Future study plans (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Future study plans
Introduction
When discussing your future educational and career aspirations in Spanish, you'll need specific vocabulary and grammar structures to express your intentions clearly. This topic covers essential terms related to studying, work, and future plans, along with important grammar rules for forming adverbs.
This lesson combines vocabulary building with a key grammar concept that will help you express yourself more precisely in Spanish. Pay special attention to how adverbs are formed, as this pattern applies to hundreds of Spanish adjectives.
Key vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el trabajo | work |
| el dinero | money |
| la universidad | university |
| la carrera | career, university course |
| el examen | exam |
| el éxito | success |
| el resultado | result |
| la lengua | language |
| al / en el extranjero | abroad |
| la intención | intention |
| aprobar | to pass |
| depender de | to depend on |
| estudiar | to study |
| la formación | training |
| suspender | to fail |
| el título | qualification |
These vocabulary items are essential for discussing future plans in Spanish. Practice using them in sentences about your own educational and career goals. Notice how some words like "la carrera" can mean both "career" and "university course" depending on context.
Grammar focus: Adverbs ending in '-ly'
In English, many adverbs end in '-ly' (such as 'quickly' and 'happily'). Spanish has a similar pattern using the suffix -mente. Here's how to form these adverbs:
Formation rules
Three-Step Formation Process:
- Take an adjective - for example, rápido (quick)
- Make it feminine singular - rápido becomes rápida
- Add -mente - rápida + mente = rápidamente (quickly)
This rule applies to the vast majority of Spanish adjectives and is essential for expressing how actions are performed.
Important exception
Special Case: Adjectives ending in -e or consonants
Adjectives that end in -e or a consonant (like triste - sad, or feliz - happy) don't change when made feminine. The suffix -mente goes straight onto the end:
- triste → tristemente (sadly)
- feliz → felizmente (happily)
This is a common mistake area - remember that these adjectives are already gender-neutral!
Example sentences and structures
The following structures will help you discuss your future plans with confidence and accuracy.
Expressing future intentions
Structure Practice: Future Intentions
Pattern: Si + present tense + future expression
- Si saco las notas necesarias, espero... (If I get the necessary grades, I hope...)
- Si apruebo los exámenes, quiero... (If I pass the exams, I want...)
- Tengo la intención de ir a la universidad (I intend to go to university)
Notice how si + present tense is used to express future conditions, not the future tense itself.
Talking about possibilities
Structure Practice: Expressing Probability
- Con estos resultados, probablemente estudiaré ciencias en la universidad (With these results, I will probably study science at university)
- Hay tantas posibilidades (There are so many possibilities)
- Es increíble, y muchas decisiones para tomar (It's incredible, and many decisions to make)
The adverb probablemente (probably) is formed using the -mente rule from "probable."
Describing study plans
Structure Practice: Dependencies and Requirements
- Dependen de si saco buenas notas (They depend on whether I get good grades)
- Tengo que seguir estudiando varias asignaturas obligatorias (I have to continue studying various compulsory subjects)
Note how depender de (to depend on) is followed by si (if) in conditional sentences.
Translation practice
Test your understanding with these translation exercises, focusing on the key structures you've learned.
Translation Exercise: Spanish to English
- Si saco las notas necesarias, espero continuar con mis estudios.
- Tengo la intención de hacer un curso en ciencias y tecnología.
Translation Exercise: English to Spanish
- If I pass the exams, I want to go to university.
- With these results, I will probably study abroad.
Solutions:
- If I get the necessary grades, I hope to continue with my studies.
- I intend to do a course in science and technology.
- Si apruebo los exámenes, quiero ir a la universidad.
- Con estos resultados, probablemente estudiaré en el extranjero.
Pronunciation tips
Proper pronunciation of adverbs and key vocabulary will make your Spanish sound more natural and confident.
Adverb Pronunciation Rules:
- -mente endings: The stress falls on the original adjective part, not on 'mente'
- rápidamente - stress on 'rá-pi-da-MEN-te'
- tristemente - stress on 'tris-te-MEN-te'
- Remember that universidad has the stress on the final syllable: uni-ver-si-DAD
The key is to maintain the original stress pattern of the adjective when adding -mente.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use si + present tense to talk about conditions for your future plans
- Form adverbs by adding -mente to the feminine form of adjectives
- La intención de + infinitive means "the intention to..."
- Depender de means "to depend on" and is followed by si (if) in conditional sentences
- Practice using probablemente (probably) and espero (I hope) to express future possibilities
- Remember the exception: adjectives ending in -e or consonants don't change before adding -mente