NCEA Level 3 Spanish flashcards
NCEA Level 3 Spanish · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- tú vs usted
- Tú marks informal address between peers, friends, or family; usted marks formal address to strangers, officials, or elders. Verb endings change accordingly: tú hablas, usted habla.
- seseo
- The pronunciation of ce, ci, and z as [s] rather than [θ]. Standard in Latin America, the Canary Islands, and much of Andalusia, while most of Spain distinguishes them.
- Listening for numbers
- Spanish numbers confuse learners at quince/quincuenta, dieciséis/sesenta, and cien/ciento. Identify the following unit word, such as mil or euros, to fix the value.
- sin embargo
- A contrast connector meaning however or nevertheless. It signals that the speaker is about to contradict or qualify the previous statement, which is useful for stance questions.
- o sea
- An informal reformulation marker meaning that is or in other words. Speakers use it to restate a point, so the following clause often clarifies the previous one.
- es una pena que
- A subjunctive trigger expressing regret: it's a shame that. The following verb takes the subjunctive, as in es una pena que no puedas venir.
- Passive se
- A structure using se plus a third-person verb to express impersonal or passive meaning: se vende, se habla español. Common in signs, advertisements, and formal announcements.
- Inference questions
- Questions asking what the writer implies rather than states. The answer is supported by evidence in the text but requires combining clues, not copying a single sentence.
- si + imperfect subjunctive
- Pattern for hypothetical conditions: si tuviera dinero, viajaría. The condition clause takes the imperfect subjunctive and the result clause takes the conditional.
- Preterite vs perfect
- Preterite (viví) marks completed actions in finished time; perfect (he vivido) marks experiences still relevant to the present. Time markers like ayer force the preterite.
- ser aburrido vs estar aburrido
- Ser aburrido describes a boring person; estar aburrido describes someone currently bored. Ser marks inherent traits, estar marks temporary states.
- por vs para
- Por marks cause, exchange, duration, and movement through. Para marks purpose, destination, deadline, recipient, and opinion. Compare gracias por and para ti.
- cuyo / cuya
- A relative possessive meaning whose. It agrees with the following noun, not the antecedent: el autor cuya novela leí. Used mainly in formal written Spanish.
- a menos que
- A conjunction meaning unless, always followed by the subjunctive: a menos que llueva. It introduces a negative condition that would block the main clause.
- lo que
- A neuter relative pronoun meaning what or that which. It refers to an idea or situation rather than a specific noun: lo que me molesta es el ruido.
- Circumlocution
- Describing a missing word instead of switching to English: es una cosa que sirve para cortar. It keeps the interaction in Spanish and demonstrates lexical resource.
- ¿Cómo dices?
- A repair phrase asking the partner to repeat or clarify. Alternatives include ¿Puedes repetir? and No te he entendido, ¿lo repites?
- no creo que sea
- A negative opinion frame taking the subjunctive: I don't think it is. Affirmative creo que takes the indicative: creo que es.
- estoy de acuerdo
- I agree. Follow with con + person or con + clause to specify the point of agreement; for disagreement, use no estoy de acuerdo or entiendo tu punto, pero…
- Spanish vowel sounds
- Spanish has five pure vowels, a e i o u, each with one stable sound. Unlike English, vowels are not diphthongised or reduced in unstressed syllables.
- Tapped and trilled r
- A single r between vowels is a tap, as in pero. Double rr and word-initial r are trilled, as in perro and rojo. The contrast changes meaning.
- Personal a
- A preposition placed before a specific human direct object: vi a mi hermano. It is omitted after tener with indefinite objects: tengo dos hermanos.
- Formal letter opening
- Estimado señor or estimada señora, followed by a colon in Peninsular style. Close with le saluda atentamente or atentamente. Informal emails instead use hola and un abrazo.
- para que + subjunctive
- A purpose clause meaning so that. The subjunctive is required because the subjects differ: te lo digo para que lo sepas.
- antes de que
- A time conjunction meaning before, always followed by the subjunctive: antes de que llegues. It refers to an event not yet realised at the time of speaking.
- tener sentido
- The correct idiom for to make sense. The English calque hacer sentido is non-standard; use no tiene sentido for it makes no sense.
- tomar una decisión
- The standard collocation for to make a decision. The calque realizar una decisión is incorrect; alternative is decidir plus infinitive.
- Written accent function
- Accents mark stress that breaks the default rule and also distinguish meaning: el/él, si/sí, que/qué, mas/más. Omitting them is a spelling error, not a style choice.
- Cohesion connectors
- Devices linking ideas: además adds, sin embargo contrasts, por un lado… por otro lado balances, en conclusión closes. They raise the organisation mark in writing.
- Imperfect subjunctive forms
- Formed from the third-person plural preterite stem plus -ra endings: tuvieron → tuviera, hicieron → hiciera, fueran → fuera. Used in hypotheticals and polite requests.
- Register in writing
- Formal texts avoid contractions, slang, and tú forms; informal texts use them freely. Keeping one consistent register is a marking criterion at Level 3.
- Question word accents
- Interrogative and exclamatory words carry accents: qué, cómo, cuándo, dónde, quién, cuánto. The same words are unaccented as relatives or conjunctions.