Newbie - Is anyone in there?

¡Hola, todos! I assume you're familiar with the international signs for women's/men's restrooms (see photo above). Of course, some establishments will have the restrooms marked with words: damas (ladies' room) caballeros (men's room) These are also the words "Ladies and Gentlemen," that you'll hear MC say at the beginning of live events with a big audience; i.e., TV variety shows, beauty pageants, awards shows, etc. SpanishPod Challenge: Besides when using the bathroom or when saving a seat, is there another time when you can say "está ocupado“? I'd love to see what you can come up with. Here's another challenge: anytime you have to say 'sorry' today, whether you step on someone's foot, or you want to bother them with a question, tell them in Spanish: disculpe, whether they speak Spanish or not. Then report back here to the lesson page and leave us a comment, telling us how it went! This is a Newbie lesson, so answer in English or in Spanish!

It's funny how this kind of words can get to come out really automatically. After I lived in Vancouver for 6 months I went back to my place in Hermosillo, Mexico for Christmas. While walking on the street I bumped somebody and what came out was "sorry!", but in English! Same thing for "thank you". People gave me a weird look, because I don't look "gringo" at all. Have you had any experiences like this after going to Spanish speaking countries with the words "disculpe" or "gracias".

Tengo una preguntam, JP. Dime la diferencia entre "disculpe" y "perdón", por favor. No importa?

how about when you get a busy signal on the telephone...la linea esta occupada? or No tengo tiempo para nada Estoy muy occupada?

Well, can you say 'estoy ocupado' when you're busy with something? Leo, it's even funnier when this kind of thing happens to you after just one night, not a few months! Recently I've been to a party held by a pair of British people, so we spoke English throughout the whole evening. The next day I was supposed to go somewhere with my brother and when he came to pick me up I ran outside and yelled in English: 'Just a second!'. And only after a moment did I realise it and switched back to our mother tongue :)

Oh, and thanks, PJ, for the phrase "someone's in here" - I've been wondering for ages what is the proper way to say it in English (in Polish it's exactly the same as in Spanish: it's busy!). Hmm, I'd love to find someone selling peanuts in my toilet... there's no knowing what you might need when you're sitting on the throne ;)

FuDaWei, Good question, I think I'll talk about ways to say "pardon" on Pa que sepas! To answer your question, you can use perdón and disculpeinterchangeably for most "sorry's" and "excuse me's" that you run into. kikuyu and oolung, Estoy ocupada if you're a woman, and estoy ocupado if you're a dude... use it any time you want to say that you're busy! Thanks for taking the challenge!

New year's resolution - a lesson a day and write the dialogue in my diary for reinforcement. Started yesterday - the 31st (very keen and excited - I love the teaching - it's excellent!) So - there's 'disculpe' and 'perdon' - where does 'lo siento' fit in? Also ' no hay problema' and 'no es problema' -are they interchangeable?

helenb, 'Disculpe' and 'perdon' are closer to the American "excuse me" than the British/International "sorry." "Lo siento" is an apology. The difference between "no hay problema" and "no es un problema" is the same as in English: "There's no problem" vs. "It's not a problem." Actually, if I want to put someone at ease, I either say "no se preocupe" (dont' worry) or "no problem" in English!

ocupado means occupied, right? rest room doors usually have signs on the locks vacant or occupied can you also tell someone esta ocupado when you are busy talking on phone?

ewong, The answers to your questions are yes and yes. Yes, ocupado means 'occupied,' and yes, if someone tries to bother you while talking on the phone, you tell them "Estoy ocupada."

thanks JP

I know I'm a bit late, but in the dialog you were talking about how "puede" means "you can." Is that only for usted or for tu as well? I learned it as puedes for tu. Is it a regional difference?

lailaash, "Puede" can be 'he can, she can, it can, and you can (usted). Here, the woman in the bathroom chose to address the man formally, implying that she doesn't know him. "Puedes" is used with 'tú', which is the familiar form of "you."

Hello JP I have been listening to the expansion and am puzzled by one of the sentences:- Eso pasa a menuda. This happens often. I can't hear the second "a" and am wondering if this is because they have been run into each other or if the second "a" shouldn't be there? Also, two of the sentences have answers in the wrong order. (Disculpe and Disculpar)

pussycat In the expansion sentence is not "a menuda", it' s "a menudo" with an "o" at the end.

Liliana Muchas gracias.

cdowis:

Well, "lo siento" is more like "I'm sorry", for example if you manage to be too late for an appointment with a friend, or break someone's computer, and so on. I don't know if it can also be used in similar situations to where disculpe and perdon is put to use, I'll leave that to the experts to divulge. :)