Theme 2.1/2.3: Where I live and the environment - Vocabulary
The vocabulary for Themes 2.1 and 2.3, where I live and the environment, is built around describing a home, town or neighbourhood, and discussing environmental problems and solutions.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Learn housing and locality vocabulary as a set: el barrio (neighbourhood), las afueras (the outskirts), el centro de la ciudad, un piso (a flat), una casa adosada (a semi-detached/terraced house) - and note piso means flat in Spain, not 'floor' in this context.
- Learn advantage/disadvantage language for describing where you live: la ventaja/la desventaja de vivir en..., lo malo/lo bueno es que..., which structures a comparison rather than a flat description.
- Learn the core environmental problem nouns with their gender: el calentamiento global, la contaminación, el cambio climatico, la sequía, la deforestación - all common exam vocabulary that must be spelled with the correct accents.
- Learn the solution vocabulary as verb phrases: reciclar, reducir/reutilizar/reciclar, ahorrar agua/energía, proteger el medio ambiente, usar energías renovables - solutions are usually tested together with the problem they respond to.
- Build obligation and recommendation language: hay que + infinitive, deberíamos + infinitive, es fundamental/urgente que + subjunctive (for higher tier) - environmental writing tasks are almost always framed around what should be done.
- For listening, listen for cause-and-effect connectives around this vocabulary (por eso, como consecuencia, debido a) since environmental recordings typically link a human cause to an environmental effect.
- For writing and translation, practise linking a local example (in your barrio or town) to a global issue (climate change), since higher-mark answers connect the personal and the global rather than listing facts.
Worked example
Using these bullet points, write two full Spanish sentences: (1) a description of your neighbourhood, with an advantage; (2) an environmental problem and a solution.
- For bullet 1, choose locality vocabulary and an advantage structure: 'Vivo en un barrio tranquilo en las afueras de la ciudad, y la ventaja es que hay mucho espacio verde.'
- For bullet 2, name a specific environmental problem with its correct gender and accent: la contaminación del aire (air pollution).
- Build the sentence: 'La contaminación del aire es un problema muy grave en las ciudades grandes.'
- Add a solution using an obligation structure: 'Por eso, hay que usar más el transporte público y menos el coche.'
- Check both environmental nouns (contaminación, cambio climatico if used) carry their accents correctly and that the solution logically responds to the problem stated.
Practice questions
Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.
Q1Give the Spanish for 'a flat', including the correct article.Show answer
Answer: Un piso.
Q2Translate into English: 'Vivo en las afueras de la ciudad.'Show answer
Answer: I live on the outskirts of the city.
Q3Give the Spanish for 'global warming'.Show answer
Answer: El calentamiento global.
Q4Complete: Hay que _____ (recycle) más para proteger el medio ambiente.Show answer
Answer: Reciclar.
Q5Translate into Spanish: 'Pollution is a very serious problem.'Show answer
Answer: La contaminación es un problema muy grave.
Q6Give one Spanish phrase meaning 'to save water/energy'.Show answer
Answer: Ahorrar agua/energía.
Q7Give the Spanish for 'drought'.Show answer
Answer: La sequía.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a GCSE Spanish exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Translate this passage into English: 'Vivo en un piso en el centro de la ciudad, pero me gustaría vivir en las afueras porque hay menos contaminación y más espacio verde. El cambio climatico me preocupa mucho: en mi región hemos sufrido varias sequías graves en los ultimos años. Creo que todos deberíamos reciclar más y usar energías renovables para proteger el medio ambiente.'
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Read this text and answer the questions in English. 'El ayuntamiento de mi ciudad ha lanzado una campaña para reducir la contaminación. Se han instalado más contenedores de reciclaje en cada barrio y se anima a los vecinos a usar la bicicleta en lugar del coche. Según un informe reciente, la calidad del aire ha mejorado un quince por ciento desde que empezó la campaña. Sin embargo, los expertos advierten de que todavía queda mucho por hacer para combatir el calentamiento global.' (a) What has the council installed in every neighbourhood? (1 mark) (b) What are residents encouraged to do? (1 mark) (c) By how much has air quality improved, and since when? (2 marks) (d) What warning do experts give? (2 marks)
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Write approximately 90 words in Spanish about where you live and the environment. You must include: a description of your home and area; an advantage and a disadvantage of living there; an environmental problem that worries you; two solutions you think are needed, justified.
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See real GCSE Spanish past-paper questions, with official mark schemes →
Free printable worksheet
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