A1 Spanish reading

El mercado de los jueves

A1 · Beginner 147 words 1 min read Daily Life

Markets are one of the best places to meet everyday Spanish: food words, colors, numbers and friendly small talk, all in one place. Follow Rosa through her Thursday market and see how many of the things she buys you already recognize.

Your challenge

Keep a shopping list in your head as you read. What does Rosa buy, who does she greet, and what does she make when she gets home?

When you finish, check yourself with the questions below.

Los jueves, Rosa va al mercado. El mercado está en el centro de la ciudad. Rosa camina con su bolsa verde.

En el mercado hay muchas frutas. Hay naranjas, plátanos y mangos. También hay verduras frescas. Rosa compra tomates y cebollas.

Un señor vende flores de colores. Las flores huelen muy bien. Rosa compra flores amarillas para su casa.

Después, Rosa va a comprar pan. El pan está caliente. Ella compra tres piezas de pan. Cerca hay un puesto de queso. Rosa compra un poco de queso.

En otro puesto venden tortillas de maíz. Rosa compra un kilo. El mercado tiene mucha gente. Los niños comen elote con chile. Rosa saluda a sus amigas y ellas hablan un rato.

Al final, Rosa vuelve a casa. Su bolsa está llena de comida. Ella cocina una sopa rica. Su familia come con ella. Todos están felices en la mesa.

Check your understanding

Answer in Spanish if you can, then open each answer to compare. The English line under an answer is there to help you check your meaning.

  1. ¿Qué día va Rosa al mercado?

    Show the answer

    Los jueves.

    On Thursdays.

  2. ¿Qué compra Rosa para su casa?

    Show the answer

    Compra flores amarillas.

    She buys yellow flowers.

  3. ¿Qué comen los niños en el mercado?

    Show the answer

    Comen elote con chile.

    They eat corn on the cob with chili.

  4. ¿Qué cocina Rosa al final?

    Show the answer

    Cocina una sopa.

    She cooks a soup.

Key words from this text

  • mercado market
  • bolsa bag
  • frutas fruit
  • verduras vegetables
  • pan bread
  • queso cheese
  • flores flowers
  • sopa soup

Notice this: Hay: there is and there are

Hay means both “there is” and “there are”. It never changes: hay un puesto (one stall) and hay muchas frutas (many fruits) use the same word.

  • “En el mercado hay muchas frutas”
  • “Cerca hay un puesto de queso”

The questions, key words and note above are © 2026 Axolottalove LLC. All rights reserved. The reading itself is released under CC0.

Keep reading

All A1 Spanish readings · All Spanish readings

About this reading

This is an original Xolingo reading at level A1 (beginner). It was written for learners rather than adapted from another source, and the reading is released under CC0, so you can copy, print and share it freely. The questions, key words and note on this page are not part of that release: they are © Axolottalove LLC. The level is Xolingo’s own grading, using the CEFR descriptors as a guide, not a certification.

Read it once straight through without stopping, just for what is happening. Then read it again and notice which words you could almost guess from context before looking anything up.