How to...

How to... (BBC)?





In this programme, we look at language you can use when asking for and giving directions.

We listen to our reporter Helen as she tries to find her way around London and the office and we look at different expressions she hears on her journeys 

When you've listened to the programme, don't forget to practise what you've learned with the quizzes below!

Listen - realmedia     Download - mp3 (1.9 MB)     Script (pdf - 24k)

Language for asking directions
Can you tell me Do you know	the way to how to get to	the	(nearest)	post office bus stop toilet
		Covent Garden Trafalgar Square Bush House

Language for giving directions
Leftgo left turn left it's on the left take a left take the second (turning) on the left
Rightgo right turn right it's on the right take a right take the second (turning) on the right
Aheadgo ahead go straight ahead go straight on

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WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT?
Now it's time for you to have a go at practising the language we've looked at in this programme. Part A is a short listening activity and part B is a multiple choice quiz. Good luck!

A. LISTENING ACTIVITY 
Listen to the conversation. Which building in our strangely square town is the nearest Post Office to your location? 

Activity - real media     Activity - mp3 (175k)     Activity script (19k)

The city

1. Giving directions
2.  Asking and giving directions
3. How do I get to the zoo?
4. Practice giving direction

How to Ask for Directions	How to Give Directions	How to Locate Places
How can I get to...? Where is _______? Is there a ____ near here?	Go straight on... Turn left / Turn right Take the second corner on the right / left. Walk three blocks   /   Cross the street The ________ will be on your right/ left Take _______ street	___ is next to the ___ ___ is in front of the ___ ___ is opposite of the ___ ___ is on the corner of __ ___ is at the back of ___

Exercise A:   Look at the street map. Where can you find the following items?

a.   some aspirins b.   CDs c.   newspaper d.   canned goods e.   some stamps

f.   paintings g.   fish h.   books i.   letters j.   movie

Exercise B:   Make conversation with your partner. Ask and answer about the places below.

Example:

Person 1 : Excuse me? Is there a phone box near here?

Person 2 : Yes. Go straight ahead, it's on the left between the hotel and town hall.

Person 1 : Thanks a lot.

a.   A public library b.   A bank c.   A public toilet d.   A music shop e.   A supermarket 5. TRUE OR FALSE?

f.   A bus stop g.   A park h.   A post office i.   A school j.   A shopping center

THE CITY

THE CITY

 

TOWN                                                                                             VILLAGE                 

Places

1. bank - I went to the bank today and deposited $100.    
2. beauty salon    
3. bookstore    
4. church    
5. college: university    
6. electronics shop:

7. flower shop    
8. gas station    
9. hardware store    
10. hospital    
11. laundromat / laundry
12. library    
13. movie theater    
14. pet store    
15. post office    
16. restaurant    
17. school    
18. shopping center   

Appearence adjectives

Introduction This is a compilation of almost all the words we could think of used to describe physical appearance: After studying it you should be able to make good descriptions of people. Making descriptions in Spanish is very similar to English: EG He has + (adjective) + (noun) He is + adjective. EG: He has blue eyes = tiene los ojos azules He is bald = Es calvo Note: The vocabulary on this web page was compiled when I lived with three Spanish girls in Burgos Spain. It survived on some scraps of paper for 8 years before we published it on internet. The girls were studying "filología inglesa" and I was still a beginner in Spanish. This page is dedicated to Maite, Maria Carmen and Isabel.

face = la cara/el rostro
facial features	rasgos
she has a thin face	tiene la/una cara delgada
an oval face	una cara ovalada
a round face	una cara redonda
clean-shaven	bien afeitado
a bloated face	una cara hinchada/abotagada/abotargada
a cherubic face	una cara angelical
a chubby face	una cara regordete
chubby-cheeked	mofletudo
a chubby/podgy face	una cara rechoncha, regordete, gordinflona
he had a weather-beaten face	tenía un rostro curtido
a face lift	un lifting, un estiramiento facial
she has freckles	tiene pecas, es pecosa
spots/pimples	granos
blackheads	espinillas
moles	lunares
warts	verrugas
wrinkles	arugas
rosy cheeks	mejillas sonrosadas
acne	acne
a birthmark	un antojo/una mancha de nacimiento
a double chin	una papada
hollow cheeks	las mejillas hundidas
a dimple	un hoyuelo
smooth-cheeked/smooth-faced	lampiño
a deadpan face	una cara de póquer/de palo
a doleful face	una cara compungida
a sad face	una cara triste
a serious face	una cara seria
a smiling face	una cara sonriente
a happy face	una cara alegre
smooth-cheeked/smooth-faced	lampiño
to go red in the face (with anger/heat)	ponerse colorado/rojo
to go red/to blush (with embarassment)	sonrojarse/ruborizarse
he looks worried	parece preocupado
frightened	asustado
surprised	sorprendido
a smile	una sonrisa
a smirk	una sonrisita
a frown	el ceño fruncido

nose = la nariz
a bulbous nose	una nariz protuberante
a hooked nose	una nariz aguileña
a big nose	una nariz grande
a turned-up/snub nose	una nariz respingona
a pointed nose	una nariz puntiaguda
a flat nose/a pug nose	una nariz chata
a lopsided nose	una nariz ladeada/torcida
a hooter/conk (colloquial Br. Eng.) a schnozzle (colloquial Am. Eng.)	una napia
to flare your nostrils/to snort	resoplar/bufar

eyes = los ojos
she has brown eyes	tiene los ojos marrones
hazel	color avellana
he has beady eyes	tiene los ojos redondos y brillantes como cuentas
a black eye	un ojo morado
red eyes	ojos rojizos
bloodshot eyes	ojos sanguinolentos/injectados de sangre
to wink	guiñar el ojo
to blink	pestañear/parpadear
she is cross-eyed	es bizca
a squint	una bizquera, un estrabismo
she's blind	es ciega
he's blind in one eye	es tuerto
to go blind	quedarse ciego
crow's feet	patas de gallo
sunken eyes	ojos hundidos
piggy eyes	ojitos redondos y brillantes
bulging eyes	ojos saltones
slit/slanting eyes	ojos achinados
a stye	un orzuelo
shifty eyes	ojos furtivos
eyebrows = las cejas
arched eyebrows	cejas arqueadas
bushy eyebrows	cejas tupidas
thick eyebrows	cejas pobladas
to raise your eyebrows	arquear las cejas
eyelashes = las pestañas
false eyelashes	pestañas postizas

mouth
harelip	labio leporino
chapped lips	labios agrietados
buckteeth	dientes de conejo/dientes salidos
false teeth	dentadura postiza
front teeth	paletas/dientes de adelante
wisdom teeth	muelas del juicio
to chatter (teeth)	castañetear
my teeth are chattering	me castañetean los dientes

 

hair = el pelo/cabello
she has blond hair	tiene el pelo rubio
auburn	castaño rojizo
she has grey hair	es canosa, tiene el pelo canoso, tiene canas
mousy hair	el pelo castaño desvaído
she's red-haired/red-headed	es pelirrojo
a brunette	una morena
streaks	mechones
highlights	mechitas/reflejos/claritos
dyed hair	el pelo teñido
long hair	el pelo largo
short hair	el pelo corto
shoulder-length hair	el pelo hasta los hombros
curly hair	el pelo rizado
wavy hair	el pelo ondulado
frizzy hair	el pelo crespo
spiky hair	el pelo de punta
she has permed hair	se ha hecho un permanente
crimped hair	pelo rizado con tenacillas
straight hair	el pelo liso
a fringe	un flequillo
a parting	una raya
a pigtail	una trenza
a ponytail	una cola
bunches	coletas
a bun	un moño
lank hair	el pelo lacio
dull	sin brillo
greasy hair	el pelo graso/grasoso
fine	fino
she has thick hair	tiene mucho pelo/tiene el pelo grueso
dry	seco
shiny hair	el pelo brillante
split ends	las puntas abiertas
dandruff	la caspa
a pageboy	un peinado/corte a lo paje
a bob	una melena
a hairdo	un peinado
a crew cut	un pelo cortado al rape
sideburns	patillas
a wig	una peluca
a toupée	un peluquín, un tupé
bald	calvo
a bald patch	una calva/una pelada
he's balding	se está quedando calvo

build = complexión
thin	delgado
she’s got a very good figure	tiene una figura estupenda
plump (a nicer way of saying fat)	gordito
slim	esbelto
fat	gordo
a beer belly	una panza
chubby	regordete/gordinflón/rellenito
strong	fuerte
weak	flojo
short	bajo
tall	alto
a hunchback	un jorobado
he walks with a limp	cojea
medium height	de estatura media
medium build	de talla media
he's a large man	es un hombre corpulento

General Terms
handsome, good-looking, attractive	guapo
pretty, good-looking, attractive, lovely	guapa, bonita, linda,
he’s quite a hunk	está buenísimo
ugly	fea/feo
beautiful	preciosa, guapísima, lindísima, hermosa, bella

Other notes
He looks a bit ______ In Spanish "tiene pinta de ____" is very common for giving a general idea about the appearance. See examples on the right:	tiene pinta de delincuente: he looks like a criminal tiene pinta de extranjero he looks a bit foreign
He looks sad Note that when we say how something "seems" or "looks" (probably because we are not certain) we use parecer.	parece triste
a strong- looking man	un hombre de apariencia fuerte
clean-shaven	bien afeitado

Adjectives

50 adjectives to describe the personality
in English and Spanish.

Click

I Saw Her Standing There

Well, she was just 17, You know what I mean, And the way she looked was way beyond compare. So how could I dance with another (ooh) And I saw her standing there. Well, she looked at me, and I, I could see That before too long I'd fall in love with her. She wouldn't dance with another (whooh) And I saw her standing there. Well, my heart went "boom", When I crossed that room, And I held her hand in mine... Whooh, we danced through the night, And we held each other tight, And before too long I fell in love with her. Now I'll never dance with another (whooh) Since I saw her standing there Well, my heart went "boom," When I crossed that room, And I held her hand in mine... Oh, we danced through the night, And we held each other tight, And before too long I fell in love with her. Now I'll never dance with another (whooh) Since I saw her standing there 3x

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year 2014!

Vocabulary
Check your Christmas vocabulary!