SACE Stage 2 Spanish key terms

A past tense used for completed actions seen as a whole, often with time markers like ayer or el año pasado. Regular endings include -é, -aste, -ó for -ar verbs.

A past tense describing ongoing situations, habits, or background in the past. Equivalent to English 'used to' or 'was doing'. Endings include -aba for -ar verbs and -ía for -er and -ir verbs.

The choice between pretérito indefinido and imperfecto in narration. The imperfecto sets the scene or describes routine; the indefinido advances the story with single completed events.

A past tense formed with haber plus a past participle, used for recent events or experiences linked to the present. Common with markers such as hoy, esta semana, and alguna vez.

A past-before-past tense made with the imperfect of haber plus a past participle, as in ya había salido. It marks an action completed before another past event.

A verb mood expressing wishes, doubt, emotion, or hypothetical situations, typically introduced by que after expressions like espero que or es posible que. Its forms derive from the yo form of the present indicative.

A verb form expressing hypothetical outcomes, polite requests, and future-in-the-past statements, equivalent to English 'would'. Endings are added to the full infinitive, as in hablaría or comerían.

Sentences with si clauses stating conditions and results. Real conditions use present indicative; unreal conditions use imperfect subjunctive with the conditional, as in si tuviera tiempo, viajaría.

A past or hypothetical form of the subjunctive, used in unreal conditions, polite wishes, and past-time subordinate clauses. Forms end in -ra or -se, as in hablara or hablase.

The command form of a verb, used for instructions, advice, and requests. Affirmative tú commands usually take the third-person present form, while negative commands use the subjunctive.

Verbs whose stems or endings deviate from the regular pattern in a given tense, such as ser, ir, tener, and hacer. Their forms must be memorised because they are frequent in exams.

Verbs whose action returns to the subject, accompanied by reflexive pronouns me, te, se, nos, os, se. Examples include levantarse, ducharse, and sentirse.

Short words replacing direct or indirect objects: lo, la, los, las for direct objects and le, les for indirect objects. They usually precede the conjugated verb or attach to infinitives and commands.

Two Spanish verbs meaning 'to be'. Ser describes identity, origin, and inherent traits; estar describes location, temporary states, and conditions. Choosing correctly is a core exam skill.

Two prepositions often confused by learners. Por expresses cause, exchange, duration, or movement through; para expresses purpose, destination, deadline, or recipient.

Invariable linking words such as a, de, en, con, sin, sobre, and hasta that show relationships of place, time, or manner. Spanish uses them differently from English, so collocations need learning.

Describing words that agree in gender and number with the noun they modify, as in una casa blanca or unos libros nuevos. Most follow the noun and add -s or -es in the plural.

Structures comparing qualities or quantities, using más ... que, menos ... que, tan ... como, and irregular forms mejor and peor. They express superiority, inferiority, and equality.

A structure expressing the highest degree, formed with el más or el menos plus an adjective, as in el más rápido. Absolute superlatives add -ísimo, as in rapidísimo.

Words and phrases locating events in time, such as ayer, ahora, hace dos años, and la semana que viene. They help candidates choose the correct past or future tense.

A tense for predictions, promises, and plans, formed by adding endings such as -é, -ás, -á to the infinitive. Some verbs have irregular stems, for example tendré and haré.

Phrases such as quiero que, espero que, and ojalá that introduce a subordinate clause in the subjunctive. They express wishes, hopes, or demands about another person's actions.

Reporting what someone said without direct quotation, adjusting pronouns, tenses, and time expressions, as in dijo que llegaría tarde. It commonly requires tense backshift and reporting verbs.

The use of linking words such as sin embargo, además, por lo tanto, and en primer lugar to organise ideas in speaking and writing. It improves coherence in extended responses.

Presenting and defending an opinion with reasons, examples, and counterarguments. Useful structures include en mi opinión, por un lado, and aunque es cierto que.

Language suited to official letters, applications, and interviews, using usted forms, full sentences, and polite formulas such as le agradezco su atención. It contrasts with informal speech with tú.

Everyday activities described with reflexive verbs and time expressions, such as me levanto a las siete and luego desayuno. It is a common topic for present-tense speaking tasks.

Vocabulary for relatives and relationships, including padres, hermanos, abuelos, and parientes. Candidates describe family members, ages, and household roles in personal writing and speaking.

Housing vocabulary such as piso, casa, habitación, alquiler, and barrio, used to describe where people live, home features, and housing preferences.

Urban vocabulary including calle, plaza, transporte público, and centro comercial, used for giving directions and discussing advantages and disadvantages of city life.

Environment vocabulary such as contaminación, reciclaje, cambio climático, and energías renovables. It appears in reading texts and opinion tasks about sustainability.

Health vocabulary including enfermedad, síntoma, receta, and llevar una vida sana, used for medical dialogues, advice with the imperative, and wellbeing topics.

School and study vocabulary such as asignatura, deberes, aprobar, suspender, and matrícula. It supports discussions of school life, future study plans, and education systems.

Free-time vocabulary including deportes, aficiones, salir con amigos, and películas. Candidates describe hobbies, past activities, and preferences in speaking and writing tasks.

Using an infinitive to express purpose, often after para, as in estudio para aprobar. It offers a compact alternative to a subordinate clause with que.

Cardinal and ordinal numbers plus days, months, and years, used in prices, times, birthdays, and historical references. Correct agreement and date order, as in el dos de mayo, matter in listening tasks.

Adjectives and structures for describing appearance and personality, such as alto, delgado, simpático, and tener el pelo rizado. They combine with ser and llevar in personal descriptions.

Travel terms such as billete, equipaje, alojamiento, and destino, used for booking dialogues, recounting trips, and describing holiday experiences in past tenses.