My House (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
My house
Understanding the topic
When discussing your house in the Spanish oral exam, you'll need to describe where you live, what your home looks like, and share opinions about different parts of your house. This topic allows you to demonstrate vocabulary about rooms, furniture, locations, and express personal preferences using various tenses.
This is one of the most practical topics in Spanish conversation as it connects directly to your daily life experience. Examiners often use this as a starting point to make you feel comfortable before moving to more complex topics.
Essential vocabulary
Understanding the key vocabulary is fundamental to success in this topic. The vocabulary falls into several important categories that you should master.
Types of homes
- una casa adosada - a terraced house
- un piso - a flat/apartment
- un apartamento - an apartment
- un bungaló - a bungalow
- un chalet - a chalet/detached house
Rooms and areas
- el dormitorio/la habitación - bedroom
- la cocina - kitchen
- el salón - living room/lounge
- el comedor - dining room
- el cuarto de baño - bathroom
- la oficina - office/study
- el desván - attic
- el jardín - garden
- la terraza - terrace
Furniture and objects
- la cama - bed
- el armario - wardrobe
- el escritorio - desk
- las estanterías - shelves
- el sofá - sofa
- las cortinas - curtains
- la alfombra - carpet/rug
- el espejo - mirror
Learn both dormitorio and habitación for bedroom - both are commonly used and accepted. Regional preferences may vary, but knowing both will help you understand different Spanish speakers.
Typical examiner questions
These are the most common questions you'll encounter when discussing your house. Practice your responses to each of these to build confidence.
Common Examiner Questions:
- ¿Dónde vives? - Where do you live?
- ¿Cómo es tu casa? - What is your house like?
- ¿Cuántos dormitorios hay? - How many bedrooms are there?
- ¿Qué hay en la planta baja? - What's on the ground floor?
- ¿Qué hay arriba? - What's upstairs?
- ¿Cómo es tu dormitorio? - What is your bedroom like?
- ¿Hay jardín? - Is there a garden?
- ¿Cómo son los vecinos? - What are the neighbours like?
- ¿Qué es lo que más te gusta de tu casa? - What do you like most about your house?
- ¿Llevas mucho tiempo viviendo allí? - Have you been living there for a long time?
Model sentences for describing location
Location descriptions form the foundation of any house-related conversation. Start with simple statements and build complexity as you become more confident.
Basic Location Examples:
Short answers:
- Vivo en una casa adosada en las afueras de Dublín - I live in a terraced house on the outskirts of Dublin
- Vivo en un piso en el centro de Cork - I live in a flat in the centre of Cork
- Vivo en un apartamento en Sligo - I live in an apartment in Sligo
Extended answers:
- Vivo en una casa adosada bastante grande en las afueras de la ciudad. Es una casa moderna de dos pisos con un jardín pequeño - I live in a quite large terraced house on the outskirts of the city. It's a modern two-storey house with a small garden
Model answers for house description
Descriptive language is essential for creating engaging responses. Use adjectives and specific details to make your answers more interesting and demonstrate your vocabulary range.
Using key adjectives:
- Mi casa es grande/pequeña/moderna/vieja - My house is big/small/modern/old
- Mi casa es muy acogedora y luminosa - My house is very cosy and bright
- Es una casa adosada de dos pisos - It's a two-storey terraced house
Extended House Description:
Mi casa es muy acogedora y luminosa. Es una casa adosada de dos pisos y tiene un jardín grande en la parte de atrás. El recibidor, la cocina, el salón y el comedor están en el piso de abajo. También hay un cuarto de baño pequeño debajo de las escaleras. En el primer piso, hay tres dormitorios y una oficina
My house is very cosy and bright. It's a two-storey terraced house and has a big garden at the back. The entrance hall, kitchen, living room and dining room are on the ground floor. There's also a small bathroom under the stairs. On the first floor, there are three bedrooms and an office
Describing your bedroom
Personal space descriptions allow you to express personality and preferences. This is an opportunity to use more creative vocabulary and show cultural understanding.
Bedroom Description Examples:
Basic furniture:
- En mi dormitorio hay una cama grande - In my bedroom there's a big bed
- Tengo un armario donde guardo la ropa - I have a wardrobe where I keep my clothes
- Tengo un escritorio para estudiar - I have a desk for studying
Adding personality:
- En la pared hay fotos de mis amigos - On the wall there are photos of my friends
- Tengo un póster de mi grupo favorito - I have a poster of my favourite group
- Las paredes están pintadas de colour amarillo - The walls are painted yellow
Expressing time and duration
Time expressions add sophistication to your responses and demonstrate mastery of more complex grammatical structures.
Time and Duration Examples:
How long you've lived there:
- Vivo en esta casa desde hace cinco años - I've been living in this house for five years
- Llevo toda la vida viviendo en el mismo piso - I've lived in the same flat all my life
- Mis padres compraron esta casa hace diez años - My parents bought this house ten years ago
Grammar points
Understanding these key grammatical distinctions will help you speak more accurately and avoid common mistakes that many students make.
Ser vs estar with house descriptions
Use ser for permanent characteristics:
- Mi casa es grande - My house is big
- Es una casa moderna - It's a modern house
Use estar for location and temporary states:
- Mi casa está en el centro - My house is in the centre
- Las paredes están pintadas de azul - The walls are painted blue
Hay vs tener
Use hay for "there is/there are":
- En mi casa hay tres dormitorios - In my house there are three bedrooms
Use tener for possession:
- Tengo mi propio dormitorio - I have my own bedroom
Pronunciation tips
Proper pronunciation will make your responses clearer and more confident. Pay special attention to these common pronunciation challenges.
Stress patterns:
- dormitorio - stress on the -to- (dor-mi-TO-rio)
- habitación - stress on the final -ón (ha-bi-ta-CIÓN)
- jardín - stress on the final -ín (jar-DÍN)
Tricky sounds:
- j in jardín - pronounced like English 'h' in 'hat'
- rr in terraza - rolled 'r' sound
- ñ in pequeño - like 'ny' in 'canyon'
Key Points to Remember:
- Use ser for permanent characteristics and estar for location
- Practice adjective agreement (casa grande, dormitorio pequeño)
- Learn both dormitorio and habitación for bedroom - both are correct
- Hay means "there is/are" and doesn't change form
- Time expressions with desde hace (for) and hace (ago) are very useful for this topic