PAU Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards featuring key definitions, advanced synonyms, phrasal verbs, and critical false friends covered throughout the 18-month curriculum.

To trigger

To spark / to cause (Desencadenar, provocar).

Detrimental

Harmful / damaging (Perjudicial, dañino).

Citizens / individuals / members of the society

Alternativas de más nivel para PEOPLE

Widespread

Prevalent / common / general (Generalizado, muy extendido).

Drawback

Downside / problem / disadvantage (Desventaja, Inconveniente).

Captivating

Very interesting / Attractive (Cautivador, Interesante)

Cope with

Deal with / handle / tackle / manage (Lidiar con, sobrellevar)

Log on/in

Iniciar sesión

Currently

En la actualidad / hoy en día (never "corrientemente"). Synonym: Nowadays.

Severe

Severo, grave (No confundir con Several = Varios)

Breakthrough

Revolutionary discovery (Avance crucial, hito).

To jeopardize

To endanger / to put at risk (Poner en peligro, arriesgar).

Shift

Change / transformation (Cambio)

Advantageous / benefitial

Alternativas de más nivel para GOOD/POSITIVE → Ventajoso, beneficioso

Redundant

Lose a job / fired (Despedido)

Issue

Problem / bad situation (Problema)

Carry out

Perform / conduct (Llevar a cabo)

Take over

Gain control of (Tomar el control de)

Actual

Real / verdadero (never "actual"). Synonym: True.

Device

Dispositivo tecnológico (No confundir con Deceive = engañar / Devise = Diseñar, inventar)

Tackle

Adress / face (Abordar, hacer frente)

Awareness

Conciousness / knowledge (concienciación, conocimiento de un problema)

Outrageous

Shocking / unacceptable (Indignante, intolerable).

Enhance / boost

Improve (Mejorar)

Core

The most important part (Núcleo, parte principal)

Threat

Danger (Amenaza, peligro)

To look into

To investigate / to examine (Investigar un asunto).

Back up

Support (Apoyar, respaldar)

Notice

Realize (Darse cuenta)

Data

Datos (sustantivo plural)

Mislead

Deceive / trick (Engañar, confundir)

Trustworthy

Dependable / reputable / respected (Confiable, fidedigno, de buena reputación).

Concerns

Problems (Preocupaciones, problemas)

Distorted

Altered / changed (tergiversado, modificado)

Biased

Not objective (Sesgado, falto de objetividad).

Flaw

Mistake / error (Fallo, defecto)

Find out

Discover (Descubrir)

Point out

Hightlight (Señalar, destacar, recalcar)

Argument

No es solo un Argumento razonado. También es Discusión o Pelea verbal

Relatives

Members of the family (Familiares)

Sensible

Sensato / razonable (False Friend: never "sensible", which is sensitive).

To wipe out

To eradicate / to destroy completely (Aniquilar, erradicar por completo).

To phase out

To eliminate or withdraw gradually from the market or use (Retirar o eliminar gradualmente algo del mercado o uso).

Debris

Scattered fragments / wreckage (Residuos, escombros).

To cut down on

To reduce the consumption or use of something (Reducir, recortar el consumo).

To commute

Desplazarse diariamente al lugar de trabajo o estudio.

Compromise

Acuerdo mutuo / llegar a un acuerdo (False Friend: never "compromiso" of obligation, which is commitment).

To exploit

To take unfair advantage of (Explotar, aprovecharse injustamente de algo o alguien).

To lay off

To dismiss workers due to economic reasons (Despedir por motivos económicos).

Rope

Cuerda (False Friend: never "ropa", which is clothes).

To outsource

Externalizar servicios, subcontratar en el extranjero.

Commodity

Mercancía, producto (False Friend: never "comodidad", which is comfort).

To venture

To risk going or doing something dangerous (Atreverse, arriesgar; e.g., venture capital).

Faculty

Cuerpo docente, profesorado de una institución (False Friend: never the building of a "facultad", which is department / school).

Lecture

Clase magistral, conferencia (False Friend: never "lectura", which is reading).

To alienate

Enemistar, distanciar / aislar social o culturalmente.

To burn out

To become exhausted due to excessive work or stress (Quemarse, sufrir desgaste extremo).

Fabric

Tela (False Friend: not to be confused with factory, which is "fábrica").

Pretend

Fingir (False Friend: not to be confused with "pretender/tener intención de", which is intend).

To live up to

To match or equal an expected high standard (Estar a la altura de las expectativas).

To deprive (of)

To prevent from enjoying something (Privar de algo).

Disgusting

Asqueroso (False Friend: not to be confused with "disgustado", which is annoyed).

Sympathy

Compasión, empatía (False Friend: never "simpatía" of being likeable/friendly, which is friendliness / kindness).

Policy

Política en el sentido de normativa o reglamento (False Friend: institutional politics is politics).

To conform

To adapt to rules or social standards (Amoldarse, someterse, adaptarse a la masa).

To pull through

To recover from a serious illness or difficult situation (Salir adelante, recuperarse).

To splash out

To spend a lot of money on luxuries (Tirar la casa por la ventana, gastar un dineral).

To run up (debts)

To accumulate large bills or debts quickly (Acumular facturas o deudas masivas).

To endorse

Promocionar, respaldar una marca públicamente.

To buy into

To completely believe an idea or lifestyle, often naively (Tragarse, creerse ciegamente una idea).

Daunting

Threatening, intimidating, menacing (Intimidante, amenazante).

To capitalise on

To take advantage, to exploit (Sacar provecho, aprovechar).

To hand down

To pass knowledge, traditions or assets to younger generations (Transmitir, heredar, legar).

Constipated

Estreñido (False Friend: never "constipado", which is expressed as "have a cold").

Recipe

Receta de comida (False Friend: not to be confused with a medical prescription, which is prescription).

Comprehensive

Exhaustivo (False Friend: never "comprensivo", which is understanding).

Terrific

Genial (False Friend: not to be confused with "terrorífico", which is terrifying).

Operation

Operación médica o militar (False Friend: does not mean a mathematical operation, which is calculation).

To inoculate

To vaccinate / to inject a mild form of a disease (Inocular, vacunar).

Invaluable

Priceless; of incalculable value (False Friend: does not mean "sin valor").

Burden

A heavy load / severe responsibility (Carga, peso financiero o emocional).

Cohousing

Vivienda colaborativa, modelo de convivencia compartida para mayores.

To blend in

To look or seem the same as the people around you (Mimetizarse, integrarse de forma natural en una cultura).

Career

Carrera profesional de un artista o trabajador (False Friend: a university degree is degree).

Credentials

Contraseñas, claves bancarias, datos de acceso.

To clean out (accounts)

To steal all the money from a bank account (Vaciar, desvalijar una cuenta bancaria).

Surveillance

Vigilancia estatal, espionaje masivo.

To launder

Blanquear dinero ilícito.

Garment

An item of clothing; formal substitute for clothes (Prenda de vestir).

Blaze

Fire, conflagration (Incendio, fuego).

To skyrocket

To soar (Dispararse, elevarse drásticamente).

Livestock

Ganado, animales de granja.

Avarice

Greed (Avaricia, codicia).

Downtime

Break (Tiempo para desconectar o descansar).

Dairy

Lácteos (False Friend: not to be confused with "a diario", which is daily).

Mistrust

Lack of confidence (Desconfianza).

Hurdles

Challenges, difficulties, obstacles, issues, problems (Dificultades, retos).

Framework

Configuration (Marco, configuración, estructura regulatoria).