Antes del primer café

Before the first coffee

Get to know the neighbours and practise what you've learned in a new story.

The storyOne day with Clara, from five in the morning until the evening: who calls before the town is up, why everybody in her café gets cake, and what happens when a woman says she is not hungry.

New words in the story

hornear bake
el horno oven
huele bien smells good
despierto / despierta awake
suficientes enough
gratis free of charge
llega arrives
las personas people

Tap a word to see what it means.

AutoplayEnglish

Five in the morning. Number 7 is dark, except for one window above the café.
Son las cinco de la mañana. La casa está en silencio.
It is five in the morning. The house is quiet.
Elvira y Michi duermen. Javier está despierto. Clara ya está en la cafetería. Empieza temprano.
Elvira and Michi sleep. Javier is awake. Clara is already in the café. She starts early.
Clara
Buenos días, cafetería. Ahora, a hornear.
Good morning, café. Time to bake.
Hay leche, mantequilla y treinta huevos. El bizcocho está en el horno. Huele bien.
There is milk, butter and thirty eggs. The cake is in the oven. It smells good.
Six o'clock. The phone rings. Only one person calls at this hour.
Suena el móvil.
The mobile rings.
Clara
Hola, abuela. Estoy en la cafetería.
Hello, Grandma. I am in the café.
La abuela de Clara
¿Ya estás trabajando, Clara?
Are you already working, Clara?
Clara
Sí. ¿Y tú? ¿Estás despierta?
Yes. And you? Are you awake?
La abuela de Clara
Claro. Mi pan está en el horno.
Of course. My bread is in the oven.
Su abuela vive en otra ciudad. Hablan por la mañana.
Her grandmother lives in another town. They talk in the morning.
La abuela de Clara
¿Y tú desayunas? ¿Qué comes?
And do you have breakfast? What do you eat?
Clara
Todavía nada. Tengo mucho trabajo.
Nothing yet. I have lots of work.
La abuela de Clara
Tú también necesitas desayunar.
You need breakfast too.
Clara
Lo sé. Aquí todos comen.
I know. Everyone eats here.
Seven o'clock. Clara opens the café. Outside, people are already waiting.
Clara abre. Hay gente fuera.
Clara opens. There are people outside.
Clara
¡Buenos días! Pasad.
Good morning! Come in.
Llega Javier. Está muy cansado.
Javier arrives. He is very tired.
Javier
Solo un té, por favor.
Just tea, please.
Clara
Sí, Javier. Una taza grande.
Yes, Javier. A big cup.
Clara conoce a sus vecinos. Elvira habla mucho.
Clara knows her neighbours. Elvira talks a lot.
Then Elvira comes in, with Lucía, on the way to school.
Clara
Hola, Elvira. Hola, Lucía. ¿Qué queréis?
Hello, Elvira. Hello, Lucía. What would you like?
Elvira
Un té solo, sin azúcar.
A black tea without sugar.
Lucía
¡Y diez tortitas!
And ten pancakes!
Elvira
Lucía, dos. Dos son suficientes.
Lucía, two. Two are enough.
Clara
Dos tortitas con mantequilla y leche. Michi tiene una pequeña.
Two pancakes with butter and milk. Michi has a small one.
Michi está sentado. Espera su tortita.
Michi is seated. He waits for his pancake.
Eight o'clock. The café is full. A woman in a smart grey coat hurries in, her phone in her hand.
La clienta
Un café, rápido. Tengo poco tiempo.
A coffee, quickly. I have little time.
Clara
¿Con leche o azúcar?
With milk or sugar?
La clienta
Sin leche ni azúcar. Y sin bizcocho.
Without milk or sugar. And without cake.
Clara mira a la mujer. El bizcocho está muy bueno.
Clara looks at the woman. The cake is very good.
Clara
Aquí tienes el café. Y bizcocho. Es un regalo.
Here is the coffee. And cake. It is a gift.
La clienta
Gracias, pero tengo poco tiempo. ¿Cuánto cuesta?
Thanks, but I have little time. How much is it?
Clara
Un euro ochenta. El bizcocho, gratis.
One euro eighty. The cake is free.
The woman looks at the cake. She takes one bite. Then another.
La clienta
¡Qué bueno! ¿Otro trozo?
How good! Another slice?
Clara
Claro. Hay una silla aquí.
Of course. There is a chair here.
La mujer se sienta. Come despacio.
The woman sits down. She eats slowly.
Evening. The café is empty. Clara is on the phone, and Michi sits in the window.
Por la noche, la cafetería está vacía.
At night, the café is empty.
Clara
Ochenta personas hoy. Y todos quieren bizcocho.
Eighty people today. And everyone wants cake.
Suena el móvil. Es su abuela.
The mobile rings. It is her grandmother.
La abuela de Clara
Clara, ¿comes ahora?
Clara, are you eating now?
Clara
Sí. Pan con queso. Y bizcocho.
Yes. Bread with cheese. And cake.
Michi cena pescado.
Michi has fish for dinner.
Clara
Buenas noches. Mañana, a las cinco otra vez.
Good night. Tomorrow, five again.