Opinions and negotiations
Opiniones y negociaciones
- Express your opinion
- Learn basic phrases to discuss viewpoints
- Indirect speech with simple past tenses
Learn how to express opinions and negotiate offers in Spanish using indirect speech with simple past tenses. This lesson covers workplace dialogues, verb conjugations, and company hierarchy vocabulary, helping A2 learners engage confidently in negotiations and discussions about job contracts and proposals.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
A2.41.2 Cultura
¿Existen jerarquías dentro de las empresas españolas?
Are there hierarchies within Spanish companies?
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
Verdadero
True
2
La negociación
The negotiation
3
Falso
False
4
Sin duda
Undoubtedly
5
Negociar
To negotiate
Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ana me dijo que _____ que la oferta era adecuada para todos.
(Ana told me that _____ the offer was suitable for everyone.)2. Pedro preguntó si _____ a aceptar las condiciones propuestas.
(Pedro asked if _____ to accept the proposed conditions.)3. La directora me dijo que el compromiso _____ fundamental para el equipo.
(The director told me that the commitment _____ fundamental for the team.)4. Juan dijo que _____ la contraoferta porque las condiciones eran negativas.
(Juan said that _____ the counteroffer because the conditions were negative.)Exercise 4: A work meeting about negotiation
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Ser - To be
Pretérito imperfecto
- yo era
- tú eras
- él/ella/Ud. era
- nosotros/as éramos
- vosotros/as erais
- ellos/ellas/Uds. eran
Creer - To believe
Pretérito imperfecto
- yo creía
- tú creías
- él/ella/Ud. creía
- nosotros/as creíamos
- vosotros/as creíais
- ellos/ellas/Uds. creían
Responder - To reply
Pretérito imperfecto
- yo respondía
- tú respondías
- él/ella/Ud. respondía
- nosotros/as respondíamos
- vosotros/as respondíais
- ellos/ellas/Uds. respondían
Ir - To go
Pretérito imperfecto
- yo iba
- tú ibas
- él/ella/Ud. iba
- nosotros/as íbamos
- vosotros/as ibais
- ellos/ellas/Uds. iban
Exercise 5: Estilo indirecto con pretéritos simples
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Indirect speech with simple past tenses
Show translation Show answersdijo que, iba a rechazar, tenía, preguntó, negociaban, era, es
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Ser to be Share Copied!
Pretérito imperfecto
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) era | I was |
| (tú) eras | You were |
| (él/ella) era | he was/she was |
| (nosotros/nosotras) éramos | we were |
| (vosotros/vosotras) erais | You were |
| (ellos/ellas) eran | they were |
Creer to believe Share Copied!
Pretérito imperfecto
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) creía | I believed |
| (tú) creías | you believed |
| (él/ella) creía | he/she believed |
| (nosotros/nosotras) creíamos | we believed |
| (vosotros/vosotras) creíais | you believed |
| (ellos/ellas) creían | they believed |
Responder to respond Share Copied!
Pretérito imperfecto
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) respondía | I responded |
| (tú) respondías | You responded |
| (él/ella) respondía | he/she responded |
| (nosotros/nosotras) respondíamos | we responded |
| (vosotros/vosotras) respondíais | You responded |
| (ellos/ellas) respondían | they responded |
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Opinions and Negotiations in Spanish Workplaces
This lesson introduces learners to expressing opinions and negotiating offers in Spanish, focusing on the indirect style using simple past tenses (pretérito simple). You will explore common workplace themes such as discussing contract proposals, company hierarchies, and decision-making processes typical in Spanish companies.
Key Topics Covered
- Negotiation of offers: Practice expressing viewpoints about offers and contracts, including salary and contract duration.
- Indirect speech with simple past: Learn how to report what others have said using indirect style and the pretérito simple to narrate events.
- Company hierarchy questions: Explore vocabulary related to organizational roles and communication within Spanish business culture.
Practice Through Dialogues
You will engage with dialogues such as negotiating a new contract, sharing opinions during meetings, and debating job offers. For example, phrases like "Me dijo que la oferta era baja" (He told me the offer was low) help you master how to report others’ opinions.
Verb Conjugation Focus
The lesson emphasizes the use of key verbs in their imperfect and simple past forms, such as creer (to believe), decir (to say), and ir (to go), providing multiple-choice exercises and a mini story with gaps to reinforce learning.
Language Notes
In Spanish, indirect speech often shifts verb tenses to the past even when referring to present opinions or facts, which differs from English direct speech. For example, the English statement "She thinks the offer is fair" becomes Ella dijo que la oferta era justa (She said the offer was fair), using the imperfect tense. Useful phrases include me dijo que (he/she told me that), creía que (he/she thought that), reflecting respectful and formal language common in negotiations.
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