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Illustration for “One paper is missing”

Spanish dialogue with translation · B2 · 18 lines

Falta un papel One paper is missing

Comic · 18 panels

Panel 1 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Good morning. Have a seat, please. Have you brought all your documents? (formal)”
  1. Funcionaria

    Buenos días. Siéntese, por favor. ¿Trae toda la documentación?

    Good morning. Have a seat, please. Have you brought all your documents? (formal)

Panel 2 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Good morning. Yes, I've brought them in this folder: the form, the photocopies, the receipt for the fee and my original passport.”
  1. Ana

    Buenos días. Sí, la traigo en esta carpeta: el impreso, las fotocopias, el justificante de la tasa y el original del pasaporte.

    Good morning. Yes, I've brought them in this folder: the form, the photocopies, the receipt for the fee and my original passport.

Panel 3 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Let's see… There's a different address here. Have you changed your address? (formal)”
  1. Funcionaria

    A ver… Aquí consta otra dirección. ¿Ha cambiado usted de domicilio?

    Let's see… There's a different address here. Have you changed your address? (formal)

Panel 4 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Yes, I moved at the end of January. Now I live in Benimaclet.”
  1. Ana

    Sí, me mudé a finales de enero. Ahora vivo en Benimaclet.

    Yes, I moved at the end of January. Now I live in Benimaclet.

Panel 5 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Then a paper is missing: the address registration certificate with your current address. Without it, the file is incomplete.”
  1. Funcionaria

    Entonces falta un papel: el certificado de empadronamiento con el domicilio actual. Sin él, el expediente está incompleto.

    Then a paper is missing: the address registration certificate with your current address. Without it, the file is incomplete.

Panel 6 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “I requested it at city hall, but they haven't given it to me yet. Although I don't have the certificate, I've brought the rental contract: won't that do?”
  1. Ana

    Lo pedí en el ayuntamiento, pero aún no me lo han dado. Aunque no tengo el certificado, traigo el contrato de alquiler: ¿no sirve?

    I requested it at city hall, but they haven't given it to me yet. Although I don't have the certificate, I've brought the rental contract: won't that do?

Panel 7 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “I'm sorry, the contract isn't enough. Even if you bring me ten contracts, the regulations are strict: they require the certificate. (formal)”
  1. Funcionaria

    Lo siento, el contrato es insuficiente. Aunque me traiga usted diez contratos, el reglamento es estricto: pide el certificado.

    I'm sorry, the contract isn't enough. Even if you bring me ten contracts, the regulations are strict: they require the certificate. (formal)

Panel 8 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “And can't you make an exception? I'll bring it to you as soon as they give it to me, even if I have to miss work. (formal)”
  1. Ana

    ¿Y no puede hacer una excepción? Se lo traigo en cuanto me lo den, aunque tenga que faltar al trabajo.

    And can't you make an exception? I'll bring it to you as soon as they give it to me, even if I have to miss work. (formal)

Panel 9 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Even if I want to, I can't. And no matter how much you insist, I'm not going to stamp an incomplete application. (formal)”
  1. Funcionaria

    Aunque quiera, no puedo. Y por mucho que insista, no voy a sellar una solicitud incompleta.

    Even if I want to, I can't. And no matter how much you insist, I'm not going to stamp an incomplete application. (formal)

Panel 10 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “I'm not insisting, I'm sorry. It's just that it took me ages to get this appointment. (formal)”
  1. Ana

    No insisto, perdone. Es que tardé muchísimo en conseguir esta cita.

    I'm not insisting, I'm sorry. It's just that it took me ages to get this appointment. (formal)

Panel 11 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “I understand you, really. Nevertheless, there's one thing I can do: I'll note your request in the file, and you complete the paperwork this week. (to a woman, formal)”
  1. Funcionaria

    La entiendo, de verdad. No obstante, puedo hacer una cosa: anoto su petición en el expediente, y usted completa la documentación esta semana.

    I understand you, really. Nevertheless, there's one thing I can do: I'll note your request in the file, and you complete the paperwork this week. (to a woman, formal)

Panel 12 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Without making another appointment?”
  1. Ana

    ¿Sin pedir otra cita?

    Without making another appointment?

Panel 13 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Without another appointment. Come with the certificate and go straight to this desk, even if you see a lot of people in line. (formal)”
  1. Funcionaria

    Sin otra cita. Venga con el certificado y pase directamente a esta mesa, aunque vea mucha gente en la cola.

    Without another appointment. Come with the certificate and go straight to this desk, even if you see a lot of people in line. (formal)

Panel 14 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Thank you so much. You're very understanding. I thought I was going home with nothing today. (to a woman, formal)”
  1. Ana

    Muchísimas gracias. Es usted muy comprensiva. Pensaba que hoy me iba a casa sin nada.

    Thank you so much. You're very understanding. I thought I was going home with nothing today. (to a woman, formal)

Panel 15 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “Don't despair, this can be fixed. But come first thing in the morning: later the line is never-ending. (formal)”
  1. Funcionaria

    No se desespere, que esto tiene solución. Pero venga a primera hora: después la cola es interminable.

    Don't despair, this can be fixed. But come first thing in the morning: later the line is never-ending. (formal)

Panel 16 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “I'll come first thing in the morning, even if I have to get up at five.”
  1. Ana

    Vendré a primera hora, aunque tenga que levantarme a las cinco.

    I'll come first thing in the morning, even if I have to get up at five.

Panel 17 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “There's no need to go that far: we open at nine. And bring a photocopy of the certificate too, just in case. (formal)”
  1. Funcionaria

    No hace falta tanto: abrimos a las nueve. Y traiga también una fotocopia del certificado, por si acaso.

    There's no need to go that far: we open at nine. And bring a photocopy of the certificate too, just in case. (formal)

Panel 18 of 18 for “One paper is missing”: “All right. You see: I have extra photocopies of everything, and I'm missing exactly that one paper. Thanks again! (formal)”
  1. Ana

    De acuerdo. Ya ve: me sobran fotocopias de todo y me falta justo ese papel. ¡Gracias otra vez!

    All right. You see: I have extra photocopies of everything, and I'm missing exactly that one paper. Thanks again! (formal)

Grammar for this text

Aunque + subjunctive — "even if". The clerk talks about things that only might happen: they won't change anything. Aunque me traiga usted diez contratos… — "even if you bring me ten contracts…"; aunque quiera, no puedo — "even if I want to, I can't"; aunque vea mucha gente — "even if you see a lot of people". Ana answers the same way: aunque tenga que levantarme a las cinco.

Compare Ana's line Aunque no tengo el certificado, traigo el contrato: she really doesn't have the certificate, it's a fact. So the form is the normal one (indicative), and the translation is "although".

Por mucho que + subjunctive — "no matter how much": por mucho que insista — "no matter how much you insist".

No obstante — a formal "nevertheless"; with friends you'd say pero.

Certificado de empadronamiento — a certificate showing that your address is registered at city hall. If you move, the address on it has to be updated.

Words and grammar of the unit: Deal with paperwork and long lines.

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