Computer Games (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Computer games
Vocabulary: Video game characteristics and opinions
Understanding video game vocabulary in Spanish helps you express balanced opinions about gaming, discussing both positive aspects and potential concerns.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| lo bueno | the good thing |
| lo malo | the bad thing |
| la acción | the action |
| el personaje | the character |
| divertido/a | fun, enjoyable |
| educativo/a | educational |
| emocionante | exciting |
| real | real |
| social | social |
| solo/a | alone |
| el concurso | the competition |
| el problema | the problem |
| el ejercicio | the exercise |
| la falta | the lack |
| la imagen | the image |
| la violencia | the violence |
| jugar | to play |
| resolver | to solve |
| la aventura | the adventure |
| la mente | the mind |
| desarrollar | to develop |
Example sentences:
- Me gusta jugar a los videojuegos. (I like playing video games.)
- Los personajes son muy reales. (The characters are very realistic.)
- Es importante desarrollar la mente. (It's important to develop the mind.)
- La violencia es un problema. (Violence is a problem.)
Grammar note: Remember that adjectives must agree with the noun they describe. For example: juego divertido (masculine) but actividad divertida (feminine).
Grammar focus: Using "lo" + adjective
This construction means "the [adjective] thing" and is very useful for expressing opinions about topics.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| lo malo es que... | the bad thing is that... |
| lo más interesante | the most interesting thing |
| lo mejor de... | the best thing about... |
| lo peor es que... | the worst thing is that... |
Critical Rule: The word "lo" never changes - it's always "lo", regardless of what follows. This is a fundamental rule that students often forget!
Example sentences:
- Lo malo es que hay mucha violencia. (The bad thing is that there's a lot of violence.)
- Lo mejor de todo es la aventura. (The best thing of all is the adventure.)
- Lo más interesante son los personajes. (The most interesting thing is the characters.)
Phrase bank: Expressing opinions about gaming
These phrases help you give balanced opinions about video games, allowing you to discuss both positive and negative aspects professionally:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Lo mejor de todo... | The best thing of all... |
| Lo que me gusta más... | What I like best... |
| Lo que me preocupa... | What worries me... |
| Me gusta jugar a los videojuegos | I like playing video games |
| Son muy emocionantes | They are very exciting |
| Jugar puede ser una actividad social | Playing can be a social activity |
Example sentences:
- Lo que me gusta más es resolver problemas. (What I like best is solving problems.)
- Lo que me preocupa es la falta de ejercicio. (What worries me is the lack of exercise.)
- Jugar a los videojuegos puede ser una actividad social. (Playing video games can be a social activity.)
Translation practice
Worked Example: Translation Practice
Spanish to English:
- Me gusta jugar a mi videojuego favorito.
- La acción es muy emocionante y los personajes parecen muy reales.
English to Spanish: 3. I think some video games can be very educational. 4. The worst thing is that there is a lot of violence.
Answers are provided at the bottom of the document.
Common errors and fixes
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
Error: Lo buena es que... ❌ Fix: Lo bueno es que... ✅ Reason: "Lo" is always followed by the masculine singular form of the adjective.
Error: Me gusta los videojuegos ❌
Fix: Me gustan los videojuegos ✅
Reason: "Gustar" agrees with what is liked (plural "videojuegos"), so use "gustan".
Error: Es muy divertida (talking about a video game) ❌
Fix: Es muy divertido ✅
Reason: "Videojuego" is masculine, so the adjective must be masculine too.
Key Points to Remember:
- "Lo" + adjective creates the meaning "the [adjective] thing" and "lo" never changes
- Gaming vocabulary includes both positive terms (divertido, educativo, social) and negative concerns (violencia, falta)
- Use "me gusta" + infinitive for activities: Me gusta jugar (I like to play)
- Adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the nouns they describe
- Practice expressing both positive and negative opinions to show balanced thinking
Translation answers:
- I like playing my favourite video game.
- The action is very exciting and the characters seem very realistic.
- Creo que algunos videojuegos pueden ser muy educativos.
- Lo peor es que hay mucha violencia.