82 Para terminar… ¡Conversemos!

¡Conversemos! 4: Mi vida fuera de la universidad (Mi hogar)

During this in-class ¡Conversemos! activity, you will take turns playing the role of (1) a student who is trying to rent out their apartment over the summer and (2) a student or a group of students who is/are looking for an apartment to rent over the summer. Be sure to use the vocabulary and structures you have learned in this module. You can use the conversation between Kate and the real estate agent in ‘Section 63 Introduction Comunicativa’ to help with your pre-activity. Only 2-4 people per group are permitted for the in-class role-play activity.

[Copy pre-activity Google doc here]

Paso 1. Start this pre-activity by preparing a list of questions you will use in class for both situations. Use the vocabulary in previous sections of our textbook, as well as present tense verbs (both regular and irregular). This is also a review of question formation so make sure to include a mix of yes/no questions (e.g., ¿Eres de Austin?) and information questions (e.g., ¿De dónde eres?).

Paso 2. Now prepare a list of useful vocabulary words and phrases from previous sections of our textbook (and beyond) that will be helpful to you during this conversation. Importantly, do not write complete sentences here. You will lose points during the in-class ¡Conversemos! activity if you are simply reading your answers to your classmates’ questions.

Paso 3. Remember, cognates are a great tool for communication. Have you included any in sections (1) or (2) above? Go ahead and copy all the cognates you used above into the columns below. If possible, group the words by association and label the column category. Practice pronouncing these words and make sure you are familiar with both the singular/plural and masculine/feminine forms when relevant.

Paso 4. At some point during the natural flow of the in-class conversation, get your phone out and share a picture. When you are the one trying to rent your apartment, share a picture of a place near the apartment that you think will help close the deal. When you are playing the role of potential subletter, share a picture of your pet or an example of why you are a tidy and/or trustworthy person. Describe your selected images below:

Paso 5. Finally, prepare a list of fillers (to hold the floor), expressions that show interest in the conversation (so that your new friends don’t mistake silence with disinterest), and helpful expressions for sharing your opinion, expressing (dis) agreement, and getting others involved.

Paso 6. Upload this pre-activity to Canvas before the in-class ¡Conversemos! activity.

Más práctica…

Busco apartamento

Trabaja con un@ compañero@ y practica tu español en estas situaciones sociales. You need to use the vocabulary and structures you have learned so far. Change roles and partners after practicing each situation once.

Conversación 1

(You can use the conversation between Kate and the real estate agent as example.)

Estudiante 1. You want to rent out your apartment during the summer. Now you are having a phone conversation with someone that is interested in renting it. Make sure you provide as much information as you can about your apartment.

• Ask what the person does and when they want to rent the apartment;
• Ask if they have pets (mascotas);
• Describe the apartment and give information about rooms;
• Tell the person about the neighborhood (barrio), neighbors (vecinos), and rent (how much it is per month).

Estudiante 2. You’re going to take classes during the summer, and you need a find an apartment to rent. Now you are having a phone conversation with someone that wants to rent out their apartment.

• Say that you are interested in the apartment (use the phrase tener interés por [don’t forget to conjugate the verb!]);
• Answer the person’s questions;
• Ask questions about the apartment and the rooms/furniture in it;
• Inquire about the neighborhood (barrio) and neighbors (vecinos);
• Make a decision based on what the owner of the apartment tells you.

Conversación 2

Estudiante 1. You are a real estate agent in El Paso. You work with Spanish speakers. You get a call from a client. Using the information in the floor plans below, answer their questions. Discuss what the houses are like (rooms, furniture), the neighborhood (barrio), prices, etc. Useful expressions: pies cuadrados (square feet), propiedad/propiedades, en venta (for sale). Use the vocabulary and structures we saw in this module.

Propiedad 1 (en Album Park):

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Propiedad 2 (en Castner Heights):

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Propiedad 3 (en Cielo Vista):

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Estudiante 2. You are a Spanish speaker in El Paso. You want to buy your first property. You would prefer a two-bedroom place. Call a real estate agent. Tell this person about yourself and what kind of house you want (e.g., number of bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.). Find out what the houses they offer you are like. Ask questions about rooms, amenities, neighborhood (barrio), prices, etc..