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Free A1 Spanish reading passage

El cumpleaños de Lucía

A 53-word text about birthday preparation with vocabulary, line-by-line help, comprehension questions, prompts, and a printable answer key.

Level
A1
Length
53
Topic
Birthday preparation
A153 words · 1 min read

El cumpleaños de Lucía

Reviewed by Francisco · Updated

Studio audio

Tap a word for meaning · tap a line for grammar

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English translation
1

Lucía turns eighteen today.

2

Her family prepares a party at home.

3

Her father cooks a large omelette.

4

Her mother plays music in the living room.

5

Lucía's brother blows up green balloons.

6

Lucía puts cups and plates on the table.

7

Her friends arrive at eight.

8

Everyone sings, and Lucía opens her presents.

Key vocabulary

cumplir dieciocho años·to turn eighteen
preparar una fiesta·to prepare a party
inflar globos·to blow up balloons
poner la mesa·to set the table
abrir regalos·to open presents

Comprehension check

1.How old does Lucía turn?
2.Who cooks the tortilla?
3.What does Lucía do before her friends arrive?
4.What shows the party has begun?

Use the language

Writing prompt

Write five sentences assigning party tasks to different family members.

Speaking prompt

Retell the birthday preparation in order and say which task each person does.

Focused practice

Use this text for a short study session

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Answers

El cumpleaños de Lucía — questions

Q01

What is “El cumpleaños de Lucía” about?

“El cumpleaños de Lucía” is a 53-word A1 Spanish reading passage about birthday preparation. It is designed as a short practice text rather than a serialized story.

Q02

Which Spanish grammar appears in “El cumpleaños de Lucía”?

The main grammar in “El cumpleaños de Lucía” is present tense, tener que + infinitive, possessives. The line notes explain the structures in context, and the vocabulary recap highlights the words needed to understand the scene.

Q03

How should I study this A1 Spanish text?

Read once for the main idea without opening the English support. Listen at normal speed if audio is available, check only the words that block meaning, then answer the comprehension questions and use the writing or speaking prompt.

Q04

Is this a Spanish text or a Spanish story?

This is a compact practice text with a quiz, prompts, and a printable answer key. For longer narrative immersion with characters, dialogue, illustrations, and audio, use MeloLingua’s A1 Spanish story library instead.

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