The environment and me (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
The environment and me
Introduction
This topic focuses on discussing environmental issues and what you personally do to help protect the environment. You'll learn essential vocabulary for talking about environmental actions, how to express habitual activities using "soler + infinitive", and useful phrases for environmental discussions.
Key vocabulary
Understanding environmental terms and related actions is crucial for discussing this topic effectively. Here's the essential vocabulary you need to know:
Vocabulary Learning Tip
Focus on learning both the environmental terms AND the action verbs together. This will help you create more natural sentences when discussing what you do to protect the environment.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el medioambiente | the environment |
| la energía | energy |
| la luz | light |
| el plástico | plastic |
| el agua (f) | water |
| la naturaleza | nature |
| el transporte público | public transport |
| el planeta | planet |
| ahorrar | to save |
| apagar | to turn out/off |
| cuidar | to take care of |
| ir a pie | to walk |
| ir en bicicleta | to cycle |
| proteger | to protect |
| reciclar | to recycle |
| separar | to separate |
| tirar basura | to drop litter |
| usar | to use |
| utilizar | to use |
Notice that el agua is feminine despite using the masculine article "el" - this is because it begins with a stressed 'a' sound.
Grammar focus: Using "soler + infinitive"
This grammar structure is particularly useful when discussing environmental habits and routines. "Soler + infinitive" means "to usually do something" and helps you express what you typically do to help the environment.
Key Grammar Rule
The verb "soler" MUST always be followed by an infinitive. You cannot use it with any other verb form. Think of it as a "habit helper" verb that shows routine actions.
Conjugation of soler
The verb "soler" follows a stem-changing pattern (o→ue) and is always followed by an infinitive:
| Person | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | suelo | Suelo reciclar papel y plástico |
| tú | sueles | ¿Sueles reciclar la ropa? |
| él/ella/usted | suele | Solemos ir a pie |
| nosotros | solemos | We usually walk |
| vosotros | soléis | |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | suelen |
Remember that "soler" is a stem-changing verb, so the 'o' changes to 'ue' in all forms except nosotros and vosotros. This is the same pattern as verbs like "poder" and "volver".
Worked Example: Building sentences with "soler"
Step 1: Choose the correct form of "soler"
- yo → suelo
- tú → sueles
- él/ella → suele
Step 2: Add your infinitive verb
- reciclar (to recycle)
- ahorrar (to save)
- proteger (to protect)
Step 3: Complete your sentence
- Suelo reciclar papel y plástico - I usually recycle paper and plastic
- Solemos ir a pie - We usually walk
- ¿Sueles reciclar la ropa? - Do you usually recycle clothes?
- Solemos separar la basura en casa - We usually separate the rubbish at home
Flexible phrases for environmental discussions
These phrases will help you express your environmental views and actions more naturally. Learning these sentence starters will make your Spanish sound more fluent and natural:
Building Sophisticated Sentences
These phrase structures are your building blocks for longer, more impressive sentences. Practice combining them with the vocabulary you've learned to create meaningful environmental statements.
- Para proteger la naturaleza, yo siempre... - To protect nature, I always...
- Para ahorrar energía, intento + infinitive - To save energy, I try to...
- Para cuidar el planeta, tenemos que... - To take care of the planet, we have to...
These structures allow you to build longer, more sophisticated sentences about environmental topics.
Pronunciation tip
Double 'LL' Pronunciation
When you see the double 'll' in Spanish words (such as in "botella" or "llevar"), remember that it produces a 'y' sound, similar to the 'y' in "yes". It should NOT be pronounced like the double 'l' in the English word "yellow". This is particularly important when discussing environmental vocabulary that contains this sound.
Example sentences in context
Here are some practical examples showing how this vocabulary and grammar work together in real-life situations:
Practical Usage Examples
Here's how native speakers might use this vocabulary in everyday conversation:
- En mi casa siempre reciclo el papel - At my house I always recycle paper
- Mi hermano recicla las botellas y el plástico - My brother recycles bottles and plastic
- Llevamos la ropa usada a una tienda de segunda mano - We take used clothes to a second-hand shop
- Intentamos ir a pie. Es mejor para el medioambiente que ir en coche - We try to walk. It's better for the environment than going by car
Translation exercise
Translation Practice
Test your understanding with these translation exercises:
Spanish to English:
- Suelo apagar las luces para ahorrar energía.
- Para proteger la naturaleza, siempre separamos la basura.
English to Spanish:
- I usually cycle to school to protect the environment.
- We try to use less plastic at home.
Answers:
Spanish to English:
- I usually turn off the lights to save energy.
- To protect nature, we always separate the rubbish.
English to Spanish:
- Suelo ir al colegio en bicicleta para proteger el medioambiente.
- Intentamos usar menos plástico en casa.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use "soler + infinitive" to express what you usually do for the environment
- The verb "soler" is stem-changing (o→ue) and must be followed by an infinitive
- Environmental vocabulary covers actions (reciclar, proteger), items (plástico, papel), and concepts (medioambiente, naturaleza)
- Flexible phrases like "Para proteger..." help you build longer, more complex sentences
- The double 'll' in Spanish sounds like 'y', not like the English double 'l'