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Illustration for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”

Spanish story with translation · A2 · 16 lines

Si no remueves, el arroz se quema If you don't stir, the rice burns

Comic · 8 panels

Panel 1 of 8 for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”: Hi, Ana: it's Carmen, your neighbor from the sixth floor. Thanks for the piece of tortilla. It's delicious!

  1. Hola, Ana: soy Carmen, tu vecina del sexto.

    Hi, Ana: it's Carmen, your neighbor from the sixth floor.

  2. Gracias por el trozo de tortilla. ¡Está muy rica!

    Thanks for the piece of tortilla. It's delicious!

Panel 2 of 8 for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”: Now I'll give you a recipe: my rice pudding. It's a very easy dessert. You don't need an oven or flour: just a big pot and a spoon. The ingredients: a liter of…

  1. Ahora te doy yo una receta: mi arroz con leche.

    Now I'll give you a recipe: my rice pudding.

  2. Es un postre muy fácil. No necesitas horno ni harina: solo una olla grande y una cuchara.

    It's a very easy dessert. You don't need an oven or flour: just a big pot and a spoon.

  3. Los ingredientes: un litro de leche, medio vaso de arroz, seis cucharadas de azúcar y un trozo de mantequilla.

    The ingredients: a liter of milk, half a glass of rice, six tablespoons of sugar and a piece of butter.

Panel 3 of 8 for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”: Put the milk in the pot and turn on the heat. Wait: the milk has to boil. Then add the rice and a pinch of salt, and turn down the heat.

  1. Pon la leche en la olla y enciende el fuego. Espera: la leche tiene que hervir.

    Put the milk in the pot and turn on the heat. Wait: the milk has to boil.

  2. Después añade el arroz y una pizca de sal, y baja el fuego.

    Then add the rice and a pinch of salt, and turn down the heat.

Panel 4 of 8 for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”: Now stir slowly with the spoon. Do everything without rushing: the rice needs forty minutes. No lid on the pot. And be careful: if you don't stir, the rice burns.

  1. Ahora remueve despacio con la cuchara. Haz todo sin prisa: el arroz necesita cuarenta minutos.

    Now stir slowly with the spoon. Do everything without rushing: the rice needs forty minutes.

  2. La olla, sin tapa. Y ten cuidado: si no remueves, el arroz se quema.

    No lid on the pot. And be careful: if you don't stir, the rice burns.

Panel 5 of 8 for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”: At the end, add the sugar and the butter and mix well. Taste the rice: is it sweet? Perfect!

  1. Al final añade el azúcar y la mantequilla y mezcla bien.

    At the end, add the sugar and the butter and mix well.

  2. Prueba el arroz: ¿está dulce? ¡Perfecto!

    Taste the rice: is it sweet? Perfect!

Panel 6 of 8 for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”: No? Put in one more tablespoon of sugar. Turn off the heat and put the rice into small dishes.

  1. ¿No? Echa una cucharada más de azúcar.

    No? Put in one more tablespoon of sugar.

  2. Apaga el fuego y pon el arroz en platos pequeños.

    Turn off the heat and put the rice into small dishes.

Panel 7 of 8 for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”: My husband eats it hot. I prefer it cold, from the fridge. If you have any problems, knock on my door.

  1. Mi marido lo come caliente. Yo lo prefiero frío, de la nevera.

    My husband eats it hot. I prefer it cold, from the fridge.

  2. Si tienes algún problema, llama a mi puerta.

    If you have any problems, knock on my door.

Panel 8 of 8 for “If you don't stir, the rice burns”: Enjoy your meal! And bring a plate for me: I want to try it.

  1. ¡Que aproveche! Y trae un plato para mí: quiero probarlo.

    Enjoy your meal! And bring a plate for me: I want to try it.

Grammar for this text

A recipe is a list of commands. A note to a friend or a neighbor is written with tú commands: pon, enciende, espera, añade, baja, remueve, haz, mezcla, prueba, echa, apaga, llama, trae. In enciende, remueve, prueba the stem changes the same way as in the present tense. Pon, haz, ten are the short special commands of poner, hacer, tener.

Tiene que hervir: tener que + infinitive, "it has to boil". Si no remueves, el arroz se quema: si + present tense, "if you don't stir, the rice burns".

Lo come, lo prefiero, probarlo: lo stands for el arroz (unit 5); with an infinitive it's attached to the end: probarlo.

Recipe words: baja el fuego (turn down the heat), una cucharada más (one more tablespoon), sin tapa (without a lid), sin prisa (without rushing). In una pizca de sal, sal means "salt", not the command "get out". Llama a mi puerta means "knock on my door": llamar isn't only "to call". Que aproveche is a set phrase; the rule comes later.

Arroz con leche (rice pudding) is a favorite homemade dessert in Spain: rice cooked in milk with sugar.

Words and grammar of the unit: Tell a friend how to cook.

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