Spanish Narrative Vocabulary and Preterite vs. Imperfect Discourse Markers
Call Kai
Learn
Practice Test
Spaced Repetition
Match
Flashcards
Knowt Play1/64
Earn XP
Description and Tags
Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Spanish narrative nouns, verbs, descriptive adjectives, and transitional discourse markers for the Preterite and Imperfect tenses.
65 Terms
Ganar
The contrary action of "perder" (such as winning a battle or a match); also the action of receiving money for working.
El viento
The breeze of air produced in the atmosphere from differing pressures in distinct areas.
Por fin / Finalmente
Preterite organizational word or phrase that describes the final step in a process.
A menudo
Imperfect organizational phrase that describes something occurring regularly; synonymous with "frecuentemente" or "muchas veces".
Nunca
Imperfect organizational word that is the opposite of "siempre".
El/la protagonista
The main character in a story.
El fuego
The heat produced by combustion that produces a lot of smoke.
Las supersticiones
The concept of beliefs that people hold pertaining to numbers, ghosts, repetitive actions, and similar phenomena.
El dragón
A large, magical animal that produces fire from its mouth and can fly.
Casarse (con)
The action of joining together in marriage with another person.
Darse cuenta de
The action when a person suddenly has a change of perspective, or when an idea suddenly appears in the mind.
Gritar
The action of exclaiming or proclaiming something in a very loud voice.
El cuento / La historia
A short written work of fiction featuring different characters.
El teatro
A building with a stage where works and performances are presented to an audience.
La ciencia ficción
A genre of story involving other planets, astronauts, extraterrestrial beings, and related themes.
El enemigo / La enemiga
The evil person or group on the opposite side of a battle or war (e.g., Lex Luther to Superhombre, or the Nazis to the Allies in the Second World War).
Débil
Adjective opposite of "fuerte"; describes a person who lacks power.
Malvado
Adjective describing a villain who is extremely evil, such as Scar in El Rey León.
Morir
The action of lacking human existence; the opposite of "vivir".
Conquistar
The action of winning a war or battle, frequently through military violence; synonym of "vencer".
Pelear
The action of engaging in physical conflicts between individuals.
Primero
Preterite organizational word denoting what occurs in the number-one position in a process; synonym of "al principio".
De repente
Preterite organizational phrase describing an event that occurs suddenly or unexpectedly without waiting.
Siempre
Imperfect organizational word that is the opposite of "nunca".
El cortometraje
A short movie or film that lasts less than 60minutes.
El ejército
An organized group of soldiers.
El monstruo
A horrible creature that causes fear, such as Frankenstein or the Chupacabras.
Conocer
The action of having mental familiarity with a person, a place, or a concept.
Creer
The action of considering and determining personal perspectives; similar to "pensar".
Una vez
Preterite organizational phrase that describes an action occurring singularly (one time).
De vez en cuando
Imperfect organizational phrase describing an action that happens with low frequency; synonym of "rara vez".
El drama
A type of story in which characters encounter conflicts that they try to resolve.
La sangre
The red liquid found inside the body.
El conocimiento
The concept of possessing familiarity with people, places, and concepts in the mind.
El valor
The concept synonymous with courage ("coraje").
Montar a caballo
The action of sitting atop a large, tall animal to go on an excursion, typically in the countryside or the mountains.
Soplar
The action of putting air or wind into something; necessary for inflating balloons or blowing out candles.
Travieso / Traviesa
Adjective describing a person who enjoys playing tricks on others for amusement.
El volcán
A type of mountain capable of producing smoke and explosive eruptions.
La sabiduría
The concept of having facts and processes memorized and retained in the mind.
Valiente
Adjective describing an individual who undertakes dangerous actions to help others despite feeling fear and risking injury or death.
Actualmente
Adverb describing something that occurs right now (a false cognate not meaning "actually").
Tener buena / mala suerte
The action of possessing positive or negative fortune.
Llorar
The action when small drops of water leave the eyes because a person is sad or hurt.
Discutir
The action of speaking about a conflict (similar to fighting verbally), or simply chatting casually about a specific topic.
Había una vez
Imperfect introductory phrase traditionally used to begin a legend or a fairy tale ("Once upon a time").
La oscuridad
The lack of illuminating energy; the direct opposite of light ("la luz").
Desear
The action of wanting or desiring something very strongly.
Contar
Action synonymous with "decir" (to recount or tell); also refers to the mathematical action of summing numbers (to count).
Perder
The opposite action of "ganar" (such as losing a battle or a game).
A veces
Imperfect organizational phrase describing an event that occurs approximately 50% of possible opportunities.
El guerrero / La guerrera
A person who fights in battle; a soldier serving within an army.
Cobarde
Adjective describing a person who lacks strength or fears confronting difficulties; opposite of "valiente".
Estar enamorado (de)
The state or action of experiencing romantic love directed toward someone.
El/la antagonista
The primary villain or evil character within a narrative.
Las lágrimas
The small drops of water that flow from the eyes when a person experiences sadness.
Tener miedo (de)
The action of experiencing mental alarm regarding something that could be adverse or negative for oneself.
Listo
Adjective describing an intelligent person capable of solving problems cleverly (with "ser"), or denoting readiness to proceed with an activity (with "estar").
El largometraje
A feature-length movie or film exceeding 60minutes in running time.
El héroe / La heroína
A character in a story who saves the day through superhuman deeds.
La batalla
An individual military engagement or conflict fought within a broader war.
La luz
The form of energy that illuminates objects; the direct opposite of darkness ("la oscuridad").
Enamorarse (de)
The action of beginning to feel romantic love for another person.
Saber
The action of having learned facts or a known process retained in the mind.
La trama
The underlying plan, framework, or structured plot of what unfolds in a story.