A2 Spanish Culture Lesson
La Tomatina
6:28 min video · 20 sentences · 3 key words
Transcript with English
Hide the English to test yourself.
- ¡Una ciudad entera termina roja de tomate!A whole town ends up red with tomato!
- Esto es La Tomatina, una fiesta muy famosa.This is La Tomatina, a very famous festival.
- Es en Buñol, un pueblo de Valencia.It is in Buñol, a town in Valencia.
- Es el último miércoles de agosto.It is the last Wednesday of August.
- La fiesta empezó en 1945.The festival began in 1945.
- Unos jóvenes se pelearon en la plaza.Some young people fought in the square.
- Cerca había un puesto de verduras.Nearby there was a vegetable stall.
- Ellos tiraron tomates, y todos se rieron.They threw tomatoes, and everyone laughed.
- Hoy los camiones traen los tomates.Today trucks bring the tomatoes.
- Son tomates muy maduros y baratos.They are very ripe and cheap tomatoes.
- Primero la gente sube a un palo con jamón.First people climb a pole with a ham.
- Después empieza la batalla de tomates.Then the tomato battle begins.
- La gente tiene que aplastar los tomates.People have to squash the tomatoes.
- Es mejor llevar gafas y ropa vieja.It is better to wear goggles and old clothes.
- La batalla dura solo una hora.The battle lasts only one hour.
- Después, los camiones de agua limpian la calle.Afterwards, water trucks clean the street.
- Hoy viene gente de muchos países.Today people come from many countries.
- Desde 2013, hay que comprar una entrada.Since 2013, you have to buy a ticket.
- ¿Sabías que en otras fiestas no se tiran tomates?Did you know that tomatoes are not thrown at other festivals?
- La Tomatina es diversión, color y mucha comunidad.La Tomatina is fun, colour and a lot of community.
About this lesson
This lesson teaches what La Tomatina is, where it happens, how it began and how people take part today.
How to practise
- Read what you will learn on the first card, then follow the lesson section by section with English.
- Repeat every sentence out loud in the Te toca · Your turn pause: you learn the facts and the words together.
- At the end, check the recap and answer the question in the YouTube comments.
La Tomatina
La Tomatina
In this lesson
- What La Tomatina is and where it happens
- How it began in 1945
- How the battle works today
Key takeaways
- La Tomatina is in Buñol, Valencia, on the last Wednesday of August.
- It began in 1945 with a street fight.
- The tomato battle lasts one hour.
- Today you need a ticket.
Your turn: Is there a festival in your country where people play with food?
Key words
| Spanish | English | Level |
|---|---|---|
| la fiesta | festival | |
| los camiones | trucks | |
| la batalla | battle |
New A2 lessons every week
Stories, listening quizzes and conversations at your level.
Subscribe on YouTubeGet The Spanish Shadow Weekly
One email every Sunday: the week's new Spanish videos, one grammar point and one culture note. Free.
More A2 lessons
4:26A2 · Survival Spanish
At the Hairdresser
En la peluquería
1:16A2 · False friends
Carpeta, Embarazada: 2 Spanish False Friends
carpeta · embarazada
0:42A2 · Story
The Key to the Door
La llave de la puerta
1:08A2 · Word pair
Llevar vs Traer: Two Ways to Carry
llevar vs traer
1:13A2 · Level ladder
3 Levels of 'That's Expensive'
Es caro
4:23A2 · Survival Spanish
At the Market
En el mercado