Como un loro
Like a Parrot
Álvaro notices his little sister copying him and must decide how to encourage her to find her own voice.
Three short parts. Read each part in Spanish first; tap “Show English” under a paragraph when you need the translation.
Part 1
Álvaro se dio cuenta durante el desayuno: cuando él levantó la taza, su hermana Clara hizo lo mismo; cuando apoyó el codo en la mesa, ella imitó el gesto con una seriedad casi cómica. Al principio pensó que era casualidad, pero luego la vio ponerse la sudadera del revés, igual que él, y sentarse con las piernas cruzadas de la misma manera.
Show EnglishHide English
Álvaro realized it over breakfast: when he lifted his cup, his sister Clara did the same; when he rested his elbow on the table, she copied the gesture with an almost comical seriousness. At first he thought it was a coincidence, but then he saw her put her sweatshirt on inside out, just like he had, and sit with her legs crossed in exactly the same way.
—¿Me estás imitando? —preguntó, tratando de parecer molesto.
Show EnglishHide English
“Are you imitating me?” he asked, trying to sound annoyed.
Clara bajó la mirada, aunque no pudo evitar sonreír.
Show EnglishHide English
Clara lowered her eyes, though she couldn’t help smiling.
—Solo quiero hacer las cosas como tú.
Show EnglishHide English
“I just want to do things the way you do.”
Álvaro estuvo a punto de decirle que dejara de comportarse como un loro. Sin embargo, recordó que la noche anterior ella se había quedado despierta esperándolo y que, últimamente, siempre quería acompañarlo cuando salía con sus amigos.
Show EnglishHide English
Álvaro was about to tell her to stop behaving like a parrot. However, he remembered that the night before she had stayed up waiting for him, and that lately she always wanted to come along when he went out with his friends.
—No tienes que copiarme para que me caigas bien —dijo al fin.
Show EnglishHide English
“You don’t have to copy me for me to like you,” he said at last.
Clara lo observó en silencio y, esta vez, no repitió su postura. Álvaro cogió la mochila, pero antes de salir se detuvo junto a la puerta, sin saber si debía abrazarla o fingir que no había pasado nada.
Show EnglishHide English
Clara watched him in silence and, this time, didn’t copy his posture. Álvaro picked up his backpack, but before leaving he paused by the door, unsure whether he should hug her or pretend nothing had happened.
Part 2La exposición de Clara(Clara’s Presentation)
Álvaro dejó la mochila en el suelo y, en vez de fingir indiferencia, se agachó para abrazarla. Clara tardó un segundo en reaccionar; después le rodeó el cuello con los brazos, satisfecha, como si hubiera recibido una confirmación importante.
Show EnglishHide English
Álvaro put his backpack on the floor and, instead of pretending to be indifferent, bent down to hug her. Clara took a second to react; then she wrapped her arms around his neck, pleased, as if she had received important confirmation.
—Pero no hace falta que hagas todo lo que hago —insistió él.
Show EnglishHide English
“But you don’t have to do everything I do,” he insisted.
—Ya lo sé —respondió ella—. Aunque algunas cosas las haces bastante bien.
Show EnglishHide English
“I know,” she replied. “Though you do some things pretty well.”
Álvaro sonrió, incapaz de decidir si aquello era un cumplido o una crítica. Se puso la mochila y le indicó que lo acompañara hasta la puerta. Esta vez Clara no imitó sus pasos: caminó a su lado, balanceando los brazos con una exagerada independencia.
Show EnglishHide English
Álvaro smiled, unable to decide whether that was a compliment or a criticism. He put on his backpack and gestured for her to walk with him to the door. This time Clara didn’t imitate his steps: she walked beside him, swinging her arms with exaggerated independence.
Antes de que él saliera, ella corrió a su habitación y volvió con un cuaderno.
Show EnglishHide English
Before he could leave, she ran to her room and came back with a notebook.
—Necesito que me ayudes.
Show EnglishHide English
“I need you to help me.”
En la primera página había escrito una exposición para clase. El texto estaba lleno de expresiones que Álvaro utilizaba constantemente, incluso alguna que a él mismo le resultaba ridícula.
Show EnglishHide English
On the first page, she had written a presentation for class. The text was full of expressions Álvaro used all the time, including a few that even he found ridiculous.
—¿También vas a hablar como yo? —preguntó.
Show EnglishHide English
“Are you going to talk like me, too?” he asked.
Clara levantó la vista, expectante. Había llegado el momento de decirle qué podía conservar y qué le convenía cambiar.
Show EnglishHide English
Clara looked up, expectant. The time had come to tell her what she could keep and what she would be better off changing.
Part 3Con voz propia(In Her Own Voice)
—Puedes usar alguna expresión mía —dijo Álvaro—, pero no todas. Si repites cada palabra, la exposición dejará de sonar a ti.
Show EnglishHide English
“You can use one or two of my expressions,” Álvaro said, “but not all of them. If you repeat every word, the presentation won’t sound like you anymore.”
Clara frunció el ceño.
Show EnglishHide English
Clara frowned.
—¿Y cómo sé qué suena a mí?
Show EnglishHide English
“And how do I know what sounds like me?”
Álvaro volvió a leer el texto y fue señalando las frases que ella podía expresar de forma más sencilla. No se limitó a corregirla: le preguntó qué quería explicar y por qué le importaba el tema. Poco a poco, Clara sustituyó las expresiones de su hermano por otras propias. Al terminar, el texto se parecía menos a la forma de hablar de Álvaro, pero era mucho más claro.
Show EnglishHide English
Álvaro read the text again and pointed out the phrases she could express more simply. He didn’t just correct her: he asked what she wanted to explain and why the topic mattered to her. Little by little, Clara replaced her brother’s expressions with ones of her own. When she finished, the text sounded less like Álvaro, but it was much clearer.
—Ahora sí —dijo él—. Esto lo has escrito tú.
Show EnglishHide English
“Now that’s it,” he said. “You wrote this.”
Clara cerró el cuaderno y lo miró con una sonrisa prudente.
Show EnglishHide English
Clara closed the notebook and looked at him with a cautious smile.
—¿Y si me pongo nerviosa?
Show EnglishHide English
“What if I get nervous?”
—Entonces respiras hondo y continúas. No tienes que hacerlo como yo.
Show EnglishHide English
“Then take a deep breath and carry on. You don’t have to do it the way I do.”
Al día siguiente, Clara ensayó la exposición delante de él. Álvaro se sentó con los brazos cruzados, imitando exageradamente la postura que ella solía copiarle, y Clara se echó a reír. Después habló con su propia voz. A Álvaro le gustó mucho más escucharla así, precisamente porque ya no estaba imitándolo.
Show EnglishHide English
The next day, Clara rehearsed the presentation in front of him. Álvaro sat with his arms crossed, exaggeratedly imitating the posture she used to copy from him, and Clara burst out laughing. Then she spoke in her own voice. Álvaro much preferred listening to her that way, precisely because she was no longer imitating him.
Practise this Spanish story
Vocabulary in context
Important words and phrases
darse cuenta
verb phraseto realize
Me di cuenta demasiado tarde de lo que estaba pasando.
I realized too late what was happening.
como un loro
idiomlike a parrot; repeating someone mechanically
No repitas todo como un loro; intenta decirlo con tus propias palabras.
Don't repeat everything like a parrot; try saying it in your own words.
ponerse la sudadera del revés
verb phraseto put on a sweatshirt inside out
Se puso la chaqueta del revés sin darse cuenta.
He put on the jacket inside out without noticing.
estar a punto de
verb phraseto be about to
Estuve a punto de responderle, pero me callé.
I was about to answer him, but I stayed quiet.
fingir indiferencia
verb phraseto pretend indifference
Intentó fingir indiferencia, aunque se le notaba la tensión.
She tried to pretend indifference, although the tension showed.
caerle bien
verb phraseto be liked by someone; to make a good impression
Le caes bien a tu profesora porque participas mucho en clase.
Your teacher likes you because you participate a lot in class.
limitarse a
verb phraseto merely; to do nothing more than
No se limitó a criticar el proyecto; también propuso mejoras.
He didn't just criticize the project; he also suggested improvements.
fruncir el ceño
verb phraseto frown
Frunció el ceño al leer la última frase.
He frowned when he read the last sentence.
sonar a ti
verb phraseto sound like you; to sound like yourself
La carta suena más a ti cuando no intentas impresionar a nadie.
The letter sounds more like you when you are not trying to impress anyone.
expectante
adjectiveexpectant; waiting with interest
Lo miró expectante antes de responder.
She looked at him expectantly before answering.
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
para que + subjuntivo
Use para que to express purpose or a desired result. When the subject after para que is different from the main subject, the verb is always in the subjunctive, whether or not the result actually happens. This is very common in advice and reassurance. For example: 'No tienes que cambiar tu voz para que te escuchen.'
No tienes que cambiar tu voz para que te escuchen.
You don't have to change your voice in order for them to listen to you.
More Spanish stories to read next
La tarta inesperada
The Unexpected Cake
Dining alone, Julián is sent a slice of cake by a couple of strangers at the next table and wonders how to respond.
Las escaleras del lunes
Monday’s Stairs
Marta takes the stairs for her health and meets her fit colleague Daniel, as they both try to make the climb seem easy.
El pajarillo bajo el árbol
The Little Bird Beneath the Tree
After finding a baby bird on the pavement, Clara weighs whether to intervene as she watches for its parents.
El último asiento
The Last Seat
On a crowded bus, a man and a woman politely insist that the other take the last seat, even as the journey continues.