Key Vocabulary Review (AQA A-Level Spanish): Revision Notes
Key Vocabulary Review
This revision note covers essential vocabulary for discussing coexistence and integration in Hispanic society, divided into three key contexts: medieval Spain, school integration, and modern Spanish society. These terms are crucial for A-Level Spanish students studying multiculturalism and will help you discuss historical and contemporary issues with precision.
Medieval Spain vocabulary (9.1)
Medieval Spain was a unique period of coexistence between different cultures, particularly Christians, Muslims, and Jews. This section provides vocabulary to discuss this fascinating historical period.
La Edad Media (The Middle Ages) in Spain is known for its distinctive period of cultural exchange and coexistence, where the three major religious groups contributed to a flourishing of art, science, and culture. Understanding this vocabulary helps you discuss this complex historical period with precision.
Cultural and religious life
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la acuñación | coining, minting |
| adornado/a | decorated, adorned |
| aportar | to bring, contribute |
| el aspecto | look, appearance |
| el colectivo | group |
| la Edad Media | the Middle Ages |
| embellecer (embellezco) | to decorate, embellish |
| enriquecer (enriquezco) | to enrich |
| la escritura | writing |
| la especialidad | speciality |
| la fabricación | manufacture |
People and society
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el hebreo | Hebrew |
| la judería | Jewish quarter |
| el/la musulmán/ana | Muslim |
| el paño | cloth |
| la pieza | piece, part |
| el/la poblador/a | settler |
| próspero/a | prosperous |
| el reinado | reign |
| el reino | kingdom |
| el/la sabio/a | wise person, sage |
Additional key terms
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| derrotar | to defeat |
| desfavorable | unfavourable |
| el inicio | start |
| mantenerse en pie (mantengo) | to be still standing |
| la seda | silk |
| la sinagoga | synagogue |
| suponer (supongo) | to mean, suppose |
| la urbe | metropolis, city |
| valioso/a | valuable |
| visigodo/a | Visigothic |
Example sentences in context:
- Durante la Edad Media, las tres culturas aportaron mucho a la sociedad española. (During the Middle Ages, the three cultures contributed much to Spanish society.)
- La judería de Toledo era un barrio próspero donde vivían muchos sabios. (The Jewish quarter of Toledo was a prosperous neighbourhood where many wise people lived.)
- Los musulmanes enriquecieron la cultura española con nuevas especialidades en la fabricación de seda. (Muslims enriched Spanish culture with new specialities in silk manufacture.)
- Las sinagogas que se mantienen en pie hoy día tienen un aspecto muy adornado. (The synagogues that are still standing today have a very decorated appearance.)
School integration vocabulary (9.2)
Schools are key environments where integration happens in modern society. This vocabulary helps you discuss educational approaches to welcoming and integrating students from diverse backgrounds.
Welcoming and openness
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| abrirse | to open up |
| acogedor/a | welcoming |
| acoger (acojo) | to welcome |
| afín | related, close |
| el alumnado | student body |
| apoyar | to support |
| el apoyo | support |
| la arepa | corn/tortilla cake |
| compartir | to share |
Organisation and representation
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la asociación de padres | parents' association |
| el comportamiento | behaviour |
| dar gracias a (doy) | to thank |
| defenderse (me defiendo) | to defend oneself |
| el/la delegado/a | representative, delegate |
| los/las demás | the others |
Example sentences in context:
- El alumnado debe abrirse a estudiantes de diferentes culturas. (The student body should open up to students from different cultures.)
- La asociación de padres apoya a las familias inmigrantes. (The parents' association supports immigrant families.)
- Es importante compartir experiencias con los demás. (It's important to share experiences with others.)
- Los delegados representan las necesidades del alumnado. (The representatives represent the needs of the student body.)
- El comportamiento acogedor de los profesores ayuda mucho. (The welcoming behaviour of teachers helps a lot.)
Discipline and behaviour management
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| castigar | to punish |
Pronunciation tip: Remember that 'g' before 'a' is pronounced like the 'g' in "go" - castigar is pronounced "cas-tee-GAR".
Modern Spain vocabulary (9.3)
Contemporary Spanish society faces ongoing challenges and opportunities related to immigration and multiculturalism. This vocabulary enables discussion of current social issues, from settlement patterns to cultural integration and the experiences of different immigrant communities.
Immigration and settlement
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| aislado/a | isolated |
| el alojamiento | accommodation |
| la aportación | contribution, support |
| el asentamiento | settlement, settling |
| asimilar | to assimilate |
| aspirar a | to aspire to |
| atravesar (atravieso) | to cross |
| el/la autóctono/a | native |
| foráneo/a | foreign |
| garantizar | to guarantee |
| idoneo/a | suitable |
Social structure and challenges
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la autonomía | autonomy |
| la capa social | social stratum |
| la chabola | shack |
| el choque cultural | culture shock |
| desconfiar (desconfío) | to mistrust |
| derivar | to derive, originate |
| encantado/a | delighted |
| enfocar | to focus on |
| enriquecedor/a | enriching |
| escolarizar | to educate |
| esforzarse (me esfuerzo) | to make an effort |
| estigmatizar | to stigmatise |
Integration and diversity
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el fracaso | failure |
| independizarse | to become independent |
| inscribirse | to enrol, enlist |
| la integración | integration |
| integrarse | to fit in, integrate |
| interrelacionarse | to interrelate, mix |
| involucrar | to involve |
| la infravivienda | sub-standard housing |
| injustificable | unjustifiable |
| el logro | success |
| la multiculturalidad | multiculturalism |
Cultural identity terms
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| marroquí | Moroccan |
| mudarse de casa | to move house |
| el/la nativo/a | native |
| el pañuelo | headscarf |
| el paisaje | landscape |
| parecer (parezco) | to seem |
| polaco/a | Polish |
| persistir | to persist |
| presentar | to introduce |
| relacionarse | to relate |
| relegado/a | relegated |
| la reunión | meeting |
| robar | to steal |
| rumano/a | Romanian |
| el sacrificio | sacrifice |
| segregado/a | segregated |
| traducir (traduzco) | to translate |
Example sentences in context:
- Muchos inmigrantes se esfuerzan por integrarse en la sociedad española. (Many immigrants make an effort to integrate into Spanish society.)
- El alojamiento en infraviviendas es injustificable en un país desarrollado. (Accommodation in sub-standard housing is unjustifiable in a developed country.)
- La multiculturalidad puede enriquecer las capas sociales. (Multiculturalism can enrich social strata.)
- Los trabajadores marroquíes aportan mucho a la economía española. (Moroccan workers contribute much to the Spanish economy.)
- Es importante evitar el choque cultural cuando los estudiantes se inscriben en nuevas escuelas. (It's important to avoid culture shock when students enrol in new schools.)
- Algunas comunidades autóctonas desconfían de los recién llegados. (Some native communities mistrust newcomers.)
- El éxito de la integración deriva de los esfuerzos de ambos grupos. (The success of integration derives from the efforts of both groups.)
Pronunciation tips:
- Esforzarse - The 'z' is pronounced like 'th' in "think" (in Castilian Spanish): "es-for-THAR-se"
- Choque - The 'ch' is pronounced like in English "church": "CHO-ke"
- Enriquecer - Stress on the final syllable: "en-ree-ke-THER" (Castilian)
Common mistakes and tips
Verb irregularities: Many verbs in these lists have irregular first-person forms:
- Embellecer → embellezco (not embelleco)
- Enriquecer → enriquezco (not enriqueco)
- Acoger → acojo (not acogo)
- Parecer → parezco (not pareco)
- Traducir → traduzco (not traducco)
Gender agreements: Remember that adjectives must agree with nouns:
- Un estudiante aislado but una familia aislada
- El choque cultural but la integración cultural
False friends:
- Aportar means "to contribute" not "to support" (which is apoyar)
- El alojamiento means "accommodation" not "lodging" in the old-fashioned sense
- Segregado means "segregated" not "separated" (which is separado)
Ser vs estar with adjectives:
- Estar aislado/a (to be isolated - temporary state)
- Ser acogedor/a (to be welcoming - permanent characteristic)
Preposition usage:
- Inscribirse en (to enrol in) - don't forget the 'en'
- Aspirar a (to aspire to) - always followed by 'a'
- Dar gracias a (to thank) - requires 'a' before the person
Key Points to Remember:
-
Medieval vocabulary focuses on the coexistence of three cultures: Christians, Muslims, and Jews. Key terms include la Edad Media, la judería, musulmán/ana, and enriquecer.
-
School integration terms emphasise welcoming and support: acogedor, abrirse, el alumnado, compartir, and la asociación de padres.
-
Modern Spain vocabulary deals with contemporary challenges: la integración, el choque cultural, la multiculturalidad, esforzarse, and el asentamiento.
-
Many verbs in this topic have irregular first-person forms (-zco, -go, -jo endings) - learn these carefully.
-
Pay attention to gender agreement with adjectives and nationalities (marroquí, polaco/a, rumano/a).