Working to help others (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Working to help others
This topic focuses on vocabulary and expressions related to helping others in your community, whether through voluntary work, caring for people, or working in helping professions. You'll learn key vocabulary for describing people who need help, places where help is provided, and how to express ongoing actions using the important grammar structure with llevar.
Key vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la gente | people |
| pobre | poor |
| enfermo/a | ill, unwell |
| mayor | older, elderly |
| los/las niños/as | children |
| la calle | street |
| el/la vecino/a | neighbour |
| el cuidado | care |
| el hospital | hospital |
| ayudar | to help |
| cuidar | to look after |
| descansar | to rest |
| ganar experiencia | to gain experience |
| necesitar | to need |
| trabajar | to work |
| los/las ancianos/as | the elderly |
| el banco de alimentos | food bank |
| el hogar | home |
| pasear | to walk |
When learning this vocabulary, focus on grouping words by theme: people who need help (pobre, enfermo/a, mayor, ancianos/as), places where help is given (hospital, hogar, banco de alimentos), and helping actions (ayudar, cuidar, trabajar).
Grammar focus: expressing ongoing actions with llevar
When you want to say how long you have been doing something (equivalent to "I have been working for..." in English), Spanish uses the structure llevar + time period + present participle.
Structure: Subject + llevar (present tense) + time period + present participle
Worked Example: Using the llevar structure
To say "I have been working here for two weeks":
- Subject: Yo (often omitted)
- llevar conjugated: llevo
- Time period: dos semanas
- Present participle: trabajando
- Complete sentence: Llevo dos semanas trabajando aquí.
Example sentences
- Llevo dos semanas trabajando aquí. = I have been working here for two weeks.
- Lleva tres días ayudando en la cocina. = He/She has been helping in the kitchen for three days.
- Lleva seis meses cuidando a su abuela. = He/She has been looking after her grandmother for six months.
- Llevo tres meses trabajando en el banco de alimentos. = I've been working at the food bank for three months.
Remember that llevar changes according to who is doing the action:
- Llevo (I have been...)
- Llevas (You have been...)
- Lleva (He/She has been...)
Alternative structure: desde hace
Another way to express the same idea is using desde hace, which also means "for" when talking about time periods. This structure works similarly to express ongoing actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
Pronunciation tips
Key Pronunciation Guidelines
- llevar: The double 'l' is pronounced like 'y' in most Spanish-speaking countries
- trabajar: Stress falls on the final syllable (-jar)
- ancianos: Remember the stress pattern: an-CIA-nos
- cuidar: Pronounced 'kwee-DAR' with stress on the final syllable
Study strategies for vocabulary learning
Building your vocabulary is essential for expressing yourself confidently about helping others. Here are effective techniques to help you memorise these new words:
- Learn systematically: Focus on about 20 words at a time rather than trying to learn everything at once
- Active recall: Read the Spanish words, cover the English translation, and test yourself regularly
- Audio practice: Record yourself saying the English words, then play them back and respond with the Spanish
- Reverse testing: Practice both Spanish to English and English to Spanish translations
- Regular review: Revisit words you've already learnt to keep them fresh in your memory
Common Study Mistake to Avoid
Many students try to memorise vocabulary lists by reading through them repeatedly. This is much less effective than active testing. Always cover one column and try to recall the translation before checking your answer.
Translation practice
The following exercises will help you practice both the vocabulary and grammar structures you've learned. Try to complete them before checking the answers.
Translation Practice: Spanish to English
- Trabajo como voluntario en un hospital para ganar experiencia médica.
- Llevo un año ayudando a los ancianos en el hogar de cuidados.
Translation Practice: English to Spanish
- I have been helping at the food bank for three months and I really enjoy it.
- She looks after her elderly neighbours and helps them with their shopping.
Answers
- I work as a volunteer in a hospital to gain medical experience.
- I have been helping the elderly at the care home for a year.
- Llevo tres meses ayudando en el banco de alimentos y me gusta mucho.
- Ella cuida a sus vecinos ancianos y les ayuda con la compra.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use the llevar + time + present participle structure to express ongoing actions ("I have been doing...")
- Llevar must agree with the subject (llevo, llevas, lleva...)
- Learn vocabulary in meaningful chunks related to helping others: people who need help, places where help is given, and actions involved in helping
- Practice both directions: Spanish to English and English to Spanish
- Regular review of vocabulary is more effective than cramming everything at once