A2 · ElementaryAdapted from El Mundo

Brave Judge Testifies: 'With Data and Proof'

Una jueza valiente: «Con datos y pruebas»

Oct 8, 20261 min readGraded Spanish · word-by-word audio

Read along

Free preview — playback stops here. Full audio comes with Plus.

Beatriz Biedma es una jueza española. Ella investigó un caso importante sobre el hermano del presidente del Gobierno. Por eso, algunas personas querían hacerle daño. Un informe reciente dice que un grupo pidió «un daño físico» contra ella.

Hoy Biedma va a la Audiencia Nacional en Madrid. Va como víctima en el caso «Cloacas». Lleva muchos datos y pruebas. Una persona cercana dice: «Está tranquila y con templanza». Ella preparó todo con mucho cuidado, como siempre hace en su trabajo.

La jueza no tiene miedo. Ella conoce a personas peligrosas y casos difíciles. Pero se preocupa por sus hijas y por su madre enferma. Por eso quiere justicia. «No se va a achantar ahora», dicen sus amigos. Biedma es fuerte y valiente.

Go Plus

You've reached the end of the free preview.

Plus unlocks everything on SpanishReadingDaily:

Every article in full — no daily limit
Word-by-word audio read-along
Smart review that brings saved words back until you own them
Wordbook and streak on every device

Get Plus — $9.99/mo · $79/yr

Free full article every day — see today's. No card needed.

Have a Plus activation code?

Watch out, English speaker

Spanish uses 'ser' for inherent or defining characteristics, while English often uses 'to be' for both permanent and temporary states. For example, 'Beatriz Biedma es una jueza española' translates as 'Beatriz Biedma is a Spanish judge'—but English speakers might mistakenly use 'estar' if they think of 'being a judge' as a role rather than an identity. Remember: professions and nationalities take 'ser'. Spanish 'tener' typically means 'to have' or 'to possess,' but it's also used in many expressions where English uses 'to be,' such as 'tener miedo' (to be afraid) or 'tener razón' (to be right). In the example 'La jueza no tiene miedo,' English speakers might literally translate as 'The judge doesn't have fear,' which sounds unnatural; the natural English is 'The judge is not afraid.' So don't always map 'tener' to 'to have'—check the whole phrase.

Key vocabulary

juezaf.
female judge
“Beatriz Biedma es una jueza española.”— Beatriz Biedma is a Spanish judge.
Pattern jueza de instrucción investigating judge
Compare magistrada female judge
Plural: juezas
💡 "juez" means judge; the feminine form is "jueza".
investigarv.
to investigate
“Ella investigó un caso importante.”— She investigated an important case.
Pattern investigar un caso to investigate a case
Compare indagar to investigate
Indicative Present: investigo, investigas, investiga...
💡 The root "investig-" comes from Latin, meaning "to track".
dañom.
harm, damage
“Algunas personas querían hacerle daño.”— Some people wanted to harm her.
Pattern hacer daño to harm
Compare perjuicio harm
Plural: daños
💡 "daño físico" means "physical harm".
peligrom.
danger
“Su vida estuvo en peligro.”— Her life was in danger.
Pattern en peligro in danger
Compare riesgo risk
Plural: peligros
💡 "peligroso" is an adjective meaning "dangerous".
víctimaf.
victim
“Va como víctima en el caso.”— She goes as a victim in the case.
Pattern víctima de victim of
Compare damnificado victim
Plural: víctimas
💡 "víctima" has the same form for masculine and feminine, but is usually feminine.
pruebaf.
proof, evidence
“Lleva muchos datos y pruebas.”— She carries a lot of data and evidence.
Pattern datos y pruebas data and evidence
Compare evidencia evidence
Plural: pruebas
💡 "probar" is a verb meaning "to prove".
templanzaf.
composure, calmness
“Está tranquila y con templanza.”— She is calm and composed.
Pattern con templanza calmly
Compare serenidad calmness
No common plural
💡 "templado" is an adjective meaning "mild".
preocuparsev.
to worry
“Se preocupa por sus hijas.”— She worries about her daughters.
Pattern preocuparse por to worry about
Compare inquietarse to worry
Indicative Present: me preocupo, te preocupas, se preocupa...
💡 "preocupar" means "to worry someone"; the reflexive form means "to worry".
justiciaf.
justice
“Por eso quiere justicia.”— That's why she wants justice.
Pattern hacer justicia to do justice
Compare equidad fairness
No common plural
💡 "justo" is an adjective meaning "fair".
valienteadj.
brave, courageous
“Biedma es fuerte y valiente.”— Biedma is strong and brave.
Pattern ser valiente to be brave
Compare bravo brave
Same form for singular and plural: valiente, valientes
💡 "valor" is a noun meaning "courage".

Grammar spotlight

Present tense of ser (third person singular)

Ser is used to describe identity, characteristics, and inherent qualities. The third person singular form is "es."

“Beatriz Biedma es una jueza española.”— Beatriz Biedma is a Spanish judge.

⚠️ Don't confuse ser and estar; use ser for identity.

Present tense of tener (third person singular)

Tener means "to have" or "to possess." The third person singular form is "tiene."

“La jueza no tiene miedo.”— The judge is not afraid.

⚠️ "Tener miedo" means "to be afraid"; don't translate it literally as "to have fear."

Sentence patterns to steal

La jueza sabe que su vida estuvo en peligro.
The judge knows that her life was in danger.
saber que + clauseYou can replace the subject and the clause content.
Lleva muchos datos y pruebas.
She carries a lot of data and evidence.
llevar + nounYou can replace the items being carried.
Biedma es fuerte y valiente.
Biedma is strong and brave.
ser + adj. + y + adj.You can replace the adjectives.

The Spanish National Court

The Spanish National Court (Audiencia Nacional) is located in Madrid and handles major cases such as terrorism and organized crime. It differs from ordinary courts in that it has nationwide jurisdiction.

Source: Wikipedia

Finish the story to log today's read

Discussion

Be kind, stay on topic, no ads or links. Community guidelines

No comments yet — be the first to share what you noticed in this article.