The small print
A short in Spanish text at level B1. The translation sits next to it: reading with a dictionary is still too early at this level, and without support it will not happen at all. I signed the apartment contract without reading the last two pages, and it cost me eight hundred euros. The clause…
Text
- Firmé el contrato del piso sin leer las últimas dos páginas, y eso me costó ochocientos euros. La cláusula estaba en medio del texto, escrita como todo lo demás: si rescindía antes de un año, perdía la fianza entera. Cuando cambié de trabajo y me tuve que ir a otra ciudad, el casero me recordó el papel con mucha educación. Fui a una oficina de atención al consumidor y me explicaron que la cláusula era legal, aunque abusiva según ellos. Me dijeron algo que no he olvidado: lo que se acuerda de palabra no vale nada cuando hay un contrato por escrito. Ahora leo hasta el final, pregunto qué significa cada punto y pido siempre una copia con las dos firmas. No me he vuelto desconfiado; simplemente he aprendido que la prisa la paga siempre el que firma.I signed the apartment contract without reading the last two pages, and it cost me eight hundred euros. The clause stood in the middle of the text, printed like everything else: if I terminate before a year, I lose the whole deposit. When I changed jobs and had to move to another city, the landlord very politely reminded me about the paper. I went to a consumer protection office, and they explained that the clause was legal, though abusive in their opinion. They told me something I have not forgotten: a verbal agreement is worth nothing when there is a written contract. Now I read to the end, ask what each point means and always ask for a copy with both signatures. I have not become distrustful; I have simply learned that haste is always paid for by the one who signs.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Why did the narrator lose money?
- What did that clause of the contract say?
- What did the consumer office answer?
- What did the narrator learn?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Spanish?
B1. That means: you know the letters and have a stock of everyday words — about two or three hundred.
How to read a text in an unfamiliar language usefully?
First all the way through without peeking at the translation — just to catch the familiar words. Then with the translation. Then all the way through again: the second pass brings noticeably more, and that feeling matters more than any rule.