Comprehensive notes on Spanish Vocabulary and Culture

Vocabulary

6B.1

el abrazo: hug
el aceite: oil $6A.2$
al lado de: next to, beside
allá: over there $6A.2$
aprender (a): to learn $68.1$
aquel, aquella (aquellos, aquellas): that, (those) far away $6A.2$
ayudar: to help $6A.1$
el azúcar: sugar $6A.2$
el baño: bathroom $68.1$
calor: heat $6B.2$
la carta: letter $6B.1$
cerrar (ie): to close $6A.1$

6A.1

la cocina: kitchen
el comedor: dining room
cómodo/a: comfortable $6B.1$
correr: to run $68.2$
la cosa: thing $6A.7$
cuando: when $6B.1$
el cuarto: room, bedroom $68.1$
los cubiertos: cutlery
la cuchara: spoon $6A.2$
la cucharita: teaspoon $6A.2$
el cuchillo: knife $6A.2$
de todos los días: everyday
deber: should, to have to, must, ought
decir (i): to tell, to say $6B.1$
desde: since, from $6B.1$
después: afterwards, later, then
el dibujo: drawing, sketch $68.1$
donde: where $6B.1$
e: and (used before a word beginning with i or hi) $6B.1$
empezar (ie): to begin, to start
encender (ie): to light, to turn on (a light)
entonces: then
la escalera: stairway, stairs $6B.1$
escribir: to write $6B.1$
ese, esa (esos, esas): that (those) $6A.2$
especial: special
este, esta (estos, estas): this (these) $6A.2$
la estufa: stove

6A.1

el fregadero: sink
el frío: cold $6B.2$
las ganas: desire $6B.1$
el garaje: garage $6B.1$
gustaría: would like $68.1$
hacer: to make
el hambre (f.): hunger $6B.2$
el horno microondas: microwave oven
la lámpara: lamp
el lavaplatos: dishwasher
lo que: what, that which $6B.2$
la luz (pl. las luces): light
el mantel: tablecloth $6A.2$
la mantequilla: butter $6A.2$
me/te/le/nos/les gustaría: l/you/ he/she/it/we/they would like $6B.1$
la mentira: lie $6B.2$
la mesa: table
el miedo: fear $6B.2$
otra vez: again, another time
el pan: bread $6A.2$
pásame: pass me $6A.2$
el patio: courtyard, patio, yard $6B.1$
pedir (i): to ask for, to order, to request; pedir ayuda to ask for help; pedir perdón to say you are sorry; pedir permiso (para) to ask for permission (to do something); pedir prestado/a to borrow $6B.2$
pensar (ie): to think, to intend, to plan
pequeño/a: small $6B.1$

6B.1

la piscina: swimming pool
el piso: floor
la planta: plant
la planta baja: ground floor
el plato: dish, plate
poco/a: not very, little $68.2$
poner: to put, to place, to set
por: through, by
por la noche: at night
por teléfono: by phone
el postre: dessert $6A.2$
preferir (ie): to prefer
el primer piso: first floor
la prisa: rush, hurry, haste $6B.2$
querer (ie): to want, to love (a person)
querido/a: dear $6B.1$
el refrigerador: refrigerator
repetir (i): to repeat $6B.2$
la sal: salt $6A.2$
la sala: living room $6B.1$
la sed: thirst $68.2$
sentir (ie): to be sorry, to feel sorry, to regret
la servilleta: napkin
sobre: about $6B.1$
la sopa: soup $6A.2$
el sueño: sleep $6B.2$
la taza: cup $6A.2$
el tenedor: fork $6A.2$
tener (calor, frío, hambre, miedo, prisa, sed, sueño): to be (hot, cold, hungry, afraid, in a hurry, thirsty, sleepy) $6B.2$
tener ganas de: to feel like $6B.1$
tener que: to have (to)
u: or (used before a word that starts with o or ho) $6B.1$
un poco de: a little $6A.2$
el vaso: glass
la verdad: truth $68.2$
viajar: to travel
ya: already, now
los aeróbicos: aerobics $7A.1$
el ahora mismo: right now $7A.2$
ajedrez: chess $7A.1$
alquilar: to rent $7A.2$
americano/a: American $7A.7$
antes de: before $7A.1$
apagar: to turn off $7A.2$
el básquetbol: basketball $7A.1$
el basquetbolista, la basquetbolista: basketball player
buen: good (in front of a masc. sing. noun) $7B.2$
bueno: okay
las cartas: playing cards $7A.1$
casi: almost $7A.2$
el continuar: to continue $78.1$
control remoto: remotecontrol $7A.2$
copiar: to copy $7B.1$
el corredor, la corredora: runner $7B.2$
costar (ue): to cost $7A.1$
¿Cuánto (+ time expression) hace que (+ present tense of verb) … ? How long… ?
cuarto/a: fourth $7B.2$
las damas: checkers $7A.1$
dar: to give $7A.1$
dar un paseo: to go for a walk, to go for a ride
décimo/a: tenth $78.2$
el deportista, la deportista: athlete
después de: after $7A.1$
dibujar: to draw, to sketch $7A.7$
dormir (ue, u): to sleep $7A.2$
en cambio: on the other hand $7B.1$
enviar: to send $7B.1$
equipo: team $7A.7$
esquiador, la esquiadora: skier $7B.2$
esquiar: to ski $78.1$
esta noche: tonight $7A.1$
está nublado/a / soleado/a: it's cloudy / sunny $7B.2$
estación: season $7B.1$
estupendo/a: wonderful, marvelous $7A.2$
excelente: excellent $78.7$
flor: flower $7B.1$
fresco: cool $7B.2$
fútbol americano: football $7A.1$
el futbolista, la futbolista: soccer olaver
grado: degree $7B.2$
hace (+ weather expression): it is (+ weather expression) $7B.2$
hace (+ time expression) que: (time expression +) ago; used to indicate how long something has been happening
hay neblina: it is misting $7B.2$
hielo: ice $7B.1$
el invierno: winter $7B.1$
jugador, la jugadora: player $7B.2$
lista: list $7A.2$
listo/a: ready $7B.1$
llover (ue): to rain $78.2$
la lluvia: rain $7B.2$
el lugar: place $78.1$
mal: bad (in front of a masc. sing. noun) $7B.2$
máximo/a: maximum $7B.2$
mínimo/a: minimum $7B.2$
minuto: minute $7A.1$
mismo/a: same $7A.2$
montar en patineta: to skateboard $7B.1$
neblina: mist $7B.2$
nevar (ie): to snow $7B.2$
la nieve: snow $7B.2$
noveno/a: ninth $7B.2$
nublado/a: cloudy $7B.2$
octavo/a: eighth $7B.2$
otoño: autumn $7B.1$
pasatiempo: pastime, leisure activity $7A.7$
paseo: walk, ride, trip $78.1$
patinador, la patinadora: skater $7B.2$
patinar sobre hielo: to ice-skate $7B.1$
patineta: skateboard $7B.1$
permitir: to permit, allow $7A.2$
poder (ue, u): to be able $7A.1$
por: along $7B.1$
por la mañana: in the
por la noche: at night $7A.7$
por la tarde: in the afternoon $7A.1$
por todos lados: everywhere $7B.1$
primavera: spring $7B.1$
primero/a (primer): first $7B.2$
programa: program $7A.1$
¿Qué temperatura hace?: What is the temperature? $7B.2$
¿Qué tiempo hace?: How is the weather?
quinto/a: fifth
recordar (ue): to remember $7A.7$
segundo: second (time increment) $7A.2$
segundo/a: second $7B.2$
séptimo/a: seventh $7B.2$
sexto/a: sixth $7B.2$
siglo: century $7A.2$
sol: sun $7B.1$
soleado/a: sunny $7B.2$
telenovela: soap opera $7A.1$
televisor: television set $7A.7$
temperatura: temperature $7B.2$
el tenista, la tenista: tennis player
tercero/a (tercer): third $7B.2$
tiempo: weather $7B.2$
todavía: yet $7A.7$
todavía: still $7B.1$
vida: life $7A.7$
videojuego: video game $7A.1$
viento: wind $7B.2$
voleibol: volleyball $7A.7$
volver (ue): to return, to go back, to come back $7A.7$

People and Homes in Venezuela

Not all Venezuelans live in Caracas or Maracaibo.
Many live in the Amazon jungle or in the great plains.
South America has the largest tropical area in the world: the Amazon rainforest.
The Amazon rainforest includes parts of eight countries: Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Venezuela, and Suriname.
The Venezuelan Amazon is inhabited by different tribes of small indigenous people.
The Yanomamis live in large communal houses in a circular way called shabonos.
Several families live in a shabono.
In the evening, they meet to eat, talk, and explain their stories, myths, and legends to children.
Then all children and adults sleep in hammocks.
Animals such as blue and red macaws can be admired.
The spectacular Angel Falls, the highest waterfalls in the world, can be seen in the Amazon.
The plains are a large and hot area with huge rivers like the Orinoco, prone to torrential rains.
The main activity in the plains is livestock, but there is also agriculture and oil exploitation.
The llaneros, similar to the cowboys of the United States, live in this area.
The laneros live in large and tall haciendas with interior and exterior spaces.
The main activity of the plainsman is to take care of cattle, but he also likes to sing with his harp or with a small guitar called cuatro.
Many haciendas are dedicated to agrotourism, offering visitors the opportunity to observe the fauna and flora of the region and eat typical meals of the plain such as roasted meat.
The shabonos of the Amazon and the haciendas of the plains reflect fascinating aspects of the life of the inhabitants of these Venezuelan regions.

Houses and People

By observing the houses of a town or city, it is possible to learn about the people who live there and their lifestyle.
In Colombia, different styles of houses are determined by the different climates and cultural diversity of the country.
Most Colombians are descendants of Spaniards.
Many houses of the Colombian towns and cities are of the Spanish colonial style.
The city of Cartagena, on the Caribbean coast, preserves a style of colonial architecture that attracts many artists and writers.
These houses are large (two floors) and cheerfully colored.
The balconies offer the opportunity to get some fresh air, plant flowers, and relax.
In big cities like Bogotá, life is dynamic and modern.
Many professionals prefer to live close to work in contemporary apartment buildings where the spaces are smaller and easier to clean.
Gardens, plants and flowers adorn these buildings, as evidence that Colombians admire nature.
The houses of San Andrés, in the Caribbean, tell us about the origin of their inhabitants: Englishmen and their slaves, African-Americans.
The construction style is English, but the bright and cheerful colors are typical of Caribbean culture.
The houses have a porch in the front or in the back where people enjoy a cool space to relax and talk with their neighbors.
La Quinta de Bolívar, a farm given to Simón Bolívar, is a fine example of a colonial-style house and is now a museum.
One of the most outstanding characteristics of colonial-style homes built in Colombia, and in many other Latin American countries, is the patio, or courtyard.
There's a certain prestige attached to these colonial homes, making them very attractive to members of the upper middle class who can afford them.
These homes do not favor landscapes or grand views of the outside world; on the contrary, they focus their attention inwards.
The need for privacy and tranquility is essential to the lifestyle of the people who live in these houses.
The patio functions as a refuge from the hot or cold weather.
It also serves as a source of light and air circulation to the rooms that only open onto the patio.
Residents grow local plants and flowers there to add color and beauty, and these are complemented sometimes with fountains and small trees.
As the heart of the home, it represents an open space where family members can meet, talk, eat meals, and spend time together.

Argentina

Argentina has diverse geography, influencing leisure activities.
It stretches from subtropical forests in the north to frigid climate conditions near Antarctica in the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Andes Mountains in the west.
The subtropical region of the north is home to the spectacular Iguazú Falls, a World Heritage Site and a perfect location for hiking, rowing, and dancing the chacarera.
Las pampas, or the plains, are home to the famed gaucho.
The gaucho is a beef-eating, mate-drinking cowboy, with his wide-brimmed hat and flared pants, a symbol of Argentina's struggle to preserve its traditions against European influences.
The gaucho's tradition lives on at the many estancias (ranches) on the pampas, where people enjoy horseback riding, playing polo, and other outdoor activities suited to the open plains.
The province of Mendoza in the Andean foothills is dotted with vineyards and olive trees.
Mendoza's music, art, and festivals celebrate hope, hard work, and the products of the land.
Mendoza also attracts hikers, rafters, skiers, and climbers headed for Aconcagua Peak, the highest in the Americas.
Patagonia, the southern cone of Argentina, is home to the Andean town of Bariloche with its winter sports, and also the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares.
The waters of the Río de la Plata bathe the coast of the city of Buenos Aires.
Since colonial times, Buenos Aires is an important center of commerce and tourism and recreation, thanks to the proximity of the river.
Next to the river, near the skyscrapers of the modern neighborhood of Puerto Madero, is the Ecological Reserve where you can enjoy nature and practice activities such as walking, cycling, and taking pictures of the vegetation and animals.
To the north, bordering the river coast, Costanera Avenue extends, surrounded by parks and sports and recreation centers.
Fishing is the activity par excellence of the place.
If you pass by the Costanera on a Sunday, you can see the Buenos Aires families fishing and enjoying the endless view of the river.

Sports in Argentina

Soccer is the most popular sport in Argentina.
Argentina has produced world-famous players, such as Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
The Argentine National Team is always one of the favorite teams to win the World Cup.
Soccer is a sport for adults, young people and children.
Women also play soccer and there is a national team, but there are no women's professional teams.
The Argentine geography favors a wide variety of sports.
Bariloche, in the south, is great for skiing from June to September.
In the pampas, you can play the national sport: the game of the duck.
In the duck game, two teams of players, mounted on horses, must pass a ball between a high ring, as in basketball.
The duck game is called that because they originally played it with a royal duck, not with a ball.
Polo also comes from the pampas, introduced by the English in the 19th century.
Argentina has been a four-time champion Playing polo Polo world championship.
Other popular sports that are practiced in Buenos Aires and the rest of the country are boxing, tennis and basketball.
Argentines are fans of almost all sports.

Chilean Geography and Identity

Today there are more than 17 million people living in Chile.
Its capital, Santiago, is the center of the country and where half of the population is concentrated.
The identity of Chileans is strongly determined by the geographical characteristics of the country.
Chile is surrounded by natural barriers that separate it from the rest Of Latin American countries: the ocean, the mountain range And the desert.
These barriers prevent fluid contact with neighboring countries.
It's like living on an island.
The particular geography and severe climate influence the character of Chileans, who are distinguished by their tenacity and ability to overcome obstacles.
The Andes mountain range, with mountains more than 6,000 meters high, is a fantastic place for skiing or climbing.
The Atacama desert (the most arid in the world) offers opportunities for hiking and taking pictures.
Rally championships are also held there because the desert dunes are ideal for this sport.
With 4,300 km of extensive ocean, Chile is an excellent place to practice water sports, especially surfing.
The spas of Pichilemu is the paradise of surfers because of the excellent conditions of the wind and waves.
Further south, there are hundreds of lakes that are also ideal for practicing sports such as kayaking, regattas and rafting.
Because of its narrow geography, you can climb a snow-covered volcano in the morning, take a refreshing lakeside swim after lunch, and be soaking in thermal baths by sunset.
Chileans enjoy skiing in Portillo (on the border with Argentina); surfing and rafting in the Pacific and the southern lakes region; glacier and cave exploring in Patagonia in the south; and thermal bathing in the northern, central, and southern regions.
Chile's unique topography and climate allow los chilenos to enjoy many different outdoor pastimes and sports.
Besides enjoying outdoor activities in beautiful natural settings, there are two games that Chileans appreciate and enjoy: el palín and el fútbol.
A traditional activity in the farming communities of the south is el palin, a game inherited from the indigenous group the Mapuche that is still played today.
The participants are often from two community groups or tribes.
Play begins by placing a hard ball made of wood, leather, or metal in a hole in the center of a long, rectangular field or court.
Players use a curved wooden stick (palín) to advance the ball in an effort to score on the opposing team at the extreme end of the field.
The game is always part of a larger celebration in which a religious ceremony, dancing, and food are included.
Regardless of who wins or loses, the home team provides the refreshments.
Chile, like many other countries, enjoys its fútbol.

Rapa Nui

Rapa Nui is the most remote inhabited island on the planet.
It is a National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
It has pink beaches (such as Ovahe beach), volcanoes, marine flora and fauna, caverns, and moais (gigantic statues).
The first inhabitants of Rapa Nui traveled from the Marquesas Islands in the sixth century and that for more than a thousand years they had no contact with the outside.
In 1722 the island was discovered for the Western world by the Dutch sailor Jakob Roggeveen.
The spirit of this culture is still alive in its inhabitants, its language, its clothing, its music, its dances, its crafts and its food.
Every February, the inhabitants celebrate the Tapati festival.

The World Cup

The Soccer World Cup, or the World Cup, is one of the most anticipated events in the world.
It is a competition that takes place every four years since 1930, in the summer.
Almost 200 men's teams from different nations participate.
There are two stages: tournaments of classification and a final phase in which the 32 teams that qualified participate.
For the year 2026 they are projecting an expansion: the World Cup will incorporate 48 teams in the final phase.
FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) presides over the Football federations around the world.
The FIFA Committee votes in a first and second round system to select the host country of the tournament.
To be the host, there are several requirements, for example, the country must have eight to 10 stadiums with capacity for a minimum of 40,000 spectators.
In general, the teams (national teams) of Europe and South America dominates the tournament.
After twenty World Cups, the country with the most championships is Brazil with five.

Daily Life in Spain

In Spain, the schedules of the people who work reflect a quiet and social life.
After breakfast at 7:00, there is a mid-morning break to eat something light.
"The lunch" (or lunch) is between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.
As a first course there is salad, soup or vegetables.
Then comes a main course with meat or fish and, to finish, dessert and coffee… and a lot of conversation.
Many people take their "food" to work or go to a restaurant.
Many Spaniards work until 7:00 or 8:00 p.m., with another snack break About the.
After work, many people go out to Eat a tapa with their colleagues and return home to be with the family.
Dinner is light and is served at 9:00 or 10:00 pm.
Spanish life reflects family solidarity.
It is not uncommon to find three generations living together.
The elderly are cared for by their relatives, and many children live with their parents until they finish college or get married.
The extended family is always nearby to accompany and help.
A modern change is that women work outside the home and the husband and children help more with the chores.
Spaniards love the social life in the open air.
In the afternoon and on weekends, the streets (like Las Ramblas in Barcelona) and the squares (like the Plaza Mayor in Madrid) fill up Of families taking a walk or friends enjoying a cafe on the terrace.

Spanish Boys

In Spain, young people divide their time between home, school and social life.
At home, they collaborate with chores such as running errands, buying bread, picking up the table or taking out the trash.
At school there are usually classes in the morning and afternoon, with two hours for lunch at home or at school.
Classes end around five in the afternoon.
In the afternoon they do extracurricular activities, maybe At school or in a private or municipal center.
They study English or music, or play sports.
Many cities have swimming pools or soccer fields for the public.
Others have a multi-sports center with sports such as handball, basketball and tennis.
They spend time on social networks.
At night during the week the young people are at home, having dinner with the family and doing homework.
The weekend, jes for social life!
Boys like to go out with their friends in an informal atmosphere.
Spanish boys usually do not meet at their friends' houses.
They spend time in the Parks, play sports or take a walk around the city.
Later, they go out for a drink on the terrace of a cafe.
Then, the fun continues with dancing, a movie or a concert.