La tarta de cumpleaños
The Birthday Cake
Miguel tries to carry a birthday cake across the room while his dog Toby keeps getting in the way.
Three short parts. Read each part in Spanish first; tap “Show English” under a paragraph when you need the translation.
Part 1
Miguel llevaba la tarta de cumpleaños con mucho cuidado. Cruzaba el salón para ponerla sobre la mesa, donde todos esperaban para cantar.
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Miguel carried the birthday cake very carefully. He crossed the living room to put it on the table, where everyone was waiting to sing.
La tarta era grande y tenía chocolate, fresas y seis velas. Miguel caminaba despacio porque el suelo estaba un poco mojado.
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The cake was big and had chocolate, strawberries, and six candles. Miguel walked slowly because the floor was a little wet.
De repente, su perro Toby salió de debajo de la mesa. Olió la tarta y empezó a seguir a Miguel. Miguel no lo vio y continuó caminando.
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Suddenly, his dog Toby came out from under the table. He smelled the cake and started to follow Miguel. Miguel did not see him and kept walking.
Cuando estaba cerca de la mesa, Toby corrió y saltó. Miguel levantó la tarta rápidamente, pero una fresa cayó al suelo. Toby se la comió en un segundo y después miró la tarta con mucha atención.
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When he was near the table, Toby ran and jumped. Miguel quickly lifted the cake, but a strawberry fell to the floor. Toby ate it in a second and then looked very closely at the cake.
—¡Toby, no! —gritó Miguel.
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“Toby, no!” Miguel shouted.
El perro movió la cola y volvió a acercarse. Miguel intentó caminar hacia atrás, pero chocó con una silla. La tarta empezó a inclinarse y todos gritaron al mismo tiempo. Miguel tuvo que elegir entre salvar la tarta o apartar al perro.
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The dog wagged his tail and came closer again. Miguel tried to walk backward, but he bumped into a chair. The cake started to tilt, and everyone shouted at the same time. Miguel had to choose between saving the cake and moving the dog out of the way.
Part 2La tarta y Toby(The Cake and Toby)
Miguel levantó la tarta con las dos manos. Su hermana Laura agarró a Toby por el collar y lo apartó de la silla. Así, Miguel pudo llegar hasta la mesa y dejó la tarta en el centro. Todos respiraron con alivio.
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Miguel lifted the cake with both hands. His sister Laura grabbed Toby by the collar and moved him away from the chair. This way, Miguel could reach the table and put the cake in the middle. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
—¡Muy bien! —dijo Laura—. Ahora Toby tiene que sentarse aquí.
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“Very good!” Laura said. “Now Toby has to sit here.”
Laura llevó al perro a una esquina del salón y le dio un juguete. Toby lo olió, pero no quiso jugar. Solo miraba la tarta. Miguel puso la fresa que había caído en un plato pequeño y empezó a colocar las velas.
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Laura took the dog to a corner of the living room and gave him a toy. Toby smelled it, but he did not want to play. He only watched the cake. Miguel put the strawberry that had fallen on a small plate and started placing the candles.
Entonces Toby vio algo interesante: el mantel colgaba muy cerca del suelo. Caminó despacio hasta la mesa y lo agarró con los dientes. Miguel estaba de espaldas, buscando las cerillas.
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Then Toby saw something interesting: the tablecloth hung very close to the floor. He walked slowly to the table and grabbed it with his teeth. Miguel had his back turned while he looked for the matches.
Toby tiró un poco del mantel. La tarta se movió otra vez, muy lentamente. Laura lo vio y abrió mucho los ojos.
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Toby pulled the tablecloth a little. The cake moved again, very slowly. Laura saw him and opened her eyes wide.
—Miguel, ¡mira la mesa! —gritó.
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“Miguel, look at the table!” she shouted.
Part 3La fiesta de cumpleaños de Toby(Toby’s Birthday Party)
Miguel se dio la vuelta y vio que el mantel se estaba moviendo. La tarta avanzaba poco a poco hacia el borde de la mesa.
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Miguel turned around and saw that the tablecloth was moving. The cake was slowly moving toward the edge of the table.
—¡Toby, suelta eso! —dijo Miguel.
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“Toby, let go of that!” Miguel said.
Laura corrió y le quitó el mantel de la boca al perro. Al mismo tiempo, Miguel agarró la tarta con una mano y la puso otra vez en el centro. Por suerte, las velas no se cayeron.
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Laura ran over and took the tablecloth out of the dog’s mouth. At the same time, Miguel grabbed the cake with one hand and put it back in the middle. Luckily, the candles did not fall over.
Toby se sentó y miró a todos con cara de sorpresa. Entonces Laura le dio su juguete y una galleta para perros. Esta vez, Toby dejó el mantel y empezó a comer tranquilamente en su rincón.
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Toby sat down and looked at everyone with a surprised expression. Then Laura gave him his toy and a dog biscuit. This time, Toby let go of the tablecloth and started eating quietly in his corner.
Miguel encendió las seis velas. Todos cantaron «Cumpleaños feliz» y la cumpleañera sopló las velas con una gran sonrisa. Después, Miguel cortó la tarta. Solo faltaba una fresa, pero había chocolate y tarta para todos.
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Miguel lit the six candles. Everyone sang “Happy Birthday,” and the birthday girl blew out the candles with a big smile. After that, Miguel cut the cake. Only one strawberry was missing, but there was chocolate and cake for everyone.
—La próxima vez, Toby come antes de la fiesta —dijo Miguel.
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“Next time, Toby eats before the party,” Miguel said.
Todos rieron, y Toby movió la cola, contento con su galleta.
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Everyone laughed, and Toby wagged his tail, happy with his biscuit.
Practise this Spanish story
Vocabulary in context
Important words and phrases
tarta de cumpleaños
noun phrasebirthday cake
La tarta de cumpleaños está sobre la mesa.
The birthday cake is on the table.
con mucho cuidado
adverbial phrasevery carefully
Camina con mucho cuidado.
He walks very carefully.
ponerla sobre la mesa
verb phraseto put it on the table
Voy a ponerla sobre la mesa.
I am going to put it on the table.
velas
nouncandles
Hay seis velas en la tarta.
There are six candles on the cake.
suelo mojado
noun phrasewet floor
El suelo mojado es peligroso.
The wet floor is dangerous.
salió de debajo de la mesa
verb phrasecame out from under the table
El gato salió de debajo de la mesa.
The cat came out from under the table.
movió la cola
verb phrasewaggled its tail
El perro movió la cola cuando me vio.
The dog waggled its tail when it saw me.
con las dos manos
adverbial phrasewith both hands
Sujeta la caja con las dos manos.
Hold the box with both hands.
tener que
verb phraseto have to
Tengo que estudiar esta tarde.
I have to study this afternoon.
respirar con alivio
verb phraseto breathe with relief
Todos respiraron con alivio.
Everyone breathed with relief.
Check your understanding
Comprehension questions
Choose an answer, check it, then move to the next question.
Question 1 of 3
- Question 1: current not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
Notice the language
Language notes
tener que + infinitivo
Use tener que + infinitive to say that something is necessary or that someone has to do it. It is a very common pattern in Spanish and works in many everyday situations. Example: "Tengo que estudiar esta tarde." = "I have to study this afternoon." In the story, "tuvo que elegir" shows that Miguel had no easy option and had to make a decision.
Tengo que estudiar esta tarde.
I have to study this afternoon.
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