Listen and compare · 15
CEFR B2
Review the contrast after listening
¿Puedes cerrar la puerta?
/ˈpwedes θeˈraɾ la ˈpweɾta/
A request: the room is noisy and you want the door closed.
¿Puedes cerrar la puerta?
/ˈpwedes θeˈraɾ la ˈpweɾta/
An ability check: someone is carrying boxes and may be unable to close it.
What tells the two sounds apart
- requestUse an unhurried, moderate delivery for the request here. Keep cerrar la puerta together and allow a reply.
- ability checkGive puedes contrastive prominence when ability is in doubt. Do not change the lexical stress of puedes.
Why it is hard
The same question can invite an action or ask about ability. Politeness depends on wording, relationship and context as well as voice; a rising ending does not automatically make a request polite. This is a contextual prosodic pair in careful Spain Spanish, with a moderate final rise in both model readings. Other regional request contours are legitimate. Task: Listen to the first six questions with the words, IPA and situation labels closed. Note which words sound prominent and how the voice reaches the end; record no audible difference if applicable. Do not infer request or ability from pitch alone. Then open the situations, compare the observed delivery and read examples 1–2 as requests and 3–4 as ability checks. Use the context sentence in a short exchange with a courteous refusal and a revised request, explaining changes in wording and delivery.
¿Puedes revisar el texto esta tarde?
To practise
- ¿Puedes bajar la música?/ˈpwedes baˈxaɾ la ˈmusika/A neighbour wants less noise: a request.
- ¿Me puedes pasar el informe?/me ˈpwedes paˈsaɾ el inˈfoɾme/A colleague needs the report now: a request.
- ¿Puedes leer desde aquí?/ˈpwedes leˈeɾ ˈdesde aˈki/The letters may be too far away: check ability.
- ¿Puedes llegar antes de las seis?/ˈpwedes ʝeˈɡaɾ ˈantes de las seis/A colleague checks whether the journey allows it: check feasibility.