Bulgaria DZI Spanish key terms

The central message or most important point that a text conveys, which a reader must identify to answer global comprehension questions. It is usually stated in an opening or closing sentence but may need to be inferred.

A supporting detail or lesser point in a text that explains, illustrates, or develops the main idea. Recognizing secondary ideas helps distinguish essential information from examples and helps answer detailed comprehension questions.

A conclusion a reader draws from clues in the text rather than from an explicitly stated fact. Inference questions ask what is implied, what a speaker probably means, or what will likely happen next.

A precise piece of information in a text, such as a name, date, number, or place, that answers a factual question. Locating specific details requires scanning rather than reading every word closely.

A fast reading technique in which the eyes move quickly over a text looking only for a particular word, number, or phrase. It is useful for answering questions about specific details without reading the whole passage.

Reading a text quickly to grasp its general topic and organization before reading closely. This first pass helps a candidate predict content, identify text type, and decide where to focus attention.

The words and sentences surrounding an unfamiliar word or expression, which often reveal its meaning. Using context is a key strategy when a candidate meets unknown vocabulary in a reading passage.

A word with a meaning very similar to another word, such as rápido and veloz. Exam questions often ask candidates to match a word in the text with a synonym or to choose the closest equivalent.

A word whose meaning is opposite to another word, such as subir and bajar. Recognizing opposites helps in vocabulary questions and in understanding contrast relationships inside a text.

Expressing the same meaning with different words, often used in exam options to restate information from a text. A correct answer frequently paraphrases the passage rather than repeating its exact wording.

A short restatement of a text's main points in the reader's own words. Writing or choosing a summary tests whether a candidate has understood the overall message rather than isolated details.

The attitude or feeling an author or speaker conveys through word choice, such as humorous, critical, nostalgic, or ironic. Identifying tone supports questions about the writer's intention and the mood of literary texts.

The purpose the writer had in producing a text, for example to inform, persuade, entertain, or warn. Questions about purpose ask why the text was written rather than what it says.

The category a text belongs to, such as a news article, advertisement, personal letter, recipe, or short story. Recognizing text type helps a candidate predict structure, register, and likely content.

A linking word such as pero, sin embargo, or aunque that signals an opposing or unexpected idea. These connectors are essential for following an argument and for answering questions about relationships between ideas.

A linking word or phrase such as porque, ya que, or por eso that shows why something happens or expresses a consequence. Understanding these links is necessary for grasping logical relations between clauses.

A Spanish verb mood used for wishes, doubts, emotions, hypothetical situations, and after certain conjunctions. It appears frequently in exam grammar items, especially after expressions like es posible que or para que.

The past tense used for completed actions viewed as finished events, such as ayer fui al cine. Choosing correctly between this tense and the imperfect is a common grammar point in Spanish exams.

The past tense used for ongoing background situations, habitual past actions, and descriptions in the past. It often contrasts with the preterite, which presents completed events in a narrative.

A compound past tense formed with haber plus a past participle, used for past actions connected to the present or within a still-open time period, as in hoy he trabajado mucho.

The verb form ending in -ado or -ido in regular verbs, used to build compound tenses and to function as an adjective. Irregular participles such as hecho, dicho, and visto must be memorized.

A verb structure made of a conjugated auxiliary plus an infinitive, gerund, or participle, such as ir a hacer, estar haciendo, or tener que estudiar. These express future plans, ongoing actions, or obligation.

Two Spanish verbs meaning 'to be' with different uses: ser for identity, origin, and inherent traits; estar for location, temporary states, and ongoing conditions. Distinguishing them is a frequent exam task.

Two prepositions often confused by learners: por typically expresses cause, exchange, duration, or movement through; para expresses purpose, destination, deadline, or recipient. Exam items test which preposition fits the meaning.

A short invariable word such as a, de, en, con, or sobre that links words and shows relationships of place, time, or manner. Spanish preposition use is tested through gap-fill and error-correction items.

A word that replaces a noun or noun phrase, such as él, esto, or quien. Object pronouns like lo, la, le, and les are heavily tested because their form and position follow specific rules.

A pronoun such as me, te, le, nos, or les that names who receives the action indirectly, as in le di el libro. Correct use includes matching the pronoun to the recipient and handling redundant le with aclarations.

Agreement in gender and number between articles, nouns, and adjectives, and in person and number between subject and verb. Errors in agreement are among the most common mistakes tested in written production.

A word that describes or limits a noun, such as una casa grande or libros interesantes. In Spanish it usually follows the noun and must agree with it in gender and number.

The level of formality in language, ranging from informal speech with friends to formal writing such as letters or reports. Choosing the right register is essential in writing tasks and in understanding who is speaking.

A structured letter written to an institution or unknown person, using greetings like Estimado señor, formal pronouns, and a closing such as Atentamente. Writing tasks often require this format.

An email, a common format in guided writing tasks, with a subject line, greeting, body, and closing. Candidates must adapt formality to the addressee and include all required points.

Words and phrases such as además, por otro lado, and en conclusión that organize a written text and link its parts. Using them well improves coherence in free writing tasks.

The skill of understanding spoken Spanish in conversations, announcements, or interviews. Candidates practice listening for gist, for specific details, and for the speaker's attitude or intention.

The rise and fall of the voice that conveys meaning, emotion, and sentence type in speech, such as distinguishing a question from a statement. It also signals irony, surprise, or emphasis.

The ability to take part in a conversation, responding appropriately, asking for clarification, and keeping the exchange going. Speaking tasks assess fluency, pronunciation, and the use of suitable functional language.

Fixed polite expressions such as por favor, muchas gracias, or ¿podría ayudarme? that smooth social interaction. Using them correctly is expected in both formal writing and oral interaction tasks.

Expressions like ayer, la semana pasada, or hace dos años that locate events in time. They help listeners and readers choose the correct past tense and follow the sequence of a narrative.