English I · A1.1. National Autonomous University of Honduras, Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Department of Foreign Languages, English Section. PhD. Bessy Mendoza, MSc. Leonel Madrid. Students greeting each other on campus, with the flags of Honduras and the United States, the Statue of Liberty and New York.
English I · Lesson 5 · Step 1 of 4

URA + SofIA: Lesson URA and SofIA assistants

Resource · not graded
What you bring
From Lesson 4 (My personal information): your product, your glossary and «I can ask Wh- questions.»
What this prepares you for
The forum asks you to use Courtesy expressions with your classmates.

Goal of the lesson

I can use polite expressions in everyday situations.

Puedo usar expresiones de cortesía en situaciones cotidianas.

Open the URA of Lesson 5 · III PAC

The URA has the explanation, audio, examples by career and the Cultural Corner of the III PAC. Take notes: you will use them in the forum.

Courtesy expressions

Please · Thank you · You're welcome · Excuse me · I'm sorry. To ask: Can I + verb…, please?

SituationYou sayAnswer
AskCan I have a pen, please?Sure. Here you are.
ThankThank you!You're welcome.
InterruptExcuse me…Yes?
ApologizeI'm sorry.No problem.
En español

«Excuse me» sirve para llamar la atención o pasar; «I'm sorry» es para disculparse. «Can I…?» es una fórmula fija en este nivel.

Your AI assistants: SofIA

Recommended for this lesson: SofIA Comunicativa, about please, thank you, excuse me, sorry and «Can I…?». SofIA asks your name, your career and your lesson, then helps you step by step. It explains, gives hints and helps you create your own mini-lesson, flashcards or practice. It never does graded work for you.

Available: SofIA Gramatical · SofIA Léxica · SofIA Fonética · SofIA Comunicativa · SofIA Profesional · SofIA Cultural.

Open SofIA for Lesson 5 · III PAC

Your career, your examples

III PAC · September – DecemberHolidayMonday, October 12U.S.

Cultural Corner · Indigenous Peoples' Day · Columbus Day

This week: Cultures communicate in different ways. Compare one polite expression in the U.S. and in Honduras.

October 12 is a holiday in the U.S. Some people celebrate Columbus Day. Many celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Key words

  • native nativo
  • history historia
  • nation nación

Fact

The federal holiday is Columbus Day. Many states and cities also celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Your career

  • Health sciences: Health care in Native communities.
  • Engineering & technology: Traditional knowledge and science.
  • Business & economics: Rights of Native nations.
  • Education, humanities & communication: Native languages today.
  • Environment, agriculture & tourism: Native peoples protect land and water.
Mirror Honduras. In Honduras, October 12 is the Día de la Etnia Americana. Which peoples do we honor?

Official source

Mission: Find the name of 1 Native nation. Write its state.

Cultural competency: I can say what Indigenous Peoples' Day is (Monday, October 12), use Courtesy expressions to talk about it, and compare it with Honduras.

See it in my III PAC Cultural Passport

Language bridge · plurilingual and intercultural

Use every language you know to learn English, and use English to understand other people.

English ↔ SpanishNotice the difference

Excuse me comes before (to get attention); Sorry comes after (to apologize). Spanish «disculpe / perdón» covers both.

Other languagesFrench · Portuguese · Italian · German

Thank you: Merci (FR) · Obrigado / Obrigada (PT) · Grazie (IT) · Danke (DE). In Portuguese the word changes: a man says obrigado, a woman says obrigada.

Observe, compare, reflectIntercultural

In U.S. restaurants, a tip is usual and is part of the server's income. What happens in Honduras? Compare without judging.

Mediation challengeBuild a bridge for someone

Your friend wants the Wi-Fi password at a café. Tell them what to say: «Can I have the Wi-Fi password, please?».

Your languages count: ask at home or in your community how to say it in Garífuna, Miskitu, the English of the Bay Islands or any other language you know, and add it to your glossary. Add it to «My languages» in your Passport →

Arts Corner · LiteratureNew York, U.S. · 1905

The Gift of the Magi

O. Henry

A short story: Jim and Della have little money. Each one gives a special gift to the other. It is a story about love and generosity.

You use it in: 2 · Forum · Activity 17

Para docentes

Fuente de datos: data/source/in101_lessons.js (lección 5). Ingreso al UNAH Virtual Campus: data/links.json. H5P (práctica del sitio y calificado del Campus): data/h5p/. Anuncios: data/anuncios.json. Títulos y porcentajes según el Calendario. Inglés I: 12 lecciones (decisión de la Sección, 26-10-2026); las actividades 1–38 no cambian. Regenerar con python3 generator/build.py.