Spanish Level 2, Activity 03: El arte de regatear / The Art of Bartering (Face-to-Face)

Created Dec. 3, 2024 by Amber Hoye, Madi Goertzen, Gabby Bates, Abby Cain, Sue Juarez, Mardy Morales, Alexandra Garcia, Camille Daw, Mimi Fahnstrom

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Looking for the English Version of this activity to adapt for your language? CLICK HERE

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Before you begin:

  • Most activities are 30 minutes in duration, unless otherwise specified.
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Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials such as Google Slideshows. If you would like to make changes to these materials in Spanish, follow the instructions below:

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3. Adapt for Another Language:

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"El arte de regatear", Novice Mid

Description:

In this activity, students are going to practice asking for the cost of something and practice purchasing items. Students are also going to be exposed to the concept of bartering and how to do it with a vendor. This activity will teach students more about questions, prices, money, numbers, and items that are frequently purchased. 

Proficiency Level:

Novice Mid

Keywords:

Price, money, cost, store, barter, purchase, vendor, Spanish. 

Relevant ACTFL World-Readiness Standards:

  • “Standard 1.1 Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.”
  • “Standard 1.2 Students understand and interpret spoken and written Spanish on a variety of topics.”
  • “Standard 1.3 Students present information, concepts, and ideas in Spanish to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.”

Relevant Idaho State World Language Standards:

  • COMM 1.1 - Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions
  • COMM 2.1 - Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
  • COMM 3.1 - Present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics using appropriate media in the target language.

Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can ask how much something costs
  • I can participate in the act of bartering with someone from a Spanish speaking country
  • I can share with a friend what I purchased at a market
  • I can use rehearsed behaviors when shopping in a familiar type of store 

Materials Needed:

Google Slideshow (linked)

Funny Money

Situation Cards

Object cards 1

Object Cards 2

Would you like to make changes to the materials? Access the template(s) below:

- Situation Cards (Canva Template, free account required)

- Funny Money (Canva Template, free account required) 

Warm-up

1. Begin by introducing the Can-Dos for today’s activity. Display the Google Slideshow on the Projector. 

“Hoy vamos a practicar "el arte de regatear." En español, regatear significa pedir un precio más barato por un objeto. Por ejemplo, si el precio es 80 pesos, puedes pedir el objeto por 70 pesos. El vendedor puede responder, "Puedo darte el objeto por 75 pesos."

2.  In the Google Slideshow, there are various clips embedded from Youtube. These clips are interviews of customers and a vendor talking about bartering. The first clip talks about what the vendor is selling.

“Ahora, vamos a ver un clip breve. Presten atención a lo que vende el vendedor."

3. Ask the students what the vendor is selling. The vendor is selling rags, the answer will show up on the slide after a click.

“¿Qué vende el vendedor?" (toallas y trapos para la cocina)

4. Show students the next clip, in which a few people from Mexico are going to talk about how they barter.

“Ahora en este clip, algunas personas de México van a charlar sobre cómo les gusta regatear." Presten atención a las frases útiles.

5. The next clip that the instructor will show has a vendor talking about bartering and whether it benefits him or not.

“En este último clip, el vendedor va a charlar sobre el acto de regatear."

6. Ask students what the vendor explains happens when people try to barter with him.

“¿Qué pasa con el vendedor cuando alguien regatea? (Recibe menos dinero, pero todavía gana un poco)"

7. Click to next slide which provides students useful phrases for bartering.

“En esta diapositiva hay algunas frases útiles que pueden usar para regatear."

8. Now you will do a short bartering practice with students. The example involves the selling of handmade, traditional Mexican skulls.

“¡Ahora vamos a practicar el arte de regatear!"

9. Welcome your students to your imaginary vendor stall

“¡Hola y bienvenidos a mi puesto! Vendo calaveras muy bonitas. ¿Quieren comprar una calavera?"

10. Students should pretend that they are interested in buying an item.

Estudiante: "¡Sí! "

Asistente: "¡Perfecto! ¿Qué calavera quieres?"

11. Students will ask how much the item costs. You (the vendor) would say a very high and unrealistic price. 

“Estudiante: ¿Cuánto cuesta?

Asistente: "¡Cuesta _$______!"

12. Students should use the useful phrases the assistant went over with them on the slideshow. The assistant can return to the slide that has all of them to help guide students. 

“Asistente: Ahora van a regatear el precio.

Estudiante: ¿Cuál es el más bajo?"

13. Once a deal is made at a lower price, seal the deal (hecho).  

“Hecho!" 

Main Activity

1. Put students into two groups, one group will be the vendors and the other group will be the customers. 

“Vamos a tener dos grupos. Un grupo van a ser los clientes y el otro los vendedores."

2. Pass out $100 of funny money to every customer and vendor. Pass out a situation card to each customer and pass out various object cards to each vendor. 

“Todos los clientes y los vendedores van a recibir 100 dólares. Los vendedores van a tener muchos objetos para vender a los clientes. Los clientes van a recibir una tarjeta con una situación que deben tener en mente para comprar cosas. Por ejemplo, una situación es el cumpleaños de un novio/a y el cliente debe comprar un regalo para el/ella."

3. The presentation will have useful phrases for the students who are playing customers. The goal for them is to try to barter the price of their items.

Hay frases útiles en la diapositiva. Los clientes deben regatear con los vendedores.  

4. The slideshow has an example that the instructor may use: 

The slideshow has pictures of colorful traditional Mexican skulls. The instructor should say that they have these skulls for sale and that they are very unique or beautiful. Then the slideshow has some guidance for the students to ask how much they cost and then there are other useful phrases for students to use to barter.

"Por ejemplo, yo vendo unas calaveras muy bonitas. Tengo calaveras de muchos colores, como rojo, azul, etc. Pregunten "Cuanto cuesta? Una (1) calavera cuesta 100 pesos. Ahora deben practicar regatear, en el diapositivo hay algunas frases y preguntas útiles."

5. After students have sold a few items have students switch roles (the vendors become the customers and the customers become the vendors). 

Wrap-up

Ask students some of the following questions to finish the lab: 

1. ¿Qué compraron en el mercado?
2. ¿Cuál fue la cosa más cara?
3.  ¿Cuál fue la cosa más barata?
4. Tienes la oportunidad de tener un puesto en el mercado al aire libre en boise, ¿Qué quieres vender?

End of lab:

• Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence. 
(Use thumbs up/thumbs down or download our student cards.) 
• Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
• Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!

Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can ask how much something costs
  • I can participate in the act of bartering with someone from a Spanish speaking country
  • I can share with a friend what I purchased at a market
  • I can use rehearsed behaviors when shopping in a familiar type of store 

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