Key Vocabulary
| English Word/Phrase | Part of Speech | Spanish Translation | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| first name | noun | nombre | the name given at birth (not surname) | My first name is Alex. |
| surname / last name | noun | apellido | family name | Her surname is García. |
| nickname | noun | apodo | informal name used by friends | Everyone calls him “Maxi” – it’s his nickname. |
| nationality | noun | nacionalidad | the country you are a citizen of | What’s your nationality? I’m Brazilian. |
| age | noun | edad | how old you are | She’s 25 years of age. |
| date of birth (DOB) | noun | fecha de nacimiento | day, month, year you were born | Please write your date of birth on the form. |
| marital status | noun | estado civil | single, married, divorced, widowed | Marital status: married. |
| single | adj | soltero/a | not married or in a relationship | He’s single and enjoys travelling alone. |
| married | adj | casado/a | having a husband/wife | They’ve been married for ten years. |
| divorced | adj | divorciado/a | no longer married (legally ended) | My parents are divorced. |
| widowed | adj | viudo/a | husband/wife has died | She’s been widowed since 2019. |
| appearance | noun | aspecto / apariencia | how someone looks | Describe the suspect’s appearance. |
| height | noun | altura / estatura | how tall | He’s of medium height. |
| build | noun | complexión | body shape (slim, muscular, overweight) | She has an athletic build. |
| hair | noun | pelo / cabello | colour, length, style | He has short, curly, dark hair. |
| eyes | noun | ojos | colour | She has green eyes. |
| personality | noun | personalidad | character traits | He has a friendly personality. |
| outgoing | adj | extrovertido/a | sociable, extrovert | She’s very outgoing and makes friends easily. |
| shy | adj | tímido/a | not confident in social situations | He’s a bit shy at parties. |
| reliable | adj | fiable / confiable | can be trusted | You can count on her – she’s very reliable. |
| generous | adj | generoso/a | happy to give/share | My uncle is generous with his time. |
| family | noun | familia | parents, siblings, etc. | I come from a big family. |
| only child | noun | hijo/a único/a | no brothers or sisters | I’m an only child. |
| sibling | noun | hermano/a | brother or sister | Do you have any siblings? |
| get on (well) with | phrasal verb | llevarse (bien) con | have a good relationship | I get on well with my sister. |
Common Collocations & Expressions (Spanish in brackets)
- fill in a form (rellenar un formulario)
- introduce yourself (presentarte)
- make a good first impression (causar buena primera impresión)
- look like (resemble) (parecerse a)
- take after (resemble a family member) (salir a)
- be in a relationship (estar en una relación)
Word Formation (with Spanish)
| Base | Noun (Esp) | Adjective (Esp) | Adverb (Esp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| friend | friendship (amistad) | friendly (amigable) | friendly (amigablemente) |
| rely | reliability (fiabilidad) | reliable (fiable) | reliably (fiablemente) |
| shy | shyness (timidez) | shy (tímido/a) | shyly (tímidamente) |
Exercise: Gap-Fill & MatchingPart A – Gap-FillComplete the sentences with a word from the table.
- My _______________ name is Smith, but everyone calls me “Johnny”.
- She’s _______________ and has never been married.
- He’s very _______________ – he always arrives on time.
- What’s your _______________? I was born on 12th March 2001.
- My brother and I _______________ well – we never argue.
Part B – MatchingMatch the person (1–5) to the description (A–E).
| Person | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Laura | A. tall, slim, long straight blonde hair |
| 2. Mark | B. short, muscular, shaved head |
| 3. Sofia | C. medium height, curvy, shoulder-length brown hair |
| 4. Tom | D. tall, overweight, short grey hair |
| 5. Emma | E. short, athletic build, dark curly hair |
Answer KeyPart A – Gap-Fill
- surname / last (apellido)
- single (soltero/a)
- reliable (fiable)
- date of birth (DOB) (fecha de nacimiento)
- get on (llevarse)
Part B – Matching1–C 2–B 3–A 4–D 5–E