Speaking Task: Interview Someone About Their Experiences in Spanish
Speaking Task: Interview Someone About Their Experiences in Spanish
This is a speaking task. You will conduct a short interview about another person's experiences. Start with an experience question, then ask relevant follow-up questions about time, place, and what happened.
Open with an experience question
- ¿Has viajado alguna vez a otro país? — Have you ever traveled to another country?
- ¿Has trabajado alguna vez en un hotel? — Have you ever worked in a hotel?
- ¿Has vivido en otra ciudad? — Have you lived in another city?
- ¿Has hecho un viaje largo? — Have you taken a long trip?
If the answer is no
Accept the answer and do not invent details.
Person A: ¿Has trabajado alguna vez en un hotel? — Have you ever worked in a hotel?
Person B: No, nunca he trabajado en un hotel. — No, I have never worked in a hotel.
You can move to another topic instead of forcing details about an experience that did not happen.
If the answer is yes, ask for finished details
Use the preterite for specific completed details.
- ¿Cuándo fuiste? — When did you go?
- ¿Dónde estuviste? — Where were you?
- ¿Con quién fuiste? — Who did you go with?
- ¿Qué hiciste allí? — What did you do there?
- ¿Cómo fue? — How was it?
Complete interview 1
Person A: ¿Has viajado alguna vez a México? — Have you ever traveled to Mexico?
Person B: Sí, he viajado a México. — Yes, I have traveled to Mexico.
Person A: ¿Cuándo fuiste? — When did you go?
Person B: Fui en 2024. — I went in 2024.
Person A: ¿Con quién fuiste? — Who did you go with?
Person B: Fui con Ana. — I went with Ana.
Person A: ¿Qué hiciste allí? — What did you do there?
Person B: Visité dos ciudades y comí en muchos restaurantes. — I visited two cities and ate in many restaurants.
Keep follow-up questions connected to the answer
If the person says he or she lived in another city, ask about that city or period.
Person A: ¿Has vivido en otra ciudad? — Have you lived in another city?
Person B: Sí, he vivido en Valencia. — Yes, I have lived in Valencia.
Person A: ¿Cuándo viviste allí? — When did you live there?
Person B: Viví allí en 2022. — I lived there in 2022.
Do not ask an unrelated memorized question
If the answer concerns work, a useful follow-up is about where or when the work happened. A question about food may be unrelated unless the speaker brings that topic into the answer.
Regional variation
You may hear speakers use the preterite where another speaker would use the present perfect, especially for recent experiences. Understand the intended meaning instead of treating the regional choice as an error.
Respect a person's wish not to give details
Useful responses include:
- Prefiero no hablar de eso. — I prefer not to talk about that.
- No quiero dar más detalles. — I do not want to give more details.
If your partner uses one of these responses, change topic respectfully.
Interview topic: work
Person A: ¿Has trabajado alguna vez en una oficina? — Have you ever worked in an office?
Person B: Sí, he trabajado en una oficina. — Yes, I have worked in an office.
Person A: ¿Cuándo trabajaste allí? — When did you work there?
Interview topic: travel
Person A: ¿Has hecho un viaje largo? — Have you taken a long trip?
Person B: Sí. — Yes.
Person A: ¿Adónde fuiste? — Where did you go?
Interview topic: recent change
Person A: ¿Has cambiado de trabajo? — Have you changed jobs?
Person B: Sí, he cambiado de trabajo. — Yes, I have changed jobs.
Person A: ¿Cuándo cambiaste? — When did you change?
Performance criteria
- Open with a clear experience question.
- Listen to the answer before choosing a follow-up.
- Use present perfect for the general experience when appropriate.
- Use the preterite for a specific finished-time detail.
- Keep each follow-up connected to the previous answer.
- Understand regional tense alternatives without unnecessary correction.
- Respect a partner who does not want to discuss a detail.
From Experience Interviews to Everyday Health
You can now conduct a short interview about life experiences and follow up with specific past details. The next lesson introduces body parts, common symptoms, and everyday health vocabulary in Spanish.