Speaking Task: Compare Life Then and Now in Spanish

Speaking Task: Compare Life Then and Now in Spanish

This is a speaking task. You will compare one earlier stage of your life with your life now. Use the imperfect for past habits and situations, the present tense for current life, and a completed preterite event when you need to explain a specific change.

Choose parallel comparison points

A clear comparison uses the same categories for both periods.

• where you lived then and where you live now
• what you studied or did then and what you do now
• what habits you had then and what habits you have now
• who you spent time with then and now

State the earlier period clearly

• Cuando era niño, vivía en Sevilla. — When I was a child, I lived in Seville.
• Cuando tenía dieciocho años, estudiaba en Madrid. — When I was eighteen, I studied in Madrid.
• Antes trabajaba en un hotel. — Before, I used to work in a hotel.

For this lesson, antes — before / in the past is a useful comparison marker.

State the present period clearly

• Ahora vivo en Valencia. — Now I live in Valencia.
• Ahora trabajo en una oficina. — Now I work in an office.
• Ahora estudio español por la noche. — Now I study Spanish at night.

Compare housing

Antes vivía en un piso pequeño. Ahora vivo en una casa más grande. — Before, I lived in a small apartment. Now I live in a larger house.

For this lesson, piso — apartment / flat is useful housing vocabulary.

Compare study or work

Antes estudiaba en la universidad. Ahora trabajo en un hotel. — Before, I studied at the university. Now I work in a hotel.

Compare habits

De niño, jugaba al fútbol todos los días. Ahora juego solo los sábados. — As a child, I used to play football / soccer every day. Now I play only on Saturdays.

Compare a familiar place

Antes mi barrio era tranquilo. Ahora vivo en una zona más grande y hay más tiendas. — Before, my neighborhood was quiet. Now I live in a larger area and there are more stores.

Explain one change with a completed event

A completed past event can explain why the two periods differ.

Antes vivía en Sevilla. En 2022 me mudé a Valencia. Ahora vivo allí. — Before, I lived in Seville. In 2022 I moved to Valencia. Now I live there.

Another change

Antes estudiaba. En 2020 terminé mis estudios y después empecé a trabajar. Ahora trabajo en una oficina. — Before, I studied. In 2020 I finished my studies and afterward started working. Now I work in an office.

Keep the comparison balanced

Do not compare housing in the past with food in the present and call it one comparison. Match comparable categories.

Then	Now
Vivía en Sevilla. — I lived in Seville.	Vivo en Valencia. — I live in Valencia.
Estudiaba por la mañana. — I used to study in the morning.	Trabajo por la mañana. — I work in the morning.
Jugaba al fútbol. — I used to play football / soccer.	Ahora voy al gimnasio. — Now I go to the gym.

For this lesson, gimnasio — gym is useful current-life vocabulary.

Speaking model

Cuando tenía dieciocho años, vivía en Madrid y estudiaba en la universidad. Vivía con dos amigos y caminaba mucho por el centro. En 2021 terminé mis estudios y me mudé a Valencia. Ahora trabajo en una oficina y vivo cerca del mar. Antes estudiaba por la noche, pero ahora descanso más por la noche.

Meaning

Cuando tenía dieciocho años, vivía en Madrid y estudiaba en la universidad. — When I was eighteen, I lived in Madrid and studied at the university.

Vivía con dos amigos y caminaba mucho por el centro. — I lived with two friends and walked a lot downtown.

En 2021 terminé mis estudios y me mudé a Valencia. — In 2021 I finished my studies and moved to Valencia.

Ahora trabajo en una oficina y vivo cerca del mar. — Now I work in an office and live near the sea.

Antes estudiaba por la noche, pero ahora descanso más por la noche. — Before, I used to study at night, but now I rest more at night.

For this lesson, descanso — I rest is useful current-life vocabulary.

Follow-up questions

Your partner should ask at least one question about the difference or the change.

• ¿Dónde vivías antes? — Where did you live before?
• ¿Qué hacías entonces? — What did you do then?
• ¿Qué haces ahora? — What do you do now?
• ¿Cuándo cambió tu vida? — When did your life change?
• ¿Por qué te mudaste? — Why did you move?

For this task, entonces — then, cambió — changed, and te mudaste — you moved are useful follow-up forms.

Answer the follow-up directly

Person A: ¿Cuándo cambió tu vida? — When did your life change?

Person B: En 2021, cuando terminé mis estudios. — In 2021, when I finished my studies.

Person A: ¿Dónde vivías antes? — Where did you live before?

Person B: Vivía en Madrid. — I lived in Madrid.

Performance criteria

1. The listener can clearly identify the earlier period and the present period.
2. You compare parallel categories rather than unrelated details.
3. You use the imperfect for past habits or situations and the present for current life.
4. If you explain a change, you use a completed past event clearly.
5. You answer at least one follow-up question.

A practical speaking method

1. Choose two or three parallel comparison categories.
2. Describe the earlier period with the imperfect.
3. Describe the current period with the present tense.
4. Add one completed event if it explains the transition.
5. Use antes and ahora to keep the periods clear.
6. Answer a follow-up question without switching into a memorized speech.

From Then and Now to Life Experiences and Recent News

You can now explain how your present life differs from an earlier stage and identify a completed event that caused an important change. The next lesson introduces asking about life experiences and sharing recent news in Spanish.