CBL: A Level translation tricks and traps

al + infinitive (e.g. al llegar)

(up)on doing something (e.g. upon arriving)

cada vez más

increasingly, more and more

cada vez menos

decreasingly, less and less

volver a (+ infinitive)

to (do something) again

dejar de (+ infinitive)

to stop (doing something)

empezar a (+ infinitive)

to start (doing something)

acabar de (+ infinitive)

to have just (done something)

(present tense +) desde hace X años

I have been (doing something) for X years

llevo (+ clothes)

I am wearing (clothes) - as opposed to "estoy llevando"

soñar con

to dream about/of

antiguo (after noun)

old, ancient

antiguo (before noun)

former

grande (after noun)

large, big

gran (before noun)

great, impressive

cierto (after noun)

sure, definite

cierto (before noun)

certain, particular, some

celebrarse

to take place, to be held

actual

current, present

actualmente

currently

gerund

doing something, by doing something

a lo largo

lengthwise

seguir / continuar (+ gerund)

to keep / carry on (doing something) / to continue (to do something)

a lo largo de

along, throughout (+ noun)

UE (Unión Europea)

EU (European Union)

EEUU

USA

ser (+ past participle)

passive voice (formal) - to be (done)

verb with reflexive pronoun

passive voice - to be (done) [inanimate objects only]

"they" form of a verb, referring to a non-specific "they"

can be translated as passive voice - to be (done) - in some contexts

quiero (+ infinitive)

I want (to do something) - both actions are preformed by the same subject

quiero que (+ subjunctive)

I want (someone else) (to do something) - the two actions are performed by different subjects

ayudar a alguien a hacer algo

to help someone to do something

de una manera

in a way, in such manner

hace (+ period of time)

(period of time) ago

hace poco tiempo

a short time ago

hace poco tiempo que (+ present)

to have been (doing something) for a little while.

es poco + adjective (e.g. es poco seguro)

negates the adjective (e.g. it is unsafe)

Cuando (en el futuro) + present subjunctive

When (in the future) + one does something

1st "si" clause: Si + present indicative, followed by

present, future, or imperative

2nd "si" clause: Si + imperfect subjunctive, followed by

conditional (If the meaning in the second clause is "would do something", then the first part MUST use the imperfect subjunctive)

3rd "si" clause: Si + pluperfect subjunctive, followed by

conditional perfect

ante

faced with

pensar en

to think about

darse cuenta de

to realise (become aware of) something

realizar

to carry out, to achieve, to perform (an action)

Nunca voy

I never go (only one negative indicator if the key negative meaning comes before the verb)

No voy nunca

I never go (two negative indicators are used if the key negative meaning comes after the verb)

más/menos de (+ number)

more/less than (number)

no más/menos que (+ number)

not more/less than (number)

me dijo que lo hiciera

he told me to do it (preterite followed by imperfect subjunctive)

te digo que te calles

I'm telling you to shut up (present indicative, followed by present subjunctive)

después de (+ infinitive)

after (doing something)

antes de (+ infinitive)

before (doing something)

asistir a

to attend (not to assist)

político

a politician (noun), political (adjective)

política

politics, policy (noun)

llevar (period of time) + gerund

to have been doing something for (period of time)

sino, sino que

but on the contrary, instead, but rather

no solo... sino también

not only... but also

a pesar de

despite

el asunto

the matter (e.g. at hand)

atreverse a

to dare to

casi

almost

compromiso

commitment / engagement (to be married)

debido a / a causa de

due to

destacar

to point out, emphasize, stand out

el comportamiento

behaviour

el discurso

speech

anterior

former, before

el/la deportista

sportsperson

el/la mismo/a

the same

el/la portavoz

spokesperson

empresario/a

entrepreneur, businessman/woman

en busca de

in search of

ese/a

that

este/a

this

los familiares

relatives

hacer hincapié

to stress, emphasise

incluso

even

intentar

to try (to do sth)

lamentar (+ infinitive)

to regret (doing something)

tampoco

neither

pocos/as

few

una polémica

a controversy

polémico, controvertido

controversial

por lo tanto

therefore

probar

to try [make an effort, to taste, test an effect)

renombrado

renowned

siglo

century

suficiente

enough

sustituir

to replace

tal como

such as

tan ...como

as...as

tener lugar

to take place

sentirse

to feel (+ adjective)

sentir

to feel (+ noun)

transcurrir, ocurrir, pasar

to happen

tras (+ infinitive)

after (doing something)

una vez

once

varios/as

several

preocuparse por

to worry about