Problems on Holiday (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Problems on holiday
When things go wrong during your holidays, you need to know how to describe what happened and ask for help. This topic covers common holiday problems, from petty crime to accommodation issues, and teaches you how to express these situations in Spanish.
Holiday mishaps vocabulary
Understanding vocabulary related to holiday problems helps you communicate effectively when things don't go according to plan. These terms are essential for reporting crimes and seeking assistance from authorities.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el carterista | the pickpocket |
| el ladrón | the thief |
| un accidente de tráfico | a traffic accident |
| robar | to steal |
| las pertenencias (f.pl.) | belongings |
| la maleta | the suitcase |
| el billete | the ticket |
| el vuelo | the flight |
| el retraso | the delay |
| funcionar | to work/function |
| quejarse (de) | to complain (about) |
Safety tip: The most common holiday crime is pickpocketing. Key prevention vocabulary includes vigilar (to watch/guard), tener cuidado (to be careful), and llevar con cuidado (to carry carefully). Always keep your pertenencias secure in crowded tourist areas.
Example sentences:
- Un carterista me robó la cartera en el metro. (A pickpocket stole my wallet on the metro.)
- Nuestro vuelo tiene un retraso de dos horas. (Our flight has a two-hour delay.)
- El ascensor no funciona. (The lift doesn't work.)
- Vamos a quejarnos en recepción. (We're going to complain at reception.)
Grammar note: The verb robar means "to steal" and takes the structure: robar algo a alguien (to steal something from someone). This is different from English word order - remember that the person being stolen from comes after the object.
Hotel and accommodation problems
Accommodation issues are common holiday problems that require specific vocabulary to resolve. Knowing how to describe problems clearly and request solutions can save your vacation.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la habitación | the room |
| la cama | the bed |
| la ventana | the window |
| el baño | the bathroom |
| la cuenta | the bill |
| el/la gerente | the manager |
| limpio/a | clean |
| sucio/a | dirty |
| lleno/a | full |
| la intoxicación alimentaria | food poisoning |
| la cucaracha | the cockroach |
| la sábana | the bed sheet |
Example sentences:
- La habitación está muy sucia. (The room is very dirty.)
- No hay agua caliente en el baño. (There's no hot water in the bathroom.)
- Queremos hablar con el gerente. (We want to speak to the manager.)
- La cuenta no es correcta. (The bill isn't correct.)
Cultural tip: In Spanish-speaking countries, it's important to remain polite when complaining. Start with Disculpe (Excuse me) and use por favor (please) frequently. This approach is more likely to result in helpful assistance from hotel staff.
Grammar note: When describing problems, use estar for temporary conditions (está sucio - it's dirty) and ser for permanent characteristics.
Grammar focus: The perfect tense
The perfect tense (pretérito perfecto) describes actions that happened in the past but have relevance to the present moment. This is particularly useful when explaining holiday problems that are still affecting you.
Formation
The perfect tense uses the auxiliary verb haber plus a past participle:
| Person | Haber | + Past Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | he | + past participle | He comido (I have eaten) |
| tú | has | + past participle | Has hablado (You have spoken) |
| él/ella/usted | ha | + past participle | Ha visto (He/She/You (formal) have seen) |
| nosotros/as | hemos | + past participle | Hemos viajado (We have travelled) |
| vosotros/as | habéis | + past participle | Habéis estudiado (You all have studied) |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | han | + past participle | Han vivido (They/You all (formal plural) have lived) |
Past participle formation
- -ar verbs: Remove -ar, add -ado (robar → robado)
- -er/-ir verbs: Remove -er/-ir, add -ido (perder → perdido, salir → salido)
Ejemplo práctico: Describing a theft
Situation: You need to report that someone stole your bag at the airport.
Step 1: Choose the correct form of haber
- For "I" = he
Step 2: Form the past participle
- robar (to steal) → robado (stolen)
Step 3: Combine
- Me han robado la maleta. (They have stolen my suitcase.)
Alternative forms:
- Han robado mi maleta. (They have stolen my suitcase.)
- Alguien ha robado mi maleta. (Someone has stolen my suitcase.)
Example sentences:
- He perdido mi pasaporte. (I have lost my passport.)
- Han cancelado nuestro vuelo. (They have cancelled our flight.)
- Hemos tenido problemas con el hotel. (We have had problems with the hotel.)
- El carterista me ha robado la cartera. (The pickpocket has stolen my wallet.)
Irregular past participles: Some verbs have irregular past participles that you must memorise:
- romper → roto (broken)
- hacer → hecho (done/made)
- escribir → escrito (written)
- ver → visto (seen)
- decir → dicho (said)
Grammar focus: Pronouns after prepositions
When you need to use pronouns after prepositions (words like con, para, sin), special forms are required. This is different from subject pronouns and is often forgotten by learners.
| Pronoun | After preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | mí | para mí (for me) |
| tú | ti | sin ti (without you) |
| él | él | con él (with him) |
| ella | ella | con ella (with her) |
| nosotros/as | nosotros/as | por nosotros (for us) |
| vosotros/as | vosotros/as | con vosotros (with you) |
| ellos/ellas | ellos/ellas | para ellos (for them) |
Special irregular forms you must memorise:
- conmigo = with me
- contigo = with you
These are the ONLY irregular forms - all others follow the pattern above.
Ejemplo práctico: Asking someone to come with you
Situation: You want to ask someone to accompany you to reception to complain.
Incorrect: ¿Vienes con yo? Correct: ¿Vienes conmigo?
Other examples:
- Ven conmigo a recepción. (Come with me to reception.)
- ¿Puedes hablar con ellos por mí? (Can you speak to them for me?)
- No vamos sin ti. (We're not going without you.)
Example sentences:
- ¿Quieres venir conmigo? (Do you want to come with me?)
- No voy a ir sin ella. (I'm not going to go without her.)
- Es para ti. (It's for you.)
Useful complaint phrases
These expressions help you communicate problems effectively and politely request solutions. Learning these fixed phrases will make you sound more natural and increase your chances of getting help.
Phrase bank for complaints:
- Hay un problema con... (There's a problem with...)
- No estamos contentos con... (We're not happy with...)
- ¿Pueden arreglar esto? (Can you fix this?)
- Quiero hablar con el gerente. (I want to speak to the manager.)
- No es lo que pedimos. (It's not what we asked for.)
- ¿Pueden cambiar la habitación? (Can you change the room?)
- Disculpe, pero tenemos un problema. (Excuse me, but we have a problem.)
- ¿Sería posible...? (Would it be possible...?)
Common errors and fixes
Understanding these frequent mistakes will help you avoid them and communicate more effectively when problems arise.
Error 1: Using wrong perfect tense auxiliary
- ❌ Yo tengo perdido las llaves
- ✅ He perdido las llaves
- Fix: Always use haber (not tener) to form the perfect tense.
Error 2: Wrong pronoun after prepositions
- ❌ ¿Vienes con yo?
- ✅ ¿Vienes conmigo?
- Fix: Use conmigo for "with me" and contigo for "with you" (informal).
Error 3: Confusing ser and estar for conditions
- ❌ La habitación es sucia
- ✅ La habitación está sucia
- Fix: Use estar for temporary conditions that can change.
Translation practice
Test your understanding with these practical translation exercises focusing on holiday problem scenarios.
Ejercicio de traducción
Spanish to English:
- El ladrón ha robado mi cámara.
- ¿Puedes venir conmigo a recepción?
English to Spanish: 3. The pickpocket has stolen my wallet. 4. We want to complain about the room.
Answers:
- The thief has stolen my camera.
- Can you come with me to reception?
- El carterista ha robado mi cartera.
- Queremos quejarnos de la habitación.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use the perfect tense (haber + past participle) to describe holiday problems that affect the present moment
- Conmigo and contigo are special irregular forms meaning "with me" and "with you"
- When complaining, use polite expressions like ¿Pueden ayudarme? (Can you help me?)
- Safety vocabulary is essential - learn words like carterista, robar, and pertenencias
- Use estar (not ser) to describe temporary conditions like cleanliness or functionality
- Always remain polite and use por favor when making complaints - this approach gets better results