Spanish online reading and listening practice - level B2
Carlos Vives is a Colombian singer-songwriter. He's won two Grammy and 14 Latino Grammy awards. He's also a prolific actor, mainly in telenovelas, as well as a judge for numerous Spanish-language versions of The Voice.
This song is taken from his latest album, also called Cumbiana, where he celebrates the cumbia musical genre as well as promoting the biodiversity of the swamps and rivers of Colombia. He accompanied its release with a short documentary called El mundo perdido de Cumbiana, describing his creative process which was inspired by the amphibious region on the north coast of Colombia and their belief in ancestral spirits.
This reading and listening exercise can help you practise El Futuro Simple, using ya, and the difference between decir and contar.
Exercise: Carlos Vives - Cumbiana
Watch and listen to the video, then read the transcript. Click any phrase for the translation and links to related grammar lessons which you can add to your KwizIQ notebook to practise later.

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