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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
In Spain, the currency is Euro.
GRAMMAR POINT
As of 2007, July 3rd, the exchange rate is roughly €0.73 to US$1 and roughly US$ 1.36 to €1. The currency includes 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 bills and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins and 1 and 2 Euro coins.
All European countries that have adopted the Euro have the right to make their bills and coins. Euro bills have the same design throughout Europe. In the front side of all the bills, you can see different kinds of windows and doors. On the reverse of the bill, you will see different kinds of bridges. If you follow all the bills from lower value to higher value, you will see that the signs of these architectural elements evolve from ancient constructions to modern ones. However, don’t try to find which are the real bridges or doors represented on any of the bills. They all are imaginary, but why, if there are so many examples of architecture in Europe? Well, that’s the point. In summary, they didn’t want to displease other countries using construction from one real country, so the solution was, you add the imaginary elements. Unlike bills, coins don’t have the same design in all countries.
While the tail side are the same, showing a map of Europe and the value of the coin, head side differs in each country. In Spain, the head side of the 1, 2, and 5 cent coins show the cathedral of Santiago De Compostela, the capital of Galicia. The head side of the 10, 20, and 50 cent coins show Cervantes’ upper body. Finally, the headside of the €1 and €2 coins show the King of Spain’s upper body.
Although different in design, coins from any country are valid in any other country. So in English, you refer to the European currency as the “Euro,” but in Spanish, we say euro. As for phrases necessary for foreign exchange, we’ll cover that in another lesson.
Following this lesson, we’ll look at numbers going up to 100, as hopefully and most likely, you will need to know denominations larger than these four single four cases. Let’s first go over how to say smaller numbers in Spanish. We covered 1 to 10 in a previous lesson. To recap; one is uno, two is dos, three is tres, four is cuatro, five is cinco, six is seis, seven is siete, eight is ocho, nine is nueve, and ten is diez.
Simply follow these numbers with 10 to form the basis of numbers through 100. In Spanish, counting is very straightforward, so let’s jump right in.
10 - diez
diez
20 - veinte
veinte
30 - treinta
treinta
40 - cuarenta
cuarenta
50 - cincuenta
cincuenta
60 - sesenta
sesenta
70 - setenta
setenta
80 - ochenta
ochenta
90 - noventa
noventa
100 - cien
cien
And to say any number between 10 and 99, you simply combine words for 1 to 10. For 53, you literally say “fifty and three” cincuenta y tres. So, if you need to pay €53, the store clerk would say, Son cincuenta y tres euros.
What coins would you use to pay €63? Well, you can combine one €50 bill, one €10, and three €1 coins.

Outro

Okay, to close out today’s lesson, we'd like for you to practice what you've just learned. I'll provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you are responsible for saying it aloud. You’ll have a few seconds before I give you the answer, so buena suerte, that means “good luck” in Spanish.
Ok, here we go!
“It’s sixty four Euros.” - Son sesenta y cuatro euros.
Son sesenta y cuatro euros.
Son sesenta y cuatro euros.
“It’s thirty-nine Euros.” - Son treinta y nueve euros.
Son treinta y nueve euros.
Son treinta y nueve euros.

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