A-Level Spanish — Core Vocabulary and Grammar

Front

Current (submarine)

Back

**Translation:** *La corriente* (feminine noun), meaning a current, especially of water or sea current. **Pronunciation Note:** *corrien-te* — stress falls on the second syllable, with the emphasis on *-en-*.

Front

To earn (money)

Back

**Translation:** *Ganar (dinero)* (verb). **Usage:** Essential for the *El mundo laboral* (The world of work) topic. Example: *Mi madre gana mucho dinero* (My mother earns a lot of money). **Pronunciation Note:** 'G' before 'a' is a hard sound, like the 'g' in 'go'.

Front

However / Nevertheless

Back

**Translation:** *Sin embargo* (adverbial phrase). **Usage:** A key connective for AO2/AO3 writing tasks to introduce a contrasting viewpoint or counter-argument in an essay. **Pronunciation Note:** The 'h' is silent; stress is on the second 'e' in *embargo*.

Front

Traffic jam

Back

**Translation:** *Atasco* (noun, masculine) or *Tráfico*. **Usage:** Common vocabulary for describing transport issues in the *Identity and Culture* topic when discussing urban vs. rural life. **Pronunciation Note:** *Atasco* uses a closed 'o' sound.

Front

Hardly ever

Back

**Translation:** *Casi nunca* (adverbial phrase). **Usage:** Used to describe low frequency, often contrasting with *siempre* (always) or *frecuentemente* in reading comprehension texts. **Pronunciation Note:** The 's' in *Casi* is pronounced like a standard 's', while 'z' in Latin America is 's' but 'th' in parts of Spain.