NAATI CCL Spanish Finance & Banking Practice Dialogues — Worked Examples

Good morning. Welcome to Commonwealth Bank. How can I help you today?

Acabo de llegar a Australia y necesito abrir una cuenta. Tengo visa de estudiante. ¿Qué necesito?

If you've arrived within the past six weeks, you only need your passport to open an account. After six weeks, you'll need additional identification. When did you arrive?

Llegué la semana pasada. Tengo pasaporte y carta de visa. ¿Cuenta de ahorro o corriente?

For students, I'd recommend both. A transaction account is for everyday purchases and ATM use, and a savings account is for putting money aside. The student account has no fees.

¿Recibo la tarjeta de débito de inmediato?

We can give you a temporary debit card today. The permanent card arrives within seven business days. I'll also set up internet banking so you can manage your account online.

¿Puedo enviar dinero al exterior desde esta cuenta? Quiero enviar a mi familia.

Yes, you can make international transfers through internet banking. The fee varies by destination — usually fifteen to thirty dollars. Processing takes one to three business days.

Me preocupa la seguridad de la banca en línea. ¿Es segura?

It's protected by two-factor authentication, encryption, and fraud detection. Never share your password or click links in emails claiming to be from the bank.

Gracias. Quiero abrir ambas cuentas.

Good morning. You've applied for a six-hundred-thousand-dollar home loan. Let's go through the details.

Gracias. Es nuestra primera vivienda. Ahorramos el enganche durante cinco años.

How much deposit have you saved? The ratio to the purchase price is important. If it's more than twenty per cent, you won't need lenders mortgage insurance.

Tengo ciento veinte mil. La casa cuesta setecientos cincuenta mil, así que es unos dieciséis por ciento.

At sixteen per cent deposit, you'll need lenders mortgage insurance — LMI. It's usually ten to twenty thousand dollars but can be added to the loan amount.

¿Qué programa gubernamental?

The First Home Buyer Guarantee lets you buy with just five per cent deposit and no LMI. Places are limited and allocated on a first-come basis each financial year.

¿Conviene tasa fija o variable?

A fixed rate gives certainty for one to five years but limits extra repayments. A variable rate changes with the market but offers more flexibility, like an offset account.

¿Cuánto sería la cuota mensual?

For six hundred thousand over thirty years at six point five per cent, monthly repayments are approximately three thousand eight hundred. I'd also recommend building an emergency buffer.

¿Hay buenas posibilidades de aprobación?

Thank you for coming in. You've reported unauthorised transactions on your credit card.

Revisé mi estado de cuenta y encontré cinco transacciones desconocidas. Todas de tiendas online extranjeras, total dos mil trescientos.

We've already frozen the card and will issue a new one. We'll launch an investigation into the unauthorised transactions — a provisional refund is usually made within thirty days.

Treinta días es mucho. ¿Tengo que pagar esos dos mil trescientos mientras tanto?

No, you're not required to pay the disputed amount. No interest will accrue during the investigation either. Just continue making your normal card payments.

Me preocupa cómo robaron mis datos.

Common methods include phishing — fake emails or websites — skimming devices on ATMs or card readers, and data breaches. Have you recently clicked on any suspicious emails or links?

La semana pasada creí que era un correo del banco, hice clic e ingresé mi número de tarjeta.

That was a phishing scam. The bank never asks for your card number by email. Always check the sender's address carefully, and never click links in suspicious emails.

¿Qué más debo hacer para protegerme?

Set up a credit alert so you're notified if anyone opens a new account in your name. You can also check your credit report for free once a year through Equifax.

Lo haré todo. Me da vergüenza haber caído pero aprendí la lección.

Welcome. Let's work through your tax return for this financial year together. Have you brought the necessary documents?

Sí, traje recibos de sueldo, certificados de intereses bancarios y recibos de gastos laborales.

Let's start by confirming your income. Do you have any income besides your main employment — such as a side job or sharing economy income?

Los fines de semana conduzco Uber. También tengo algo de dividendos.

Both need to be declared. For Uber, you can claim deductions for car maintenance, petrol, insurance, and a portion of your mobile phone costs. Have you been keeping a log of your kilometres?

La app tiene el registro. También tengo recibos de seguro.

Excellent. Let's also check the expenses from your main job. Do you work from home? If so, you can claim part of your electricity, internet, and office supplies.

Dos días por semana desde casa. ¿Cómo se calcula?

For working from home there's a fixed-rate method — sixty-seven cents per hour. You only need to record the number of hours worked from home. Over a year it adds up to a considerable deduction.

¿Afecta al pago de HECS?

Yes, once your taxable income exceeds a certain threshold, HECS repayments are triggered. This is calculated on your total income including Uber earnings. At your income level, the repayment rate is around four per cent.

Calcule todo y dígame cuánto me devuelven.

Good morning. You're enquiring about rolling over superannuation from your previous employer. Can I have your account number?

Es 12345678. Cambié de trabajo y ahora tengo dos cuentas. Quiero consolidarlas.

Having multiple super accounts means paying duplicate fees, which eats into your balance. Consolidating is a smart decision. Do you know the fund name and number for the old account?

Sé el nombre de la empresa anterior pero no el del fondo.

You can search for 'lost super' through your myGov account. The ATO keeps records of all super accounts. With your TFN, it will show everything.

¿Hay algo que verificar antes de consolidar?

Yes, a few important things. Check whether the old fund has any insurance attached — consolidating could cancel that insurance. Also compare fees and investment performance to decide which fund to keep.

No sé si tengo seguro. ¿Cómo verifico?

Check the latest annual statement from the old fund, or call them directly. Many funds automatically combine when there's only one employer contributing.

Buena información. Primero verifico y luego consolido.

One more thing — consider your investment options. If you're young, a growth option suits you. If you're closer to retirement, a balanced or conservative option is more appropriate. What option are you currently on?

No sé, nunca lo revisé. Voy a casa, investigo ambos fondos y le contacto.

Welcome. This is a free and confidential service. Can you tell me about your financial situation?

Debo en cuatro tarjetas, dos préstamos personales y compra ahora paga después. Total más de sesenta mil. Ya no puedo pagar ni el mínimo.

First of all, don't panic. There are solutions. Let's organise all your debts and prioritise them. Essentials like rent and utilities come first.

Las llamadas de cobranza llegan todos los días. Me da miedo contestar.

Debt collectors are restricted by law. Threatening behaviour, excessive contact, and contacting your workplace are all illegal. I can negotiate with your creditors on your behalf and set up a payment plan.

Pensé que la única opción era la bancarrota.

Bankruptcy is a last resort. Let's explore other options first — a debt agreement, negotiating reduced payments, or freezing interest. In many cases, creditors will agree to settle for less than the full amount.

¿También se negocia la deuda de compra ahora paga después?

Yes, buy-now-pay-later debts can be negotiated the same way as other debts. Many providers have hardship programs that allow you to pause or reduce payments.

¿Afecta mi puntaje crediticio?

Late payments have already affected your credit score. But sticking to a repayment plan for twelve months will show improvement. We can also negotiate lower interest rates with your creditors.

La próxima semana traigo todos los detalles. Por primera vez siento que puede resolverse.

You'd like to send money overseas. How much and to which country?

Quiero enviar cinco mil a mi familia en Filipinas. Es urgente, necesito que llegue rápido.

There are several options. A bank transfer takes two to three business days and the fee is twenty-two dollars. Services like Western Union deliver within minutes, but the exchange rate margin is larger. Let's compare.

¿Hay cargos ocultos? Antes con otro servicio el monto mostrado y el recibido fueron diferentes.

The exchange rate margin can be a hidden cost. Before sending, always confirm how much the recipient will actually receive after all fees and conversion are applied.

¿El destinatario recibe en cuenta bancaria o en efectivo?

Both are possible. A bank transfer is cheapest and most secure. Cash pickup costs more but is faster — usually available within hours. Which does your family prefer?

¿Hay descuento si envío regularmente?

Setting up regular transfers may qualify for a reduced fee. There's also an option to send automatically when the exchange rate is favourable. I'd recommend setting up a monthly transfer.

Me preocupan las estafas. ¿Cómo envío de forma segura?

Always use licensed remittance providers. Never send money to strangers. Only use banks or authorised transfer services. If an offer seems too good to be true, it's likely a scam.

Gracias. Quiero hacer la transferencia bancaria hoy.