B2 - Upper Intermediate Spanish
Students at the Upper Intermediate B2 level can defend their positions in a debate, and explore opposing views on different topics.
At this level, most students can converse with native speakers naturally and fluently.
hacer una reforma
reform
'Hacer una reforma' in Spanish translates to 'make a reform' in English. This phrase could be used in various contexts where changes or improvements are being made, similar to the English term 'reform'. Examples could include making alterations in a governmental system, modifying a law or policy, or changing physical structures or architecture. It is a common phrase in Spanish-speaking countries when discussing modification, transformation, or improvement of an existing structure, system, or situation.
hacer una síntesis
make a synthesis
The phrase 'hacer una síntesis' in Spanish translates to 'make a synthesis' in English. This is usually used in an academic context, where it refers to the act of combining various sources of information to generate a new idea or perspective. In a broad sense, it's like taking different elements and merging them into a single, coherent whole.
hacer una tabla
make a table
The phrase 'hacer una tabla' in Spanish translates to 'make a table' in English. It can be used both in a literal sense, such as when someone is physically building a table, or a figurative sense, such as creating a table of information or data.
hacer una transferencia (bancaria)
make a transfer (banking)
The term 'hacer una transferencia (bancaria)' in Spanish translates directly into English as 'make a transfer (banking)'. This refers to the process of shifting funds from one account to another within the same bank or different banks. The transfer can be scheduled or done immediately, based on the individuals' preference. Transfer types can include online transfers, wire transfers, or Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers. This is a commonly used term in personal or business banking.
hacer una venta
make a sale
The Spanish phrase 'hacer una venta' translates to 'make a sale' in English. It is commonly used in business contexts, particularly in retail, to refer to the action of successfully selling a product or service to a customer. The word 'hacer' in Spanish can have various meanings such as 'to do', 'to make', or 'to build', and 'venta' means 'sale'. Therefore, metaphorically putting it together, it means to accomplish a sale.
Example sentences with hacer una venta →hacer una visita
make a visit
'Hacer una visita' is a phrase in Spanish that translates to 'make a visit' in English. It is often used when referring to the action of visiting a place, person, or going somewhere with a specific purpose. It implies the temporary nature of the stay. For instance, 'Voy a hacer una visita a mis abuelos' means 'I am going to visit my grandparents'. Note that the literal word-to-word translation, 'make a visit', might not sound as natural in English as the simple term 'visit' does.
hacer universitarios
do colleges
The phrase 'hacer universitarios' in Spanish literally translates to 'do colleges' in English. However, it isn't a common phrase in Spanish since it doesn't have a clear direct meaning. 'Hacer' can mean 'to do' or 'to make', and 'universitarios' refers to things relating to a university or university students. If you want to convey the action of managing, or performing activities in universities, a more accurate expression could be 'gestionar universidades' or 'realizar actividades universitarias'.
hacerse budista
becoming Buddhist
The Spanish phrase 'hacerse budista' translates to 'becoming Buddhist' in English. It implies a person's transition or decision to follow Buddhism, a path of spiritual growth, meditation, and understanding proposed by Buddha. The phrase can refer to the adoption of Buddhist beliefs, customs, and practices due to a change in personal religious or spiritual perspective.
Example sentences with hacerse budista →hacerse católico
becoming Catholic
The Spanish phrase 'hacerse católico' translates to 'becoming catholic' in English. This is usually used in the context of a person converting their religious beliefs to Catholicism. It's a verb phrase and the process it refers to is often considered a significant life event in many cultures.
Example sentences with hacerse católico →hacerse mayor
Getting older
The Spanish phrase 'hacerse mayor' translates to 'getting older' in English. The phrase 'hacerse mayor' is formed by two parts, 'hacerse' and 'mayor'. 'Hacerse' is a reflexive verb formed by the base verb 'hacer' and the reflexive pronoun 'se', in this context, it can be understood as 'to become'. 'Mayor' translates directly to 'older' or 'greater'. Therefore, when combined as 'hacerse mayor', the meaning becomes 'to become older' or 'getting older'. This phrase is commonly used to describe the process of growing or aging.
hacerse socio de un club
become a partner of a club
The Spanish phrase 'hacerse socio de un club' translates to 'become a partner of a club' in English. It's used when somebody wants to join a club, often with rights of ownership or voting privileges. This can apply to any kind of club, for example a sports club, a hobby club, or a business club. This phrase emphasizes the intention to actively participate, not just to receive the benefits associated with membership.
hacerse socio de una asociación (deportiva)
become a partner of an association (sport)
The Spanish phrase 'hacerse socio de una asociación (deportiva)' translates to English as 'become a partner of an association (sport)'. It is used in the context where an individual chooses to join or become a member of an organization, often specific to sports. For example, if you want to join a local football club, you would 'hacerse socio de una asociación (deportiva)'. Thus, it signifies active participation and partnership in any association or club, particularly those related to sports.
hacerse un empaste
Make yourself a pack
The Spanish phrase 'hacerse un empaste' does not exactly translate to 'make yourself a pack' in English. Instead, it's more accurately translated as 'to get a filling'. This phrase is commonly used in a dental context to refer to the process where a cavity in a tooth is filled with a substance by a dentist to prevent further decay. The three words in the phrase can be separately translated as 'hacerse' meaning 'to get', 'un' meaning 'a', and 'empaste' meaning 'filling'.
Example sentences with hacerse un empaste →hacerse un esguince
Make a sprain
The Spanish phrase 'hacerse un esguince' is typically used in a medical or health context. This term is used to describe the action of injuring a ligament in your body through over-stretching, tearing, or pulling. In English, this phrase is equivalent to 'make a sprain' or 'to sprain oneself'. It's useful to know if you're involved in sports or physical activities where sprains might occur. In general conversation, it might refer to someone who has recently suffered this type of injury.
Example sentences with hacerse un esguince →hacerse una idea
getting an idea
The Spanish phrase 'hacerse una idea' generally translates to 'getting an idea' in English. It is usually used in the context of forming or developing a concept, opinion, or understanding about something. As phrases often depend on the context in which they're used, keep in mind that it might not always directly translate to 'getting an idea'. It's often utilized in conversations where ideas or perspectives are discussed.
hamburguesería
hamburgers
The Spanish word 'hamburguesería' is a noun, it generally refers to a place, specifically a restaurant or a shop where hamburgers are predominantly sold or served. In English, it can be roughly translated as 'burger joint' or 'burger shop'. This word is quite common in Spanish speaking territories where American fast food culture is prevalent. Synonyms could also include 'restaurant de hamburguesas' which can directly translate to 'hamburger restaurant'.
harina de maíz
corn flour
The Spanish term 'harina de maíz' translates to 'corn flour' in English. Corn flour is a type of flour made from dried corn kernels. It is commonly used in cooking for making cornbread, tortillas, tamales, and many other types of food. Corn flour is considered a staple food in many countries and it is especially prevalent in Mexican and South American cuisine. It's gluten-free, rich in fiber and can be used in a variety of dishes, both sweet and savory.
harina de trigo
wheat flour
The Spanish term 'harina de trigo' directly translates to 'wheat flour' in English. This is a fundamental ingredient used in many types of baking and cooking around the world. It is created by grinding wheat down into a fine powder. Different types of wheat flour are used for specific purposes and can be found in many baking recipes such as breads, pastas, cakes, and pastries.
helar
freeze
The Spanish verb 'helar' translates to 'freeze' in English. It's mostly used to describe the process of a liquid becoming solid due to cold temperatures or the action of freezing something. Its conjugation can change depending on tense and who's acting, as is common with Spanish verbs.
Example sentences with helar →heredar
inherit
The Spanish verb 'heredar' translates to 'inherit' in English. It is used in the sense of receiving property, money, a title, etc., as an heir at the death of the previous holder. This can be related to both a legal context or a biological one, where it may indicate the acquisition of genetic features. Just like in English, this verb can also be used in a metaphorical sense, for instance, inheriting a situation or a problem.
herida leve
mild wound
The Spanish phrase 'herida leve' translates to 'mild wound' in English. In the medical field, it is used to describe a minor injury that doesn't involve serious damage to the body, like a small cut, bruise, or abrasion. It does not require serious medical attention typically, but must be taken care of immediately to prevent infection or complications. A 'herida leve' is considered non-severe and people usually recover from it without any major treatment necessary.
Example sentences with herida leve →herida profunda
deep wound
The Spanish phrase 'herida profunda' translates to 'deep wound' in English. It can be used medically to denote an injury that penetrates deeply into the body or metaphorically to indicate serious emotional or psychological damage. Care should be taken with its use, as, due to its strong connotations, it may be considered powerful or evocative language.
Example sentences with herida profunda →herida superficial
superficial wound
The phrase 'herida superficial' in Spanish translates to 'superficial wound' in English. This refers to a wound that only affects the topmost layer of the skin, also known as the epidermis. It is not deep or severe and does not damage any underlying tissues or structures. Examples of superficial wounds include minor cuts, abrasions, or first-degree burns. 'Herida' means wound and 'superficial' retains the same meaning in both Spanish and English describing something on the surface or not deep.
Example sentences with herida superficial →hígado
liver
The Spanish word 'hígado' translates to 'liver' in English. The term is commonly used in the context of anatomy to refer to the vital organ that performs many functions in the human body. It processes nutrients from food, makes bile, eliminates toxins and wastes from the body, and enables proper digestion.
hija
daughter
The Spanish word 'hija' translates to 'daughter' in English. It is used to refer to a person's female child. The masculine form is 'hijo', meaning son. 'Hija' can also be used in possessive contexts, like 'su hija' meaning 'his/her daughter'.
Example sentences with hija →hijo
son
In Spanish, the word 'hijo' translates to 'son' in English. It refers to a person's male offspring. This term is used in a variety of contexts and is a central concept in family-related terminology. Embedded in many other expressions, 'hijo' is often used as a term of endearment or in grammatical structures to signify possession.
hilo dental
dental
The Spanish term 'hilo dental' directly translates to English as 'dental floss'. It refers to a cord of thin filaments used to remove food and dental plaque from between teeth in areas a toothbrush is unable to reach. Its use is recommended for an essential part of personal oral hygiene and dental health.
Example sentences with hilo dental →himno
hymn
The Spanish word 'himno' translates to 'hymn' in English. A hymn is a type of song, typically religious in nature and often used in Christian churches. It's designed for congregational singing and played during liturgical services. In a more general sense, 'hymn' may also mean a song of praise. When using 'himno' in Spanish, it carries the same meanings and contexts.
Example sentences with himno →hinduismo
Hinduism
Hinduismo, in English known as 'Hinduism', is a major religion that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It encompasses a wide variety of beliefs, practices and spiritual traditions. Hinduism is considered the world's third largest religion and has a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, pandeism, monism, and atheism among others.
Example sentences with hinduismo →hipocresía
hypocrisy
The Spanish word 'hipocresía' translates to 'hypocrisy' in English. Hypocrisy is the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform. It is often associated with actions that contradict previous statements and behaviors. In a general sense, a person can be called a hypocrite if they criticize others for something that they themselves are guilty of.
Example sentences with hipocresía →