NCEA Level 2 Spanish key terms

The simple past tense used for completed actions at a definite time, e.g. 'ayer fui al mercado'. Regular endings include -é, -aste, -ó for -ar verbs and -í, -iste, -ió for -er/-ir verbs; many common verbs are irregular.

Past tense describing ongoing, habitual, or background situations, e.g. 'cuando era niño jugaba mucho'. Endings are -aba for -ar verbs and -ía for -er/-ir verbs. Contrasts with the indefinido, which reports completed events.

Time expressions that signal which tense to use, such as 'ayer' and 'el año pasado' with the indefinido, or 'siempre' and 'todos los días' with the imperfecto. Recognising them helps you predict verb forms while listening and reading.

Verbs whose stems or endings change from the regular pattern, such as 'ir' (fui), 'tener' (tuve), 'hacer' (hice) and stem-changing verbs like 'poder' (pude). They must be memorised because they appear constantly in exam texts.

Two verbs meaning 'to be'. 'Ser' marks identity, origin, and inherent characteristics ('soy neozelandés'); 'estar' marks location, temporary states, and results ('estoy cansado'). Choosing wrongly changes meaning, so exam tasks often test the contrast.

A verb mood for wishes, doubts, emotions, and hypothetical situations, typically after 'que': 'espero que vengas'. Formed from the yo-form stem plus opposite endings (-e for -ar, -a for -er/-ir). Common triggers include 'quiero que', 'es importante que'.

The command form used for instructions, advice, and invitations, e.g. 'habla más despacio', 'no fumes'. Affirmative tú forms usually drop the final -s of the present tense; negative forms use the subjunctive. Common in notices and spoken instructions.

A verb structure made of two parts, often a conjugated verb plus infinitive, gerund, or participle, e.g. 'voy a estudiar', 'estoy leyendo', 'acabo de llegar'. These express future plans, ongoing actions, or recent events and appear frequently in listening passages.

The near-future construction 'ir + a + infinitive', meaning 'going to do something': 'Voy a viajar a España'. It is far more common in everyday speech than the simple future and is a frequent target in speaking and writing tasks.

The -ando/-iendo form of a verb, used with 'estar' for actions in progress ('está lloviendo') or to express manner ('salió corriendo'). Some forms are irregular, e.g. 'leyendo', 'durmiendo', 'pidiendo'.

Words replacing the direct object noun: me, te, lo/la, nos, os, los/las. They usually go before the conjugated verb ('Lo compré ayer') or attached to an infinitive or command ('Quiero verlo').

Words showing to whom or for whom something is done: me, te, le, nos, os, les. Often paired with 'a + person' for clarity ('Le di el libro a Ana'). Verbs like 'gustar', 'doler' and 'parecer' rely on these pronouns.

Verbs constructed with an indirect object rather than a subject: 'me gusta', 'le duelen', 'nos interesa'. The thing liked or felt is the grammatical subject, so the verb agrees with it, not with the person.

Linking words that organise ideas and make writing coherent, e.g. 'sin embargo', 'por lo tanto', 'además', 'aunque', 'porque'. Using a range of them lifts the quality of written answers and helps you follow argument structure in reading texts.

A short piece of writing produced under exam conditions, such as an email, blog post, or letter. It needs a clear purpose, suitable greeting and closing, organised paragraphs, and accurate verb tenses for the level.

The choice between polite and casual language. Formal writing uses 'usted', 'le saluda atentamente' and full forms; informal writing uses 'tú', contractions, and friendly closings like 'un abrazo'. Matching register to audience is a marking criterion.

Standard openings and closings in letters and emails, such as 'Estimado señor', 'Hola Marta', 'Un saludo', 'Atentamente'. Correct pairing of greeting and farewell with the relationship and register is expected in writing tasks.

Spanish spelling conventions, including accents that distinguish meaning ('sí/si', 'él/el'), the tilde on question words, and consistent use of b/v, c/s/z, and h. Accuracy here affects the clarity and grade of written answers.

An accent used to tell apart words that look the same but do different jobs, e.g. 'té' (drink) versus 'te' (pronoun), 'más' (more) versus 'mas' (but), 'dónde' in questions versus 'donde' in statements.

Question words such as qué, quién, dónde, cuándo, cómo, cuánto and cuál. They carry a written accent in direct and indirect questions ('No sé dónde está'). Recognising them quickly is key for listening and reading comprehension tasks.

Understanding spoken Spanish from recordings such as announcements, interviews, or conversations. Success depends on predicting content from the task, listening for gist first, then for specific details like numbers, times, and names.

Particular details a task asks you to find, such as a price, a departure time, a name, or a reason. Scanning for these rather than translating every word is an efficient strategy in listening and reading sections.

The overall message or purpose of a text or recording, distinct from supporting details. Identifying it first gives context that makes unknown vocabulary easier to guess and helps answer summary-style questions.

Working out meaning that is not stated directly, using context, tone, and known words. Exam tasks often ask what a speaker implies or how someone feels, which requires inference rather than literal translation.

Words that look similar in Spanish and English and share meaning, such as 'información', 'problema', or 'teléfono'. They speed up comprehension, but watch for false friends like 'embarazada' (pregnant) and 'actual' (current).

Words that resemble English terms but mean something different, e.g. 'librería' (bookshop, not library), 'éxito' (success), 'asistir' (to attend). Misreading them causes comprehension errors, so they deserve deliberate memorisation.

How Spanish sounds are produced: pure vowels, the rolled or tapped r, the soft b/v, and the 'ñ'. Clear pronunciation and natural stress placement are assessed in spoken tasks and affect how easily a listener understands you.

The rise and fall of the voice that carries meaning, such as the rising pattern of yes/no questions and the fall of statements. Correct intonation makes speech sound natural and signals attitude or emotion.

The ability to speak at a steady pace with few long pauses, linking ideas rather than stopping to build each sentence. It is developed through repeated practice of whole phrases and useful fillers like 'pues' or 'es que'.

Short filler expressions that keep conversation flowing, such as 'bueno', 'pues', 'o sea', and '¿sabes?'. Used sparingly, they buy thinking time and make speech sound more natural in interactive speaking tasks.

A spoken exchange such as a role play, interview, or conversation where you ask and answer questions, react to a partner, and keep the dialogue going. It is assessed on communication, range of language, and accuracy together.

Statements of viewpoint introduced by phrases like 'creo que', 'en mi opinión', 'me parece que', and 'pienso que'. Giving and supporting opinions with reasons is a core requirement in both speaking and writing tasks.

Future intentions and arrangements, usually expressed with 'ir a + infinitive' or the simple future, plus time markers: 'el próximo fin de semana voy a visitar a mi familia'. Common topic in listening, speaking, and writing prompts.

Describing words that agree in gender and number with the noun, e.g. 'una casa grande', 'unos libros nuevos'. Position usually follows the noun, though some adjectives change meaning before it, as with 'gran' and 'pobre'.

Agreement between grammatical elements: noun and adjective, subject and verb, article and noun. Errors such as 'las casas blanco' or 'ellos es' are common and are specifically penalised in writing and speaking assessment.

Typical Spanish sentence order, generally subject–verb–object, with flexibility for emphasis and object pronouns placed before the verb. Awareness of this helps you parse longer sentences in reading and construct accurate written answers.

The directions given for each exam task, stating what to write, how long it should be, and which points to include. Reading them carefully prevents losing marks for content that does not match the brief.