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.
- Para estar sano, hay que...To be healthy, you need to...
- Me duele...My... hurts
- Llevo una vida sana porque...I have a healthy lifestyle because...
- Intento comer fruta y verdura todos los díasI try to eat fruit and vegetables every day
- Nunca he fumado y nunca voy a fumarI've never smoked and I'm never going to smoke
- Para relajarme, ...To relax, I...
- Me siento mejor cuando...I feel better when...
- El estrés es un problema para muchos jóvenesStress is a problem for many young people
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 →dolerto hurt
- Conjugation and practice →romperseto break (a bone)
- Conjugation and practice →caerseto fall over
- Conjugation and practice →cuidarseto look after yourself
- Conjugation and practice →mejorarto improve, to get better
- Conjugation and practice →evitarto avoid
- Conjugation and practice →dormirto sleep
- Conjugation and practice →descansarto rest
- Conjugation and practice →respirarto breathe
- Conjugation and practice →fumarto smoke
- HConjugation and practice →relajarseto relax
- Conjugation and practice →beberto drink
- Conjugation and practice →comerto eat
- Conjugation and practice →hacerto do/make
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.
Head, face and throat
7 words
- la cabeza (f)head
- el ojo (m)eye
- la nariz (f)nose
- la boca (f)mouth
- el diente (m)tooth
- el oído (m)ear (inner), hearing
- la garganta (f)throat
The body
14 words
- el cuerpo (m)body
- el hombro (m)shoulder
- el brazo (m)arm
- la mano (f)hand
- el dedo (m)finger
- la espalda (f)back
- el estómago (m)stomach
- la pierna (f)leg
- la rodilla (f)knee
- el pie (m)foot
- el corazón (m)heart
- la piel (f)skin
- Hla sangre (f)blood
- Hel cerebro (m)brain
Illness, injury and emergencies
9 words
- la enfermedad (f)illness, disease
- enfermo/aill
- el accidente (m)accident
- el virus (m)virus
- Hel dolor (m)pain, ache
- Hla fiebre (f)fever, temperature
- Hla herida (f)wound, injury
- Hel cáncer (m)cancer
- Hla emergencia (f)emergency
Doctors, medicine and advice
6 words
- el/la médico/adoctor
- el/la pacientepatient
- el hospital (m)hospital
- la farmacia (f)chemist's
- la medicina (f)medicine
- el consejo (m)piece of advice
Health, life and diet
13 words
- la salud (f)health
- sano/ahealthy
- malsano/aunhealthy
- la vida (f)life
- la dieta (f)diet
- estar a régimento be on a diet
- el peso (m)weight
- la grasa (f)fat
- el azúcar (m)sugar
- la sal (f)salt
- Hsaludablehealthy
- Hgraso/afatty
- Hequilibrado/abalanced
Fitness and exercise
7 words
- el ejercicio (m)exercise
- el deporte (m)sport
- estar en formato be fit
- fuertestrong
- débilweak
- físico/aphysical
- Hel gimnasio (m)gym
Mental health, sleep and feelings
7 words
- cansado/atired
- mentalmental
- el sueño (m)sleep
- el estrés (m)stress
- la felicidad (f)happiness
- felizhappy
- Hla preocupación (f)worry
Smoking, alcohol and drugs
4 words
- el tabaco (m)tobacco, cigarettes
- la droga (f)drug
- beber alcoholto drink alcohol
- Hel alcohol (m)alcohol
Grammar
The grammar this theme uses most, with examples from the theme. Each guide explains it in full.
Doler: saying what hurts
To say what hurts: doler works like gustar, so me duele for one thing and me duelen for more than one.
The thing that hurts is the , so the agrees with it: me duele la cabeza, me duelen los pies. Use el or la with body parts, not mi: me duele la espalda, not me duele mi espalda. The shows whose: te duele, le duele. You can also say tengo dolor de cabeza.
Me duele la cabeza – I have a headache (my head hurts)
Me duelen los pies – My feet hurt
¿Te duele la garganta? Have you got a sore throat?
Advice: hay que, debes, es importante
To give health advice: hay que, debes or es importante + .
All three are followed by an : hay que dormir, debes beber, es importante comer bien. Hay que is general ("you have to", meaning everyone); debes is advice to one person ("you should", "you must"); deberías is softer ("you ought to"). For "not to", put no before the : es importante no fumar.
Hay que dormir ocho horas – You need to sleep eight hours
Debes beber más agua – You should drink more water
Es importante no fumar – It's important not to smoke
Tú commands for health tips
To give a friend direct advice: come, bebe, duerme, and the irregular haz.
The tú command is the same as the él/ella form of the present: come, bebe, duerme, descansa. A few common ones are irregular and short: haz (do), ven (come), pon (put), sal (go out). Don't add -s: comes más fruta is a statement ("you eat more fruit"), not advice.
Come más fruta – Eat more fruit
Haz ejercicio todos los días – Exercise every day
Duerme más – Sleep more
Before, now and next: changing your habits
To compare your old habits (imperfect), what you do now (present) and what you will change (ir a + ).
Signal each timeframe with a time word: antes + imperfect (antes comía), ahora + present (ahora como), el año que viene + voy a + . The imperfect is the right past for habits, so say antes comía, not antes comí. Three short sentences like these already cover past, present and .
Antes comía mucha comida basura – I used to eat a lot of junk food
Ahora como de forma más sana – Now I eat more healthily
El año que viene voy a dormir más – Next year I'm going to sleep more
Exam tip: This one answer covers 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.
Desde hace for how long
HigherTo say how long something has been going on: desde hace + the present , where English uses "have been".
Spanish keeps the present because the action is still going on: hago yoga desde hace dos años (I've been doing yoga for two years). A common mistake is to copy the English : he hecho yoga desde hace dos años sounds wrong. To ask, use ¿desde hace cuánto tiempo...? or ¿cuánto tiempo hace que...?
Hago yoga desde hace dos años – I've been doing yoga for two years
Estoy enfermo desde hace tres días – I've been ill for three days
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: duele or duelen
Fill in the gaps with duele or duelen:
- Me la cabeza. (doler)
- Me los ojos. (doler)
- ¿Te la espalda? (doler)
- A mi hermano le las piernas. (doler)
- Nos el estómago. (doler)
Multiple choice: which translation?
Choose the correct translation:
1. I have a sore throat
2. You should sleep more
3. I have never smoked
4. Eat more fruit! (to a friend)
Translate into Spanish: sentences
Translate into Spanish:
Hints:intento llevardos veces a la semanaayer comívoy a comer
Intento llevar una vida sana. Juego al fútbol dos veces a la semana y bebo mucha agua. Ayer comí una hamburguesa con patatas fritas, pero hoy voy a comer una ensalada.
Translate into Spanish: a paragraph
HigherTranslate into Spanish:
Hints:hoy en díasufrires importante + infinitiveestuve enfermo/ame cuidointentaré
Hoy en día los jóvenes sufren mucho estrés por los exámenes y las redes sociales. En mi opinión, es importante dormir bien y hacer ejercicio. El año pasado estuve enfermo dos semanas, así que ahora me cuido más. En el futuro intentaré comer menos azúcar.
Listening
Una vida más sana
A healthier life
Tip: If you need help, read the questions first, use the slow speed and check the transcript.
Show transcript
- Laura
Dani, ¿qué te pasa? Tienes mala cara.
Dani, what's wrong? You don't look well.
- Dani
Me duele la cabeza. Anoche solo dormí cinco horas.
I've got a headache. Last night I only slept five hours.
- Laura
¿Por qué? ¿Jugaste a los videojuegos?
Why? Were you playing video games?
- Dani
No, estudié para el examen de matemáticas. Tengo mucho estrés.
No, I studied for the maths exam. I'm really stressed.
- Laura
Hay que descansar. Antes yo dormía muy mal, pero ahora no uso el móvil en la cama.
You need to rest. I used to sleep really badly, but now I don't use my phone in bed.
- Dani
¿Y haces deporte?
And do you do any sport?
- Laura
Sí, voy a la piscina tres veces a la semana. Nadar me relaja mucho.
Yes, I go to the swimming pool three times a week. Swimming really relaxes me.
- Dani
Yo juego al fútbol los sábados, pero como mucha comida basura.
I play football on Saturdays, but I eat a lot of junk food.
- Laura
Pues debes comer más fruta y beber más agua.
Well, you should eat more fruit and drink more water.
- Dani
Tienes razón. A partir de mañana voy a comer mejor.
You're right. From tomorrow I'm going to eat better.
Comprehension questions
Answer all 6 questions based on the conversation.
- Question 1
What is wrong with Dani?
- Question 2
How many hours did Dani sleep last night?
- Question 3
Dani stayed up late playing video games.
- Question 4
What has Laura changed to sleep better?
- Question 5
How often does Laura go swimming?
- Question 6
Dani is going to eat better from tomorrow.
Speaking
Practise answering out loud. How each board runs the speaking exam: the GCSE speaking exam.
Practice questions
- ¿Llevas una vida sana?Sí, bastante. Como mucha fruta y verdura, pero a veces como comida basura.
- ¿Qué haces para estar en forma?Juego al baloncesto dos veces a la semana y voy al instituto andando.
- ¿Qué comiste ayer?Ayer desayuné cereales, comí pollo con ensalada y cené una tortilla.
- ¿Cuántas horas duermes normalmente?Normalmente duermo siete horas, pero debería dormir más.
- ¿Qué opinas del tabaco y del alcohol?Creo que son muy malos para la salud. Nunca he fumado y no voy a fumar.
- ¿Cómo te relajas cuando tienes estrés?Escucho música, salgo a correr o hablo con mis amigos.
- ¿Qué haces cuando te duele la cabeza?Descanso, bebo agua y, si no mejoro, voy a la farmacia.
- ¿Qué vas a hacer para estar más sano en el futuro?Voy a beber más agua y voy a usar menos el móvil por la noche.
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 at the doctor's in Spain. Your teacher plays the doctor.
- Say what hurts.
- Say how you feel today.
- Say how many hours you sleep.
- Say what you eat every day.
- ?Ask a question about the medicine.
Your teacher speaks first. The setting is formal, but you don't have to use usted. The task marked ? is a question you ask.
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
- Where they are
- What they are doing to stay healthy, or what is wrong
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 healthy living. Write approximately 90 words in Spanish. You must write something about each bullet point.
You must include:
- what you do to keep fit
- what you ate yesterday
- how you will be healthier in the future
AQA: about 150 words
HigherHigher paper
You are writing an article about young people and health for a Spanish website. Write approximately 150 words in Spanish. You must write something about both bullet points.
You must include:
- the health problems young people have today, such as stress
- a change you made to your lifestyle and why
Pearson Edexcel: 80-90 words
Foundation and Higher papers
Your Spanish friend Marta has asked you about your lifestyle. Write an email to Marta. Write your answer in Spanish. You should aim to write between 80 and 90 words.
You must include:
- what you usually eat
- how you relax
- an illness or injury you had
- your plans to stay healthy
Pearson Edexcel: 130-150 words
HigherHigher paper
You are writing an article for a Spanish health website about wellbeing. Write your answer in Spanish. You should aim to write between 130 and 150 words.
You must include:
- the advantages of doing exercise
- the dangers of smoking, alcohol or drugs
- how your lifestyle has changed since you were younger
- what you will do to look after your mental health
Key points
- Doler works like gustar: me duele la cabeza, me duelen los pies
- Advice: hay que, debes, es importante + infinitive
- Tú commands for advice: come, bebe, duerme, haz
- Three timeframes: antes comía..., ahora como..., voy a comer...
- Higher: desde hace + present for how long (hago yoga desde hace dos años)
Homework
- Label a drawing of the body in Spanish with 12 words from this theme
- Write five pieces of health advice for a friend with tú commands (come, bebe, duerme, haz, descansa)
- Write 90 words on your lifestyle: what you used to do, what you do now and what you are going to change
- Prepare an answer to: ¿Qué opinas del tabaco y del alcohol?
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.