Life at school in Spanish - AQAVocabulary - school life and activities

Learn key vocabulary on life at school. Practise writing and listening skills to help deal with topics such as school uniform, school rules, problems at school and extra-curricular activities.

Part ofSpanishCurrent and future studies

Vocabulary - school life and activities

Children writing at desks in classroom

Here is some vocabulary connected with life at school that will help you get started.

aburridoboring
castigarto punish
un concursocompetition
la conductaconduct, behaviour
demasiadotoo, too much
divertidofun, amusing
entregarto hand in, hand over
esforzarseto make an effort
hacer una preguntato ask a question*
un juegogame
levantar la manoto put one's hand up
la pizarra interactiva smart board
poner deberesto set homework
la reuniónmeeting
rigurosoharsh
simpáticonice, kind
aburrido
boring
castigar
to punish
un concurso
competition
la conducta
conduct, behaviour
demasiado
too, too much
divertido
fun, amusing
entregar
to hand in, hand over
esforzarse
to make an effort
hacer una pregunta
to ask a question*
un juego
game
levantar la mano
to put one's hand up
la pizarra interactiva
smart board
poner deberes
to set homework
la reunión
meeting
riguroso
harsh
simpático
nice, kind

*There are a number of different ways of saying 'to ask' in Spanish.

  • To ask a question (where the word 'question' is included) is hacer una pregunta. He asked me a question -Me hizo una pregunta.
  • To ask (questions) is preguntar. He asked me where I live -Me preguntó dónde vivo.
  • Preguntar (followed by por) is also used if you are asking for a person. He asked for the head teacher -Preguntó por el director.
  • To ask for a thing is pedir. Note that there is no word in the Spanish to translate 'for' when using pedir. He asked me for the book -Me pidió el libro.
  • Pedir is also used if you are asking someone to do something. He asked me to come to see him -Me pidió que venga a verle.
  • Note also the expression pedir prestado, which means 'to borrow'. He borrowed the book from me -Me pidió prestado el libro.

Read what these students say about their teachers.

'El profe de biología es demasiado estricto. No se puede hacer una pregunta si no levantas la mano antes.'

'La profesora de geografía es muy divertida. Hacemos muchos juegos de geografía y concursos en la pizarra interactiva. ¡Qué risa!'

'El profesor de matemáticas es muy serio. Ha pedido una reunión con los padres de uno de los chicos en mi clase porque quiere hablar con ellos sobre la conducta de su hijo. Dice que tiene que esforzarse más.'

'El profesor de historia es guay. Casi nunca nos pone deberes.'

'El profesor de inglés es simpático. La semana pasada olvidé entregar mis deberes, pero no me castigó.'

Question

Now answer these questions in English.

  1. Which teacher is described as being cool and why?
  2. Which teacher is too strict?
  3. Which teacher is kind?
  4. Which teacher uses the smart board to play games?
  5. Which teacher has asked for a meeting with a student's parents because of his behaviour?