Spanish story with translation · A2 · 16 lines
Carta a la Ana de hace un año A letter to the Ana of a year ago
Comic · 15 panels
Querida Ana de hace un año: espero que estés bien.
Dear Ana from a year ago: I hope you're well.
Esta noche he hecho la maleta y he encontrado tu lista de objetivos.
Tonight I've packed my suitcase and found your list of goals.
La escribiste en el tren a Valencia. Estabas nerviosa y tenías mucho miedo.
You wrote it on the train to Valencia. You were nervous and very scared (to a woman).
Aquel día te despediste de Madrid y lloraste todo el viaje.
That day you said goodbye to Madrid and cried the whole trip.
En la lista había tres objetivos: «Hablar sin errores. No llorar. No sentir nostalgia».
There were three goals on the list: "Speak without mistakes. Don't cry. Don't feel homesick."
Tengo malas noticias: no he conseguido ninguno.
I have bad news: I haven't achieved any of them.
Ayer confundí dos palabras en el trabajo. Hoy he llorado tres veces.
Yesterday I mixed up two words at work. Today I've cried three times.
Y siento nostalgia cada vez que llama mamá.
And I feel homesick every time Mom calls.
Pero este año han pasado cosas que no estaban en tu lista.
But this year things have happened that weren't on your list.
Primero encontré piso y después conseguí trabajo. En marzo fui a mis primeras Fallas.
First I found an apartment, and then I got a job. In March I went to my first Fallas.
Hoy vivir aquí ya no es un sueño: es mi realidad.
Today living here isn't a dream anymore: it's my reality.
Ha sido un año único y un gran aprendizaje.
It's been a unique year and a great learning experience.
A lo mejor la meta no era hablar sin errores. A lo mejor la meta era atreverse a hablar.
Maybe the goal wasn't to speak without mistakes. Maybe the goal was to dare to speak.
Tranquila, Ana. Pronto empieza una etapa muy especial, con días duros y noches inolvidables.
Relax, Ana. A very special stage is starting soon, with tough days and unforgettable nights.
Que tengas un buen día… y un buen año.
Have a good day… and a good year.
Un abrazo, Ana.
Hugs, Ana.
Grammar for this text
Ready-made phrases for a letter. Espero que estés bien — "I hope you're well", que tengas un buen día — "have a good day". Estés and tengas come from estar and tener, the tú form: in wishes after que Spanish uses a special form that you'll learn at level B1. For now, learn them as set phrases.
One year — three tenses.
- Esta noche he hecho la maleta, este año han pasado cosas — the evening and "this year" are still going on → he hecho.
- La escribiste en el tren, ayer confundí, en marzo fui a mis primeras Fallas — that time is already over → hice.
- Estabas nerviosa, había tres objetivos, la meta era… — how things were back then, the background → hacía.
It's the same year, but as soon as you name yesterday or March, which are already over, hice takes the place of he hecho.
Querida — "dear": this is how letters begin (from querer — to love). De hace un año — "from a year ago". Fallas — Valencia's biggest festival, in March.
Words and grammar of the unit: Look back on your year in Spain.
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