Passing On Simple Spanish Instructions and Practical Information
Passing On Simple Spanish Instructions and Practical Information
In this lesson, you will take one short message and pass its important instruction or practical information to another person. Preserve names, numbers, dates, times, and order, and make it clear what came from the original source.
Start with the source message
Original message:
Meaning
— Hello, Ana. I am Marta.
— Friday's meeting changes to six.
— Bring the documents and call Carlos before four.
Pass on the essential information
To Ana, you can say:
— Marta says: Friday's meeting is at six. Bring the documents and call Carlos before four.
This lesson uses direct quotation or simple dice + information. A full lesson on reported speech is not required here.
Preserve the names
Original:
— Call Carlos.
Do not change Carlos to Marta or another person when passing the message on.
Preserve the number
Original:
— The number is 612 440 908.
Passed on:
— Marta says that the number is 612 440 908.
For this lesson, dice que is used as a familiar practical reporting pattern. The broader grammar of reported speech comes later.
Preserve the order of instructions
Original:
— First call the hotel. Afterward confirm the booking.
Passed on:
— First call the hotel and afterward confirm the booking.
Do not add your own instruction to the source
Source:
— Pick up the parcel before five.
Your personal addition:
— I think you should go at four.
If you add your own idea, label it as your idea rather than making it sound like part of the original message.
Separate source information from your comment
— Marta says to pick up the parcel before five. I think it is better to go early.
For this lesson, use this sentence as a practical reporting model. Do not generalize its command-reporting grammar beyond the example.
Phone message example
Original:
Meaning
— I am Luis from the repair shop.
— The visit is tomorrow between nine and eleven.
— Please have the phone available.
Passed on:
— Luis from the repair shop says that the visit is tomorrow between nine and eleven. He also asks that the phone be available.
The second sentence is a useful fixed reporting phrase here; systematic reported commands belong to later study.
Service information example
Original:
Passed on:
— The parcel arrives Tuesday, costs twelve euros, and you need to show your identity document.
The wording changes slightly for the new listener, but the practical facts remain the same.
A practical pass-it-on method
- Identify the source of the message.
- Select only the practical instruction or information that matters.
- Preserve names, numbers, dates, times, and sequence.
- Use direct wording or a simple familiar reporting pattern.
- If you add your own comment, mark it as your own comment.
- Do not omit a detail that changes what the listener must do.
- Do not require advanced reported-speech transformations in this lesson.
From Passing Information On to Payments and Cash Withdrawals
You can now pass on a short practical message without losing the details that affect the action. The next lesson teaches you how to ask about payments, bank fees, and cash withdrawals in Spanish.
Spanish phrases
Hola, Ana. Soy Marta.
Hello, Ana. I'm Marta.
La reunión del viernes cambia a las seis.
Friday's meeting has been moved to six.
Lleva los documentos y llama a Carlos antes de las cuatro.
Bring the documents and call Carlos before four.
Marta dice: la reunión del viernes es a las seis. Lleva los documentos y llama a Carlos antes de las cuatro.
Marta says: Friday's meeting is at six. Bring the documents and call Carlos before four.
Llama a Carlos.
Call Carlos.
El número es 612 440 908.
The number is 612 440 908.
Marta dice que el número es 612 440 908.
Marta says that the number is 612 440 908.
Primero llama al hotel. Después confirma la reserva.
First call the hotel. Then confirm the booking.
Primero llama al hotel y después confirma la reserva.
First call the hotel and then confirm the booking.
Recoge el paquete antes de las cinco.
Pick up the parcel before five.
Marta dice que recojas el paquete antes de las cinco. Yo creo que es mejor ir temprano.
Marta says to pick up the parcel before five. I think it's better to go early.
Soy Luis del taller.
I'm Luis from the repair shop.
La visita es mañana entre las nueve y las once.
The visit is tomorrow between nine and eleven.
Por favor, tenga el teléfono disponible.
Please have the phone available.
Luis del taller dice que la visita es mañana entre las nueve y las once. También pide que el teléfono esté disponible.
Luis from the repair shop says the visit is tomorrow between nine and eleven. He also asks that the phone be available.
El paquete llega el martes, cuesta doce euros y necesitas presentar tu documento de identidad.
The parcel arrives on Tuesday, costs twelve euros, and you need to show your identity document.