Spanish words + La casa de bernarda alba

Vamos

agresivo/a

aggressive

astuto/a

clever

egoísta

selfish

optimista

optimistic

serio/a

serious

tímido/a

shy

acostumbrarse (a)

to get used to

apoyar

to support (emotionally)

arreglar

to fix

empujar

to push

entregarse

to devote oneself wholly

luchar

to fight

portarse bien (mal)

to behave (to misbehave)

rechazar

to reject

vencer

to defeat

la autoestima

self-esteem

el bufete

law office

el carácter

personality

el complejo

complex

la confianza

confidence

el éxito

success

el fracaso

failure

la meta

goal

el trastorno

upset (mental or physical)

la vergüenza

embarrassment

alterado/a

upset

bondadoso/a

good-natured/kind

desenvuelto/a

outgoing

despreocupado/a

carefree

dichoso/a

happy

exitoso/a

successful

grosero/a

nasty

honrado/a

honest

malvado/a

evil

malhablado/a

foul-mouthed

mentiroso/a

lying

maniático/a

compulsive

rudo/a

rough

vicioso/a

having a bad habit or vice

afligir

to afflict

aislar

to isolate

alterar

to alter

desilusionar

to disappoint

dominar

to dominate

equilibrar

to balance

fracasar

to fail

mentir (i->ie)

to lie

rebelarse

to rebel

recordar

to remember

tranquilizar(se)

to calm (oneself)

la aflicción

affliction

el aislamiento

isolation

la alteración

alteration

la desilusión

disappointment

el dominio

control

la dominación

domination

el equilibrio

balance

el fracaso

failure

la mentira

lie

la rebelión

rebellion

el recuerdo

memory (remembrance)

la tranquilidad

the calm

afligido/a

afflicted

aislado/a

isolated

alterado/a

altered

desilusionado/a

disappointed

dominado/a

dominated

equilibrado/a

balanced

fracasado/a

failed

mentiroso/a

lying

rebelde

rebellious

recordado/a

remembered

tranquilo/a

calm

Angustias

The eldest daughter of Bernarda whose name means "anguish"; symbolizes repression, duty, and the oppressive weight of tradition since she must marry for status, not love.

Adela

The youngest daughter and the only one who rebels; symbolizes freedom, desire, youth, and the fight against authoritarian control—her green dress represents life and sxuality.

Pepe el Romano

The off-stage man all sisters desire; symbolizes masculine power, desire, and the catalyst for conflict—he represents escape from Bernarda’s tyranny.

Bernarda

The authoritarian mother and head of the house; symbolizes dictatorship, social control, obsession with appearances, and the oppressive force of Spanish patriarchal society. May represent Franco/dictatorship

Poncia

Bernarda’s maid and confidant; symbolizes the voice of experience, hypocrisy, and social hierarchy—she knows the truth but cannot change the system.

calor

The constant heat in the play; symbolizes suffocation, tension, sexual desire, and emotional pressure building inside the house.

agua

Water appears as wells, thirst, or lack of rain, la orilla del mar; symbolizes cleansing, freedom, and sexual vitality—its absence represents emotional drought and repression.

corral

The yard where the servants and animals are kept; symbolizes the lower class and the instincts Bernarda tries to suppress—it contrasts the imprisonment of the daughters.

María Josefa

Bernarda’s elderly mother who speaks truths through “madness”; symbolizes pure desire for freedom and escape from repression—her dreams of the sea represent liberation.