A2 - Elementary Spanish
At the A2 level, a student is considered to be at the Elementary stage.
Students at this stage can converse in simple terms about common daily situations, and understands frequently used expressions.
enviar una postal
send a postcard
The Spanish phrase 'enviar una postal' translates to 'send a postcard' in English. It is associated with the action of mailing a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. This term is often related to travel and communication, as postcards are typically mailed by travelers to friends and family to share a greeting or update from a different location.
escribir el currículum
write the resume
The Spanish phrase 'escribir el currículum' translates to 'write the resume' in English. It is used when someone is preparing a summary of their past work experience, skills, and education, typically for job applications. Just like in English-speaking countries, this document allows potential employers to review a candidate's qualifications for a position.
escribir un mensaje electrónico
write an email message
The Spanish phrase 'escribir un mensaje electrónico' translates to 'write an email message' in English. This is a verb phrase and often used in formal or informal communication scenario. 'Escribir' is a verb which means 'to write'. 'Un mensaje electrónico' stands for 'an email message'. So when combined together, it instructs someone to write an email. This phrase can be found in different settings such as workplaces, schools, and general day-to-day personal communication.
escribir una nota
write a note
The Spanish phrase 'escribir una nota' translates to 'write a note' in English. This phrase is often used in both informal and formal contexts, such as jotting down a quick message to a friend or writing a formal note at work. 'Escribir', the infinitive form of the verb 'write', can be conjugated depending on the subject and tense of the sentence. 'Una nota' remains the same, as it denotes a singular note.
escritor
writer
'Escritor' refers to a person who writes books, stories, or articles as a job. It's generally used to refer to a male writer.
Example sentences with escritor →escuchar un programa de radio
listen to a radio program
The Spanish phrase 'escuchar un programa de radio' translates to 'listen to a radio program' in English. This is a common phrase that might be used when someone wants to tell or ask someone else about tuning in to a specific broadcast on the radio. For example, if there is a particular radio show that someone enjoys, they might say 'escuchar un programa de radio' as a way of suggesting someone else should listen to it too.
escuela de ballet
ballet school
The Spanish term 'escuela de ballet' translates to 'ballet school' in English. It is a place where students learn ballet, a form of dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century. A ballet school might offer training in the various techniques, styles, and history of ballet. It may also provide physical conditioning, performance skills, and opportunities to dance in recitals and productions.
escuela de idiomas
Language school
The Spanish phrase 'escuela de idiomas' translates to 'language school' in English. This term is used to identify an educational institution where one or more foreign languages are taught. These schools provide language courses that are designed to enhance the listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills of the learners in a particular foreign language. These schools may also offer study material, resources and activities to aid language learning.
escuela de música
Music school
The term 'escuela de música' is a Spanish phrase that translates into English as 'music school'. A music school is an educational institution specialized in studying, training and researching about music. Such an organization can be as small as a school of music held in a teacher's private home, or as large as a university level conservatory.
esquina
corner
The Spanish word 'esquina' translates to 'corner' in English. It is primarily used to describe the place or point where two or more edges, sides, or surfaces of something meet. In geography, it is used for the intersection of two streets. Its secondary usage can be in the context of a place or situation offering opportunities for privacy or concealment. To master its usage, try to use 'esquina' in your daily conversation while referring to corners.
Example sentences with esquina →estanco
staircase
The given information is incorrect. 'Estanco' does not translate to 'staircase'. 'Estanco' is a Spanish word which is generally used to represent a small shop or kiosk that sells tobacco, stamps, and other public documents in Spain. Sometimes it could also mean a place where the sale of an item is strictly controlled by the state or 'a monopoly'. A closer Spanish word for 'staircase' is 'escalera'.
estar calvo
being bald
'Estar calvo' is a Spanish phrase used to describe the state of being bald in English. It is commonly utilized when talking about individuals who lack hair on their head. This phrase comprises of 'estar' which is a verb that signals a state or condition, and 'calvo', an adjective signifying 'bald'.
estar cansado
Being tired
The Spanish phrase 'estar cansado' translates to 'being tired' in English. It is a combination of the verb 'estar' which means 'to be' in a temporary or changing state, and 'cansado' which means 'tired'. Thus, when you say 'estar cansado', you are referring to a temporary state or condition of being tired.
estar contento
Be happy
The Spanish phrase 'estar contento' translates to 'be happy' in English. It is used to express a state of happiness, satisfaction, or joy. This phrase is a state of being that can change, depending on the subject's emotions or circumstances. It is important to note that 'estar contento' is used for temporary or changeable states, in contrast to 'ser feliz', which is used for more permanent states of happiness.
estar enfadado
being angry
The phrase 'estar enfadado' translates to 'being angry' in English. This is a common phrase used to describe someone's emotional state in Spanish. It is formed by the verb 'estar', meaning 'to be' in a temporary way (used for conditions, locations, emotions, etc.), coupled with the adjective 'enfadado', which means 'angry'. This phrase possesses an important nuance - it suggests a temporary condition, not a permanent state, fostering the idea that emotions change and are not fixed states of being.
estar jubilado
retired
The Spanish term 'estar jubilado' translates to 'being retired' in English. In a more contextual sense, it is used to describe a state of permanent withdrawal from one's occupation or profession, usually due to reaching the age of retirement or for health reasons. The term combines the verb 'estar' denoting a state or condition, and 'jubilado', which is the past participle of 'jubilar', meaning to retire. In use, if someone says 'Yo estoy jubilado', it means 'I am retired' in English.
estar nervioso
be nervous.
The Spanish phrase 'estar nervioso' translates to 'be nervous' in English. It is used to express a feeling of unease, anxiety, or worry about something that is happening or may happen. This can include feeling jittery, tense, or apprehensive. This phrase can be used in a variety of situations such as before taking a test, giving a speech, or during a high-stress situation.
estar preocupado
worried.
'Estar preocupado' is a Spanish phrase used to express the state of being worried, anxious or concerned about something or someone. This phrase is an example of the verb 'estar' being used to indicate temporary states or feelings. In English, it directly translates to 'to be worried'.
estar triste
being sad
The Spanish phrase 'estar triste' translates to 'being sad' in English. This phrase is often used to describe someone's emotional state at a particular moment in time. 'Estar' is a verb that means 'to be' and 'triste' is an adjective that means 'sad'. So 'estar triste' in English can be understood as 'to be sad'. In Spanish, feelings are described using 'estar' rather than 'ser', which is generally used for more permanent states of being.
estatua
statue
The word 'estatua' in Spanish translates to 'statue' in English. A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which real or imaginary people or animals, or, less commonly, things are represented. Usually found in public places, statues are an integral part of architecture and history, symbolizing important events or people from the past.
Example sentences with estatua →estómago
stomach
The word 'estómago' is a Spanish noun that translates to 'stomach' in English. It is often used in both medical and everyday contexts. In anatomy, the 'estómago' is part of the digestive system where the process of digestion begins. The word is masculine and so it would be 'el estómago'.
ex marido
ex-husband
The Spanish word 'ex marido' translates to 'ex-husband' in English. It is used to refer to a man to whom someone was formerly married, similar to how the term 'ex-husband' is used in English. Typically, it refers to a previous partner in a dissolved marriage.
ex mujer
ex-wife
The Spanish term 'ex mujer' translates to 'ex-wife' in English. It is used to refer to a woman to whom one was formerly married. The term describes a past marital relationship that has been legally ended through divorce. As such, an ex-wife once held the role of a legal spouse but currently holds a different status, denoted by the prefix 'ex' which signifies a past association.
fábrica
factory
The word 'fábrica' in Spanish translates to 'factory' in English. In Spanish-speaking cultures, a 'fábrica' counts as a place where goods are manufactured or assembled chiefly by machine. It could be a place where any type of product is made, from shoes to car parts. Just like in English, the word can describe various sizes of places, from small local factories to huge industrial plants.
fax
fax
The Spanish word 'fax' is an example of a cognate, a word that has the same linguistic derivation as another word and it sounds similar and has the same meaning in English. Just like in English, 'fax' in Spanish refers to a method of encoding data, transmitting it over a telephone line, and receiving a hard copy of the text, diagrams, images, etc. that were sent. It's commonly used in businesses and is deemed as a very old form of sending documents.
fiesta de cumpleaños
Birthday party
The term 'fiesta de cumpleaños' is a Spanish phrase that translates to 'birthday party' in English. A 'fiesta de cumpleaños' is a joyful event or gathering that is organized in celebration of the anniversary of someone's birth. It often involves various traditional activities such as gift-giving, games, music, and food, similar to birthday parties in many English-speaking cultures.
fiesta de fin de curso
end-of-course party
The term 'fiesta de fin de curso' in Spanish means 'end-of-course party' in English. It refers to a celebratory event that is typically held at the end of an academic period or after a lengthy study course. Students, teachers, and often family members gather to mark the completion of the course, enjoying food, entertainment, and camaraderie. It's a tradition in Spanish-speaking countries and is equivalent to a graduation party or end-of-term celebration in English speaking countries.
filete
fillet
The Spanish word 'filete' translates to 'fillet' in English. It is commonly used to refer to a strip or compact piece of boneless meat or fish, especially the beef tenderloin. This word finds its origins in French language, adopted by Spanish and English, and hence has the same meaning in both languages. It can also refer to a slice or piece of a boneless cut or from the smaller muscle of an animal or bird.
filete con patatas
steak with potatoes
The Spanish phrase 'filete con patatas' translates to 'steak with potatoes' in English. It is a commonly used term in Spanish cuisine to refer to a dish comprised of a cut of beef, typically cooked by grilling or frying, and served with potatoes. Potatoes can be prepared in a variety of ways, including fried or boiled. The phrase 'filete con patatas' can be used to order this meal in a restaurant, or describe it in a menu.
flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco refers to a genre of Spanish music, song, and dance from Andalusia in southern Spain, infused with both Eastern and Western influences. It can be recognized by its highly emotional performance style, intricate guitar playing, and passionate singing and clapping. The flamenco dance is known for its uplifting rhythm, intense stares, stamping of the feet and dramatic poses. Sometimes, the flamenco style is also represented in certain clothing and fashion designs characterized by elaborate ruffles and vibrant colors.
Example sentences with flamenco →