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Illustration for “I finally know who's who”

Spanish story with translation · B2 · 18 lines

Por fin sé quién es quién I finally know who's who

Comic · 17 panels

Panel 1 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: I've been at this company for more than two years. I'm not the newbie anymore, and I finally know who's who (woman speaking).
  1. Llevo más de dos años en esta empresa. Ya no soy la novata y por fin sé quién es quién.

    I've been at this company for more than two years. I'm not the newbie anymore, and I finally know who's who (woman speaking).

Panel 2 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Nuria, the boss, is demanding and quite a perfectionist, but very competent. She started with a small office and has gone on to become the director of a company that's…
  1. Nuria, la jefa, es exigente y bastante perfeccionista, pero muy competente. Empezó con una oficina pequeña y ha llegado a ser la directora de una empresa que ya abre su segunda oficina.

    Nuria, the boss, is demanding and quite a perfectionist, but very competent. She started with a small office and has gone on to become the director of a company that's already opening its second office.

Panel 3 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Some people say she's bossy. I don't think so: when there's a conflict, she listens to everyone before deciding.
  1. Algunos dicen que es mandona. Yo no lo creo: cuando hay un conflicto, escucha a todos antes de decidir.

    Some people say she's bossy. I don't think so: when there's a conflict, she listens to everyone before deciding.

Panel 4 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: She's very proud of her team, although she almost never says it.
  1. Está muy orgullosa de su equipo, aunque casi nunca lo dice.

    She's very proud of her team, although she almost never says it.

Panel 5 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Sonia is the most thoughtful person in the office: she never forgets a birthday. But she's very touchy: if you criticize her work, she stays quiet all day.
  1. Sonia es la más atenta de la oficina: nunca olvida un cumpleaños. Pero es muy susceptible: si criticas su trabajo, está callada todo el día.

    Sonia is the most thoughtful person in the office: she never forgets a birthday. But she's very touchy: if you criticize her work, she stays quiet all day.

Panel 6 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Óscar is quiet and seems like a know-it-all, because he knows everything about any device. But he isn't arrogant at all: if you ask him for help, he drops what he's doing…
  1. Óscar es callado y parece un sabelotodo, porque lo sabe todo de cualquier dispositivo. Pero no es nada arrogante: si le pides ayuda, deja lo que está haciendo y viene.

    Óscar is quiet and seems like a know-it-all, because he knows everything about any device. But he isn't arrogant at all: if you ask him for help, he drops what he's doing and comes over.

Panel 7 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Hugo, the intern, is the sharpest of all: he picks everything up right away.
  1. Hugo, el becario, es el más despierto de todos: lo aprende todo enseguida.

    Hugo, the intern, is the sharpest of all: he picks everything up right away.

Panel 8 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: On Saturdays he works as a waiter at his uncle's bar, and it shows: he's become our clients' favorite.
  1. Los sábados está de camarero en el bar de su tío, y se nota: se ha convertido en el favorito de nuestros clientes.

    On Saturdays he works as a waiter at his uncle's bar, and it shows: he's become our clients' favorite.

Panel 9 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: That said, he's a bit of a whiner: he complains about the schedule, the coffee and the air conditioning. But he's so funny that no one gets mad.
  1. Eso sí, es un poco quejica: protesta por el horario, por el café y por el aire acondicionado. Pero es tan gracioso que nadie se enfada.

    That said, he's a bit of a whiner: he complains about the schedule, the coffee and the air conditioning. But he's so funny that no one gets mad.

Panel 10 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: And then there's Germán. I have some disagreement with him almost every week. At first I thought he was self-serving, that he was sucking up to Nuria and that he only…
  1. Y luego está Germán. Con él tengo algún desacuerdo casi todas las semanas.

    And then there's Germán. I have some disagreement with him almost every week.

  2. Al principio pensaba que era interesado, que le hacía la pelota a Nuria y que solo quería llevarme la contraria.

    At first I thought he was self-serving, that he was sucking up to Nuria and that he only wanted to disagree with me.

Panel 11 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: On Tuesday, at the meeting, he interrupted me in front of everyone, and I turned red with anger (woman speaking).
  1. El martes, en la reunión, me interrumpió delante de todos, y yo me puse roja de rabia.

    On Tuesday, at the meeting, he interrupted me in front of everyone, and I turned red with anger (woman speaking).

Panel 12 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: But afterward he apologized to me and told me his daughter was sick. He wasn't upset with me: he was exhausted.
  1. Pero después me pidió perdón y me contó que su hija estaba enferma. No estaba molesto conmigo: estaba agotado.

    But afterward he apologized to me and told me his daughter was sick. He wasn't upset with me: he was exhausted.

Panel 13 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Since that day we've been preparing the plan together, and it turns out he's the best with numbers. I think we're going to become friends.
  1. Desde ese día preparamos el plan juntos, y resulta que es el mejor con los números. Creo que vamos a hacernos amigos.

    Since that day we've been preparing the plan together, and it turns out he's the best with numbers. I think we're going to become friends.

Panel 14 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: My job isn't physical, but after a difficult meeting I'm as tired as after running ten kilometers (woman speaking).
  1. Mi trabajo no es físico, pero después de una reunión difícil estoy tan cansada como después de correr diez kilómetros.

    My job isn't physical, but after a difficult meeting I'm as tired as after running ten kilometers (woman speaking).

Panel 15 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Even so, the best thing about this office is the team spirit: here no one is happy about a coworker's mistakes.
  1. Aun así, lo mejor de esta oficina es el compañerismo: aquí nadie se alegra de los errores de un compañero.

    Even so, the best thing about this office is the team spirit: here no one is happy about a coworker's mistakes.

Panel 16 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Yesterday I asked Hugo what people were saying about me. He told me I was nice, but that since the week I was filling in as the boss, I'd become a little bossy (woman…
  1. Ayer le pregunté a Hugo qué decían de mí. Me contestó que era maja, pero que desde la semana que estuve de jefa me había vuelto un poco mandona.

    Yesterday I asked Hugo what people were saying about me. He told me I was nice, but that since the week I was filling in as the boss, I'd become a little bossy (woman speaking).

Panel 17 of 17 for “I finally know who's who”: Wow. So now I'm the bossy one (woman speaking).
  1. Vaya. Así que ahora la mandona soy yo.

    Wow. So now I'm the bossy one (woman speaking).

Grammar for this text

What someone is like in general — ser; what's going on with them now — estar. Es muy susceptible: si criticas su trabajo, está callada todo el día — she's touchy by nature (es), but she goes silent for a whole day after criticism (está). Compare Óscar: Óscar es callado — he's always quiet.

One word, two meanings. Sonia es la más atenta de la oficina — "the most thoughtful toward people". Es el más despierto de todos — "the sharpest"; with estar this word simply means "awake". Está muy orgullosa de su equipo — "she's proud of her team", and that's praise; es orgullosa is criticism: "arrogant". Pensaba que era interesado — "self-serving": with ser this is criticism too.

A temporary role: estar de. Los sábados está de camarero — "he works as a waiter on Saturdays": it isn't his profession (that would be es camarero). The same with la semana que estuve de jefa — "the week I was filling in as the boss". There's no article after de.

Four different kinds of "become". Ha llegado a ser la directora — she got there after a long road. Se ha convertido en el favorito — he turned into the favorite; after convertirse you always need en. Vamos a hacernos amigos — "we're going to become friends": gradually. Me había vuelto un poco mandona — her character changed.

Así que ahora la mandona soy yo — "so now I'm the bossy one": así que sums things up. Le hacía la pelota a Nuria — "he was sucking up to Nuria": colloquial, only among friends.

Words and grammar of the unit: Disagree at a meeting.

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