Topics

Family

Nuclear family: parents and children only
Extended family: includes grandparents, uncles, etc.
Sibling: brother or sister
Spouse: husband or wife
In-laws: partner’s family
Close-knit: with strong relationships
Estranged: no longer in contact
Foster family: temporary family for a child
Step-family: includes step-parents or step-siblings
Breadwinner: the person who earns money
Stay-at-home parent: takes care of home and kids

Work

Employee: person who works for a company
Employer: person or company who hires
Job hunt: look for work
Get promoted: move to a higher position
Get fired: lose your job
Resign: leave your job voluntarily
Salary: fixed monthly payment
Wage: hourly or weekly pay
Internship: temporary job for experience
Work remotely: work from home
Shift work: work in set time periods
Full-time: 40 hours a week or more
Part-time: fewer hours than full-time

History

Overthrow: remove a leader or government by force
Broke out: started suddenly (war, fire, etc.)
Historic: very important in history
Civilian: not a soldier (noun or adj.)
Armistice: official agreement to stop war
Cease fire: informal stop in fighting
Heir: person who inherits something
Death toll: number of people who died
Arsonist: person who sets fire on purpose
Seldom: rarely

Life

Gripe: something very annoying
A bit of respite: short rest or relief
Relentless: doesn’t stop
Relish: enjoy something deeply
Unwind: relax and forget stress

Films

Action-packed: full of exciting scenes
Tearjerker: makes you cry
Comedy: funny movie
Thriller: suspenseful and intense
Plot twist: unexpected change in story
Sequel: next movie in a series
Prequel: story before the original

Books

Compulsory reading list: books you must read
Moving: makes you feel emotions
Gripping: very exciting
Heart-warming: gives you happy feelings
Fast-moving: story moves quickly
Intriguing: very interesting
Thought-provoking: makes you think
Creepy: scary or strange
Heavy-going: hard to read
Implausible: not realistic
Overlook: ignored

Music & Sound

Shot up: sudden loud sound
Bang: loud explosive noise
Buzz: low humming sound
Click: short snapping sound
Crash: loud breaking noise
Creak: old wood or door noise
Crunch: sound of stepping on something hard
Drip: falling drop sound
Hiss: snake or steam sound
Hoot: owl or car horn sound
Hum: low steady sound
Rattle: repeated small noise
Roar: loud deep noise (like lion)
Screech: high-pitched loud sound
Slam: strong closing noise
Slurp: noisy drinking sound
Sniff: short nose sound
Snore: noise during sleep
Splash: water sound
Tap: soft light sound
Tick: clock sound
Whistle: high sound from lips or wind
Yell: loud shout
Giggle: light laugh
Whisper: speak very softly
Groan: sound from pain or annoyance
Mumble: speak unclearly
Scream: loud high-pitched cry
Sigh: long breath sound
Sob: cry loudly
Stammer: speak with stops or repeats

Time

Could be any time: no specific time
From time to time: sometimes
Turn up on time: arrive punctually
Appointment: planned meeting time
Delivery time: when something arrives
Save time: do something faster
Kill time: do something while waiting
Take your time: don’t hurry
Make up for lost time: recover missed moments
Take me a long time: needs much time
Spare/afford the time: have free time
Give me a hard time: make things difficult
Take up all my time: use too much time
Have the time of your life: enjoy a lot
Spend too long: use more time than needed
Run out of time: have no time left
Play for time: delay on purpose
On time: punctual
Before my time: before I was born
By the time: at the point something happens
At the time: during that moment
Time off: free time from work
In time: not late
At times: sometimes
Any time from 10 to 2: flexible time range
Behind the times: old-fashioned
Ahead of the times: modern or advanced
One thing at a time: not multitasking
In no time: very quickly
Time-consuming: takes a lot of time
With time to spare: early
The whole time: entire duration
Time’s up: no time left
I’m a little short of time: not much time
I’ve got time on my hands: free time
For the time being: temporarily
A matter of time: will happen soon
There isn’t much time left: running out of time
This time next week: future prediction
It’s about time: finally happening
Time blindness: can’t manage time well
A waste of time: not useful
Put it off: delay something

Money

Discount: price reduction
Refund: money back
Bill: payment request
Fine: money you pay for a mistake
Profit: money gained
Withdrawal: take money from a bank
Deposit: put money in a bank
Receipt: proof of payment
Account: bank profile
Mortgage: loan for a house
Grant: free money (usually for studies)
Loan: borrowed money
Fare: cost of travel
Quote: estimated price
Donation: money you give to help
Instalment: part of a payment plan
Will: document for inheritance
Lump sum: big amount of money at once
Affluent / Well-off / Loaded: rich
Poor / Penniless / Hard-up / Broke: no money
Cashless society: pays with cards or phones
Afford: have enough money
Tip: extra money for service
Tip jar: where you leave tips
Budget: money plan
Consumerism: focus on buying things
Cost a lot: expensive
Overpriced: too expensive
Expensive: costs a lot
Cost an arm and a leg: very expensive
Steep: high price
Exclusive: only for a few
Unaffordable: can’t pay for it
Costly: high cost
Bargain: good deal
Tight-fisted / Penny-pinching / Parsimonious / Mean: not generous with money

Relationships

Get along with: have a good relationship
Fall out: stop being friends
Make up: become friends again
Soulmate: perfect partner
Partner: boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse
Acquaintance: person you know a bit
Break up: end a relationship
Get engaged: promise to marry
Get married: become husband and wife
Divorce: end a marriage
Love at first sight: instant love
Trust: believe in someone
Supportive: caring and helpful
Jealous: afraid of losing someone

Art

Biased: personal opinion affects view
Wistful: slightly sad and dreamy
Portrait: painting of a person
Landscape: painting of nature
Seascape: painting of the sea
Genre: everyday life scene painting
For the sake of art: “Por el amor al arte, por el arte”

Medicine

Midwife: helps during childbirth
Blister: bubble on skin
Runny nose: too much nasal liquid
Stretcher: for moving injured people
Plaster cast: hard shell for broken bones
Sling: cloth to support an arm
Sprain: hurt joint without breaking
Stitches: threads to close a wound
Plasters: small bandages
Bruise: dark skin after bump
Bump: swelling from hit
Crutches: sticks to help walking
Surgeon: doctor who operates
Prescription: doctor’s order for medicine
Over-the-counter: no prescription needed
Frowned upon: not socially accepted

Animals

Mammal: warm-blooded, with fur
Reptile: cold-blooded, with scales
Amphibian: lives in water and land
Insect: small with 6 legs
Pet: animal kept at home
Predator: hunter
Prey: hunted animal
Endangered: close to extinction
Domesticated: trained to live with humans
Wild: not tamed
Furry: with fur
Nocturnal: active at night
Offspring: desdendencia
- Cub: offspring of a lion
- Dog: puppy
- Goat: kid
- Horse: foal
- Cow: calf
- Hen: chick

Food (Comida)

Spicy hot taste (picante)
Sweet: sugary taste (dulce)
Savory: salty or spicy (sabroso)
Bland: no flavor (insípido)
Tasty: good flavor (sabroso, rico)
Ripe: ready to eat (maduro)
Raw: not cooked (crudo)
Cooked: prepared with heat (cocinado)
Grilled: cooked on fire or grill (a la parrilla)
Steamed: cooked with steam (al vapor)
Bitter sharp and strong taste (amargo)
Baked: cooked in oven (horneado)
Fried: cooked in oil (frito)
Vegan: no animal products (vegano)
Vegetarian: no meat (vegetariano)
Junk food: unhealthy food (comida basura)
Organic: no chemicals (orgánico)
Leftovers: food from before (sobras)

Diet Types:

Omnivore: eats both plants and animals (omnívoro)
Flexitarian: mostly plant-based, occasionally eats meat (flexitariano)
Pescatarian: vegetarian who eats fish (pescetariano)
Vegetarian: no meat, may eat dairy and eggs (vegetariano)
Vegan: no animal products at all (vegano)

Idioms:

Being the apple of my eye: Being the favourite person (ser el ojo derecho de alguien)
It’s a piece of cake: Something easy (es pan comido)
Couch potato: Someone who is very lazy (una persona muy sedentaria)
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: Don’t risk everything in one place (no pongas todos los huevos en la misma cesta)
As cool as a cucumber: Someone relaxed (tan tranquilo como un pepino)

Meats:

Beef: (carne de vaca)
Veal: (ternera)
Poultry: meat from birds (aves)
Pork: meat from pigs (cerdo)
Lamb: meat from corderos (cordero)
Game: hunted animals (carne de caza)

Fish (Pescado):

Tuna: atún
Salmon: salmón
Squid: calamar
Swordfish: pez espada
Sardine: sardina
Cod: bacalao
Hake: merluza
Seabass: lubina
Plaice: lenguado

Shellfish (Marisco):

Oyster: ostra
Crab: cangrejo
Mussels: mejillones
Prawns / Shrimp: gambas / camarones
Lobster: langosta
Clams: almejas
Razor clams: navajas
Barnacles: percebes

Vegetables (Verduras):

Green beans: judías verdes
Corn: maíz
Pepper: pimiento
Peas: guisantes
Aubergine / Eggplant: berenjena
Broccoli: brócoli
Spinach: espinaca
Zucchini / Courgette: calabacín
Celery: apio
Leek: puerro

Fruits (Frutas):

Avocado: aguacate
Cherry: cereza
Watermelon: sandía
Pineapple: piña
Peach: melocotón
Kiwi fruit: kiwi
Pear: pera
Fig: higo
Apricot: albaricoque
Passion fruit: maracuyá
Plum: ciruela

Berries (Frutos rojos):

Strawberry: fresa
Cranberries: arándanos rojos
Blueberry: arándano azul
Blackberry: mora
Raspberry: frambuesa

Nuts / Dried Fruits (Frutos secos):

Walnuts: nueces
Peanuts: cacahuetes
Hazelnuts: avellanas
Almonds: almendras
Pistachio: pistacho
Chestnut: castaña
Date: dátil
Raisins: pasas

Grains (Cereales / Legumbres / Semillas):

Rice: arroz
Chickpeas: garbanzos
Beans: alubias / frijoles
Lentils: lentejas
Cabbage seeds: semillas de col
Sunflower seeds: pipas de girasol
Wheat: trigo
Oats: avena

Sports

Team: group of players
Match: sports game
Score: number of points
Win: be the best
Lose: not win
Draw: same score
Player: person in a sport
Referee: controls the game
Coach: trains players
Spectator: person watching
Stadium: place to play
Competition: contest
Practice: train or repeat
Injured: hurt
Fit: healthy and strong
Tired: need rest
Goal: point in football
Basket: point in basketball
Medal: sports award
Championship: big final competition

Trips & Holidays

Pamper yourself: treat yourself, relax
Fussy: hard to please
Picky: very selective
Haggle: negotiate the price
Travel pack: set of items for travel
Overpack: take too much in your luggage
Off the beaten track: away from tourist places
Picturesque: very pretty, like a painting
Remote: far from cities
Unspoilt: natural and not damaged
Dull: boring
Overcrowded: too many people
Overrated: not as good as people say
Pricey: expensive
Run-down: old and in bad condition
Soulless: no charm or life
Spoilt: damaged by people or tourism
Tacky: cheap and not tasteful
Touristy: full of tourists
Unimposing: not impressive
Extend a trip: make a trip longer
Go camping: sleep in a tent
Go backpacking: travel with a backpack
Go sightseeing: visit tourist places
Go for a stroll: walk slowly for fun
Go on holiday: take a break from work
Go on an outing: short trip
Go on a trip: travel somewhere
Go on a safari: animal watching trip
Go on a trek: long walk in nature
Go on a cruise: travel by ship
Go on a journey: long trip
Postpone a visit: delay going somewhere
Wander round the old town: walk in historic areas
Chill out: relax
Soak up the atmosphere: enjoy the vibe
Sample the local cuisine: try local food
Hit the shops: go shopping
Get away from it all: escape daily life
Recharge your batteries: rest and feel better

Nature (Naturaleza)

Recycling: reusing waste materials (reciclaje)
Landfill: place where garbage is buried (vertedero)
Garbage: waste, trash (basura)
Waste disposal: getting rid of waste (eliminación de residuos)
Pollution: contamination of the environment (contaminación)
Water shortage: not enough water (escasez de agua)
Drought: long period with no rain (sequía)
Gas emission: release of gases into the air (emisión de gases)
Melting of ice caps: ice at the poles turning into water (derretimiento de los casquetes polares)
Global warming: rise in Earth’s temperature (calentamiento global)
Heatwave: long period of very hot weather (ola de calor)
Deforestation: cutting down forests (deforestación)
Invasive species / Alien species: non-native organisms that harm ecosystems (especies invasoras)
Greenhouse effect: trapping of heat by gases in the atmosphere (efecto invernadero)
Overexploitation: excessive use of natural resources (sobreexplotación)
Overfishing: catching too many fish (sobrepesca)
Floods: too much water covering land (inundaciones)
Flash flood: sudden, intense flood (inundación repentina / relámpago)
Food miles: distance food travels from source to consumer (kilómetros alimentarios / huella de transporte de alimentos)