The good and bad of technology (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
The good and bad of technology
Essential technology vocabulary
When discussing technology in Spanish, you'll need to master key vocabulary that covers both positive and negative aspects. These terms will help you express detailed opinions about how technology affects our daily lives.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| funcionar | to work, function |
| olvidar | to forget |
| lento/a | slow |
| rápido/a | quick, fast |
| apagar | to turn off |
| el aparato | device |
| conectarse a Internet | to go online |
| confiar en | to rely on |
| la contraseña | password |
| guardar | to keep, save |
Notice how many technology terms are action verbs (funcionar, olvidar, apagar, guardar) - these are essential for describing what we do with technology. Practice conjugating these verbs in different tenses to build fluency.
Example sentences using technology vocabulary
- Me gusta conectarme a Internet por la mañana. (I like to go online in the morning.)
- Mi ordenador funciona muy lentamente hoy. (My computer is working very slowly today.)
- Siempre olvido guardar mis documentos. (I always forget to save my documents.)
- Necesito apagar el aparato antes de salir. (I need to turn off the device before leaving.)
Grammar focus: the imperfect continuous
The imperfect continuous expresses what you 'were doing' at a specific moment in the past. This tense is particularly useful when describing how you were using technology when something happened.
Formation
Imperfect tense of estar + present participle
| Person | Estar (imperfect) | Present participle |
|---|---|---|
| yo | estaba | -ando (AR verbs) |
| tú | estabas | -iendo (ER/IR verbs) |
| él/ella/usted | estaba | |
| nosotros | estábamos | |
| vosotros | estabais | |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | estaban |
Remember that AR verbs take -ando endings while ER and IR verbs take -iendo endings for the present participle. This is a common mistake area in exams!
Worked Example: Using the Imperfect Continuous
Estaba haciendo mis deberes cuando se me apagó el ordenador. (I was doing my homework when the computer turned itself off.)
This example shows how the imperfect continuous describes an ongoing action that was interrupted by another event. The structure is: estaba (imperfect of estar) + haciendo (present participle of hacer).
Expressing opinions about technology
When discussing technology's impact, you need structured phrases to present balanced arguments effectively.
Useful phrases for balanced arguments
| Spanish phrase | English translation |
|---|---|
| No hay duda de que... | There is no doubt that... |
| Una de las cosas que me preocupa es que... | One of the things that worries me is that... |
| La gran ventaja para mí es que... | The big advantage for me is that... |
| preocupar(se) (de/por) | to worry |
| la duda | doubt |
Example opinion statements
- No hay duda de que la tecnología nos ayuda mucho. (There is no doubt that technology helps us a lot.)
- Una de las cosas que me preocupa es que dependemos demasiado de los móviles. (One of the things that worries me is that we depend too much on mobile phones.)
These phrases help you structure balanced arguments about technology's benefits and drawbacks. Notice how they provide clear introductory frameworks for expressing different viewpoints.
Advantages of technology - worked example
When discussing technology's benefits, focus on practical examples that demonstrate real-world applications. Consider how different technologies show multiple advantages:
Worked Example: E-reader Benefits
Practical benefits include:
- Communication with others - staying connected globally
- Going paperless - environmental benefits
- Rapid access to information - instant knowledge
- Using an e-reader - convenience and portability
The key is to provide specific examples that demonstrate real-world applications of technological benefits.
Exam strategies and cognates
Understanding linguistic patterns can significantly improve your comprehension and translation skills in Spanish technology contexts.
Recognising cognates
Cognates are words that look similar in Spanish and English and usually have the same meaning. These can help you understand unfamiliar texts:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| depender | to depend |
| el virus | virus |
| conectar | to connect |
Beware of false friends Some words look similar but have different meanings. La red means 'network' or 'net', not 'red' (which is rojo/a in Spanish). Always check context when you encounter familiar-looking words!
Translation practice
Spanish to English:
-
Dependo mucho de mi móvil para conectarme. (I depend a lot on my mobile to connect.)
-
El virus dañó todos mis archivos guardados. (The virus damaged all my saved files.)
English to Spanish:
-
We need to connect to the network. Necesitamos conectarnos a la red.
-
I don't want to depend on technology too much. No quiero depender demasiado de la tecnología.
Pronunciation tips
Correct pronunciation builds confidence when discussing technology topics in Spanish.
Key pronunciation patterns:
- Tecnología - stress falls on the í: tec-no-lo-GÍ-a
- Rápidamente - stress on the first á: RÁ-pi-da-men-te
- Contraseña - stress on the e: con-tra-SE-ña
Notice how stress patterns often fall on vowels with written accents. This helps you pronounce unfamiliar technology terms correctly.
Key Points to Remember:
- Master essential technology vocabulary - focus on verbs like funcionar, apagar, guardar and key nouns like aparato, contraseña
- Use the imperfect continuous to describe ongoing past actions: estaba + present participle (-ando/-iendo)
- Structure balanced opinions with phrases like "No hay duda de que..." and "Una de las cosas que me preocupa es que..."
- Recognise cognates (depender, virus, conectar) but watch out for false friendslike "la red"
- Practice expressing both advantages and disadvantages of technology using specific, practical examples