School subjects - likes and dislikes (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
School subjects - likes and dislikes
Key vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Cuál(es)? | which (ones)? |
| ¿por qué? | why? |
| aburrido/a | boring |
| difícil | difficult |
| divertido/a | fun, enjoyable |
| duro/a | hard |
| me encanta(n) | I love |
| fácil | easy |
| favorito/a | favourite |
| importante | important |
| imposible | impossible |
| interesante | interesting |
| más | more |
| menos | less |
| odiar | to hate |
| práctico/a | practical |
| útil | useful |
| aprobar | to pass |
| pesado/a | heavy, boring, annoying |
| suspender | to fail |
These adjectives will help you express detailed opinions about your school subjects. Remember that Spanish adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe.
Asking about favourite subjects
The main question you'll encounter when discussing school subjects is ¿Cuál es tu asignatura favorita? (What is your favourite subject?). This question allows you to express your preferences and opinions about different school subjects.
When responding, you can use various adjectives to describe how you feel about each subject. Remember that adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe.
Gender Agreement Reminder:
- Masculine subjects: El inglés es fácil
- Feminine subjects: Las matemáticas son fáciles
- Always check if the subject name is masculine or feminine before choosing your adjective ending!
Grammar focus: Using -ísimo
To express that something is extremely or really intense, you can add -ísimo to the end of adjectives. This creates what's called a superlative form, making your opinion much stronger.
How to form -ísimo:
- Take the adjective (remove the final vowel if it has one)
- Add -ísimo (masculine singular), -ísima (feminine singular), -ísimos (masculine plural), or -ísimas (feminine plural)
- The ending must agree with the noun it describes
Worked Example: Forming Superlatives
Base adjective: difícil (difficult)
- Remove final vowel: difícil (no vowel to remove)
- Add -ísimo ending: difícil + ísimo = dificilísimo
In sentences:
- Las matemáticas son dificilísimas (Maths is really hard)
- El inglés es facilísimo (English is really easy)
Usage Tip: Use -ísimo sparingly in conversation, as it can sound overly dramatic if used too frequently. It's like saying "super" or "really really" in English - effective but best used for emphasis!
Useful phrases for expressing preferences
Here are some essential phrases to help you discuss your school subjects:
Spanish phrases:
- La asignatura que me gusta más / menos es... (The subject I like most / least is...)
- Saco buenas / malas notas en... (I get good / bad marks in...)
- Mi mejor / peor asignatura es... (My best / worst subject is...)
English equivalents:
- The subject I like best / least is...
- I get good / bad marks in...
- My best / worst subject is...
These phrases are perfect for extending your answers beyond simple "me gusta" responses. They show more sophisticated language use and help you express nuanced opinions about your academic experience.
Example conversation
Here's a practical example of how these phrases work in context:
Sample Response: Discussing School Subjects
Spanish: "Me encanta el dibujo, es mi asignatura favorita y es muy divertida. Saco buenas notas en educación física y las clases me ayudan a estar en forma. También voy bien en inglés y creo que es una asignatura muy útil."
English: "I love art, it's my favourite subject and it's very fun. I get good marks in physical education and the classes help me stay fit. I also do well in English and I think it's a very useful subject."
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Important distinction:
Be careful with educación física - this means Physical Education (PE), not Physics. In Spanish, Physics is física on its own.
Common Mistake Alert: Many students confuse educación física (PE) with física (Physics). Remember:
- Educación física = Physical Education/PE
- Física = Physics (the science subject)
Pronunciation reminder:
- The -ísimo ending is pronounced "EE-see-mo"
- Remember to stress the correct syllable in longer words
- Asignatura is pronounced "ah-sig-nah-TOO-rah"
Translation practice
Test your understanding with these translation exercises:
Translation Practice
Translate from Spanish to English:
- Las matemáticas son facilísimas pero la historia es aburridísima.
- Mi asignatura favorita es el inglés porque es muy útil.
Translate from English to Spanish:
- I hate technology because I find it really difficult.
- My best subject is science and I get good marks.
Answers:
- Maths is really easy but history is really boring.
- My favourite subject is English because it's very useful.
- Odio la tecnología porque me parece dificilísima.
- Mi mejor asignatura son las ciencias y saco buenas notas.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use ¿Cuál es tu asignatura favorita? to ask about someone's favourite subject
- Add -ísimo/a to adjectives to make them really strong, but don't overuse it
- Educación física means PE, not Physics
- Adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the subject they describe
- Practice using phrases like me gusta más/menos and saco buenas/malas notas to express your opinions clearly