Key Vocabulary Review (AQA A-Level Spanish): Revision Notes
Key Vocabulary Review
This revision note covers essential vocabulary for discussing social movements in the Hispanic world, focusing on three key areas: trade union power, social protests, and the effectiveness of demonstrations. These terms are crucial for expressing complex ideas about collective action, workers' rights, and political activism in Spanish-speaking contexts.
Trade union power
Trade unions (sindicatos) play a significant role in Hispanic political life. Understanding the vocabulary related to union activities, membership, and industrial action is essential for discussing labour movements and workers' rights.
Trade unions in Hispanic countries often have stronger political influence than in many English-speaking countries. They are frequently involved in national politics and social movements, making this vocabulary essential for understanding current affairs and historical events in Spanish-speaking regions.
Core vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la acción directa | direct action |
| la afiliación | membership |
| el/la afiliado/a | member |
| la agrupación | association, group |
| el arraigo | support, base |
| el/la artesano/a | artisan, craftsperson |
| la clandestinidad | hiding, secrecy |
| la conciencia | awareness |
| el/la continuador/a | successor |
| contundente | forceful, convincing |
| convocar a huelga | to call a strike |
| dar marcha atrás (doy) | to take a step back |
| de cuello azul/blanco | blue/white-collar |
Additional union terms
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| dialogar | to negotiate |
| digno | decent, dignified, worthy |
| la emancipación | emancipation |
| equivocarse | to make a mistake |
| la gerencia | management, leadership |
| el gremio | guild |
| hacer frente a (hago) | to face up to |
| la industrialización | industrialisation |
| el/la obrero/a | worker, labourer |
| el pacto | pact |
| paralizarse | to paralyse, come to a halt |
Union actions and structure
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el paro | stoppage, unemployment |
| pasivo | passive |
| la patronal | management |
| la perturbación | disturbance |
| recapacitar | to reconsider |
| el recorte | cut |
| el/la rector/a | vice-chancellor, rector |
| requerir (requiero) | to require |
| robustecerse (me robustezco) | to strengthen |
| el/la simpatizante | sympathiser, supporter |
| el sindicato | trade union |
| tomar asiento | to sit down |
| vincular | to link |
Example Sentences: Trade Union Vocabulary in Context
Present tense:
- Los sindicatos convocan a huelga para protestar contra los recortes. (Trade unions call a strike to protest against the cuts.)
- Los trabajadores requieren condiciones dignas de trabajo. (Workers require decent working conditions.)
Preterite tense:
- El sindicato tomó asiento en la mesa de negociaciones. (The union took a seat at the negotiating table.)
- La gerencia dio marcha atrás después de la manifestación. (Management took a step back after the demonstration.)
Imperfect tense:
- Los obreros se reunían en clandestinidad durante la dictadura. (Workers would meet in secrecy during the dictatorship.)
- La patronal dialogaba con los representantes sindicales. (Management would negotiate with union representatives.)
Social protests in depth
Social protests are a fundamental form of political expression in Hispanic societies. This vocabulary covers the various forms, actions, and contexts of collective protest, including movements like the Madres de Plaza de Mayo in Argentina and modern demonstrations across Latin America and Spain.
Protest vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| anular | to cancel |
| borrar | to erase, delete |
| el botín | pay-off, booty |
| la búsqueda | search |
| callejero | from the street |
| el cuartel | headquarters, station |
| la desaparición | disappearance |
| desfilar | to parade, march |
| disfrazarse | to dress up |
| el/la disidente | dissident |
| esconder | to find |
| el eslogan | slogan |
| exigir (exijo) | to demand |
| incansable | tireless |
The term "la desaparición" (disappearance) has particular significance in Latin American contexts, especially relating to the forced disappearances during military dictatorships in countries like Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay during the 1970s and 1980s.
Protest elements and injustice
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la injusticia | injustice |
| inscrito | enrolled, registered |
| insostenible | unsustainable |
| localizar | to locate |
| el luto | mourning |
| militarizado | militarised |
| la pancarta | placard |
| el pañuelo | handkerchief |
| el piquete | picket |
| privar | to deprive |
| reclamar | to demand, claim |
| el referente | example, model |
| el reinicio | new beginning |
Recognition and support
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la reivindicación | recognition, acceptance |
| respaldar | to support, endorse |
| el respaldo | support, backing |
| restituir (restituyo) | to return, give back |
| saldarse | to result in, settle |
| secuestrar | to kidnap |
| transmitir | to transmit |
| el vuelo de la muerte | death flight |
Historical Context:
- El pañuelo (handkerchief) refers specifically to the white headscarves worn by the Madres de Plaza de Mayo
- El vuelo de la muerte (death flight) is a specific reference to the practice during Argentina's Dirty War where political prisoners were thrown from aircraft into the sea
- These terms carry deep historical and emotional significance in Hispanic contexts
Example Sentences: Social Protest Vocabulary in Context
Present tense:
- Los manifestantes exigen justicia para las víctimas. (Demonstrators demand justice for the victims.)
- Las madres reclaman información sobre los desaparecidos. (Mothers claim information about the disappeared.)
Present perfect:
- El movimiento se ha saldado con cambios significativos. (The movement has resulted in significant changes.)
- Han localizado los restos de las víctimas. (They have located the remains of the victims.)
Subjunctive mood:
- Es importante que el gobierno restituya los derechos. (It's important that the government restores the rights.)
- Exigen que se investigue la desaparición. (They demand that the disappearance be investigated.)
The effectiveness of demonstrations
Understanding how to discuss the outcomes and impact of demonstrations is crucial for analysing social movements. This vocabulary covers various aspects of demonstration effectiveness and results, from peaceful protests to more confrontational actions.
Demonstration types and participation
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la acampada | camp, camping |
| la agrupación | association, group |
| asemejarse | to resemble |
| la austeridad | austerity |
| el bipartidismo | bipartisanship, two-party dominance |
| el bolsillo | |
| con mano dura | heavy-handed |
| contraatacar | to counter-attack |
| el corralito (Argentina) | frozen bank deposit |
| el desahucio | eviction |
| el desalojamiento | eviction |
| desencadenar | to unleash |
| el destrozo | heavy damage |
Regional Terms:
- El corralito is a specific Argentine term referring to the 2001 economic crisis when bank deposits were frozen
- La acampada became particularly significant with movements like Spain's 15-M movement (Indignados) in 2011
- Understanding these regional variations is essential for discussing contemporary Hispanic politics
Outcomes and impact
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| disolverse (me disuelvo) | to come to an end |
| el escaparate | shop window |
| estar rodeado de (estoy) | to be surrounded by |
| la etiqueta | hashtag |
| el/la infiltrado/a | infiltrator |
| los gases lacrimógenos | tear gas |
| incívico | antisocial |
| indignar | to anger, outrage |
| laudable | laudable, praiseworthy |
| el lema | motto |
| la monopolización | monopolisation |
| el movimiento | movement |
Results and reactions
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la repulsa | rejection |
| retirar | to withdraw |
| la pancarta | placard |
| retuitear | to retweet |
| el saqueo | looting |
Example Sentences: Demonstration Effectiveness in Context
Present tense:
- El movimiento se disuelve después de conseguir sus objetivos. (The movement comes to an end after achieving its objectives.)
- Las manifestaciones desencadenan un debate nacional. (Demonstrations unleash a national debate.)
Preterite tense:
- La policía utilizó gases lacrimógenos para dispersar a los manifestantes. (Police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators.)
- El gobierno retiró la propuesta tras las protestas. (The government withdrew the proposal after the protests.)
Future tense:
- Los manifestantes retuitearan el lema de la campaña. (Demonstrators will retweet the campaign motto.)
- La agrupación organizará acampadas en las plazas principales. (The group will organise camps in the main squares.)
Conditional:
- Sería laudable que el gobierno escuchara las demandas. (It would be praiseworthy if the government listened to the demands.)
- Los ciudadanos no tolerarían medidas con mano dura. (Citizens wouldn't tolerate heavy-handed measures.)
Pronunciation tips
Key Pronunciation Guidance:
- Huelga: Pronounce the 'h' silently. It sounds like "WEL-ga"
- Reivindicación: Stress on the final syllable: "ray-veen-dee-ka-SYON"
- Manifestación: Stress on the final syllable: "ma-nee-fes-ta-SYON"
- Sindicato: Stress on the third syllable: "seen-dee-KA-to"
- Lacrimógenos: Stress on the third syllable: "la-kree-MO-he-nos"
Remember that in Spanish, the letter 'h' is always silent, and words ending in -ción always carry the stress on that final syllable.
Common mistakes and tips
Gender Confusion:
- Remember: el sindicato, el paro, el recorte (all masculine)
- But: la huelga, la manifestación, la pancarta (all feminine)
- Tip: Most words ending in -ción are feminine
False Friends:
- "El paro" means unemployment or stoppage, not just "stop"
- "Reclamar" means to demand/claim, not just "reclaim"
- "Exigir" requires the first person singular form "exijo" (not "exigo")
Verb Irregularities:
- Remember: requerir → requiero (stem-changing e→ie)
- robustecerse → me robustezco (first person requires -zco ending)
- disolverse → me disuelvo (stem-changing o→ue, plus reflexive)
Using Prepositions Correctly:
- "Convocar A huelga" (use 'a' before huelga)
- "Hacer frente A" (use 'a' after this expression)
- "Estar rodeado DE" (use 'de' with this phrase)
Contextual Usage:
- "Dar marcha atrás" is idiomatic for backing down, not literal backwards movement
- "De cuello azul/blanco" refers to types of workers (blue-collar/white-collar)
- "El vuelo de la muerte" is a specific historical reference to Argentina's Dirty War
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Trade unions use "acción directa" and can "convocar a huelga" to defend workers' rights
- Social protests involve "manifestaciones", "pancartas" and "eslóganes" to "reclamar" and "reivindicar" rights
- Demonstrations can "desencadenar" change but may face "gases lacrimógenos" or actions "con mano dura"
- Master irregular verbs like "exigir" (exijo), "requerir" (requiero), and reflexive verbs like "disolverse" (me disuelvo)
- Use context-appropriate vocabulary: "el corralito" is specific to Argentina, "el pañuelo" references Madres de Plaza de Mayo
- Many of these terms carry deep historical and cultural significance beyond their literal translations