Free Spanish audio course (Latin America)
Learn by copying everyday conversations.
Hear a short scene, understand the useful phrases, copy them out loud, then try your own answers in the pauses.
Episode 4
How's it going?
Spanish (Latin America) · A1 beginner · 11 minutes · No signup
Free to play, download, and read, with no account or email needed.
Voices are AI-generated. Mateo, the teacher, and Sam, the learner, are fictional characters.
All episodes
Take them in order: each episode builds on the phrases before it. Every one is free to play, download, and read.
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Episode 1
A1 beginner · 9 minutes
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Episode 2
A1 beginner · 11 minutes
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Episode 3
A1 beginner · 11 minutes
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Episode 4
How's it going?
A1 beginner · 11 minutes · Playing on this page
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Episode 5
A1 beginner · 12 minutes
More episodes are coming
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Episodes 1–5 out now · more coming soon
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Spanish (Latin America)
Episodes 1–5 out now · more coming soon
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Episodes 1–5 out now · more coming soon
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Episodes 1–5 out now · more coming soon
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Episodes 1–5 out now · more coming soon
How the lesson works
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1
Hear the scene
Two classmates catch up before class. One is happy today, the other is tired and busy. First, you just listen for who has exams today.
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2
Understand the useful phrases
Mateo explains each phrase in English, only as much as helps your next try.
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3
Copy them out loud
Say each phrase in the pause after you hear it. Copy the sound and rhythm before worrying about grammar.
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4
Try your answers
Pick cansado or cansada, contento or contenta, choose soy or estoy, then play the conversation twice: once as Sam's character, once as yourself. A spoken answer follows every pause, so you can compare.
Missed an answer? Keep listening. The words come back, and you don’t need to touch the screen once the episode is playing.
After this episode
You can ask a friend how they are and how their day is going, say how you feel today with the ending that fits you, ask why, and react to their answer.
Level A1. Written for adult English speakers starting Spanish. The Spanish is Mexican and understood across Latin America. You don’t need any Spanish to begin.
Phrases you’ll say
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¡Oye, Fernando! ¿Cómo estás?
Hey, Fernando! How are you?
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Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?
I'm fine, thanks. And you?
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¿Cómo va tu día?
How's your day going?
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Estoy contenta hoy.
I'm happy today (a woman; a man says contento).
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Porque hoy no estoy estresada.
Because today I'm not stressed.
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¡Qué bueno!
That's good!
Phrases you’ll recognize
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Pues estoy cansado. ¿Y tú?
Well, I'm tired. And you?
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¡Ay! Estoy muy ocupado hoy.
Oh! I'm really busy today.
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¿Contenta? ¿Por qué?
Happy? Why?
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Estoy nervioso. Tengo dos exámenes hoy.
I'm nervous. I have two exams today.
Listening with your screen off
The download is the most reliable way. Save the MP3 and play it offline in any audio app. Your browser puts it with your other downloads (on iPhone, in the Files app).
Playing from this page can keep going when you lock your phone, depending on your phone and browser. Some pause when you switch apps or close the tab. If yours does, use the download.
The speaking pauses are optional. If you’re driving, keep your attention on the road: just listen, or skip the speaking parts. The episode says the same.
Transcript
Every word of Episode 4. Choose a time to play from there. “Your turn” marks a pause for you to speak; Spanish is in bold.
Welcome
Sam: Today I'm catching up with a friend from class. He looks exhausted.
Mateo: That would be my character. Welcome to Copycat Cafe. I'm Mateo.
Sam: And I'm Sam.
Mateo: Sam and I are AI-generated voices. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to ask a friend how they are and how their day is going, say how you feel today, and react to their answer. Listen first. Copy the sound. Then try the words for yourself.
Mateo: If you miss an answer, let it go. You'll hear the words again, and you don't need a screen. If you're driving, keep your attention on the road and skip the speaking exercises.
Warm up
Mateo: First, one from last time. If you're new, just listen. Someone has just given you directions. Say: thank you so much. You're very kind.
Your turn · 6-second pause
Between classes
Mateo: Muchas gracias. ¡Muy amable! Today's scene is between two classmates, so they use tú, the friendly you, like ¿de dónde eres? in Episode 2. Sam plays a student, and I'm her classmate Fernando. A different Fernando from Episode 2. It's a popular name. Listen for one thing: who has exams today?
Sam: ¡Oye, Fernando! ¿Cómo estás?
Mateo: Pues estoy cansado. ¿Y tú?
Sam: Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Cómo va tu día?
Mateo: ¡Ay! Estoy muy ocupado hoy.
Sam: ¿Sí? Estoy contenta hoy.
Mateo: ¿Contenta? ¿Por qué?
Sam: Porque hoy no estoy estresada. No tengo exámenes.
Mateo: ¡Qué bueno! Estoy nervioso. Tengo dos exámenes hoy.
Mateo: Who has exams today? Fernando. Two of them. She has none.
Sam: No exams. No wonder she's in a good mood.
How are you?
Mateo: Sam's character starts with: ¡oye, Fernando! Hey, Fernando! Oye is a friendly way to get someone's attention. Copy it: ¡oye, Fernando!
Your turn · 4.5-second pause
Mateo: Then: ¿cómo estás? How are you? Copy it: ¿cómo estás?
Your turn · 4.5-second pause
Mateo: Now say them together: ¡oye, Fernando! ¿Cómo estás?
Your turn · 6-second pause
Mateo: Fernando answers: pues estoy cansado. ¿Y tú? Well, I'm tired. And you? Pues is like well, a little run-up to the answer. Estoy means I am, for how you are right now. Copy it: estoy cansado.
Your turn · 4.5-second pause
Mateo: And ¿y tú? turns the question around, as in Episode 2. Copy it: ¿y tú?
Your turn · 4-second pause
Cansado, cansada
Mateo: Fernando is a man, so he says cansado. A woman says cansada. It's the same change you heard in Episode 2: mexicano, mexicana. Copy it: estoy cansada.
Your turn · 4.5-second pause
Mateo: Now use the one that fits you. Say: I'm tired.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Mateo: Estoy cansado, or estoy cansada. Now her answer: estoy bien, gracias. I'm fine, thanks. Bien never changes. Copy it: estoy bien, gracias.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Mateo: Then she asks: ¿cómo va tu día? How's your day going? Tu día, your day. Copy it: ¿cómo va tu día?
Your turn · 5-second pause
Mateo: Once more: ¿cómo va tu día?
Your turn · 5-second pause
Busy, happy, nervous
Mateo: Fernando says: ¡ay! Estoy muy ocupado hoy. Oh! I'm really busy today. Hoy means today. She says: ¿sí? Estoy contenta hoy. Really? I'm happy today. She's a woman, so contenta. Copy her line: estoy contenta hoy.
Your turn · 5.5-second pause
Mateo: A man says contento. Copy it: estoy contento hoy.
Your turn · 5.5-second pause
Mateo: Fernando asks: ¿contenta? ¿Por qué? Happy? Why? Copy it: ¿por qué?
Your turn · 4-second pause
Mateo: Her answer: porque hoy no estoy estresada. No tengo exámenes. Because today I'm not stressed. I don't have any exams. Porque means because. To say not, put no in front: no estoy, I'm not. Copy it: no estoy estresada.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Mateo: Now the whole line: porque hoy no estoy estresada.
Your turn · 6.5-second pause
Mateo: And Fernando: ¡qué bueno! Estoy nervioso. Tengo dos exámenes hoy. That's good! I'm nervous. I have two exams today. ¡Qué bueno! is a quick, happy reaction. Copy it: ¡qué bueno!
Your turn · 4-second pause
Sam: Poor Fernando. Tired, busy and nervous, and it isn't even lunchtime.
Soy or estoy?
Mateo: One quick contrast. In Episode 2, you heard soy: soy estudiante, soy de Guadalajara. That's who you are and where you're from. Today it's estoy: estoy cansado, estoy contenta. That's how you are right now. Quick check. Answer soy or estoy. I'm a student.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Mateo: Soy. Soy estudiante. Next one: I'm tired.
Your turn · 4-second pause
Mateo: Estoy. Estoy cansado, or estoy cansada.
Mateo: From memory now. Ask a friend how they are.
Your turn · 5-second pause
Mateo: ¿Cómo estás? And ask how their day is going.
Your turn · 5.5-second pause
Mateo: ¿Cómo va tu día? Now a friend tells you they're happy today. Ask why.
Your turn · 4.5-second pause
Mateo: ¿Por qué? And your friend says they have no exams today. React: that's good!
Your turn · 5-second pause
Mateo: ¡Qué bueno!
Her side
Mateo: Let's put it together. You play Sam's character, and I'm Fernando. She's a woman, so use her words: contenta, estresada. Say hey, Fernando, and ask how I am.
Your turn · 6-second pause
Mateo: Pues estoy cansado. ¿Y tú?
Mateo: Say you're fine, thanks, and ask how my day is going.
Your turn · 8-second pause
Mateo: ¡Ay! Estoy muy ocupado hoy.
Mateo: Tell me you're happy today.
Your turn · 6-second pause
Mateo: ¿Contenta? ¿Por qué?
Mateo: Say: because today you're not stressed.
Your turn · 7-second pause
Mateo: ¡Qué bueno! Estoy nervioso. Tengo dos exámenes hoy.
Mateo: Here's one version of your part. ¡Oye, Fernando! ¿Cómo estás? Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Cómo va tu día? Estoy contenta hoy. Porque hoy no estoy estresada. In the scene, she also says ¿sí?, really?, and no tengo exámenes. You can add them, but you don't need them. If you missed a step, that's fine. These gaps are for practice, not a test.
Listen again
Mateo: Here's the original scene again, with no explanations. Notice which bits you recognise.
Sam: ¡Oye, Fernando! ¿Cómo estás?
Mateo: Pues estoy cansado. ¿Y tú?
Sam: Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Cómo va tu día?
Mateo: ¡Ay! Estoy muy ocupado hoy.
Sam: ¿Sí? Estoy contenta hoy.
Mateo: ¿Contenta? ¿Por qué?
Sam: Porque hoy no estoy estresada. No tengo exámenes.
Mateo: ¡Qué bueno! Estoy nervioso. Tengo dos exámenes hoy.
Be yourself
Mateo: Now be yourself. Sam will stay quiet. I'm still Fernando, and this time I'll start. Choose cansado or cansada, contento or contenta, whichever fits you. ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
Mateo: Say you're fine, thanks, and ask: and you?
Your turn · 6-second pause
Mateo: Pues estoy cansado. ¿Cómo va tu día?
Mateo: Tell me you're happy today.
Your turn · 6-second pause
Mateo: ¿Sí? ¿Por qué?
Mateo: Say: because you're not tired.
Your turn · 7-second pause
Mateo: ¡Qué bueno!
Mateo: Here's one version, for a man and for a woman. Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? Estoy contento hoy, or estoy contenta hoy. Porque no estoy cansado, or porque no estoy cansada.
Sam: A whole conversation, and I didn't say a word. I'm very proud of myself.
Keep it
Mateo: One last one from memory. Ask a friend how their day is going.
Your turn · 5.5-second pause
Mateo: ¿Cómo va tu día? Keep that, plus ¿cómo estás?, and estoy with how you feel: cansado or cansada, contento or contenta. You don't need every word from the scene today. Come back and try the gaps again. This is the free Copycat Cafe audio course. The optional paid app adds pronunciation feedback and conversations that respond to you. Today's matching lesson is How's it going? Next in the course, you'll buy fruit at a market in Mexico.
Sam: Estoy contenta. No tengo exámenes.
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About this episode
Episode 4 of the free Copycat Cafe Spanish audio course. It’s adapted from “How's it going?”, lesson 4 of our Spanish (Latin America) course.
Mateo and Sam are fictional characters with AI-generated voices. The music is original.
Want feedback on your pronunciation?
The free course gives you the phrases, the pauses, and an answer to compare with. It can’t hear you. The Copycat Cafe app is a paid app that adds a pronunciation score on every word you say, and conversations with Copy, your AI conversation partner, that respond to what you actually say. In the app, “How's it going?” uses the same scene.
See how Copycat works