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Lo que no pudo decir
What She Could Not Say
Clara plans to confess her feelings to her friend Marcos, but he tells her he has met someone he likes.
Three short parts. Read each part in Spanish first; tap “Show English” under a paragraph when you need the translation.
Part 1
Clara esperaba a Marcos en una cafetería cerca del parque. Durante varios días, había practicado lo que quería decirle. Después de meses de amistad, por fin pensaba confesarle que sentía algo más por él.
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Clara was waiting for Marcos in a café near the park. For several days, she had been practicing what she wanted to say to him. After months of friendship, she was finally thinking of telling him that she felt something more for him.
Cuando Marcos llegó, sonrió y se sentó frente a ella.
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When Marcos arrived, he smiled and sat down across from her.
—Tengo que contarte algo —dijo, muy contento—. El sábado conocí a alguien y creo que me gusta mucho. Se llama Laura. Hemos quedado otra vez mañana.
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“I have to tell you something,” he said, looking very happy. “On Saturday I met someone, and I think I like her a lot. Her name is Laura. We’re meeting again tomorrow.”
Clara sintió que las palabras se le atascaban en la garganta. Había imaginado muchas veces cómo reaccionaría Marcos a su confesión, pero nunca había pensado en aquella posibilidad.
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Clara felt the words get stuck in her throat. She had imagined many times how Marcos would react to her confession, but she had never thought about that possibility.
—Qué bien —respondió, intentando sonreír—. Me alegro por ti.
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“That’s great,” she replied, trying to smile. “I’m happy for you.”
Marcos empezó a hablar de Laura y de lo simpática que era. Clara lo escuchó en silencio, mientras apretaba la taza caliente entre las manos.
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Marcos started talking about Laura and how nice she was. Clara listened in silence, holding the hot cup tightly between her hands.
Al final, él la miró con curiosidad.
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At last, he looked at her curiously.
—¿Y tú qué querías contarme?
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“And what did you want to tell me?”
Clara respiró hondo y abrió la boca, pero todavía no sabía si decirle la verdad.
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Clara took a deep breath and opened her mouth, but she still did not know whether to tell him the truth.
Part 2Una confesión en la cafetería(A Confession in the Café)
—Quería decirte que me gustas —dijo Clara por fin—. No solo como amigo.
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“I wanted to tell you that I like you,” Clara finally said. “Not just as a friend.”
Marcos dejó de sonreír por un momento. Miró la mesa y después levantó los ojos hacia ella.
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Marcos stopped smiling for a moment. He looked at the table and then raised his eyes to her.
—Clara, yo no lo sabía.
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“Clara, I didn’t know.”
—Ya lo sé —respondió ella, con una pequeña sonrisa—. Por eso quería contártelo.
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“I know,” she replied with a small smile. “That’s why I wanted to tell you.”
Él pareció incómodo, pero no apartó la mirada.
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He seemed uncomfortable, but he did not look away.
—Eres muy importante para mí. No quiero que esto cambie nuestra amistad.
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“You’re very important to me. I don’t want this to change our friendship.”
Clara bajó la vista hacia su taza. Esa frase no era exactamente lo que había esperado, aunque tampoco era una respuesta definitiva.
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Clara looked down at her cup. That sentence was not exactly what she had hoped for, although it was not a definite answer either.
—Yo tampoco quiero perderte —dijo—. Pero necesito un poco de tiempo.
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“I don’t want to lose you either,” she said. “But I need a little time.”
Marcos asintió despacio. Durante unos segundos, ninguno de los dos habló. En la cafetería sonaba una canción tranquila y, fuera, algunas personas caminaban por el parque.
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Marcos nodded slowly. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. A quiet song was playing in the café, and outside, some people were walking in the park.
—¿Quieres que cancelemos el plan de mañana? —preguntó él—. Puedo decirle a Laura que ha surgido algo.
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“Do you want us to cancel tomorrow’s plan?” he asked. “I can tell Laura something has come up.”
Clara lo miró, sorprendida. No sabía si quería que Marcos cancelara la cita o si, en realidad, necesitaba verlo seguir adelante.
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Clara looked at him, surprised. She did not know whether she wanted Marcos to cancel the date or whether, in fact, she needed to see him move on.
Part 3Seguir adelante(Moving On)
—No, no la canceles —dijo Clara—. Laura no tiene la culpa de nada. Ve a verla y pásalo bien.
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“No, don’t cancel it,” Clara said. “Laura hasn’t done anything wrong. Go and see her, and have a good time.”
Marcos la miró con preocupación.
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Marcos looked at her with concern.
—¿Estás segura?
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“Are you sure?”
—Sí. Pero necesito tomar un poco de distancia. Si seguimos hablando de Laura todo el tiempo, me va a resultar difícil.
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“Yes. But I need to keep a little distance. If we keep talking about Laura all the time, it will be difficult for me.”
—Lo entiendo —respondió él—. Y siento no poder darte la respuesta que esperabas.
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“I understand,” he replied. “And I’m sorry I can’t give you the answer you were hoping for.”
Clara respiró aliviada. La respuesta dolía, pero también la ayudaba a dejar de imaginar posibilidades.
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Clara breathed a sigh of relief. The answer hurt, but it also helped her stop imagining possibilities.
—No tienes que disculparte. Yo decidí contártelo, aunque sabía que podía pasar.
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“You don’t have to apologize. I decided to tell you, even though I knew this could happen.”
Marcos sonrió débilmente y le tomó la mano durante un instante.
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Marcos smiled weakly and held her hand for a moment.
—No quiero perder nuestra amistad.
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“I don’t want to lose our friendship.”
—No la vamos a perder —dijo Clara—, pero quizá durante un tiempo necesitemos cambiar algunas cosas.
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“We won’t lose it,” Clara said, “but perhaps for a while we’ll need to change a few things.”
Después terminaron sus cafés y salieron de la cafetería. Antes de separarse, Marcos le prometió escribirle después de la cita, pero Clara le pidió que no le contara todos los detalles. Él aceptó.
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After that, they finished their coffees and left the café. Before they parted, Marcos promised to write to her after the date, but Clara asked him not to tell her all the details. He agreed.
Clara volvió a casa triste, aunque también orgullosa. Había dicho la verdad y ahora podía empezar a seguir adelante.
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Clara went home feeling sad, but also proud. She had told the truth, and now she could begin to move on.
Practise this Spanish story
Vocabulary in context
Important words and phrases
confesarle
verbto confess to him/her
Mañana voy a confesarle la verdad.
Tomorrow I’m going to confess the truth to him/her.
sentir algo más por él
phraseto feel something more than friendship for him
Creo que empiezo a sentir algo más por ti.
I think I’m starting to feel something more than friendship for you.
me alegro por ti
phraseI’m happy for you
No ganó el partido, pero me alegro por ti.
He didn’t win the match, but I’m happy for you.
tomar un poco de distancia
phraseto take a little distance / some space
Después de discutir, decidió tomar un poco de distancia.
After arguing, she decided to take a little space.
ha surgido algo
phrasesomething has come up
Lo siento, ha surgido algo y no puedo ir.
Sorry, something has come up and I can’t go.
seguir adelante
phraseto move on
Aunque fue difícil, logró seguir adelante.
Although it was difficult, she managed to move on.
no apartó la mirada
phrasedid not look away
Él no apartó la mirada mientras hablaban.
He did not look away while they were talking.
tener la culpa
phraseto be to blame
No tienes la culpa de lo que pasó.
You are not to blame for what happened.
respirar aliviada
phraseto breathe a sigh of relief
Cuando escuchó la noticia, respiró aliviada.
When she heard the news, she breathed a sigh of 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
No quiero que + subjuntivo
Use no quiero que + subjunctive to say that you do not want something to happen or someone else to do something. After querer que and no querer que, the verb after que is always in the subjunctive when its subject is different from the person who wants: "No quiero que esto cambie nuestra amistad." You can reuse it in sentences like "No quiero que te vayas tan pronto." When the subject is the same, use the infinitive: "No quiero cambiar nada."
No quiero que esto cambie nuestra amistad.
I don't want this to change our friendship.
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