How an announcement is built
Almost every announcement starts with Atención, por favor. Then comes the actual information, and at the end often Gracias. or Muchas gracias. So focus on the middle.
When? Times and days
For trains, buses and planes you hear sale (leaves, departs) and llega (arrives) – with the time: El tren a Colón sale a las diez y cuarto. For shops and museums it is about abre and cierra: El supermercado cierra en diez minutos. El museo está cerrado los lunes.
Where? Numbers and places
A number often follows: la puerta número doce at the airport, la parada número tres for the bus. In large buildings the floor helps, with ordinal numbers: La cafetería está en la segunda planta.
How much? Who?
In a shop you hear special offers with prices: Hoy las camisetas cuestan siete dólares. And sometimes someone is called by name: Pablo García, por favor, a información.
Listening tip
Before listening, think about what you want to know – for example just the time. Then listen for the signal words: after a las comes the time, after número a number, after planta the floor, after cuesta or cuestan the price.
Examples
- Atención, por favor. El tren a Colón sale a las diez y cuarto.
- El avión a Madrid sale a las once. Puerta número doce.
- La cafetería está en la segunda planta.
- El supermercado cierra en diez minutos.