Maharashtra HSC Spanish (MSBSHSE) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Skimming

Reading quickly to get the main idea or gist of a text, often by looking at titles, headings, first sentences, and conclusions.

Scanning

Looking through a text rapidly for specific information such as names, dates, or numbers without reading every word.

Inference

Drawing a conclusion from evidence in the text rather than from explicit statements; requires connecting clues and background knowledge.

Discourse markers

Words or phrases that signal relationships between ideas, such as 'sin embargo' (contrast) or 'por lo tanto' (consequence).

Register

The level of formality in language use, determined by audience and context; formal (usted) versus informal (tú) in Spanish.

Topic sentence

A sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph, usually placed at the beginning to guide the reader.

Cohesion

The use of linking words and pronouns to connect sentences and paragraphs so that a text flows logically.

Formal letter opening

Standard Spanish greeting such as 'Estimado Sr./Sra.' or 'Muy señor mío', followed by the body and a formal closing like 'Atentamente'.

Ser vs. estar

Ser expresses identity, origin, and inherent traits; estar expresses location, temporary states, and progressive aspect.

Preterite vs. imperfect

Preterite narrates completed past actions; imperfect describes ongoing past states, habits, or background details.

Subjunctive trigger

A main clause expressing doubt, emotion, desire, or impersonal evaluation (es importante que...) that requires the subjunctive in the dependent clause.

Gender of nouns

Spanish nouns are masculine or feminine; usually -o is masculine and -a feminine, but common exceptions include 'el día' and 'la mano'.

Object pronoun placement

Object pronouns precede conjugated verbs and attach to infinitives, gerunds, and affirmative commands (e.g., 'dámelo').

Por vs. para

Por indicates cause, exchange, duration, or means; para indicates purpose, destination, recipient, or deadline.

False friend

A word that looks similar in Spanish and English but has a different meaning, e.g., 'actual' (current) not 'actual'.

Stem-changing verbs

Verbs whose stem vowel changes in stressed forms (e→ie, o→ue, e→i), such as 'pensar' (pienso) and 'dormir' (duermo).

Literal translation pitfall

Translating word-for-word can distort meaning; idioms and set phrases require functional equivalents in the target language.

Cultural adaptation

Adjusting cultural references (food, festivals, customs) in translation by explaining, substituting, or borrowing the term.

Register shift in translation

Maintaining the source text's level of formality; e.g., Spanish 'usted' may become respectful Marathi 'आपण' or English 'you' with polite phrasing.

Tense aspect in translation

Spanish imperfect may translate as 'used to' or 'was -ing' in English, and as habitual or continuous forms in Marathi.

Siglo de Oro

The Golden Age of Spanish literature (16th–17th centuries), including Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and Calderón de la Barca.

Generation of '98

Spanish writers reacting to the 1898 loss of colonies; themes include national identity and regeneration, e.g., Unamuno and Machado.

Boom literature

Mid-20th-century Latin American literary movement known for magical realism and experimental narrative, including García Márquez and Cortázar.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly compares two things without 'like' or 'as', e.g., 'sus ojos son luceros'.

Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human things, e.g., 'el viento susurraba' (the wind whispered).

Narrative point of view

The perspective from which a story is told: first person (yo), second person (tú), or third person (él/ella).

Día de los Muertos

Mexican holiday (November 1–2) honoring deceased ancestors with altars, offerings, and celebrations; not a somber occasion.

Listening for gist

Understanding the main idea of an audio passage before focusing on specific details; helps orient the listener.

Connected speech

Natural pronunciation features such as linking, elision, and assimilation that make spoken Spanish differ from written forms.

Seseo

Pronouncing 'c' (before e/i) and 'z' as /s/, common in Latin America and parts of Spain, unlike the distinción of central Spain.

Circumlocution

Describing a concept using known words when the exact term is unknown, a useful strategy in oral exams.

Picture description structure

Describing a picture by location, people, actions, and inferences using phrases like 'en el fondo', 'parece que', 'probablemente'.