Vocabulary
The words and phrases for this theme, each with audio. Words marked H are for Higher.
Covers the AQA and Pearson word lists for this topic. The official lists: AQA vocabulary list (specification Appendix 2) and Pearson Edexcel vocabulary list (specification Appendix 1).
Key phrases
Phrases for speaking and writing on this theme. Words in [brackets] are the parts you personalise.
- Mi fiesta favorita es... porque...My favourite festival is... because...
- Se celebra en [agosto]It's celebrated in [August]
- Para celebrar mi cumpleaños, normalmente...To celebrate my birthday, I normally...
- Es una tradición muy importante en mi familiaIt's a very important tradition in my family
- El año pasado fui a...Last year I went to...
- Lo pasamos muy bienWe had a great time
- Me encantaría ir a...I'd love to go to...
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños! / ¡Feliz Navidad!Happy birthday! / Happy Christmas!
Key verbs
The verbs for this theme. Where the site has a verb page, the link opens its conjugation tables and practice.
- Conjugation and practice →celebrarto celebrate
- Conjugation and practice →invitarto invite
- Conjugation and practice →bailarto dance
- Conjugation and practice →reunirseto get together
- Conjugation and practice →divertirseto have fun
- Conjugation and practice →disfrutar (de)to enjoy
- HConjugation and practice →regalarto give (as a present)
- Conjugation and practice →irto go
- Conjugation and practice →verto watch/see
- Conjugation and practice →comerto eat
- Conjugation and practice →salirto go out
Words by topic
The core words and expressions for this theme, in groups. Each noun shows its gender. Open a group to see its words.
At a festival
13 words
- la fiesta (f)party, festival
- la feria (f)fair, festival
- el festival (m)festival
- la celebración (f)celebration
- el desfile (m)parade
- la procesión (f)procession
- los fuegos artificiales (m)fireworks
- el traje (m)costume, suit
- el baile (m)dance
- el flamenco (m)flamenco
- el toro (m)bull
- el ambiente (m)atmosphere
- Hel rey / la reinaking / queen (of a fiesta or carnival)
Family celebrations and presents
4 words
- el cumpleaños (m)birthday
- el santo (m)saint's day
- el regalo (m)present, gift
- la boda (f)wedding
Christmas and New Year
5 words
- la Navidad (f)Christmas
- la Nochebuena (f)Christmas Eve
- la Nochevieja (f)New Year's Eve
- el Año Nuevo (m)New Year's Day, New Year
- los Reyes Magos (m)the Three Kings (6 January)
Famous festivals and Holy Week
6 words
- el Carnaval (m)Carnival
- la Semana Santa (f)Holy Week, Easter
- el paso (m)float with a religious statue (Holy Week)
- las Fallas (f)the Fallas (Valencia, March)
- la Tomatina (f)the Tomatina (tomato fight, Buñol, August)
- el Día de los Muertos (m)the Day of the Dead (Mexico)
Traditions and culture
6 words
- la tradición (f)tradition
- la costumbre (f)custom
- la cultura (f)culture
- tradicionaltraditional
- típico/atypical
- culturalcultural
Religion
8 words
- la religión (f)religion
- la iglesia (f)church
- el templo (m)temple
- religioso/areligious
- cristiano/aChristian
- católico/aCatholic
- judío/aJewish
- musulmán / musulmanaMuslim
Describing a celebration
7 words
- la alegría (f)joy, happiness
- la sorpresa (f)surprise
- alegrecheerful, lively
- dulcesweet
- juntos/astogether
- Hinolvidableunforgettable
- Himpresionanteimpressive
Grammar
The grammar this theme uses most, with examples from the theme. Each guide explains it in full.
Preterite and imperfect for a past celebration
To describe a festival or party you went to: the preterite for what happened (celebré, fue), the imperfect for what it was like (había, hacía).
Think of a photo and a story: the imperfect paints the background (había mucha gente, hacía calor, todos bailaban), the preterite moves the story on (fuimos al centro, vimos los fuegos artificiales). Single events and anything with a clear end take the preterite. A common slip is fue for the weather: weather takes hacer (hacía buen tiempo for the background), while fue gives your verdict on the whole day (fue un día inolvidable).
El año pasado celebré mi cumpleaños en casa – Last year I celebrated my birthday at home
Había mucha gente en la calle – There were lots of people in the street
Hacía buen tiempo y todos bailaban – The weather was good and everyone was dancing
Se for customs
To say what people do at a festival without saying who: se celebra, se comen.
Se + is how Spanish says "people do" or "it is done". The verb agrees with the thing: se celebra la Navidad but se comen doce uvas and los regalos se abren. Learn se celebra en... as a ready-made way to start describing any festival. Don't add la gente as well: either la gente come uvas or se comen uvas.
En España se comen doce uvas en Nochevieja – In Spain people eat twelve grapes on New Year's Eve
Se celebra en marzo – It's celebrated in March
En mi familia los regalos se abren el seis de enero – In my family the presents are opened on 6 January
Dates and how often
To say when a festival is and how often you celebrate it.
Dates are el + number + de + month, with no capital letters and no "th": el seis de enero. For "on" a date or day you just use el: el sábado, el veinticinco de diciembre. Months and seasons take en: en marzo, en verano. For how often, cada año and todos los años both mean "every year".
el seis de enero – on 6 January
cada año / todos los años – every year
en verano / en diciembre – in summer / in December
Future plans for a festival
To talk about a celebration to come: the (iré), ir a + , or me gustaría for a wish.
Voy a celebrar is what you have planned; the celebraré, iré sounds a little more formal or certain, and both count as the timeframe. For something you only wish for, use me gustaría + . Keep the infinitive after it: me gustaría ver, never me gustaría veo.
El año que viene iré a las Fallas – Next year I will go to the Fallas
Vamos a celebrar la boda de mi tía en junio – We're going to celebrate my aunt's wedding in June
Me gustaría ver los fuegos artificiales – I'd like to see the fireworks
Exam tip: A festival answer is a natural place to refer to the past, present and : the top language marks in AQA's 90-word task and in Pearson's 80-90 and 130-150 word tasks need all three timeframes.
Lo mejor, lo que más me gusta
HigherTo pick out the best and worst parts: lo mejor, lo peor, lo que más me gusta.
Lo + turns the adjective into "the ... thing": lo mejor (the best thing), lo peor (the worst thing), lo bueno, lo malo. Lo que means "what" in the sense of "the thing that": lo que más me gusta es el ambiente. Learn lo mejor fue... (past) and lo que más me gusta es... (present) as fixed openers. Don't use que alone here: que más me gusta is wrong.
Lo mejor de la fiesta fue la música – The best thing about the party was the music
Lo que más me gusta es el ambiente – What I like most is the atmosphere
Lo peor es el ruido por la noche – The worst thing is the noise at night
Practice
Exercises on this theme's words and grammar, marked as you go. Higher tasks are labelled.
Vocabulary matching
Match the Spanish words with their English meanings:
Fill in the blanks: the preterite
Fill in the gaps with the preterite of the verb in brackets:
- El año pasado mi cumpleaños con mis amigos. (celebrar, yo)
- Mis padres me una bicicleta. (regalar)
- Por la noche al centro para ver los fuegos artificiales. (ir, nosotros)
- ¿Qué en Nochevieja? (hacer, tú)
- Mi hermana toda la noche. (bailar)
Multiple choice: which translation?
Choose the correct translation:
1. We celebrate Christmas with the family
2. In Spain people eat twelve grapes on New Year's Eve
3. The atmosphere was fantastic
4. I'd like to go to the Fallas
Translate into Spanish: sentences
Translate into Spanish:
Hints:mi fiesta favoritasiempre comemosreciboel año pasado fui
Mi fiesta favorita es la Navidad. Siempre comemos con mis abuelos y recibo muchos regalos. El año pasado fui a la iglesia con mi familia.
Translate into Spanish: a paragraph
HigherTranslate into Spanish:
Hints:la fiesta más importantela gente bailaa medianochelo pasamos muy bienme gustaríaparece
En mi pueblo la fiesta más importante es en agosto. Hay un desfile, la gente baila en la calle y hay fuegos artificiales a medianoche. El verano pasado fui con mis primos y lo pasamos muy bien. El año que viene me gustaría ir a la Tomatina porque parece muy divertida.
Listening
Las Fallas de Valencia
The Fallas in Valencia
Tip: If you need help, read the questions first, use the slow speed and check the transcript.
Show transcript
- Álex
Nuria, tú eres de Valencia, ¿verdad? ¿Qué son las Fallas?
Nuria, you're from Valencia, aren't you? What are the Fallas?
- Nuria
Son la fiesta más importante de Valencia. Se celebran en marzo, del quince al diecinueve.
They're the most important festival in Valencia. They're celebrated in March, from the fifteenth to the nineteenth.
- Álex
¿Y qué hace la gente?
And what do people do?
- Nuria
Hay figuras enormes en las calles, desfiles y fuegos artificiales todos los días.
There are huge figures in the streets, parades and fireworks every day.
- Álex
¡Qué bien! ¿Fuiste el año pasado?
Great! Did you go last year?
- Nuria
Sí, fui con mi familia. Llevé el traje tradicional y bailé en la plaza con mis primas.
Yes, I went with my family. I wore the traditional costume and danced in the square with my cousins.
- Álex
¿Qué es lo que más te gusta?
What do you like most?
- Nuria
Me encanta el ambiente, pero hay demasiado ruido por la noche.
I love the atmosphere, but there is too much noise at night.
- Álex
¿Y qué pasa el último día?
And what happens on the last day?
- Nuria
La noche del diecinueve se queman las figuras. Es un poco triste, pero muy bonito.
On the night of the nineteenth the figures are burnt. It's a bit sad, but very beautiful.
- Álex
El año que viene quiero ir contigo.
Next year I want to go with you.
- Nuria
¡Claro! Puedes quedarte en mi casa.
Of course! You can stay at my house.
Comprehension questions
Answer all 6 questions based on the conversation.
- Question 1
When are the Fallas celebrated?
- Question 2
What is there in Valencia every day during the Fallas?
- Question 3
Nuria went to the Fallas with her friends last year.
- Question 4
What did Nuria do in the square?
- Question 5
Nuria thinks there is too much noise at night.
- Question 6
What happens on the last night?
Speaking
Practise answering out loud. How each board runs the speaking exam: the GCSE speaking exam.
Practice questions
- ¿Cuál es tu fiesta favorita? ¿Por qué?Mi fiesta favorita es la Navidad porque toda la familia se reúne y comemos juntos.
- ¿Cómo celebras tu cumpleaños?Normalmente invito a mis amigos a casa y comemos pastel. A veces vamos al cine.
- ¿Qué hiciste en tu último cumpleaños?Fui a un restaurante con mi familia y mis padres me regalaron un móvil nuevo.
- ¿Qué fiestas españolas conoces?Conozco las Fallas de Valencia, la Tomatina y San Fermín en Pamplona.
- ¿Crees que las tradiciones son importantes?Sí, creo que son importantes porque son parte de nuestra cultura y unen a la gente.
- ¿Cómo se celebra la Nochevieja en tu país?En mi país la gente ve los fuegos artificiales a medianoche y canta con los amigos.
- ¿Prefieres celebrar con la familia o con los amigos?Prefiero celebrar con mis amigos porque es más divertido, pero la Navidad es para la familia.
- ¿Qué fiesta te gustaría ver en el futuro?Me gustaría ver la Semana Santa en Sevilla porque las procesiones parecen impresionantes.
Role-play
A role-play card in the exam format. Prepare an answer for each task, with a verb in every answer. Full role-plays with the examiner's lines and model answers: GCSE speaking practice.
You are talking to your Spanish friend about festivals.
- Say what your favourite festival is and why. (Give one detail and one reason.)
- Say how you celebrate your birthday. (Give two details.)
- ?Ask your friend a question about a Spanish festival.
- Give your opinion of fireworks. (Give one opinion.)
- Say what you did at a celebration last year. (Give two details.)
Your teacher plays your friend and speaks first; speak to your friend as tú. The task marked ? is where you ask a question. At Higher, one task is about the past or the future.
Photo card
There is no photo on this page: practise with exam-style photos on the GCSE speaking page. AQA's card has two photos (Háblame de las fotos): say something about each. On Pearson's card you describe one of two pictures: the people, the place and what they are doing, then answer two questions about yourself. Then comes a conversation, with questions like the practice questions above. For a photo on this theme, say:
- Who the people are and what they are wearing
- Where they are
- What they are celebrating and how
Writing
Plan and write your answer, then check it covers every bullet point. The tasks and word counts on each board: the GCSE writing exam. Useful phrases: key phrases.
AQA: about 90 words
Foundation and Higher papers
You are writing to your Spanish friend about celebrations. Write approximately 90 words in Spanish. You must write something about each bullet point.
You must include:
- your favourite celebration
- a recent birthday or family celebration
- a festival you would like to go to in the future
AQA: about 150 words
HigherHigher paper
You are writing an article about festivals and traditions for a Spanish website. Write approximately 150 words in Spanish. You must write something about both bullet points.
You must include:
- why traditions are important (or not) for young people
- a festival or celebration you went to and what it was like
Pearson Edexcel: 80-90 words
Foundation and Higher papers
Your Spanish friend Lucía has asked you about celebrations in your country. Write an email to Lucía. Write your answer in Spanish. You should aim to write between 80 and 90 words.
You must include:
- your favourite festival
- how your family celebrates birthdays
- a celebration you enjoyed last year
- your plans for the next holidays
Pearson Edexcel: 130-150 words
HigherHigher paper
You are writing an article for a Spanish magazine about festivals. Write your answer in Spanish. You should aim to write between 130 and 150 words.
You must include:
- the advantages and disadvantages of big festivals for a town
- a traditional celebration in your country
- a festival you went to and what happened
- how celebrations might change in the future
Key points
- Se for customs: se celebra en marzo, se comen doce uvas en Nochevieja
- Preterite for what happened (fui, bailé, vimos), imperfect for what it was like (había, hacía, era)
- Dates: el seis de enero, en marzo, cada año
- Spanish festivals worth knowing: las Fallas (Valencia, March), San Fermín (Pamplona, July), la Tomatina (Buñol, August), la Semana Santa, los Reyes Magos (6 January)
- Higher opinions with reasons: lo que más me gusta es el ambiente porque...
Homework
- Write five sentences about how your family celebrates birthdays, using se and the present tense
- Research a Spanish festival and write about 90 words: when and where it is, what people do, and your opinion
- Describe a celebration you went to, with the preterite for events and the imperfect for descriptions
- Learn the dates of five festivals in Spanish (el seis de enero, el siete de julio...)
Next steps
More practice and revision for this theme. The listening and reading texts are general practice with comprehension questions, not in the exam format: for that, see the GCSE reading papers and GCSE listening papers.