Speech acts: Practicing Refusals in Spanish

Read each situation carefully and press [start] when you are ready to begin. Take a minute to look over the conversation.You will have 15 seconds to respond.

Situation 1: Refusing a friend's invitation to a birthday party

FEMALE-FEMALE or FEMALE-MALE. You are walking on campus and you run into a friend who invites you to her birhtday party. When your friend sees you she begins the conversation.

        Press [start] when you are ready.

FRIEND: Your friend says hi. [Tone]

YOU: Respond and greet your friend.

FRIEND: Your friend responds and talks about her birthday party. [Tone]

YOU: Respond. Provide a brief positive response. Explain why you can't come. You can offer reasons as to why you cannot attend. Or, you can refuse directly and politely. [Tone]

FRIEND: Your friend responds. [Tone]

YOU: Respond. Express regret for missing this important event. Offer an additional excuse, and leave the situation open. Or you can simply respond by refusing politely.

FRIEND: Your friend responds. [Tone]

YOU: Respond. End the conversation.

Situation 2: Refusing an offer of food.

HOST MOTHER - MALE or FEMALE STUDENT. You are having dinner with your host family in Mexico. Your host mother has prepared a delicious Mexican meal for you. It was seasoned perfectly, not too spicy and not too bland.

        Press [start] when you are ready.

HOST MOTHER: Your host mother brings more food to the table and begins talking. [Tone]

YOU: Make a comment about the guacamole and refuse politely. [Tone]

HOST MOTHER: Responds [Tone]

YOU: Make another positive comment and refuse politely (or accept!)

Situation 3: Refusing a Professor's Advice to Take a Class

ADVISOR-STUDENT. It is class registration time and you go to your advisor's office to finalize your schedule for next year. One of the classes he is discussing is a Writing class in Spanish (Redacción en Español). After exchanging greetings, your professor begins teh advising session.

        Press [start] when you are ready.

ADVISOR: Professor begins advising session. [Tone]

YOU: Respond: Briefly agree with your professor's suggestion. Then, provide a reason, followed by a mitigated refusal. Or you can postpone your decision.

ADVISOR: [Professor responds]   [Tone]

YOU: Respond. Provide a partial agreement response. Then, offer a reason for not taking this class. Or you can just refuse politely or postpone your decision.

ADVISOR: Professor ends advising session.