Key Vocabulary Review (AQA A-Level Spanish): Revision Notes
Key Vocabulary Review
This vocabulary collection covers essential political terminology for discussing monarchies and dictatorships in the Hispanic world. The terms are organised into three key areas: Francoism in Spain, the evolution of the Spanish monarchy, and Latin American dictatorships. Understanding these words will help you discuss historical events, political systems, and human rights issues with confidence.
When learning political vocabulary, always learn the gender of each noun alongside the word itself. Political terms can be tricky as they don't follow obvious patterns, and using the wrong article (el/la) will immediately signal uncertainty in your Spanish.
Francoism in Spain - core political terms
These words help you discuss Franco's dictatorship (1939-1975) and authoritarian government structures. This vocabulary is essential for understanding Spain's 20th-century history and the transition to democracy.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| la dictadura | dictatorship | feminine noun |
| el franquismo | Francoism | Franco's political ideology |
| el Estado | the state | always capitalised |
| el régimen | regime | used for government systems |
| la represión | repression | state control/suppression |
| el/la esclavo/a | slave | changes by gender |
| el/la preso/a | prisoner | political prisoner context |
| la ideología | ideology | political beliefs system |
| autoritario/a | authoritarian | adjective, changes by gender |
| despiadado/a | ruthless, merciless | describes harsh rule |
| la posguerra | the post-war era | specific to Spanish Civil War |
| el vestigio | trace, remain | evidence left behind |
| subsiguiente | subsequent | following events |
| los víveres | supplies, provisions | plural, for survival needs |
| la afiliación | affiliation | party membership |
Example Sentences in Context:
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Durante el franquismo, la represión política fue brutal y sistemática. (During Francoism, political repression was brutal and systematic.)
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El Estado controlaba todos los aspectos de la vida española bajo la dictadura. (The state controlled all aspects of Spanish life under the dictatorship.)
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En la posguerra, muchos presos políticos fueron ejecutados sin juicio. (In the post-war era, many political prisoners were executed without trial.)
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Los vestigios del régimen autoritario todavía se pueden ver en algunas instituciones. (The traces of the authoritarian regime can still be seen in some institutions.)
Francoism - actions and processes
These verbs and terms describe what dictatorships do and how they maintain power. Many of these verbs are irregular in the first person, so pay special attention to the conjugations.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| derrocar | to overthrow | removing a government |
| fusilar | to execute, shoot | death by firing squad |
| el fusilamiento | execution | noun form |
| ejercer (ejerzo) | to exert | irregular first person |
| imponer (impongo) | to impose | irregular first person |
| perseguir (persigo) | to persecute | stem-changing verb |
| recluir (recluyo) | to imprison | irregular first person |
| aniquilar | to annihilate, wipe out | complete destruction |
| colaborar | to collaborate | working with regime |
| prosperar | to prosper | economic growth |
| el enriquecimiento | enrichment, prosperity | wealth accumulation |
| acaparar | to monopolise | controlling resources |
| excavar | to dig up | uncovering mass graves |
| involucrar | to involve | bringing people in |
| la defunción | death, passing | formal/legal term |
The verbs ejercer, imponer, perseguir, and recluir all have irregular first-person forms. These are frequently tested in exams, so make sure you can conjugate them correctly: ejerzo, impongo, persigo, recluyo.
Example Sentences in Context:
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Los militares intentaron derrocar al gobierno democrático en 1981. (The military tried to overthrow the democratic government in 1981.)
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Franco ejerció un poder absoluto durante casi cuarenta años. (Franco exerted absolute power for almost forty years.)
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El régimen persiguió a los disidentes políticos sin piedad. (The regime persecuted political dissidents without mercy.)
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Muchos colaboraron con la dictadura por miedo o por beneficio personal. (Many collaborated with the dictatorship out of fear or personal benefit.)
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Están excavando fosas comunes para identificar a las víctimas del franquismo. (They are digging up mass graves to identify the victims of Francoism.)
Francoism and monarchy - leadership terms
These words relate to heads of state, governance, and royal succession. Understanding these terms is crucial for discussing both dictatorial and monarchical systems of government.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| el/la jefe/a de Estado | head of state | leader of country |
| el/la mandatario/a | president, head of state | Latin America usage |
| el/la monarca | monarch | king or queen |
| el reinado | reign | period of rule |
| el trono | throne | symbol of monarchy |
| el golpe de Estado | coup d'état | military takeover |
| la proclamación | proclamation | official announcement |
| la figura | figure | important person |
| tutelar | to mentor, be guardian of | protecting role |
| restaurar | to restore | bringing back monarchy |
| renunciar | to renounce, give up | abdication context |
| recuperar | to win back | regaining power |
| la malversación | embezzlement | stealing public funds |
| plebeyo/a | commoner | non-royal person |
| la plantilla | staff, workforce | government employees |
Example Sentences in Context:
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Juan Carlos I renunció al trono en 2014 después de varios escándalos. (Juan Carlos I renounced the throne in 2014 after several scandals.)
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El golpe de Estado de 1936 comenzó la Guerra Civil española. (The coup d'état of 1936 began the Spanish Civil War.)
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Franco designó a Juan Carlos como su sucesor para restaurar la monarquía. (Franco designated Juan Carlos as his successor to restore the monarchy.)
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Durante su reinado, Felipe VI ha intentado modernizar la imagen de la monarquía. (During his reign, Felipe VI has tried to modernise the image of the monarchy.)
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La proclamación de la Segunda República ocurrió en 1931. (The proclamation of the Second Republic occurred in 1931.)
Spanish monarchy - political processes
These terms help discuss constitutional monarchy, scandals, and political change. This vocabulary is particularly relevant for discussing contemporary Spanish politics and the challenges facing the modern monarchy.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| abdicar | to abdicate | giving up throne |
| el destierro | exile | forced removal |
| desterrar | to exile | verb form |
| el asalto | assault | attack on institutions |
| el escándalo | scandal | public controversy |
| el fraude | fraud | financial crimes |
| el blanqueo | (money) laundering | hiding illegal money |
| dinástico/a | dynastic | relating to royal family |
| culminar | to end, culminate | reaching a conclusion |
| el encarcelamiento | imprisonment | being jailed |
| el detonante | trigger | event causing change |
| equivocarse | to make an error | reflexive verb |
| la caza | hunt | can mean witch hunt |
| simbólico/a | symbolic | representing ideas |
| la paréntesis | pause, hiatus | break in events |
Example Sentences in Context:
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El rey abdicó en favor de su hijo para renovar la monarquía. (The king abdicated in favour of his son to renew the monarchy.)
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Los escándalos de corrupción culminaron en la abdicación de Juan Carlos. (The corruption scandals culminated in Juan Carlos's abdication.)
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El blanqueo de dinero fue el detonante de la crisis monárquica. (Money laundering was the trigger for the monarchical crisis.)
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Alfonso XIII fue desterrado tras la proclamación de la República. (Alfonso XIII was exiled after the proclamation of the Republic.)
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El papel del rey es principalmente simbólico en la España democrática. (The role of the king is mainly symbolic in democratic Spain.)
Latin American dictatorships - regime characteristics
These words describe military dictatorships and their methods of control. This vocabulary is essential for discussing the military juntas that ruled much of Latin America during the 1970s and 1980s.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| la junta militar | military junta | military government |
| el aislamiento | isolation | cutting off from world |
| la disolución | dissolution | breaking up |
| la clausura | closure | shutting down |
| la ascensión | rise | coming to power |
| el foco | centre, pocket (of resistance) | focal point |
| consolidar | to consolidate | strengthening power |
| convocar | to convene, bring together | calling meetings |
| conllevar | to entail, imply | involving consequences |
| asumir | to take on, accept | taking power |
| álgido/a | decisive | critical moment |
| afín | close to, related to | similar ideology |
| analfabeto/a | illiterate | cannot read/write |
| la ficha | details | records on people |
| el salvoconducto | letter of safe passage | protection document |
Example Sentences in Context:
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La junta militar asumió el poder tras el golpe de 1973 en Chile. (The military junta took power after the 1973 coup in Chile.)
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El régimen impuso un aislamiento internacional que duró décadas. (The regime imposed international isolation that lasted decades.)
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La consolidación del poder conllevó la supresión de todos los partidos políticos. (The consolidation of power entailed the suppression of all political parties.)
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El momento álgido de la represión fue entre 1976 y 1978. (The decisive moment of repression was between 1976 and 1978.)
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Necesitaban un salvoconducto para viajar dentro del país. (They needed a letter of safe passage to travel within the country.)
Latin American dictatorships - repression and violence
These terms relate to human rights violations and state terror. This is some of the most sensitive vocabulary in the unit, referring to serious human rights abuses that occurred during military dictatorships.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| los desaparecidos | the disappeared, missing | victims of state terror |
| el bombardeo | bombing, bombardment | military attack |
| la Fuerza Aérea | Air Force | military branch |
| la Marina | Navy | naval forces |
| ejecutar | to execute | killing prisoners |
| el aniquilamiento | annihilation | complete destruction |
| la violación | violation | of rights/laws |
| la supresión | suppression | crushing opposition |
| la renuncia | resignation | stepping down |
| el receso | break, pause | temporary halt |
| el/la partidario/a | supporter | follower of regime |
| maquillar | to massage (e.g. the figures) | falsifying data |
| el financiamiento | financing | funding operations |
| el libre mercado | the free market | economic model |
| la anulación | cancellation | making void |
The term los desaparecidos has a specific historical meaning. It refers to victims of state terror in Latin American dictatorships who were kidnapped, detained, and often killed by state forces, with their bodies hidden to avoid accountability. This term is particularly associated with Argentina's military dictatorship (1976-1983).
Example Sentences in Context:
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Los desaparecidos fueron víctimas del terrorismo de Estado durante las dictaduras. (The disappeared were victims of state terrorism during the dictatorships.)
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La Fuerza Aérea participó en el bombardeo del Palacio de La Moneda en 1973. (The Air Force participated in the bombing of La Moneda Palace in 1973.)
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El régimen ejecutó a miles de opositores políticos sin juicio previo. (The regime executed thousands of political opponents without prior trial.)
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Los partidarios de Pinochet justificaban la represión como necesaria. (Pinochet's supporters justified the repression as necessary.)
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El gobierno maquilló las cifras de desaparecidos para ocultar la verdad. (The government massaged the figures of the disappeared to hide the truth.)
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La dictadura promovió el libre mercado mientras suprimía las libertades políticas. (The dictatorship promoted the free market whilst suppressing political freedoms.)
Pronunciation tips
Proper pronunciation is essential for oral exams and speaking assessments. These are some of the trickiest words in this vocabulary set.
Stress and accents:
- Régimen - stress on the first syllable (RÉ-hi-men). The written accent is essential and changes the meaning if omitted.
- Ideología - stress on the final 'i' (i-de-o-lo-HÍ-a), following the diphthong pattern.
- Álgido - stress on the first syllable (ÁL-hi-do), another essential written accent.
Without the written accent, these words would follow different stress patterns and sound completely wrong. Always include accents when writing, and practise stressing the correct syllable when speaking.
Tricky consonants:
- Ejecutar - the 'j' is pronounced like the 'h' in 'hello' but stronger, from the back of the throat (e-he-cu-TAR).
- Junta - same 'j' sound (HUN-ta).
- Golpe - in Spain, the 'g' before 'o' is hard like in 'go', but softer in Latin America.
Silent letters:
- Aniquilar - the 'u' in 'qui' is silent (a-ni-ki-LAR), not (a-ni-kwi-LAR).
- Blanqueo - here the 'u' IS pronounced (blan-KE-o), making the 'qu' sound like 'k'.
Common sound confusions:
- Renuncia vs renunciar - both have the soft 'c' sound before 'i' (like 'th' in Spain, 's' in Latin America).
Common mistakes and tips
Gender Confusion
Many students mix up the gender of political terms. Remember these patterns:
Masculine terms:
- El Estado, el régimen, el trono
Feminine terms:
- La dictadura, la represión, la junta
Key rule: Words ending in -ción are always feminine: la represión, la proclamación, la violación
Using the wrong gender is one of the most common errors in essays and can significantly impact your accuracy grade.
Verb Irregularities
Be careful with stem-changing and irregular verbs:
- ❌ "Yo ejerzo poder" should include the article → "Yo ejerzo el poder"
- ❌ "perseguo" → "persigo" (irregular first person)
- Remember: ejercer → ejerzo, imponer → impongo, perseguir → persigo, recluir → recluyo
These irregular forms appear frequently in political contexts, so they're essential to master.
False Friends
- Ejecutar does NOT mean 'to execute' in the business sense (that's 'realizar' or 'llevar a cabo'). It specifically means to kill/execute in political contexts.
- Recluir and recluso both relate to imprisonment, but recluso is the noun (prisoner), whilst recluir is the verb (to imprison).
Fixed Expressions
Golpe de Estado:
- ❌ "un golpe del Estado" → "un golpe de Estado" (always 'de', never 'del')
- Always capitalise 'Estado' in this phrase
This is a fixed expression that cannot be altered. Treat it as a single unit of vocabulary.
Preposition Problems
- Renunciar a (to renounce something) - don't forget the 'a'
- ❌ "Renunció el trono" → "Renunció al trono"
- Afín a (related to) - also needs 'a'
- "partidos afines al régimen" (parties related to the regime)
Spanish verbs often require specific prepositions that don't translate directly from English. Learn these as complete phrases.
Plural Confusion
- Los desaparecidos - already plural, don't add another 's'
- Los víveres - always plural in this context
Some words are only used in plural form or already indicate plurality.
Key Points to Remember:
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Political vocabulary requires gender accuracy - El Estado, la dictadura, el régimen, la represión. These are not interchangeable, so learn the gender with each word. Using the wrong article immediately signals uncertainty in your Spanish.
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Many key verbs are irregular - ejercer (ejerzo), imponer (impongo), perseguir (persigo), recluir (recluyo). Practise the first person forms as they appear frequently in essays and are commonly tested.
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Context matters for meaning - 'ejecutar' means to execute/kill in political contexts, not to carry out business tasks. Similarly, 'fusilar' specifically means execution by firing squad, not just any killing.
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Historical terms need precision - 'Los desaparecidos' has a specific historical meaning referring to victims of state terror in Latin American dictatorships, particularly Argentina. 'La posguerra' specifically refers to the post-Spanish Civil War period, not just any post-war era.
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Essential phrases must be memorised whole - 'El golpe de Estado' (coup d'état), 'la junta militar' (military junta), 'el jefe de Estado' (head of state). These fixed expressions cannot be altered or translated word-for-word - they function as single vocabulary units.