Key Vocabulary Review (AQA A-Level Spanish): Revision Notes
Key Vocabulary Review
This note covers essential vocabulary for discussing equality of rights in Hispanic society, focusing on women's rights, contemporary women's issues, LGBT+ rights, and ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality.
Women's struggle for equality
Understanding the vocabulary around women's fight for equal rights is fundamental for discussing social progress in Hispanic countries. This section covers terms related to rights, demands, and social movements.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la igualdad | equality |
| la emancipación | emancipation, liberation |
| el derecho | right |
| la libertad | freedom |
| la lucha | fight, struggle |
| el avance | advance, progress |
| exigir | to demand |
| reglamentar/io | obligatory |
| ser testigo de | to witness |
| rechazar | to complain |
| la superioridad | superiority |
| la subordinación | subordination |
| la inferioridad | inferiority |
| el sufragio | suffrage, vote |
| triunfar | to triumph |
The terms la igualdad (equality), el derecho (right), and la libertad (freedom) form the foundation of discussions about women's rights in Hispanic society. These words appear frequently in historical and contemporary texts about social movements.
Example sentences in context:
- Las mujeres luchan por la igualdad de derechos desde hace siglos. (Women have been fighting for equal rights for centuries.)
- La emancipación de la mujer ha sido un proceso largo y difícil. (The emancipation of women has been a long and difficult process.)
- Es importante ser testigo de los avances sociales. (It's important to witness social progress.)
- Las sufragistas exigieron el derecho al voto. (The suffragettes demanded the right to vote.)
Industrial and social terminology
The industrial revolution brought significant changes to women's roles in society. This vocabulary set helps describe the historical context of women's work and social expectations during this transformative period.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la fábrica | factory |
| la burguesía | middle classes |
| la hembra | female |
| la confección | dressmaking |
| coser | to sew |
| criar | to rear, raise (a child) |
| el deber | duty |
| conceder | to give, concede |
| fracasar | to fail |
Example sentences in context:
- En el siglo XIX, muchas mujeres trabajaban en fábricas de confección. (In the 19th century, many women worked in dressmaking factories.)
- Tradicionalmente, criar a los hijos se consideraba un deber femenino. (Traditionally, raising children was considered a female duty.)
Contemporary women's experiences
Modern discussions about women's roles require vocabulary related to work, family life, and social expectations. This section helps you discuss the challenges faced by women today.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| anticuado/a | old-fashioned |
| a tiempo parcial | part-time |
| a tiempo completo | full-time |
| la baja maternal | maternity leave |
| la carrera | career |
| cuidar de | to care for |
| dar a luz a | to give birth to |
| embarazada | pregnant |
| enamorarse de | to fall in love with |
| enfadarse | to get angry |
| equiparar | to equal, compare |
| equitativo/a | equitable, fair |
| el feminismo | feminism |
| el/la jefe/a | boss |
The concept of conciliación (work-life balance) is central to contemporary discussions about women's experiences. Terms like a tiempo parcial (part-time) and la baja maternal (maternity leave) are essential for these conversations.
Example sentences in context:
- Muchas mujeres trabajan a tiempo parcial para cuidar de sus hijos. (Many women work part-time to care for their children.)
- Las mujeres embarazadas tienen derecho a la baja maternal. (Pregnant women have the right to maternity leave.)
- El feminismo lucha por equiparar los derechos de hombres y mujeres. (Feminism fights to equal the rights of men and women.)
- Es anticuado pensar que las mujeres no pueden tener una carrera exitosa. (It's old-fashioned to think that women can't have a successful career.)
Employment and social issues
Understanding workplace discrimination and social challenges requires precise vocabulary. These terms help you discuss systemic issues and barriers to equality that women face in professional settings.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el machismo | male chauvinism |
| matinal | daytime |
| el paro | unemployment |
| el/la partidario/a | supporter |
| el poder | power |
| el puesto | job, post |
| quejarse | to complain |
| el/la sirviente/a | servant |
| subestimar | to underestimate |
| el título | degree |
| unirse | to unite, get together |
| la ventaja | advantage |
Example sentences in context:
- El machismo sigue siendo un problema en muchas sociedades. (Male chauvinism continues to be a problem in many societies.)
- Ella se quejó de la discriminación en su puesto de trabajo. (She complained about discrimination in her job.)
- No debemos subestimar las ventajas de la educación universitaria. (We shouldn't underestimate the advantages of university education.)
LGBT+ rights and terminology
Discussing LGBT+ rights requires specific vocabulary to address issues of identity, discrimination, and social progress. These terms are essential for respectful and informed conversations.
When discussing LGBT+ topics in Spanish, it's crucial to use respectful, contemporary terminology. Terms like la homosexualidad and la bisexualidad should be used in neutral, respectful contexts, avoiding outdated or offensive language that may still appear in older texts.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el/la aliado/a | ally |
| el arcoíris | rainbow |
| el ascenso | rise |
| atraer | to attract |
| la bisexualidad | bisexuality |
| cometer | to commit |
| condenar | to condemn |
| el desfile | parade, march |
| dificultar | to complicate, make difficult |
| el emblema | emblem |
| la homofobia | homophobia |
| la homosexualidad | homosexuality |
| legalizar | to legalise |
| llevar a cabo | to carry out, perform |
Example sentences in context:
- La legalización del matrimonio homosexual fue un gran avance. (The legalisation of same-sex marriage was a great advance.)
- La bandera del arcoíris es el emblema del orgullo gay. (The rainbow flag is the emblem of gay pride.)
- Los aliados apoyan los derechos del colectivo LGBT. (Allies support the rights of the LGBT collective.)
- La homofobia dificulta la vida de muchas personas. (Homophobia makes life difficult for many people.)
Pride and activism
The vocabulary of LGBT+ activism centers on visibility, recognition, and legal protection. Understanding these terms is essential for discussing both historical struggles and contemporary movements.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| maltratar | to mistreat |
| la naturaleza | nature |
| el orgullo gay | gay pride |
| el pecado | sin |
| progresista | progressive |
| promover | to promote |
| la reasignación de sexo | gender reassignment |
| el rechazo | refusal |
| regular | to regulate, standardise |
| salir del armario | to come out of the closet |
| la visibilidad | visibility |
Example sentences in context:
- El desfile del orgullo gay promueve la visibilidad del colectivo. (The gay pride parade promotes the visibility of the collective.)
- Salir del armario puede ser difícil en sociedades conservadoras. (Coming out can be difficult in conservative societies.)
- Las leyes progresistas protegen contra el maltrato por orientación sexual. (Progressive laws protect against mistreatment based on sexual orientation.)
Pronunciation tip: Remember that homosexualidad is pronounced with stress on the penultimate syllable: ho-mo-se-xua-li-DAD.
Improving women's situation: ongoing challenges
Despite progress, significant challenges remain in achieving full gender equality. This vocabulary helps discuss obstacles and solutions that continue to shape the fight for women's rights.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| acceder a | to have access to |
| el ámbito | area |
| el asesinato | murder |
| el camino | way |
| conciliar | to reconcile, find a balance between |
| convivir | to live together, cohabit |
| dependiente de | dependent on |
| destacar | to emphasise |
| discriminar | to discriminate |
| la disparidad | disparity |
| en pro de | in favour of |
| la excedencia | (unpaid) leave |
| el lema | motto, slogan |
The verb conciliar is particularly important in modern discussions about gender equality. It refers to finding a balance between competing demands, especially work-life balance (conciliar la vida laboral y familiar).
Example sentences in context:
- Es difícil conciliar la vida laboral y familiar. (It's difficult to find a balance between work and family life.)
- Las mujeres todavía no tienen acceso igualitario a puestos de poder. (Women still don't have equal access to positions of power.)
- Hay que destacar la disparidad salarial entre hombres y mujeres. (We must emphasise the wage disparity between men and women.)
- Muchas organizaciones trabajan en pro de la igualdad de género. (Many organisations work in favour of gender equality.)
Violence and social progress
This section addresses serious issues requiring sensitive and precise language. Understanding these terms is crucial for discussing gender violence and the ongoing work toward safety and equality.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la lucha | fight |
| el maltrato | abuse, mistreatment |
| manifestar | to reveal, express, demonstrate |
| la mejora | improvement, progress |
| la paliza | beating |
| la paz | peace |
| psíquico/a | psychological, mental |
| el rechazo | rejection |
| recopilar | to gather |
| la reivindicación | recognition, acceptance |
| el reto | challenge |
| la violencia de género | gender violence |
La violencia de género (gender violence) is a critical social issue in Hispanic countries. This term specifically refers to violence directed at women because of their gender, and discussions about it require respectful, serious language.
Example sentences in context:
- La violencia de género es un grave problema social. (Gender violence is a serious social problem.)
- El maltrato psíquico puede ser tan dañino como el físico. (Psychological abuse can be as harmful as physical abuse.)
- La reivindicación de los derechos de la mujer es un proceso continuo. (The recognition of women's rights is an ongoing process.)
- Debemos manifestar nuestro rechazo a toda forma de violencia. (We must express our rejection of all forms of violence.)
Pronunciation tip: Violencia has the stress on the second syllable: vio-LEN-cia. The 'c' before 'i' is pronounced like 'th' in Spain or 's' in Latin America.
Common mistakes and tips
Gender agreement errors:
Watch out for these common mistakes with noun gender:
- ❌ La problema social
- El problema social (problema is masculine despite ending in -a)
- ❌ El igualdad
- La igualdad (most words ending in -dad are feminine)
False friends:
These words look similar to English but have different meanings:
- Embarazada means "pregnant", NOT "embarrassed" (which is avergonzado/a)
- Exigir means "to demand", not "to exist" (which is existir)
- Convivir means "to live together", not "to convince" (which is convencer)
Verb usage:
Pay attention to prepositions that follow these verbs:
- Use luchar POR (fight for): Luchan por la igualdad (They fight for equality)
- Use ser testigo DE (witness): Fue testigo de grandes cambios (He/she witnessed great changes)
- Use acceder A (access): Acceder a mejores oportunidades (To access better opportunities)
Key expressions to remember:
- Salir del armario = to come out (literally: to leave the closet)
- Llevar a cabo = to carry out (not "to carry to the tail"!)
- En pro de = in favour of (formal expression)
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
-
Rights vocabulary: Master key terms like la igualdad, el derecho, la libertad, and la emancipación - these are fundamental for any discussion about equality
-
Contemporary issues: Be able to discuss modern challenges using terms like conciliar, la disparidad, and la violencia de género
-
LGBT+ terminology: Know respectful terms like la homosexualidad, la bisexualidad, el orgullo gay, and salir del armario
-
Gender agreement: Remember that most words ending in -dad are feminine, and watch out for exceptions like el problema
-
Context matters: Use formal register when discussing serious topics like la violencia de género or el asesinato, and understand cultural sensitivities around these subjects in Hispanic societies