Is Mass Tourism Destroying Barcelona?
¿Está el turismo masivo destruyendo Barcelona?
Present tense, basic verbs, shorter sentences. Ideal for A2 learners.
Valentina
Vivo en Barcelona. Mi barrio ya no es mi barrio. Hay turistas en todas las calles.
Diego
Yo vengo de Lima. El turismo da trabajo a mucha gente. No es malo.
Valentina
Sí, pero los pisos son muy caros. Mi amiga tiene que vivir con sus padres a los 35 años.
Diego
¿Y los hoteles? ¿Y los restaurantes? Pagan impuestos. El dinero va a las escuelas.
Valentina
No es solo el dinero. Mi panadería cerró. Ahora hay una tienda de imanes y camisetas.
Diego
Es triste, sí. Pero sin turismo, ¿qué hacemos? Barcelona es famosa. La gente quiere venir.
Valentina
Entonces que vengan, pero menos. Y que no vivan en mi edificio una semana cada vez.
Diego
Estoy de acuerdo en eso. Necesitamos reglas. Pero no podemos cerrar la ciudad.
Valentina
Yo no quiero cerrar la ciudad. Quiero vivir en ella.
English Translation
Valentina
I live in Barcelona. My neighborhood isn't my neighborhood anymore. There are tourists on every street.
Diego
I'm from Lima. Tourism gives jobs to a lot of people. It's not bad.
Valentina
Yes, but the apartments are very expensive. My friend has to live with her parents at 35 years old.
Diego
What about the hotels? And the restaurants? They pay taxes. The money goes to the schools.
Valentina
It's not just about the money. My bakery closed. Now there's a magnet and t-shirt shop.
Diego
It's sad, yes. But without tourism, what do we do? Barcelona is famous. People want to come.
Valentina
Then let them come, but fewer. And they shouldn't live in my building for a week at a time.
Diego
I agree with that. We need rules. But we can't close the city.
Valentina
I don't want to close the city. I want to live in it.
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