Key points about describing issues in society and possible solutions
Use Shows possibility, intent, ability, or necessity. Used alongside the infinitive form of the main verb of a sentence. Common examples of modal verbs include can, should, and must. to talk about what you can, must or want to do about social issues and possible solutions.
Modal verbs can be used with another verb in the Form of the verb that has not been conjugated. Usually translated with 'to' in English, eg to play. form.
Vocabulary – Talking about social issues
Useful nouns for talking about social issues include:
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | action, act | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | danger |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | help | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | problem |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | discrimination | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | salary |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | hunger | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | a shame, embarrassment |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | unemployment | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | violence |
Useful verbs include:
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. / Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to affect, be moved | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to destroy |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to help | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to matter, be important |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to fight | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to improve, make better |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to increase | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to need |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to cause | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to take time |
Useful adjectives include:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | equal |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | poor |
For example:
El paro puede causar la pobreza. – Unemployment can cause poverty.
Temenos que luchar contra la discriminación. – We must fight against discrimination.
La hambre es un gran problema en muchos países. – Hunger is a big problem in many countries.
Necesitamos un gobierno que mejora la vida de todos. – We need a government that improves life for everyone.
Remember
In Spanish, an adjective can sometimes be turned into a noun by putting a definite or indefinite article in front of it. For example:
pobre - poor
un pobre - a poor man
los pobres - the poor (people)
Modal verbs
Use modal verbs to express ability, permission, obligation or desire (things you want to do).
Examples of modal verbs in English are ‘can’, ‘must’ or ‘want’.
The following modal verbs can be used with the infinitives.
- Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - to have to
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I have to |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you have to |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he/she/it/one has to |
For example:
El gobierno tiene que mejorar la vida para los pobres. -The government has to improve life for poor people.
Tienes que luchar contra la discriminación. - You have to fight against discrimination.
- Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - to be able to/can
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I can |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you can |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he/she/it can |
For example:
No puedo hacer mucho. - I cannot do much.
The impersonal se with a modal verb like se puede can also be used with an infinitive, meaning ‘one can’.
For example:
En mi pueblo se pueden ver a los sin techo. - In my town you / one can see lots of homeless people.
- Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - to want
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I want |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you want |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he/she/it wants |
For example:
¿Quieres luchar contra la desigualdad? - Do you want to fight against inequality?
Quiero ayudar a los sin techo. - I want to help the homeless.
- Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - must
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I must |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you must |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he/she/it must |
For example:
El gobierno debe reducir el paro. - The government must reduce unemployment.
Se debe ayudar a los demás. - One/you must help others.
Modal verbs – Mini quiz
Complete the following sentences in Spanish.
_________ ayudar a los demás.
I have to help others.
Use the verb tener que.
Tengo que ayudar a los demás.
Tengo is part of tener which is an irregular verb.
________ mejorar el nivel de igualdad.
One can improve the level of equality.
Se puede mejorar el nivel de igualdad.
Se puede is the impersonal form of the verb poder, meaning 'to be able to' or 'can'. It is an irregular verb and changes to puede in the third person singular form.
_______ luchar contra la desigualdad.
I want to fight against inequality.
Quiero luchar contra la desigualdad.
Quiero means 'I want' and is the ‘I’ form of the verb querer meaning 'to want'.
Find out more about using modal verbs in the Infinitives in Spanish guide.
Listening practice
Vocabulary – Talking about social issues and politics
Useful nouns for talking about social issues and politics include:
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | community | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | left |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | right | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | majority |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | economy | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | political party |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | lack, shortage, mistake | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | population |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | people | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | pressure |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | government | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | truth |
Useful verbs include:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to support |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to change |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to criticise |
Useful adjectives include:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| civil | civil |
| equilibrado/a | balanced |
| grave | serious, serious |
| justo/a | fair, just |
| mejor | better |
| optimista | optimistic |
For example:
El gobierno debe tomar medidas para apoyar a los pobres. - The government must take measures to support the poor.
En España tenemos el derecho de ir a manifestaciones contra la guerra. - In Spain we have the right to go to demonstrations against the war.
No es justo que haya tanta riqueza al mismo tiempo que tanta pobreza. - It’s not fair that there’s so much wealth at the same time as so much poverty.
La verdad es que debemos ser optimistas para el futuro. - The truth is we must be optimistic for the future.
All Foundation Tier vocabulary listed in this guide can be found on the vocabulary sheet below.
Reading practice
Read this headline from an online newspaper.
El ayuntamiento ha puesto en marcha un nuevo centro para acoger temporalmente a jóvenes de 18 a 21 años que no tienen hogar.
Having read the headline, what do you think the article is about?
The article is about a new centre for young homeless people.
Translation
The city council has launched a new centre to temporarily welcome young people between the ages of 18 and 21 who are homeless.
Now read the rest of the article and answer the questions.
Ayer abrió el primer centro municipal de alojamiento para jóvenes 'sin techo'. Tiene veinticinco plazas temporales para jóvenes entre 18 y 21 años, para quedarse durante no más de un año.
Cuando entran en el centro, los jóvenes necesitan tener un plan de acción para buscar trabajo y tienen que firmar un contrato. Cada uno tiene su habitación y deben limpiar su habitación y las zonas comunes como la cocina. Todos los días a las seis de la tarde los habitantes del centro cenan juntos.
*temporales = temporary
1. How many spaces are there?
The answer is 25.
The text says - Tiene veinticinco plazas… - It has twenty-five places…
2. How long can they stay there for?
| A | Over a year |
| B | Up to a year |
| C | A year |
The answer is B.
The text says - …para quedarse para no más de un año - …to stay for no more than a year.
3. What is everyone responsible for? (Choose two.)
| A | Cleaning their room |
| B | Cleaning the kitchen |
| C | Doing their laundry |
The answer is A and B.
The text says …deben limpiar su habitación y las zonas comunes como la cocina. - …they have to clean their room and the common areas such as the kitchen.
4. What happens every day at 6 o'clock?
| A | They have a meeting |
| B | They eat dinner together |
| C | They go out |
The answer is B.
The text says - …todos los días a las seis de la tarde los habitantes del centro cenan juntos. - …every day at six o'clock in the evening the residents of the centre have dinner together.
Click or tap on Show more to read a translation.
Yesterday a new council centre housing young homeless people opened. There are 25 temporary places for young people aged between 18 and 21 to stay for no more than a year.
When they enter the centre, the young people need an action plan to look for work and they need to sign a contract. Each person has their own room and they have to clean their room and the common areas such as the kitchen. Every day at six o'clock in the evening the residents of the centre have dinner together.
Vocabulary sheet
Click or tap on the image below for a list of useful vocabulary to use when talking about social issues.
Higher Tier – Vocabulary – Social issues
Useful nouns include:
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | inequality | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | protest |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | equality | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | measure |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | peace | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | politics, policy |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | poverty | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | wealth, riches |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | worry, concern | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | victim |
Useful verbs include:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to fight, struggle |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to act |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to warn |
All vocabulary listed in this guide can be found on the vocabulary sheet below.
Higher Tier - Vocabulary sheet
Click or tap on the image below for a list of useful vocabulary to use when talking about social issues.
Now you have revised the key vocabulary and grammar for talking about social issues, why not have a look at the Talking about family and friends in Spanish guide.
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