At the bank
En el banco
- Open a bank account.
- Make online purchases and be familiar with common payment methods.
- Get to know the biggest banks of the country.
- Temporal expressions: "Hace un rato", "Esta semana", "Este mes", etc...
Learn how to manage banking situations in Spanish including opening accounts, using temporal expressions like "Hace un rato" and "Esta semana," making online payments, and discussing Spain's largest banks. Suitable for A2 learners to improve practical vocabulary and preterite tense usage.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
A2.13.1 Diálogo
Pedro abre una cuenta bancaria para extranjeros
Pedro opens a bank account for foreigners
Vocabulary (15) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
El cajero automático
The cash machine
2
Hacer un pago electrónico
Make an electronic payment
3
La moneda
The coin
4
Abrir una cuenta bancaria
To open a bank account
5
La cesta de compras
The shopping basket
Ejercicio 2: Conversation exercise
Instrucción:
- Discuss the different payment methods that you see. (Discuss the different payment methods that you see.)
- Do you prefer shopping online or in a store? Do you like talking on the phone? (Do you prefer shopping online or in a store? Do you like talking on the phone?)
- Is it common in your country to leave a tip? (Is it common in your country to leave a tip? )
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Prefiero pagar con tarjeta porque es más rápido. I prefer paying by card because it is faster. |
|
Me gusta tener efectivo porque a veces no se puede pagar con tarjeta. I like to have cash because sometimes you can not pay by card. |
|
Me gusta más comprar por internet porque es menos estresante para mí. I like online shopping more because it is less stressful for me. |
|
Prefiero pagar con mi aplicación bancaria. I prefer paying with my bank application. |
|
Pagamos por transferencia bancaria. We pay by bank transfer. |
|
Casi nadie deja propina en mi país, así que yo nunca lo hago. Almost nobody leaves a tip in my country so I never do it. |
| ... |
Exercise 3: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Esta semana ___ abierto una cuenta bancaria en un banco reconocido de España.
(This week ___ opened a bank account in a well-known bank in Spain.)2. Ayer ___ mis datos personales en el formulario para activar la tarjeta de crédito.
(Yesterday ___ my personal information in the form to activate the credit card.)3. Hace un rato ___ un pago electrónico para comprar un producto en línea.
(A little while ago ___ an electronic payment to buy a product online.)4. Esta semana ___ el cajero automático para retirar dinero en efectivo.
(This week ___ the ATM to withdraw cash.)Exercise 5: At the bank
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Abrir - Open
Pretérito indefinido
- yo abrí
- tú abriste
- él/ella/usted abrió
- nosotros/nosotras abrimos
- vosotros/vosotras abristeis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes abrieron
Hacer - Make
Pretérito indefinido
- yo hice
- tú hiciste
- él/ella/usted hizo
- nosotros/nosotras hicimos
- vosotros/vosotras hicisteis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes hicieron
Permitir - Allow
Pretérito indefinido
- yo permití
- tú permitiste
- él/ella/usted permitió
- nosotros/nosotras permitimos
- vosotros/vosotras permitisteis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes permitieron
Usar - Use
Pretérito indefinido
- yo usé
- tú usaste
- él/ella/usted usó
- nosotros/nosotras usamos
- vosotros/vosotras usasteis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes usaron
Añadir - Add
Pretérito indefinido
- yo añadí
- tú añadiste
- él/ella/usted añadió
- nosotros/nosotras añadimos
- vosotros/vosotras añadisteis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes añadieron
Exercise 6: Expresiones temporales: "Hace un rato", "Esta semana", "Este mes",etc...
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Temporal expressions: "Hace un rato", "Esta semana", "Este mes", etc...
Show translation Show answershe hecho, abriste, han hablado, has añadido, he añadido, he comprado, usaste
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A2.13.2 Gramática
Expresiones temporales: "Hace un rato", "Esta semana", "Este mes",etc...
Temporal expressions: "Hace un rato", "Esta semana", "Este mes", etc...
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Hacer to do Share Copied!
Pretérito indefinido
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) hice | I did |
| (tú) hiciste | You did |
| (él/ella) hizo | he/she did |
| (nosotros/nosotras) hicimos | we did |
| (vosotros/vosotras) hicisteis | You did |
| (ellos/ellas) hicieron | they did |
Usar to use Share Copied!
Pretérito indefinido
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) usé | I used |
| (tú) usaste | You used |
| (él/ella) usó | he/she used |
| (nosotros/nosotras) usamos | we used |
| (vosotros/vosotras) usasteis | You used |
| (ellos/ellas) usaron | they used |
Añadir to add Share Copied!
Pretérito indefinido
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) añadí | I added |
| (tú) añadiste | You added |
| (él/ella) añadió | he/she added |
| (nosotros/nosotras) añadimos | we added |
| (vosotros/vosotras) añadisteis | you added |
| (ellos/ellas) añadieron | they added |
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Welcome to the "At the Bank" Spanish Lesson
This lesson is designed for A2-level learners who want to confidently handle common banking situations in Spanish. You'll learn essential vocabulary and expressions used when opening bank accounts, discussing payment methods, and understanding Spain's main banks.
Key Topics Covered
- Opening a bank account for foreigners, including common questions and documentation.
- Temporary expressions to describe recent actions: "Hace un rato" (A moment ago), "Esta semana" (This week), and "Este mes" (This month).
- Online shopping vocabulary and different payment methods like credit cards, PayPal, and bank transfers.
- Conversation practices involving major Spain banks such as Banco Santander, BBVA, and CaixaBank.
Grammar and Vocabulary Highlights
You'll practice the preterite tense (Pretérito indefinido) to talk about actions that have just happened, essential for daily banking communications. For example: "Esta semana he abierto una cuenta bancaria" (This week I opened a bank account).
Common verbs like abrir (to open), hacer (to do/make), usar (to use), and añadir (to add) are used throughout, helping you describe transactions and banking activities.
Practical Conversational Scenarios
You will engage with dialogues simulating real-life situations, such as:
- Opening a personal or business bank account.
- Discussing how to complete an online purchase and pay securely.
- Talking about experiences with well-known Spanish banks.
Differences and Useful Tips
In Spanish banking contexts, documents like DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad) are often requested, which is equivalent to an ID card. The expressions for recent actions use the present perfect tense differently than in English; for example, "Esta semana he abierto" literally means "This week I have opened" but is often used similarly to simple past in English.
Useful phrases include:
- "Quiero abrir una cuenta bancaria" - "I want to open a bank account."
- "¿Tiene su DNI?" - "Do you have your ID card?"
- "Esta semana he comprado en línea" - "I have shopped online this week."
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