
An international food fair (Feria Alimentaria) is held at the Palacio de
Congresos in Barcelona every year in March. Businessmen come
from all over Spain and other countries to visit the various stands.
Getting to the fair by public transport and finding one's way around it
is the main theme of the dialogues which follow.
Dialogo 1
Hans Schenk has come from Frankfurt. At his hotel he asks how to get to
the fair.
es posible.
Recepcionista Pues, metro le deja alii mismo. Vaya Vd. hasta
el
UJ
O
<
>
er
o
o
Tarragona z
ARAGO
I
Rocafort Urgell
Espanya .
GRAN ViA
Universitat
H
I
Explicaciones
iSabe Vd. donde es la Feria Alimentaria? Do you know where the food
fair is? Notice the use of ser rather than estar in this sentence (^donde
es?). This is because we are talking about an event which is taking
place somewhere rather than about the location of a building or a
place, as in <;D6nde esta el Palacio de Congresos?
Dialogo 2
Michael Pride has come from Birmingham and he has hired a car. At the
corner of Rector Triado and Sant Nicolau he asks someone for
directions.
Explicaciones
Notice the use of Vd. after the verb in mire Vd., doble Vd.. The use of
Vd. softens the command form.
Dialogo 3
Guillermo Gdlvez has come from Malaga. At the fair he asks the way to
the dairy products stand (el pabellon de los productos lacteos y sus
transformados).
SECTORES.'AUMENTARIA-88,<SALON DE SALONES
Dialogo 4
Karen Rose has come from Texas to visit the fair. At the information
desk (en information) she asks where she can find a telephone and she
also asks about the toilets (los servicios).
Explicaciones
To ask about the toilets in a public place you would say ;,donde estan
los servicios/esta el servicio? or ;,donde estan los lavabos/esta el lavabo?
The word servicios is used in Spain and Latin America while lavabo is
This is the first time Karen Rose has used a public telephone in Spain
and she has to look at the instructions overleaf first.
Llamadas urbanas
Deposite monedas de 5 descuelgue
pesetas, el
numero deseado.
Llamadas internacionales
1. No utilice monedas de 5 pesetas pues puede
cortarse la comunicacion.
07 44 1 741
1326
Acceso a la Indicativo Indicativo Numero
central -> del ->* de -> del
internacio- Reino Londres abonado
nal Unido
Giving directions, instructions and advice 153
Gramatica
1 The imperative
Present Formal
Infinitive tense imperative
entren (pi.) go in
no entre(n don't go in
no coja(n) don't take
no suba(n) don't go up
stem of the first person singular of the present tense, verbs which are
1 54 Business Spanish
irregular in the present tense are also irregular in the imperative. For
example:
entrad (pi.) go in
Notice that the singular forms are the same as the third person
singular of the present tense.
baje (go down) bajese (get off) no se baje (don't get off)
diga (tell 9 say) digame (tell me) jno me diga! (don't say!)
1 56 Business Spanish
Practica
Al llegar a . . .
Bajese en . . .
etcetera.
al llegar on arriving
el parque park
mas abajo/mas arriba further down/further up
4 Give instructions
You are in Spain with a Spanish speaking colleague from Chile who
wants to telephone his family back home. He doesn't know how to use
a Spanish public phone and he's forgotten his reading glasses. Look at
the instructions for international calls on page 152 and tell him what
to do. Use the familiar form, beginning like this:
Seccion B
Study these telex messages which give different kinds of information,
instructions and advice.
Explicaciones
venda. them.
Notice that the present subjunctive shares the same form with the
formal imperative, (compre, venda). For a full study of the subjunctive
see Units 13-16.
Giving directions, instructions and advice 1 59
Practica
2 Understanding a telex
To be able to understand the information contained in a telex, very
often you not only need to know something about the context but you
should also be aware of words and phrases which have been omitted.
Certain omissions unfortunately may lead to misinterpretation.
Practice writing the telexes above in full form.
the message you have to convey. Rewrite it omitting all the words
full
Section A
Dialogo
Pldsticos Vizcaya S.A., the manufacturers of plastic products in Bilbao,
needs to buy office furniture. This is a telephone conversation between
one of the employees at the company and a salesman at a furniture
factory (una fabrica de muebles).
office)
tenemos un gran surtido we have a large stock
los articulos que aparecen the articles which appear ( to
(aparecer) appear)
1 62 Business Spanish
Explicaciones
Note: al detail is a Gallicism for al por menor. For other expressions related to
trade see the Glossary on pages 297-301.
Buying and selling 163
^,Por que llega Vd. tan tarde? Why are you (do you arrive) so
late?
Es que perdi el tren. / missed the train.
^Por que no vino Vd. ayer? Why didn't you come yesterday?
Es que estaba enfermo. / was ill.
Gramatka
1 The subjunctive
The tenses revised so far in this book (e.g. the present, the future, the
preterite, the imperfect) all form part of the indicative mood. But
there is another set of tenses in Spanish which correspond to the
subjunctive mood. Spanish uses a wider range of subjunctive tenses
than French, in the spoken as well as in the written language.
Certain verbs in the main clause - for instance, verbs which are used
in indirect commands (querer, to want), verbs which indicate hope
(esperar, to hope), wishing (desear, to wish), or doubt (dudar, to
doubt) - call for the use of the subjunctive in the subordinate clause,
provided that the subject of the verb in the main clause is different to
that in the subordinate clause.
present subjunctive
imperfect subjunctive
perfect subjunctive
pluperfect subjunctive
Verbs which are irregular in the first person singular of the present
tense indicative are also irregular in the present subjunctive. For
example:
Present
Infinitive indicative Present subjunctive
sean
Certain conjunctions always call for the use of the subjunctive, even
when there is no other verb present. Here are some of the most
important:
con tal (de) que (Vd. quiera) provided that (you want)
a menos que (no sea possible) unless (its not possible)
a no ser que (haya problema) unless (there are problems)
166 Business Spanish
Certain expressions of time, when the action has not yet taken place,
require the use of the subjunctive. For example:
Practica
Jef a de Compras
Empleado ^Digame?
Vd. Good afternoon. Say you are phoning from Gonzalez
Buying and selling 169
Vd. Say in that case you'll send them the order today and
thatyou hope the goods will arrive before Friday.
Empleado No se precocupe Vd. Se las despacharemos
inmediatamente.
Vd. Thank the employee and say goodbye.
Empleado De nada. Hasta luego.
contado.
CO Quiero que Vd. (llamar) a la papeleria y que (preguntar) si les
quedan carpetas.
coche.
(b) Hablare con Vd. despues de que ellos (se van, se vayan).
(c) Nos quedaremos aqui hasta que (terminamos, terminemos).
(d) Cuando mi jefe (vuelve, vuelva) de Espana le pedire un
aumento de sueldo.
(e) Aunque su sueldo (es, sea) bajo, siempre gasta mucho dinero.
(/) Normalmente hacemos el balance en cuanto (termina,
termine) el ano.
Seccion B
1 Respuesta a una consulta sobre precios y condiciones
de pago (Reply to a request for information about
prices and terms).
Explicaciones
Atentamente.
Explicaciones
enviar/mandar to send
despachar to dispatch
la entrega delivery
efectuar !a entrega to deliver
para entrega inmediata for immediate delivery
entregar to deliver
Gramatica
Agradecer {to be grateful) and rogar (to ask) convey formality and
politeness and in this context they are interchangeable, although the
first is in the future tense and the second in the present tense
indicative. Remember that rogar is a stem-changing verb (o->ue,
ruego, ruegas, etc.) while agradecer is irregular in the first person
singular of the present tense (agradezco, Tm grateful).
Practica
Atentamente.
Seccion A
Dialogo
Calzados Levante S.A. is exporting some of its products to McDowell
Shoes of London. This is part of a conversation between Carlos Blasco
of Levante S.A. and John Clarke who represents McDowell's.
ExpSicacioises
Sources: Como exportar, por Francesc Santacana i Martorell, Instituto de la Pequena y Mediana Empresa
a
Industrial, 2 edition, Madrid, 1987.
Expansion Comercial, No. 37 (Instituto National de Fomento de la Exportation, Madrid).
Gramatica
Me alegro mucho de que este aqui. Tm very glad you are here.
Es mejor que discutamos este negocio personalmente. Wed
better discuss this business personally.
No creo que haya ningun problema. I don't think there'll be any
problem.
No creo que ellos lo sepan. dont think they know about it.
/
But if the main clause with creer is affirmative, this must be followed
by an indicative verb in the subordinate clause:
Here are other examples of the use of the present subjunctive found in
the dialogue. They follow the rules studied in Unit 13.
4 Let's + verb
The imperative form equivalent to the English phrase Let's takes the
same ending as the formal command for Vd. (see Unit 12) plus -mos.
Practica
\A /UOt^f***** .
Seccion B
Read this text which looks at the way small and medium sized companies
are joining forces to find a wider and more stable market for their
products overseas.
184 Business Spanish
El comercio de exportation
La comercializacion. Una
primeras y principales preocupa-
de las
hallar to find
los canales channels
actuan (actuar) they act (to act)
los intermediaries middlemen
pequenas y medianas small and medium sized
empresas companies
tratar con to deal with
puede resultar dificil y may be difficult and costly
costoso
aunar esfuerzos to join forces
el consorcio de exportation export consortium
el parrafo paragraph
cuyo proposito whose purpose
por un lado/por otro on the one hand/on the other
mediante through
las empresas integrantes the member companies
tener en cuenta to take into account
la unidad unity
estar dispuesto a to be willing to
la complementariedad compatibility
la oferta offer, tender; supply
a fin similar, related
evitar to avoid
la voluntad will
implicar to imply
la mentalidad mentality
en lo relativo a/en lo que as regards
respecta a
frente a with regard to (literally, in
the face of)
las exigencias demands
Explicaciones
to use them. Study the text again and make a list of all such words. It
may help you to remember them later if you classify them according
to their functions, for example, verbs or words which indicate some
form of action, e.g. exportar, abstract nouns or words which denote
an activity, e.g. la exportacion, nouns which refer to people and their
occupations, e.g. el exportador.
2 To avoid unnecessary repetition within a text we often make
use of synonyms which, if not exactly equivalent in all their meanings,
may be considered as synonyms within a given context. Here are
some examples found in El comercio de exportacion:
Gramatica
3 Cuyo (Whose)
Nota: The English construction whose is/are? translates into Spanish as <,de
quien es/son?
<<,De quien es este coche? Whose is this car?
iDc quien son esos libros? Whose are those books?
Practica
la desventaja disadvantage
B
(a) el extranjero (i) formar
(b) a traves de (H) ser
(c) constituir (Hi) conseguir
(d) lograr (iv) el exterior
(e) resultar (v) operar
(/) actuar (vi) mediante
4 Complete this table with the missing words. Follow the first
example.
importar
la venta
el comprador
comerciar
la representation
producir
el consumidor
Import and export 189
un conocido mio.
directores es
(d) Estos son problemas solution nos concierne a todos.
. . .
promover to promote
la finalidad objective
el bienestar welfare
un conocido an acquaintance
concernir to concern
imprescindible essential
la tarea task
15 Making complaints and
apologising
Seccion A
Dialogo
end of October and the goods ordered by McDowell's have not
It is the
4.00.
J. Clarke Perfectamente. Hasta luego, gracias.
C. Blasco De nada. Hasta luego.
afortunadamente fortunately
ya se ha solucionado it has already been solved (to
(solucionar) solve)
todo lo que esta pendiente everything that is outstanding
nos perjudica (perjudicar) it affects us (to affect, harm)
yo le agradeceria que enviase Vd be grateful if you would
send
lo que pueda whatever you are able to
dentro de los proximos within the next
si no recibiesemos nada ifwe dont receive anything
en el plazo de una semana within a week
tendriamos que anular we will have to cancel
no se preocupe Vd. don't worry (to worry)
(preocuparse)
yo mismo me encargare I will look after (it) myself
(encargarse) (to look after)
creame que believe me that
lo lamento (lamentar) mucho fm very sorry (to regret)
no esperaba que esto I didn't expect this to happen
ocurriera
no nos habia sucedido nothing like this had ever
(suceder) nunca una cosa happened to us (to happen)
asi
^podria Vd. lam a r me por
1 could you telephone me?
telefono?
que es lo que han enviado what (it is that) you have
sent
Explicaciones
Notice the two key words used in them: quejarse (to complain) or la
queja (complaint).
reclamar.
Gramatica
(a) Use and formation. To say what we would do or what would happen
(e.g. we would cancel the order) we use the conditional tense. Like the
future tense it is formed with the infinitive, to which the endings are
added. The endings of the three conjugations are the same as those of
the imperfect tense of -er and -ir verbs (see Unit 11). Here is an
example:
-er and -ir verbs are conjugated in the same way as llegar. For
example:
Verbs which have irregular stems in the future tense (see Unit 8) also
have them in the conditional. The endings are the same as those of
regular verbs:
decir (to say) diria, dirias, diria,
diriamos . . .
(a) Uses. The uses of the imperfect subjunctive are those of the
subjunctive as a whole (see Units 13 and 14). It is used in the
subordinate clause when the main verb is in the past or conditional
(e.g. preterite, conditional, pluperfect). Compare these sentences:
Note that verbs which are irregular in the preterite are also irregular
in the imperfect subjunctive. Here is the imperfect subjunctive of three
regular verbs:
But notice the use of the present indicative followed by a future tense
in
Notice the use of the ending -isimo whose function is to emphasise or,
when added to an adjective, to stress a quality or characteristic.
Words which finish in -co and -go change their spelling when they
form the absolute superlative.
Practica
arrived yet.
Sr. Maleza Lo muchisimo, pero ha habido un
siento
pequeno incendio en la fabrica y se han quemado
algunas de las mercancias. Pero ya se han hecho
las reparaciones necesarias y la fabrica esta
funcionando normalmente otra vez.
Vd, Say you are very sorry about what happened but
you cant wait any more. You need the merchandise
before the winter sales start. Ask whether he can
dispatch at least half of the goods now and the rest
later on. Otherwise you will have to buy somewhere
else. You didn't expect this to happen.
al aparato speaking
un pequeno incendio a small fire
se han quemado (quemarse) they have been burned (to get
burned)
las reparaciones repairs
esta funcionando (funcionar) it's working (to work,
function)
otra vez again
haremos todo lo posible por we'll do everything possible to
las molestias troubles
Making complaints and apologising 199
4 Fill in the blank spaces below with the correct verb from the list
acompanar to accompany
renunciar to resign
Seccion B
1 Read these extracts from letters of complaints.
recordar to remind
hasta la fecha to date
con la mayor brevedad as soon as possible
nos veremos obligados a we shall be forced to
(verse obligado a)
el departamento juridico legal department
Distinguida sefiora:
Practica
3 You've been from your office for two weeks and on your
off sick
return you find a lot of correspondence on your desk which needs
answering. One of the letters is from seiior Patricio Lazcano who
wrote on September 11th. Apologise for the delay in replying to his
letter and explain why you hadn't done so before.
Section A
Study the following tables which give information about
DOCUMENTOS BANCARIOS
Los documentos que el exportador entregabanco al
SEGUROS
La contratacion de una poliza de seguro por parte del
exportador, esta condicionada por:
compaiiia de transporte.
* La modalidad de entrega
acordada entre el
comprador y el exportador,
por ejemplo CIF (Cost
Insurance Freight - Coste
Seguro Flete).
Riesgos
DOCUMENTOS DE EMBARQUE
Segun el tipo de transporte que se haya decidido utilizar,
estos son basicamente los siguientes:
Source: Como exportar, por Francesc Santacana i Martorell, Instituto de la Pequena Mediana Empresa Industrial,
a
2 edicion, Madrid, 1987.
208 Business Spanish
entregar to hand in
variar to vary
en funcion de according to
la relation list
Explications
Gramatica
When a clause carrying a subjunctive tense refers to the past (e.g. que
se haya establecido), we need to use the perfect subjunctive. The
perfect subjunctive is made up of the present subjunctive of haber plus
a past participle, which is invariable (for regular past participles see
Unit 5, for irregular ones see Unit 9).
haya
hayas
mandado sent
haya
establecido established
hayamos
recibido received
hayais
hayan
210 Business Spanish
Practica
asegurar to insure
contra todo riesgo against all risks
un cargamento a shipment
las cajas cases
los articulos de cuero leather articles
ascender to amount to
el barco boat
su empr esa
funciona y La inundacion
El incendio
In cortocirc uito, un escape dc
|
—2 7""/
s-T" J
^>- »
'
*
In reventon, la lluvia o los desagucs
gas o cualquk
icr dcscuido.
, 1 ,
I n s? fr
La responsabilidad
la Emprcsa
un
se paraliza.
civil
in-
1 4 y-^EI f obo
f»-^_ Pucden perjudicar
^^^sJL^apodcrarsc dc dincro, matcrialcs
^^""^Tproductos almacenados
n
La averia mecanica
o
las nstalaciones y
ir
In error en la fabrication o en cl
manejo dc las instalacioncs y la caida
dc objetos que pcrjudiqucn otros
bienes o pcrsonas.
Los transportes
*
pero hay siete
(Cuando la maquinaria sc averia
en plena produccion y cuando
cs mas necesaria.
OCCIDENTE J
PEQUENAY
MEDIANA EMPRESA
Aseguradorcs desde 1864
Banking, insurance and transport 213
Section B
Dialogo
Sarah Lambert, an executive who is frequently sent by her company to
Spain, is making enquiries about a transfer at a Spanish bank.
pidio Vd.?
S. Lambert Hace diez dias mas o menos. ^Esta seguro de que no
hay nada?
Empleado Si, si, no hay absolutamente nada a su nombre.
already
manana o pasado (mafiana) tomorrow or the day after
(tomorrow)
para entonces by then
quiza ya haya Hegado it may have arrived perhaps
quisiera averiguar I would like to find out
la cuenta account
en moneda extranjera in foreign currency
a la vista deposit account (immediate
withdrawal
a plazo deposit account (withdrawal
upon notice)
puede sacar dinero you can withdraw money
cuando lo desee whenever you wish
mientras que whilst
las fechas de vencimiento dates of maturity
abrir una cuenta to open an account
los intereses interest
la libra esterlina pound sterling
como le digo as I say
fluctuar to fluctuate
constantemente constantly
la ventaja advantage
la retention de impuestos tax deduction
los saldos son transferibles al balances may be transferred
exterior abroad
en pesetas convertibles in convertible pesetas
Banking, insurance and transport 217
Explicaciones
Sene 04 If 4. 6 34. 3 32 i
:
Ija.+v tL Mv KozL
Nota: Notice the use of Catalan and Spanish in the above cheque, e.g.
Pagueu per aquest xec a/Paguese por este cheque a {Pay this cheque to).
Gramatica
hubiera/hubiese
hubieras/hubieses
comprado (comprar)
hubiera/hubiese
querido (querer)
hubieramos/hubiesemos
ido (ir)
hubierais/hubieseis
hubieran/hubiesen
Banking, insurance and transport 219
To say what we would have done or what would have happened, we use
the conditional perfect tense. This is formed with the conditional of
haber followed by a part participle, which is invariable.
habria
habrias
aceptado (aceptar)
habria
vendido (vender)
habriamos
recibido (recibir)
habriais
habrian
Here are other examples of the use of the conditional perfect tense.
Nota: In the //clause, the pluperfect and the conditional perfect are not
interchangeable.
Practica
1 You are working for a Spanish bank and you've been asked to
translate the following text into English. It is part of an information
leaflet for English speaking customers.
cifradas denominated
cotizada quoted/sold
el aliciente incentive
estan exentas de they are not subject to
rentabilidad muy elevada high profitability
Banking, insurance and transport 221
Vd. No, you are not a resident, but you come here often on
business and holiday. Now you are buying an
apartment, so it would be convenient for you to have
an account to pay for some of your expenses. You
already have one in sterling but you would like to have
one in pesetas, if possible.
el formulario form
rellenar to fill in
Entrega en
efectivo
Banco HispanoHmepicano
Sucursal Numero de cuenta Comeme 1 24053
Numero de cuenta de Ahorros
Paseo de Gracia,
Numero de cuenta de Ahorro Actrvo
Barcelona
Entrega para abonar a. Tnulares
Sarah E. La nbert
foioloi s l a 9l
Pecha en afra
la sucursal branch
ingresar to deposit
los billetes bank notes
el metalico coins
/ La geografia de Espaiia
This introductory text gives some general information about the
geography of Spain and the country's population.
EI territorio espanol
La poblacion
Espana tiene una poblacion de 38.400.000 (1986) habitantes y una
densidad de 74,5 habitantes por kilometro cuadrado. Las regiones
mas pobladas son Madrid, Cataluiia, Andalucia y la Comunidad
Valenciana. En ellas habita mas del 50 por ciento de los espanoles. En
general, existe una mayor concentration de poblacion en la costa que
en el interior. Despues de Madrid, la ciudad mas grande de Espana es
Barcelona. Otras grandes ciudades son Bilbao, Valencia y Sevilla.
la poblacion population
las regiones mas pobladas the most populated regions
La agricultura
La pesca
Espaiia tiene una larga tradition pesquera y su flota es una de las
mayores del mundo. A pesar de esto, Espana importa pescado para
hacer frente algran consumo interno. Como consecuencia de su
entrada en el Mercado Comun, el pais debe limitar el volumen de
pesca en las aguas territoriales de otras naciones comunitarias. Al
mismo tiempo, Espana se compromete a la reduction gradual de su
flota pesquera.
La mineria
La gran cantidad de recursos minerales con que cuenta Espana
constituye la base de una industria minera muy importante, dedicada
La economia espanola 229
La energia
Responda en ingles
situation.
Periodista ^Existen diferencias en lo que respecta de al tipo
futuro?
Sra. Lara A mi me parece que si. De hecho, hoy en dia hay
mayor conciencia en nuestra sociedad sobre la
necesidad de romper los moldes tradicionales que
limitan nuestra participacion en la vida economica
de la nation. Y no solo a nivel de organizaciones
feministas, sino tambien a nivel general. En este
sentido, creo yo, el Instituto de la Mujer y las
organizaciones feministas de todo el pais tienen una
gran responsabilidad y un papel muy importante
que cumplir.
1 El comer do
The following text deals with the general patterns of Spanish home and
foreign trade.
El comercio interior
El comercio exterior
menor)
los productos alimenticios food products
a traves de pequenos through small shops
comercios
miran con ternor y they look with fear and
desconfianza distrust
las cadenas de supermercados supermarket chains
los consorcios extranjeros foreign groups
el sector alimentario the food sector
los bienes de consumo durable consumer goods
duraderos
los grandes almacenes department stores
al menos en lo que respecta a at least as regards
los establecimientos establishments
en lo que se refiere a as regards
los bienes de equipo capital goods
los medios de transporte means of transport
llevar a cabo to carry out
los intermediarios middlemen
pasar por to go through
sigue teniendo gran peso it continues to play a major
role/to be important
las frutas frescas fresh fruit
una fuente de divisas a source offoreign exchange
a su vez in their turn
los proveedores suppliers
Nuevas tecnologias 235
Responda en ingles
2 Nuevas tecnologias
This is part of a talk on new technology in Spanish firms given by a
computer expert to a group of trainee executives.
Responda en espanol
1 iQue es la ofimatica?
2 ^Por que permite aumentar la productividad?
Nuevas tecnologias 237
Responda en ingles
2 El turismo
An official from the Spanish Secretaria de Estado para el Turismo
(Spanish Tourist Board) talks to a foreign journalist about the
importance of the tourist sector for the Spanish economy.
equilibrar to balance
la balanza de pagos balance of payments
sobrepasar to exceed
proceder to come from
atraer to attract
los visitantes extranjeros foreign visitors
la red hotelera hotel network
las comodidades comfort
el hostal small family run hotel
la pension boarding house
la casa de huespedes guest house
tan solo un lavabo only a washbasin
la ducha shower
exigentes demanding
una red de paradores a network of'paradors (State
hotels)
estatales state (adjective)
de alta categoria of high standing
242 Business Spanish
1 La nueva Espana
This text looks at the transition towards democracy in Spain following
the death of General Franco in 1975.
La muerte de Franco
En noviembre de 1975 murio el general Francisco Franco, llegado al
poder tras una larga y sangrienta guerra civil que se inicio en 1936 y
termino en 1939 con el triunfo de las fuerzas nacionales de derecha
sobre las republicanas. Franco asumio poder como jefe de Estado y
el
La transition democratica
La Constitution de 1978
La Constitution de 1978 recoge los principios fundamentales de los
sistemas democraticos, entre ellos el soberania popular y
de la
GALLEGO
CATALAN
Las Lenguas de Espana
La nueva Espana 245
Los sindicatos
La libertad de los trabajadores para constituir sindicatos permitio el
recoge it incorporates
los principios principles
el titulo title
Responda en ingles
2 El empleo
This is an interview with a senior Spanish official about unemployment
and the measures which are being taken to create new jobs.
el desempleo unemployment
el alza increase
no solo . . . sino tambien not only . . . but also
verse afectado to be affected
registrarse to be registered
el paro unemployment
la poblacion activa working population
la desocupacion unemployment
afectados affected
los jovenes the young
las medidas measures
crear to create
los puestos de trabajo jobs
la insertion laboral introduction to employment
la formation profesional vocational training
practicas pagadas paid training schemes
se trata de we are trying to
la contratacion hiring
Responda en espanol
Los impuestos
El impuesto que paga cada individuo sobre sus ingresos brutos se
conoce en Espana con el nombre de Impuesto General sobre la Renta
de las Personas Fisicas (IRPF).
Todos aquellos contribuyentes que tengan unos ingresos brutos
superiores a cierta cantidad - que se incrementa cada cierto tiempo
- tienen que presentar la declaracion de la renta en los meses de mayo
y junio de cada ano. En el caso de una familia se tomaran en cuenta
los ingresos de todos los miembros de la unidad familiar.
Existen distintos tipos de declaraciones de renta segiin la
Responda en ingles
1 What is IRPF?
the
2 What people can make a 'declaration simplificada'?
3 When was VAT introduced in Spain?
La legislation laboral 251
2 La legislation lahoral
A Spanish official discusses employment legislation with a group of
trainee executives.
Responda en espanol
La economia latinoamericana
(a) Dependencia economica
This text looks at the general economic situation in Spanish speaking
Latin America, its main exports and its dependence on the United States
and other industrialised nations for the provision of manufactured
goods.
La energia
°
*
CUBA
GUATEMALA O REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
GUATEMALA^ SAN JUAN
EL SALVADOR SANTO PUERTO RICO
SAN SALVADOR iALPA
DOMINGO °
MANAGUA^-, j NICARAGUA
COSTA R<CASt£~\
SAN JOSE ^^s^
PANAMA
QUITO
ECUADOR
SANTIAGO
URUGUAY
MONTEVIDEO
CHILE
El desarrollo industrial
el cobre copper
la plata silver
Responda en ingles
This passage looks at the importance of coffee for Latin America and
other developing nations
Responda en ingles
Note: The word costos (costs) used in this text is common in Latin America. In Spain, costes is used instead.
subdesarrollo underdevelopment
obedecer a to be due to
indole kind, sort
la falta lack
abaratar to reduce (prices)
de ahi que hence
resulten mas caros they are more expensive
el poder adquisitivo purchasing power
a la vez at the same time
las barreras proteccionistas protectionist barriers
los intercambios comerciales international trade
ejercer control to exercise control
provenientes de which come from
el mundo en desarrollo the developing world
cuantiosas perdidas immense losses
sumado a added to
poner freno a to curb, limit
mas bien que rather than
un grado medio de an average degree of
contraer una deuda to contract a debt
Causas del subdesarrollo latinoamericano 259
Los 3.125 kilometros que separan Mexico de los Estados Unidos son
una triple frontera: entre dos paises, entre dos culturas - la latina y la
anglosajona - y entre el mundo desarrollado y el subdesarrollo.
Atraidos por la posibilidad de ganar unos salarios que nunca podrian
conseguir en sus paises o huyendo de problemas politicos, miles de
hispanoamericanos se lanzan dia tras dia a la aventura de ingresar
ilegalmente en la tierra prometida.
De acuerdo con la Oficina del Censo, en Washington, a finales de
siglo los hispanos seran primera minoria del pais, entre 30 y
la
un tercio a third
el estrato stratum
los anglos anglosaxons
despreciar to despise
Responda en ingles
the USA?
5 How does the income level of Spanish Americans compare with
that of other American citizens?
2 La economia mexicana
In this interview, a Mexican economist discusses the economic future of
his country.
niveles de produccion.
Pregunta A menudo se oye decir que Mexico ha descuidado
su agricultura y que si se adoptara una politica
coherente el pais podria llegar a ser autosuficiente
en alimentos. ^Esta Vd. de acuerdo con esto?
Respuesta Si, creo que en lineas generales no ha habido una
politica racional con respecto al campo. La
produccion agropecuaria mexicana sigue estando
muy por debajo de los niveles deseados y nuestras
exportaciones agricolas son esporadicas e
insuficientes. En mi opinion, uno de nuestros
La economia mexicana 263
disponer de to have
autosuficiente self-sufficient
los excedentes surplus
la ventaja advantage
la industria siderurgica iron and steel industry
Responda en espanol
sector agricola?
5 <^Que es necesario hacer para que el turismo se desarrolle
plenamente?
jefe de ventas.
Unidad 2
Seccion A
Seccion B 1 See model passage on Bilbao.
1 (a) las ciudades (b) los 2 Esta en el nordeste de Espafia./
exportadores (c) los jefes Esta en Cataluna./ Esta a 621
(d) los dolares (e) los paises kilometros de Madrid./ Tiene
(/) las importaciones. 1 millon 700 mil habitantes./ Es el
266 Business Spanish
4 esta/es/tiene/hay/tiene/ hay
(or tiene )/es/esta.
5 piensa encuentro
(c)
(a)
viene (d)
(b)
empieza. Section A
1 See model text for correction.
2 Electrohogar es una fabrica
de articulos electrodomesticos que
se encuentra en Terrasa, en la
me gusta mi trabajo
(b)
(c)
(no)
(no) me gusta viajar
Unidad 5
(d) (no) me gustan los deportes
(e) (no) me gusta leer (/) (no) Seccion A
me gustan los idiomas.
6 me parece
(a) El profesor 1 (a) Quiere un coche econo-
bueno. (b) El espanol me parece mico y no demasiado grande.
facil. (c) Los espafioles me pare- (b) Le recomienda el Lince M-2.
cen simpaticos. (d) El hotel me (c) Es un coche muy bonito, de
parece malo. (e) Las playas me tamano mediano y consume poca
parecen buenas. (/) El vino me gasolina. (d) Prefiere comprarlo
parece regular. al contado. (e) Cuesta un millon
de largo.
(j) Mide 3.495 mm
1 Es secretaria . . . le gusta . . . 2 Es un coche muy bueno, es
conoce . . .Por la manana viene . . . comodo (confortable) y no con-
hace . . . atiende . . . recibe . . . sume mucha gasolina./ No, es un
arregla . . . responde . . . traduce coche mediano. No me gustan los
. . . escribe . . . asiste . . . levanta coches grandes. ^Tu tienes coche?/
. . . sale . . . Al mediodia . . . toma Puedes comprarlo con facilidades./
. . . vuelve ... A veces almuerza . . . Esta en el aparcamiento (estaciona-
regresa . . . miento). ^Quieres verlo?/ Vamos.
2 Me gusta mi trabajo. Es 3 Forget your old typewriter.
interesante, el sueldo es bueno y The new electronic Esplendida - 30
tengo cinco semanas de vacaciones uses the most advanced tech-
al (or por) aiio. Normalmente llego nology. It is simple to use, small,
a la oficina a las 9.00 y me marcho light and elegant. You can use it
5 C. me V. lo V. le
(d) son transportadas (e) es ven- name)./ (spell your surname)/ iEstk
dida (/) es recogida. la sefioraMiranda? Quisiera ha-
blar con ella./ Si, como no (desde
Quedamos
noticias.
a la espera de sus gratas Section A
Atentamente, 1 (a) Va a reunirse con el repre-
270 Business Spanish
Miguel a las dos. (/) Van a ir a 1 (a) (Falso) Hay que pedir
la sierra, (g) Va a quedarse en la confirmation, (b) (Falso)
Madrid, porque tiene que preparar Teresa Robles tiene que llamar a
su viaje y, ademas, quiere ir a la Carmen Diaz a la agencia de
peluqueria. (h) El sabado por la
viajes. (c) (Verdadero) (d)
noche va a ir a una fiesta.
Hay que
(Falso) reservar una
2 (a) Voy a salir de Madrid el
habitacion.
lunes 3 de febrero. (b) Primero 2 Hay un recado para ti de la
voy a visitar Caracas, (c) Voy a senora Gloria Donoso que esta en
quedarme en el Hotel Bolivar Madrid por tres dias y tiene que
(d) Mi segunda visita va a ser a hablar contigo. Esta en el Hotel
Santiago de Chile (e) Voy a Reina Victoria, en la habitacion 24.
estar alii cuatro dias (/) Voy a Tienes que llamarla entre las 9.30 y
quedarme en el Hotel Carrera las 10.30 de la manana. El numero
(g) La ultima etapa va a ser Bue- es el 421 76 93.
nos Aires, (h) Voy a llegar el 3 El tecnico no puede venir
dia 1 1 . (0 Voy a regresar el hoy, porque (ya que) tiene que ir a
dia 16.
otra compania, pero va a reparar
3 El sabado voy a pasar la
la fotocopiadora manana por la
manana en la piscina. Por la tarde
manana.
voy a hacer algunas compras. 4 por
(a) (b) para
Tengo que comprar algunos rega- (c) para (d) por (e) por
los para mi esposa/esposo y mis
(/) Para.
hijos. Y por la noche voy a salir a
noche?
iQue van a hacer Vds.
(b) ^Vosotros vais
Section A
a venir a la fiesta? (c) Nosotros 1 (a) Saldra el lunes 3 de
vamos a pasar una semana en febrero. (b) Saldra a las 10 de
Mexico, (d) Maria Ines va a la manana. Tendra que
(c)
Seccion B 31,4°,
19.30 horas.
el lunes 3 del corriente a las
(c) Las conversa-
ciones tendran lugar en la Plaza
1 (a) El segundo apellido es
del Rey 12, el martes 17 del mes
Rios. (b) Tiene 32 anos.
proximo a las 20.00 horas.
(c) Esta soltero. (d) Es subdi-
2 Estimado Sr. Gonzalez:
rector de producto. (e) Ha sido
Acuso recibo de su (atenta) carta
asistente en departamento co-
el
de (fecha) 15 de noviembre en la
mercial de la Empresa Nacional de
que anuncia la reunion (informa
Productos para la Agricultura y
sobre .) que tendra lugar en su
. .
cierta facilidad.
que) lo habla con
Lo estudio
(g)
en Inglaterra. {h) Habla algo de
Seccion A frances.
2 Me llamo (your name)./
1 {a) La reunion tendra lugar Your date of birth./ Naci en (place
en la Calle de Las Camelias 55, el of birth)./ Estoy soltero(a)/
viernes 12 de mayo a las 18.00 casado(a)./ Vivo en (your
horas. La conferencia ten-
{b) address)./ Es el (your telephone
dra lugar en la Avenida Almagro number).
Key to the exercises 273
meses que estoy (vivo) aqui. por favor? (c) ^Puede decirme
(d) Llevo (period of time) estu- donde esta la estacion, por favor?
diandolo./ Race (period of time) (d) «*,Puede decirme donde esta la
Section A
1 (a)^Puede decirme donde
esta el Banco de Espana, por
Section B
favor? (b) ^Puede decirme 1 Regarding visit of our repre-
donde esta la camara de comercio, sentative on the 18th we regret to
Key to the exercises 275
due to a
to travel
Unidad 13
labour dispute. We propose post-
pone to the 30th of this month.
Please confirm immediately if it is
Seccion A
acceptable. Cancel hotel reserva- 1 (a) Pidieron 10 mesas, (b)
tion./ Please dispatch order Cada mesa vale 28.000 pesetas.
AX 5/42176/BD today. We need (c) Pidieron 14 sillones de direc-
the goods urgently./ Regarding tion, (d) Cada sillon cuesta
your consultation about the pur- 19.600 pesetas, (e) Las mesas
chase of Mason Ltd. shares, we de reunion valen (cuestan) 45.000
advise to proceed without delay. pesetas (/) Deberan entregarse
The report we've had has been en la Calle Central, 14 del Poli-
Unidad 15
Seccion B
Seccion A
1 (a) Uno de sus principales
propositos es hallar un mercado 1 ^Podria hablar con el Sr.
pose ... (d) Construir nuevas otra habitacion. Espero que esta
carreteras . sea mejor que la otra.
278 Business Spanish
Section B Section A
1 Muy senores nuestros: 1 Bank documents The docu-
Lamentamos tener que informarles ments which the exporter must
que Vds. solo han despachado 35 hand in to the bank vary according
de los 50 diccionarios SOPESA to the form of payment that has
que solicitamos en nuestro pedido been established. The most fre-
N° 531794 de fecha 17 de Julio. Les quent documents requested by the
rogamos que nos envien el resto de buyer and handed in by the
los diccionarios a la mayor breve- exporter to the bank are the fol-
dad. Atentamente. lowing:
2 Distinguida senora: * Commercial invoice (which
Hace unos dias he regresado de un may have to be legalised or
viaje por Latinoamerica y al llegar endorsed by the Consul).
al aeropuerto de Barajas he podido * Bill of lading (for maritime
comprobar que mi maleta se habia transport). Consignment note
perdido. El personal de la linea (road, river or air transport).
aerea prometio buscarla, pero des- * Insurance policy.
pues de una semana y luego de * Certificates of origin, quality
blema, para lo cual incluyo a conti- quotation for insuring against all
Unidad 17
Espana Unidad 18
Russia and France.
1
campo.
Los impuestos y 3 En el verano debido al incre-
Social 4 40 horas.
5 En muchas empresas se tra-
La economia
latinoamericana El subdesarrollo
(a)Dependencia latinoamericano
economica
1 Falso. Los productos manu-
1 Latin America's main exports facturados en America Latina son
are raw materials. mas caros que los fabricados en los
2 Argentina exports mainly paises industrializados.
wheat and meat. 2 Verdadero.
3 Venezuela exports mainly 3 Verdadero.
crude oil and its by-products. 4 Falso. Los precios de las
4 Central America's economy is materias primas son fijados por las
based mainly on agriculture. naciones industrializadas.
5 Mexico and Venezuela 5 Falso. Sus recursos economi-
achieved considerable economic cos se destinan principalmente al
progress due to the rise in oil servicio de su deuda externa.
prices.
6 The fall in oil prices caused
problems in Mexico and Vene-
zuela, particularly as their foreign
debt had been allowed to increase Unidad 24
on account of their oil reserves.
Presencia hispana
(b) La importancia del cafe en los Estados
Sara los paises en
esarrollo Unidos
1 The main export is oil. 1 They come in search of salar-
2 Coffee is the second most ies which they could never earn in
exported product. their own countries, or escaping
3 It provides a large part of the from political problems.
foreign exchange which they need 2 The average age is 25.
to pay for their imports and to pay 3 The 'sleeping giant'.
Key to the exercises 285
Los numeros
cero 7 siete 14 catorce
1 uno 8 ocho 15 quince
2 dos 9 nueve 16 dieciseis
3 tres 10 diez 17 diecisiete
4 cuatro 11 once 18 dieciocho
5 cinco 12 doce 19 diecinueve
6 seis 13 trece 20 veinte
21 veintiuno 26 veintiseis
22 veintidos 27 veintisiete
23 veintitres 28 veintiocho
24 veinticuatro 29 veintinueve
25 veinticinco 30 treinta
Note that millon forms the plural by adding -es and losing the accent.
After millon or millones we must use the preposition de. Compare
these phrases:
Note:
el sabado on Saturday todos los domingos every Sunday
los sabados Saturdays el miercoles 24 on Wednesday 24th
Note:
en julio in July
el 4 de julio on 4th July
el 5 de septiembre de 1990 on 5 th September 1990
Note: When the phrase contains the word una we use the singlar form
es. To say at 1 .00, at 5.30, etc. we use the phrase a la/s.
tarde.
A las nueve de la noche. At 9.00 o'clock at night.
But if colours refer to a specific noun they must agree with it in gender
and number:
etc.
3 With the exception of saber (sepa), haber (haya), dar (de), ser (sea),
o o
T3 "^ ^
CO T3 c o
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Appendix 2 293
o o o o °
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pQ u -O d a> tm
V) * « Im
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Q> -C J= Q. CL a- %m
294 Business Spanish
O O O O O o
O G -2
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V5 C/5 on on 'So "35 > > > >
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Reference Material
Official publications
Boletin Economico de Information Comercial Espanola, published
weekly by the Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda, Almirante 21,
Madrid.
Comercio Industria, published monthly by the Camara de Comercio e
Industria de Madrid (Madrid Chamber of Commerce and
Industry), Huertas 13, 28012, Madrid.
Expansion Comercial, published monthly by the Instituto Nacional
de Fomento de la Exportation, Paseo de la Castellana 14, 28046,
Madrid.
Information Comercial Espanola, published monthly by the Secretaria
de Estado de Comercio of the Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda,
Paseo de la Castellana 162, piso 16, 28046, Madrid.
El Comercio Hispano-Britdnico, published every two months by the
Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain.
Bolivia
Diagrama Economico (Economics), published monthly.
Industria, published monthly.
Chile
Chile Industrial, published monthly.
Panorama Economico, published monthly.
Colombia
Sintesis Economica, published weekly.
Cuba
Panorama Economico Latinoamericano, published monthly.
Guatemala
Industria, published monthly.
Panorama (Economics), published monthly.
Honduras
Panorama Economico, published monthly.
Mexico
Comercio Exterior, published monthly.
Monitor Comercial, published daily.
Negocios, published monthly.
Peru
The Andean Report.
Uruguay
Gaceta Comercial, published daily.
Venezuela
Boletin Cdmara Venezolano-Britdnica de Comercio, quarterly.
- Spanish Glossary of
English
Commercial Terms
inventario (m.)
invest (to -) invertir offer oferta (f.)
company
joint-stock sociedad (f.) generates
anonima overtime (to work -) trabajar
horas extraordinarias
labour trabajo (m.)
labour dispute conflicto (m.) packaging embalaje (m.)
laboral partner socio/a
launch (to - a product) lanzar (un partnership sociedad (f.)
gerente de producto
manufacture (to -) fabricar production produccion (f.)
300 Business Spanish
kilometro (m.)
lugar (m.) place; en primer —
— cuadrado
kilometre;
square kilometre
in the first place; tener — to
take place
luz (f.) electricity
labor (f.) work, labour;
— administrativa office work llamada (f.) call
mediados: a —
de in the middle of constitutional monarchy
mediano average, medium sized moneda (f.) currency, coin;
medio half; por de through— — extranjera foreign currency
mediodia (m.) midday mostrar to show
medir to measure mozo (m.) porter (in a hotel)
mejor better mucho much; — gusto pleased
mejorar to improve to meet you
Spanish-English vocabulary 313
normalmente normally
norte (m.) north pabellon (m.) pavilion, stand
norteamericano North American pacientemente patiently
(USA) pago (m.) payment
notable noticeable pagar to pay
novio/a (m. f.) boyfriend, pais (m.) country; Pais
girlfriend Vasco Basque Country
nuevo new palabra (f.) word
numero (m.) number; — palacio (m.) palace
rojos red numbers (in the red) papel (m.) paper, role; jugar
nunca never un — to play a role
papelera (industria) (f.) paper
o or industry
objeto (m.) object, objective papeleria (f.) stationer s
314 Business Spanish
family unit
unity; familiar
account
unir to link
terminar to finish
universidad (f.) university
terremoto (m.) earthquake
universitario (adj.) university
terrestre (adj.) land
unos some, about
tiempo (m.) time; ^cuanto
— ? how long?
urgencia
usado
(f.)
second-hand
urgency
be forced to y and
verano (m.) summer ya already; — que for, as, since
verdad (f.) truth
vez (f.) time; de — en zapato (m.) shoe
Grammatical Index
indefinite 19 al + infinitive 65
conditional preposition and infinitive 25
conditional tense 194-5 used as a noun 186-7
perfect conditional 219-20 use o/82-3, 145
definite articles 3, 19 verb + infinitive 58
demonstrative adjectives 5 interrogative sentences
demonstrative pronouns 5 how to form 31
direct object pronouns 58-9 question words 31-2
estar ir a+ infinitive 82
basic uses 4, 18, 58 /efs + uerfr, see imperative
forms 4 llevar in time expressions 138
wit/z gerund 76 nouns
witn past participle 69-70 gender of nouns 3, 32, 88
/wture p/wra/ of nouns 11
future tense 95-7 para 21, 25, 88-9
witn ir a + infinitive 82-3 passive voice 64-5
gerund past participle 64
estar witn gerund 76 estar + past participle 69-70
llevar witn gerund 138 ser + past participle 64
gustar 46-7 pensar + infinitive 83
hacer in rime expressions 139 perfect tense 107-8
hay 18 personal a 52
Grammatical index 321
subject 4 rerbs
que 19 spelling-changing verbs 32
reflexive verbs 33^ stem-changing verbs 20-33
se 33, 64-5 tab/e of irregular verbs 291-4
ser
^as/c us^5 4, 18, 58
A and easy-to-use introduction to
lively
This book starts with the basics, and guides you quickly to
confidence in using Spanish in a business context. Through a
series of 24 graded units, you will learn all the language skills
everyone.
ISBN 0-340-49549-9
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