Spanish Proficiency Exercises
Describe why you listen to the radio station you do.


Simplified and native speakers:

• Simplified example
• Leonardo G.
• Carlos G.
• Claudia J.
• Fernando L.
• Fernando C.

.m4v (iPod) downloads
Click red links to download .m4v files for use in iPod:

• Simplified example
• Leonardo G.
• Carlos G.
• Claudia J.
• Fernando L.
• Fernando C.

Subscribe to iTunes podcast: adv22
Subscribe to podcast: adv22


Key vocabulary for this task


Example phrases for this task


Grammar points for this task

Simplified Example
"Mi programa favorito se llama 'siglo ventiuno' en la estación nacional..."
Leonardo G.
México, D.F.
"Bien, uno de los programas que más escucho se llama..."
Carlos G.
México, Delicias, Chihuahua
"Me gusta escuchar la estación Dino 95..."
Claudia J.
Perú, Lima
"Bueno, a mí me gusta escuchar Radio Ritmo..."
Fernando L.
Chile, Santiago
"La cooperativa es una radio, a ver, noticiosa, informativa, magazinesca..."
Fernando C.
Paraguay, Asunción
"En Paraguay suelo escuchar la radio AM, de amplitud modulada..."
anuncio (m)   advertisement
entrevista (f)   interview
estación/emisora de radio (f)   radio station
estreno de cine (m)   movie premiere
género de música (m)   musical genre
informarse   to get informed
locutor/a (m/f)   radio announcer, commentator
patrocinar   to sponsor
poner música   to play music (on a sterio, radio)
programa (m)   program
Mi estación favorita pone música poca conocida y pasa programas culturales muy interesantes. My favorite station plays obscure music and airs very interesting cultural programs.
La radio es una buena forma de informarse de los eventos actuales. The radio is a good way to get informed about current events.
La estación pública tiene locutores muy informados. The public station has well informed announcers.
No me gusta que hayan tantos anuncios en la radio. I don't like that they have so many comercials on the radio.
Me enterré de un estreno de cine por la radio anoche. I found out about a movie premiere from the radio last night.
Impersonal "se" and Passive "se"

The word se has many uses in Spanish. Two of the most frequent uses are the impersonal "se" and the passive "se". The impersonal "se" is used with a third person singular verb to express the impersonal English subjects, one, you, people, or they.

¿Se puede nadar en el lago? Can you swim in the lake? / Can one swim in the lake?
  Se dice que hay brujos que viven en la sierra. They say there are witches that live in the mountains.
  Se come muy bien en México. One eats very well in Mexico. (You are fed good food in Mexico).

The passive "se" is very similar to the impersonal "se". The agent of the action is either unknown or unimportant and the influence is placed on the action and not the doer/actor.

En Coyotepec se hace el barro negro. Black clay is made in Coyotepec.
  No se habla español en ese pueblo. Spanish isn't spoken in that town.
  Se gasta mucho dinero en el mercado. A lot of money is spent in the market.