While I drink my coffee9 November B1.1
Choose the next step
This issue’s grammar Reacting and judging: me alegra que, es importante que + subjunctiveAfterwards you can react to news and judge a decision, including what has already happened (haya funcionado)
In this issue
- Mini-book, chapter 8Lo que nadie vioWhat nobody saw
- RuleReacting and judging: me alegra que, es importante queMe alegro de que haya funcionado.
- Work, 2 minErrores sin culpablesMistakes without culprits
- Work, 2 min¿Por qué callamos en el trabajo?Why do we keep quiet at work?
- PracticeExercises0 / 8
- CrosswordWords from this issue
After this issue you can
- A reaction: Me alegra que funcione.
- A judgement: Es importante que lo sepan.
- Already happened: Me sorprende que nadie lo haya visto.
Read the chapter and the article and do the exercises, and the ticks will appear here.
Issue archive
Tap a spine to see what the issue was about and your results.
The bakery where the block catches up on the news, and the siesta almost nobody takes. In the mini-book, Sasha and Tommy arrive in Barcelona with three suitcases and a mysterious key.
Sunday vermouth, fashionable again, and handwritten letters in the age of messaging apps. Sasha and Tommy set out to test the route to work but get stuck on a terrace.
A quick coffee at the bar or an hour on the terrace? Daily rhythms and travelling alone. In the mini-book, Sasha and Tommy start a new job on different floors.
What we expect from a partner, and the ritual of buying a round. Over lunch, Dani asks Sasha one question too many.
Lingering after lunch and reading without constant dictionary lookups. Sasha and Tommy have dinner among the suitcases.
Clarify expectations and get acquainted. Sasha meets Karina, while Tommy and Inés begin to disagree.
Name the problem, ask for specific help and check the next step. Tommy and Inés turn an argument into two examples.
Mistakes without culprits and why we keep quiet at work. Tommy and Inés find an old bug, and the team has to decide whether to tell.
What is While Drinking Coffee?
While Drinking Coffee is a free online magazine for learning Spanish in 5–10 minutes a day over coffee. Every week there is a new issue: short readings for your level from A0 to B1, each paragraph with a translation and every word clickable, a chapter of a mini-novel, grammar exercises and a crossword. No ads, no sign-up.
How long does it take?
One reading takes about two minutes, an exercise set about five. A whole issue fits into a week of short coffee breaks.
What level do I need?
Any level from complete beginner to B1. A0 starts from the first words, with audio. Not sure? A 15-question placement test takes about seven minutes. Inside a level, texts get a bit easier or harder by your exercise results.
Is it really free?
Yes. No ads and no subscription. An account is optional and only syncs your progress between devices.
What is in one issue?
Two short magazine articles, a chapter of a story told in instalments, grammar with exercises, new words to save for review, a crossword and a short writing prompt.
Can teachers use it?
Yes. Every level has printable A4 handouts with the text, vocabulary, exercises and an answer key. They are free to print for a class.
Is there an app?
It is a website that works on a phone like an app. Your vocabulary and results are saved in the browser.