Bienvenidos a la clase de español.
Today we are moving away from some of the more general topics we’ve covered over the last few months and looking at a situation specific topic. As some of you know, I teach basic Spanish as well as Latin American History and Politics at a small college. One very popular topic we cover in Intro to Spanish class therefore is… University Life!
Let’s take a look at some common expressions and vocabulary to use around campus. A lot of the vocabulary is also useful for discussing regular school activities and routine.
Key Vocabulary
| ¿A qué hora es tu clase de español? | What time is your Spanish class? |
| ¿Qué estudias este trimestre? | What are you studying this trimester? |
| Estudio matemáticas, literatura, administración, español | I am studying/ I study math, literature. Business. Spanish… |
| ¿Cuándo es tu clase de…? | When is your … class? |
| ¿Cómo son los estudiantes de tu clase? | What are the students in your class like? |
| ¿Cómo es tu profesor? | What is your teacher like |
| ¿Cómo es la clase de español? Es interesante / aburrido / divertido | How is your Spanish class? It is interesting/ boring/ entertaining |
| Estudio en la biblioteca | I study in the library |
| Estudio/ practico el francés | I study/ I practice French |
| Hablo con mis amigos | I talk/ I am talking with my friends |
| Compañero/a | Classmate |
| La mochila | Backpack |
| La pluma | Pen |
| El reloj | Clock/ watch |
| La pizarra blanca | Whiteboard |
| El laboratorio
La laptop/ el portátil |
Lab
Laptop |
| La librerÃa
La biblioteca |
Bookstore
Library |
| La universidad | University |
| El curso/ La materia | Course/ subject |
| La especialización | Major |
| El examen | Exam |
| El horario
La fecha lÃmite |
Timetable
Due Date |
| La prueba | Test / quiz |
| El semestre | Semester |
| La tarea / Los deberes | Homework |
| El dormitorio
El tÃtulo |
Dorm
Degree |
| Graduarse | To graduate |
Sample Dialogue between two students discussing their classes.
Maria y Pepe hablan de sus clases – Maria and Pepe talk about their classes.
Â
Maria: ¿Qué estudias este semestre? (What are you studying this semester?)
Pepe: Estudio historÃa, matemáticas y español. ¿Y tú?(I am studying History, Maths and Spanish).Â
Maria: Estudio historia, administración y psciologÃa. (I am studying history, management and psychology)
Pepe: ¿Quién es tu profesor de historia?
Maria: La Señora San MartÃn.
Pepe: Ella es mi profesora también. (She is my teacher too)
Maria: ¿Cuándo es tu clase? (When is your class?)
Pepe: Los martes a las dos de la tarde. Las clases son muy interesantes. (Tuesdays at 2 in the afternoon. The classes are very interesting.)
Maria: ¡Muy bien! Mis clases de literatura son aburridas (My literature classes are boring)
Pepe: ¿A qué hora es tu clase de literatura hoy? (What time is your Literature class today?)
Maria: A las diez y media. (At 10:30)
Pepe: ¿Quieres comer el almuerzo en la cafeterÃa? (Do you want to eat lunch in the cafeteria?)
Maria: No gracias. Estudio en la biblioteca a mediodÃa. (No thank you. I study in the library at midday).
Maria: Pero tomo café a las dos. (But I drink coffee at 2)
Pepe: Ok. Hasta luego. Chao (Ok. Until later. Bye)
Practice Exercise
Try to translate these sentences. This exercise uses a combination of the vocabulary from today plus items you learnt in the previous lessons on time.
| 1. Â I study at 2 o’clock. | |
| 2. Â I eat in the morning. | |
| 3. Â My Spanish class is at half past 1. | |
| 4. Â I sleep in the night. | |
| 5. Â He returns to the dorm at twenty past six. | |
| 6. Â We arrive at the university at 8:15. | |
| 7. Â It is quarter to ten. | |
| 8. Â I am going to the library on Saturday at 10:50. | |
| 9. Â I do my homework at 8:48 in the night. |
Click here for the answers.
Hope you learnt something new today!
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This is really cool. I am starting to make a little sense of this and some of my Spanish speaking friends are almost understanding me. Thank you for you putting all this together.
That’s good to hear, and I’m really glad you’re finding the posts useful. 🙂