Caring for the Planet (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Caring for the planet
Learning to discuss environmental issues is essential for expressing your concerns about our world and understanding how we can protect it. This topic combines environmental awareness with important Spanish grammar structures.
Essential environmental vocabulary
Understanding key environmental terms helps you discuss both problems and solutions our planet faces.
Nature and places
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el agua | the water |
| la tierra | the land, earth |
| el animal | the animal |
| el campo | the countryside |
| el aire | the air |
| el mar | the sea |
| la montaña | the mountain |
| la flor | the flower |
| la especie | the species |
| la naturaleza | the nature |
Environmental problems
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la basura | the rubbish, litter |
| el plástico | the plastic |
| la contaminación | the pollution |
| la víctima | the victim |
| el fuego | the fire |
Actions and solutions
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| cuidar | to look after |
| evitar | to avoid |
| molestar | to annoy |
| prohibir | to forbid, ban |
| proteger | to protect |
| recoger | to pick up |
| cortar | to cut |
| conservar | to preserve |
| amenazar | to threaten |
Example sentences:
- Debemos proteger los animales del campo. (We must protect the countryside animals.)
- La contaminación amenaza las especies marinas. (Pollution threatens marine species.)
- Es importante recoger la basura de las montañas. (It's important to pick up rubbish from the mountains.)
Grammar note: Many environmental verbs are regular, but proteger changes to protejo in the first person singular (I protect).
Grammar focus: the subjunctive for environmental wishes
When expressing wishes, concerns, or commands about environmental issues, Spanish uses the subjunctive mood after certain trigger verbs.
Key trigger verbs
- querer que (to want that)
- preocupar que (to worry that)
- decir que (to tell that - when giving commands)
The subjunctive appears in the second part of the sentence after que. It expresses what someone wants, worries about, or commands regarding the environment.
How it works
Pattern: Subject + trigger verb + que + different subject + subjunctive verb
Worked Examples: Using the Subjunctive
Structure breakdown:
- Quiero que los animales tengan un futuro seguro. (I want the animals to have a safe future.)
- Me preocupa que muchos pájaros sean víctimas de la contaminación. (I worry that many birds are victims of pollution.)
- Voy a decirles que no hagan fuego en el bosque. (I'm going to tell them not to make fire in the forest.)
Notice how tengan, sean, and hagan are all subjunctive forms that follow the trigger verbs.
Useful environmental phrases
These expressions help you discuss environmental responsibility and protection measures.
Expressing necessity
The phrases below use tenemos que (we have to) to express collective environmental responsibility:
- Tenemos que reducir las temperaturas del planeta. (We have to reduce the planet's temperatures.)
- Tenemos que proteger los árboles y los bosques del mundo. (We have to protect the world's trees and forests.)
- Tenemos que conservar todas las especies de animales y pájaros. (We have to preserve all species of animals and birds.)
Discussing pollution
- Tenemos que parar la contaminación de los ríos y mares. (We have to stop the pollution of rivers and seas.)
- Para proteger el planeta, hay que conservar los bosques. (To protect the planet, we must preserve the forests.)
Grammar note: Hay que + infinitive means "one must" or "it's necessary to" and is very useful for discussing environmental duties.
Translation practice
Translation Practice: Environmental Statements
Spanish to English:
- Quiero que protejan las especies amenazadas.
- Me preocupa que corten todos los árboles.
English to Spanish:
- We must avoid throwing rubbish in the sea.
- I want them to preserve the mountains.
Phrase bank
Essential phrases for environmental discussions:
- ¿Cómo podemos cuidar el planeta? (How can we care for the planet?)
- Es necesario proteger la naturaleza. (It's necessary to protect nature.)
- No debemos contaminar el aire. (We shouldn't pollute the air.)
- Hay que conservar el agua. (We must conserve water.)
- Me preocupa el futuro del planeta. (I'm worried about the planet's future.)
- Todos somos responsables. (We are all responsible.)
Common errors and fixes
Error: Using infinitive after querer que
- ❌ Quiero que proteger los animales
- ✅ Quiero que protejamos los animales
- Fix: Use subjunctive form after que, not infinitive
Error: Forgetting gender of environmental words
- ❌ El agua está contaminado
- ✅ El agua está contaminada
- Fix: Remember agua is feminine despite using el - adjectives must agree
Error: Mixing up hay que and tenemos que
- Hay que = general obligation (one must)
- Tenemos que = specific obligation (we must)
Key Points to Remember:
- Environmental vocabulary divides into three key areas: nature/places, problems, and solutions
- The subjunctive mood appears after verbs expressing wishes, worries, or commands about environmental issues
- Tenemos que and hay que are essential phrases for discussing environmental responsibilities
- Many environmental actions use regular -ar verbs, making them easier to conjugate
- Gender agreement remains important even with environmental vocabulary
Translation answers:
- I want them to protect the endangered species.
- I'm worried that they'll cut down all the trees.
- Tenemos que evitar tirar basura en el mar.
- Quiero que conserven las montañas.