My House (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
My house - Mi casa
This topic covers essential vocabulary and grammar for talking about houses, homes, and where you live in Spanish. You'll learn to describe different rooms, types of housing, and how to say where you live.
Parts of the house - Las habitaciones de una casa
Understanding the different rooms and areas of a house is fundamental for describing where you live. Spanish houses typically have similar rooms to those in English-speaking countries, but the vocabulary is essential to master.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la casa | the house |
| el salón / la sala de estar | the living room |
| la cocina | the kitchen |
| el comedor | the dining room |
| el dormitorio / la habitación | the bedroom |
| el cuarto de baño | the bathroom |
| la entrada | the entrance/hall |
| el desván | the attic |
| el sótano | the basement |
| las escaleras | the stairs |
| el jardín | the garden |
| la terraza | the terrace |
| el lavadero | the utility room |
| la oficina / el despacho | the office/study |
| el cuarto de huéspedes | the guest room |
Example sentences:
- Mi dormitorio está arriba. (My bedroom is upstairs.)
- La cocina es muy grande. (The kitchen is very big.)
- Tenemos un jardín pequeño. (We have a small garden.)
- El cuarto de baño está al lado del dormitorio. (The bathroom is next to the bedroom.)
Grammar note: Notice that 'el cuarto de baño' uses 'el' (masculine) because 'cuarto' (room) is masculine, even though 'baño' relates to both genders. This is a common pattern where the article agrees with the main noun in compound terms.
Describing your house - Describir tu casa
When describing houses in Spanish, adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they describe. 'Casa' is feminine, so most adjectives describing it will end in '-a'.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| pequeño/a | small |
| grande | big/large |
| viejo/a | old |
| nuevo/a | new |
| cómodo/a | comfortable |
| tranquilo/a | quiet |
| ruidoso/a | noisy |
| caliente | hot |
| frío/a | cold |
Example sentences:
- Mi casa es pequeña pero cómoda. (My house is small but comfortable.)
- Nuestra casa es muy grande. (Our house is very big.)
- La casa es vieja pero tranquila. (The house is old but quiet.)
- Es una casa nueva en el centro. (It's a new house in the centre.)
Worked Example: Adjective Agreement
When describing 'la casa' (feminine):
- pequeño → pequeña: "Mi casa es pequeña"
- cómodo → cómoda: "La casa es cómoda"
- grande → grande: "La casa es grande" (no change needed)
When describing 'el piso' (masculine):
- pequeño → pequeño: "Mi piso es pequeño"
- cómodo → cómodo: "El piso es cómodo"
Grammar note: Most adjectives change their ending to match the gender of the noun. Masculine nouns typically use adjectives ending in '-o', while feminine nouns use '-a'. However, some adjectives like 'grande' remain the same for both genders.
Types of homes - Tipos de vivienda
Different types of housing are common in Spanish-speaking countries. Each has its own characteristics and is suited to different lifestyles.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el piso / el apartamento | the flat/apartment |
| el chalet | the villa/detached house |
| la casa adosada | the terraced house |
| la granja | the farm |
| la casa | the house |
Example sentences:
- Vivo en un piso en Madrid. (I live in a flat in Madrid.)
- Tienen un chalet con piscina. (They have a villa with a swimming pool.)
- Es una casa adosada con jardín. (It's a terraced house with a garden.)
- La granja está en el campo. (The farm is in the countryside.)
Where you live - Dónde vives
Location is important when describing where your home is situated. Spanish uses specific prepositions and phrases to indicate different types of locations.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la ciudad | the city |
| el pueblo | the town/village |
| el campo | the countryside |
| una urbanización | a housing estate |
| la aldea de... | the village of... |
| las afueras de... | the suburbs of... |
| el condado de... | the county of... |
Example sentences:
- Vivo en la ciudad de Barcelona. (I live in the city of Barcelona.)
- Mi casa está en el campo. (My house is in the countryside.)
- Vivimos en las afueras de Dublin. (We live in the suburbs of Dublin.)
- Es un pueblo pequeño y tranquilo. (It's a small, quiet town.)
Grammar note: When saying you live 'in' a place, Spanish typically uses 'en': 'Vivo en Madrid' (I live in Madrid). For more specific locations, you might use 'en la ciudad de' or 'en el pueblo de'.
The verb vivir (to live)
The verb 'vivir' belongs to the regular -ir group of verbs. These verbs follow a consistent pattern when conjugated in the present tense.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| yo vivo | I live |
| tú vives | you live (singular) |
| él/ella vive | he/she lives |
| nosotros/nosotras vivimos | we live |
| vosotros/vosotras vivís | you live (plural) |
| ellos/ellas viven | they live |
Worked Example: Conjugating -ir verbs
Step 1: Take the infinitive verb → vivir Step 2: Remove the -ir ending → viv Step 3: Add the appropriate ending based on the subject:
- yo: viv + o = vivo
- tú: viv + es = vives
- él/ella: viv + e = vive
- nosotros: viv + imos = vivimos
- vosotros: viv + ís = vivís
- ellos/ellas: viv + en = viven
Other useful -ir verbs:
- abrir (to open)
- escribir (to write)
- recibir (to receive)
- compartir (to share)
- decidir (to decide)
Example sentences:
- Vivo en una casa grande. (I live in a big house.)
- ¿Dónde vives tú? (Where do you live?)
- Mis padres viven en el centro. (My parents live in the centre.)
- Vivimos en un piso cómodo. (We live in a comfortable flat.)
Translation practice
Translation Practice Exercises
Spanish to English:
- Mi casa es pequeña pero muy cómoda.
- Vivimos en un chalet en las afueras de la ciudad.
English to Spanish:
- I live in a terraced house with a garden.
- The kitchen is big and the living room is quiet.
Answers:
- My house is small but very comfortable.
- We live in a villa in the suburbs of the city.
- Vivo en una casa adosada con jardín.
- La cocina es grande y el salón es tranquilo.
Phrase bank
Essential phrases for talking about your home:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Dónde vives? | Where do you live? |
| ¿Cómo es tu casa? | What is your house like? |
| Mi casa está en... | My house is in... |
| Tengo/Tenemos... | I have/We have... |
| Mi casa es... | My house is... |
| Vivo en... | I live in... |
Common errors and fixes
Error: Saying "Mi casa es grande" but "Mi piso es grande" Fix: Remember that adjectives must agree with the noun's gender. 'Casa' is feminine, 'piso' is masculine: "Mi casa es grande" ✓, "Mi piso es grande" ✓ (grande doesn't change)
Error: Mixing up house types - "Vivo en una granja" when you mean flat Fix: Be specific about housing types: piso/apartamento (flat), chalet (villa), casa adosada (terraced house), granja (farm)
Error: Wrong preposition with locations - "Vivo a Madrid" Fix: Use 'en' for locations: "Vivo en Madrid" ✓
Key Points to Remember:
- House rooms have specific names in Spanish - learn them with their articles (el/la)
- Adjectives describing houses must agree with the gender of the noun (casa is feminine)
- 'Vivir' follows the regular -ir verb pattern - remove -ir and add the appropriate ending
- Use 'en' to say where you live: "Vivo en..."
- Different types of housing have specific Spanish names - don't directly translate from English