Useful Words

Listening practice

Check these flip cards about activities that can help you express past events and narrate some of your experiences and adventures.

  • Go to (a place)

    Go to (a place)

  • Visit (a place, a relative)

    Visit (a place, a relative)

  • Travel (by plane, bus, car,..)

    Travel (by plane, bus, car,..)

  • Watch (a movie, TV)

    Watch (a movie, TV)

  • Go hiking

    Go hiking

  • Take pictures

    Take pictures

  • Stay in (a hotel, your house)

    Stay in (a hotel, your house)

  • Try (new things, food, clothes)

    Try (new things, food, clothes)

  • Go camping

    Go camping

  • Meet

    Meet

  • Swim

    Swim

  • Buy souvenirs

    Buy souvenirs

  • Go shopping

    Go shopping

  • See (a place, an object, or person)

    See (a place, an object, or person)

  • Become friends

    Become friends

  • Get married

    Get married

Remember that we also use expressions of time when you want to talk about dates and specify the day, week, month, or year an activity took place. Let’s check some of them:

Expressions of time
Fixed Expressions LAST + period of time IN + year, month, season of the year etc. period of time + ago
I watched “The tomb of the fireflies” yesterday. Angie traveled to Tokyo last week. Griselda visited Hermosillo in 1985. Fharibi played Mario Bros. ten days ago.
My friend went to Oregon the other day. Perla read “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” last month. Mario was in Akihabara in March. Daniel argued with his girlfriend ten weeks ago.
Gabriela met her crush the day before yesterday. Ale watched “The Queen’s Gambit” last year. Stephany toured Crater Lake in Spring. Lety went camping to “La Huasteca” ten years ago.

If you think these expressions or words are not enough, check out these learning objects!

My home was cozy

We lived a beautiful and happy life

Our Adventure Book

Juan & Loreto

Wedding

Wedding

Our adventure begins. Juan & Loreto.

27/03/1980

Honeymoon

Honeymoon

My most beloved trip by your side. Juan & Loreto.

10/04/1980

First trip

First trip

I hate eating grasshoppers. Juan & Loreto.

15/08/1982

First trip with friends

First trip with friends

Everything is better when you have your friends with you. Juan, Loreto & our friends.

20/06/1984

Our daughter's birthday

Our daughter's birthday

Our most wonderful gift. Juan, Loreto & Valeria.

27/03/1985

Marriage Anniversary

Marriage Anniversary

My best treasures. Juan, Loreto & Valeria

27/03/2000

Graduation

Graduation

A new beginning. Juan, Loreto & Valeria.

29/09/2008

Select excercise

Take a look at Juan & Loreto's photo album. Read the texts and dates and see the pictures carefully. Later, complete the conversation between Valeria and her mom about her mom and dad’s adventures. Use the words from the box to help you complete the conversation. Do not forget to pay attention to the date in the calendar in Valeria's living room. Correct answers will be in green and the wrong ones in red.

Ladies

  • Valeria: Mom, look what I found yesterday. I cleaned the basement, and I your “Adventure Book”. I cried yesterday when I the pictures of you and dad.

    Loreto: Wow! This is wonderful. I thought we had lost it. You are wonderful darling.

    Valeria: Do you know what date it is today? I can tell that you and dad married. I saw the picture, and you were very happy on your wedding day.

    Loreto: That is right. Today is our anniversary. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. We were so happy and we had much to do together.

  • Valeria: I know. You are great parents and wonderful people. Mom, can you, please, tell me something about your honeymoon?

    Loreto: Of course, darling!

    Valeria: Where did you go? Which places did you visit? Was it fun?

    Loreto: Look at this photo. We were in Acapulco 35 years ago, in 1980. It was an amazing honeymoon. We our trip very much. We were on the beach almost all the time, we also went to La Quebrada and your father to dive, but of course, he did not do it. The previous day, we were on a yacht and saw the virgin of Guadalupe under the sea. The best day was the day we the sunset. It was wonderful.

  • Valeria: Great. And what about this picture, mom. Did you like grasshoppers?

    Loreto: Hahaha! No, I did not. I them . However, that trip to Oaxaca was also memorable. We “El árbol de Tule”, we climbed it but we were arrested. We attended the most amazing show in Oaxaca “La Guelaguetza”. There are no words to express all the feelings I went through that day.

    Valeria: Arrested? And you punish me for drinking just a little bit, hahaha. And what about the trip to the mountain?

    Loreto: That was 31 years ago. Some friends of ours to go hiking and camping in the mountains. We decided to go and have a great weekend. We were in touch with nature and the sightseeings were spectacular. There is no doubt you find peace with your inner self in those kinds of places. We really enjoyed it. Actually, do you remember our trip to La Huasteca Potosina last year? Well, our trip was similar to that one.

  • Valeria: Wow! I also want to go on a trip with my friends again. Look, it’s me. I am a newborn there. Let me think. That picture was taken 30 years ago, in 1985. That was the day when I and it says “ Our most wonderful gift”. Mom, let me tell you that you are also my most precious gift

    Loreto: You still are my best gift.

    Valeria: I remember this. That was a great party. All the family was there, we a very good time, and you were more in love than ever.

    Loreto: Exactly. Your father and I got married 35 years ago. We were celebrating 20 years of marriage at that party and today we celebrate 45 years of being together.

    Valeria: Congratulations! I think you really found your soulmate, Mom.

    Loreto: And I also found the best daughter and student. Look! Your graduation photo. You finished college and now you are one of the best writers in Mexico. I love you so much, Val.

    Valeria: Me too, Mom.