Present Tense (el presente)
What you do/are doing now.
-AR (hablar)
hablo · hablas · habla · hablamos · habláis · hablan -ER (comer)
como · comes · come · comemos · coméis · comen -IR (vivir)
vivo · vives · vive · vivimos · vivís · viven Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish 4SP1
🇪🇸 Edexcel IGCSE Spanish Reference Sheet 2026
Verb conjugations, ser vs estar, grammar rules, theme vocabulary and exam technique for the three Pearson Edexcel Spanish papers — your complete 4SP1 reference for 2026.
Tenses & Verbs Ser vs Estar Edexcel Themes Three Papers
Our reference sheets are free to download — save this one as PDF for offline revision.
Aligned with the latest 2026 syllabus and board specifications. This sheet is prepared to match your exam board’s official specifications for the 2026 exam series.
All the Core Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Spanish Grammar & Vocabulary in One Place
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) tests three skills across three papers: Paper 1 Listening, Paper 2 Reading & Writing (combined) and Paper 3 Speaking. This reference sheet brings together every essential tense, ser vs estar contrast, grammar rule and theme vocabulary you need, plus exam technique tailored to the Edexcel paper structure.
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All exam tenses: present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, present perfect, subjunctive
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Ser vs estar uses, contrasts and DOCTOR / PLACE memory aids
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Vocabulary across the five Pearson Edexcel themes
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Exam technique for Papers 1 (Listening), 2 (Reading & Writing) and 3 (Speaking)
Verb Conjugations — Regular -AR, -ER, -IR Verbs
Master the regular endings first; irregulars build on this foundation.
Preterite (el pretérito indefinido)
Completed actions in the past — single, finished events.
-AR (hablar)
hablé · hablaste · habló · hablamos · hablasteis · hablaron -ER/-IR (comer/vivir)
comí · comiste · comió · comimos · comisteis · comieron Trigger words: ayer, anoche, la semana pasada, el año pasado, en 2020
Imperfect (el imperfecto)
What you used to do, was happening, repeated past actions, descriptions in the past.
-AR (hablar)
hablaba · hablabas · hablaba · hablábamos · hablabais · hablaban -ER/-IR (comer/vivir)
comía · comías · comía · comíamos · comíais · comían Trigger words: siempre, todos los días, normalmente, mientras, cuando era pequeño/a
Future (el futuro)
What WILL happen.
Formula
Add to the WHOLE infinitive: -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án Example: hablar
hablaré · hablarás · hablará · hablaremos · hablaréis · hablarán Near future (futuro próximo)
IR + a + infinitive — 'voy a comer' = I'm going to eat Conditional (el condicional)
What WOULD happen / polite requests.
Formula
Add to the infinitive: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían Example: hablar
hablaría · hablarías · hablaría · hablaríamos · hablaríais · hablarían 'Me gustaría' (I would like) is the most useful conditional phrase for Paper 3 Speaking.
Present Perfect (el pretérito perfecto)
Have done — used for actions completed recently or with continuing relevance.
Formula
HABER (present) + past participle (-ado for -AR / -ido for -ER, -IR) HABER present
he · has · ha · hemos · habéis · han He hablado = I have spoken · He comido = I have eaten · He vivido = I have lived Trigger words: hoy, esta mañana, esta semana, ya, todavía no, alguna vez
Present Subjunctive (el presente de subjuntivo)
Used after expressions of doubt, emotion, wish, after 'cuando' (future), 'para que', 'antes de que'.
Formation
Take 'yo' present-tense form, drop -o, add: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en (for -AR) | -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an (for -ER/-IR) Recognise it for Reading. For top marks in Writing/Speaking, attempt at least one example such as 'cuando sea mayor' or 'espero que apruebe'.
Common Irregular Verbs
Edexcel papers test these in every tense — learn them in present, preterite, imperfect and future.
SER (to be — permanent) — present
soy · eres · es · somos · sois · son Preterite
fui · fuiste · fue · fuimos · fuisteis · fueron (same as IR!) ESTAR (to be — temporary/location) — present
estoy · estás · está · estamos · estáis · están Preterite
estuve · estuviste · estuvo · estuvimos · estuvisteis · estuvieron TENER (to have) — present
tengo · tienes · tiene · tenemos · tenéis · tienen Preterite
tuve · tuviste · tuvo · tuvimos · tuvisteis · tuvieron Tener que + infinitive = to have to. 'Tengo que estudiar' = I have to study.
HACER (to do/make) — present
hago · haces · hace · hacemos · hacéis · hacen Preterite
hice · hiciste · hizo · hicimos · hicisteis · hicieron IR (to go) — present
voy · vas · va · vamos · vais · van Preterite
fui · fuiste · fue · fuimos · fuisteis · fueron (same as SER!) PODER / QUERER / DECIR (key irregulars) — present
PODER (can)
puedo · puedes · puede · podemos · podéis · pueden · pp: podido QUERER (to want/love)
quiero · quieres · quiere · queremos · queréis · quieren · pp: querido DECIR (to say)
digo · dices · dice · decimos · decís · dicen · pp: dicho Ser vs Estar — The Big Contrast
Use the DOCTOR / PLACE mnemonics to choose correctly every time.
SER — DOCTOR
Use SER for permanent or defining qualities.
D — Description
Es alta. (She is tall.) O — Occupation
Soy estudiante. (I am a student.) C — Characteristic
Es simpático. (He is kind.) T — Time / date
Son las tres. Es lunes. O — Origin / nationality
Soy de España. Es inglesa. R — Relationship
Es mi hermana. (She is my sister.) ESTAR — PLACE
Use ESTAR for temporary states and location.
P — Position / location
Estoy en casa. (I am at home.) L — Location of objects
El libro está en la mesa. A — Action (continuous)
Estoy estudiando. (I am studying.) C — Condition
Estoy cansado. (I am tired.) E — Emotion / state
Está contenta. (She is happy.) Meaning Changes — Ser vs Estar
Some adjectives mean different things depending on the verb.
Ser aburrido = to be boring · Estar aburrido = to be bored Ser listo = to be clever · Estar listo = to be ready Ser malo = to be bad (a bad person) · Estar malo = to be ill Ser bueno = to be good (a good person) · Estar bueno = to taste good / be attractive Articles, Nouns & Adjectives
Definite & Indefinite Articles
Definite (the)
el (m. sing) · la (f. sing) · los (m. pl) · las (f. pl) Indefinite (a/some)
un (m.) · una (f.) · unos (m. pl) · unas (f. pl) Contractions
a + el = al · de + el = del Noun Gender Rules
Most -o nouns are masculine (el libro) · Most -a nouns are feminine (la casa) Common exceptions: el día, el mapa, el problema, el clima, la mano, la foto, la moto Plurals: add -s to vowels (libro → libros), add -es to consonants (papel → papeles).
Adjective Agreement & Position
Adjectives ending in -o: change to -a (f.), add -s (pl.) — alto, alta, altos, altas Adjectives ending in -e or consonant: same for m./f., add -s or -es for plural — interesante/interesantes; difícil/difíciles Most adjectives go AFTER the noun. 'Bueno' and 'malo' shorten before m. sing nouns: un buen amigo, un mal día.
Comparative & Superlative
Comparative
más + adjective + que (more than) · menos + adjective + que (less than) · tan + adjective + como (as...as) Superlative
el/la/los/las + más/menos + adjective + de — el más alto de la clase Irregular
bueno → mejor → el mejor · malo → peor → el peor · grande → mayor · pequeño → menor Pronouns & Sentence Building
Subject Pronouns
yo · tú · él/ella/usted · nosotros/as · vosotros/as · ellos/ellas/ustedes Subject pronouns are usually omitted because the verb ending shows the subject.
Direct Object Pronouns
me · te · lo/la · nos · os · los/las Position: BEFORE the conjugated verb. 'Lo veo' = I see him/it.
Indirect Object Pronouns
me · te · le · nos · os · les Replace 'a + person'. 'Le hablo' = I speak to him/her. When both DO and IO pronouns are used together, le/les becomes 'se' before lo/la/los/las.
Reflexive Pronouns
me · te · se · nos · os · se Common reflexive verbs: levantarse, ducharse, vestirse, llamarse, divertirse Position: BEFORE conjugated verb (me levanto), or attached to infinitive/gerund (voy a levantarme / estoy levantándome).
Gustar-type Verbs
Verbs that work backwards — the thing liked is the subject.
Pattern
(A mí) me gusta + singular noun / infinitive · me gustan + plural noun Me gusta el fútbol. Me gustan los deportes. Me gusta jugar al tenis. Same pattern: encantar (to love), interesar (to interest), molestar (to bother), doler (to hurt).
Negatives
no (not) · nunca/jamás (never) · nada (nothing) · nadie (nobody) · ninguno/a (none) · ni...ni (neither...nor) · tampoco (neither/either) Spanish often uses double negatives: 'No tengo nada' = I don't have anything.
Question Words
¿quién? (who) · ¿qué? (what) · ¿cuándo? (when) · ¿dónde? (where) · ¿por qué? (why) · ¿cómo? (how) · ¿cuánto/a? (how much) · ¿cuál? (which) Five Pearson Edexcel Spanish Themes (4SP1, 2026)
Build vocabulary banks for each theme — Edexcel rewards range and accuracy across all five.
1. Identity & Culture
Self, family, friends, relationships, lifestyle and cultural traditions.
Sub-themes
la familia, los amigos, las relaciones, la rutina diaria, la comida, las fiestas, la moda Key verbs
llevarse bien con, pelearse, celebrar, sentirse, compartir, vestirse 2. Local Area, Holiday & Travel
Home town, region, transport, holidays, tourism and travel experiences.
Sub-themes
mi ciudad, el barrio, el transporte, las vacaciones, el turismo, el alojamiento, las indicaciones Key verbs
vivir, viajar, visitar, coger el tren, alojarse, reservar 3. School
School life, subjects, teachers, school routine, rules and pressures.
Sub-themes
el colegio, las asignaturas, los profesores, el horario, el uniforme, los exámenes, el estrés Key verbs
estudiar, aprender, repasar, hacer un examen, aprobar, suspender 4. Future Aspirations, Study & Work
Career plans, further study, part-time jobs, work experience and ambitions.
Sub-themes
los trabajos, las prácticas, la universidad, el futuro, el dinero, los idiomas, la entrevista Key verbs
trabajar, ganar, ser/llegar a ser, esperar, tener la intención de, solicitar 5. International & Global Dimension
Global issues, environment, charity, world events and life in Spanish-speaking countries.
Sub-themes
el medio ambiente, la contaminación, el reciclaje, los países hispanohablantes, la pobreza, las noticias, las organizaciones benéficas Key verbs
proteger, reciclar, contaminar, salvar, apoyar, hacer voluntariado Useful Connectives & Phrases for Top Marks
These give your writing and speaking sophistication — drop several into every Paper 2 essay and Paper 3 conversation.
Opinion Phrases
Creo que... · Pienso que... · En mi opinión... · A mi modo de ver... · Desde mi punto de vista... Estoy de acuerdo (con) · No estoy de acuerdo · Me parece que... Connectives
y · pero · o · porque · así que · sin embargo · además · por ejemplo · por lo tanto · aunque · ya que Sequencing
primero · luego · después · entonces · finalmente · al principio · al final Time Markers
ayer · hoy · mañana · el fin de semana pasado · el año que viene · hace dos años · durante · desde hace Higher-Level Phrases
es esencial que (+ subjunctive) · si tuviera la oportunidad... · lo que más me interesa es... · no sólo... sino también... · cuando sea mayor (+ subjunctive)... Exam Technique — The Three Pearson Edexcel Papers
Note: Pearson Edexcel combines Reading and Writing into a single Paper 2 — different from Cambridge.
Paper 1 — Listening
~45 minutes. Multiple-choice and short-answer questions in Spanish.
Read all questions BEFORE the audio plays · Predict vocabulary · Listen for negatives, time markers, qualifiers You hear each section twice. Use the second listen to confirm details, not start from scratch.
Paper 2 — Reading & Writing (combined)
~1 hour 45 minutes. Pearson combines reading comprehension AND writing tasks into one paper.
Reading section
Skim for gist → scan for specific information → read carefully for inference. Beware false friends ('embarazada' = pregnant, NOT embarrassed) and negatives. Writing section
Plan: introduction · 2–3 main points (each in different tense) · conclusion Range
Use different tenses · varied vocabulary · connectives · opinion + justification · subjunctive (one example) · ser AND estar Time management is critical: budget reading vs writing carefully — many students run out of time on the writing tasks.
Paper 3 — Speaking
Picture-based discussion + conversation on themes.
Picture description
Cover: who, what, where, when, opinion, prediction (a future tense). Use a range of tenses. Conversation
Aim for at least one example each of: opinion, preterite, imperfect, future, justification Top tip
Use 'me gustaría', 'podría', 'debería', 'cuando sea mayor (+ subjunctive)' for polite/sophisticated language. How to Use This Reference Sheet
Boost your Cambridge exam confidence with these proven study strategies from our tutoring experts.
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Speak Out Loud Daily
Even 10 minutes of speaking Spanish daily — about your day, opinions, plans — builds the fluency examiners reward in Paper 3.
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Build Theme Vocabulary Banks
For each of the five Pearson themes, build a list of 30+ words organised by sub-theme. Add useful verbs and connectives next to each.
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Use a Range of Tenses
Top-band Paper 2 writing uses present, preterite, imperfect AND future tenses. Plan to include each in every long writing answer — and at least one subjunctive.
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Drill Ser vs Estar Weekly
Ser/estar is the highest-frequency Spanish error. Do timed sentence drills weekly until DOCTOR/PLACE choices are automatic.
Reference Sheet FAQ
Quick answers about this free PDF and how to use it for exam revision and active recall.
Is the Edexcel IGCSE Spanish Reference Sheet 2026 free to download as a PDF?
Yes. This Tutopiya formula sheet is free to use and you can download it as a PDF from this page for offline revision. There is no payment or account required for the PDF download.
What Spanish topics and equations does this formula sheet cover?
This page groups key Spanish formulas in one place for revision. Master Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) with this 2026 reference sheet. Covers verb conjugations across all tenses, ser vs estar, key grammar, the five Pearson Edexcel themes and exam technique for Pa… Always cross-check with your official syllabus and past papers for your exam session.
Can I use this instead of the official exam formula booklet in the exam?
No. In the exam you must follow only what your exam board allows in the hall—usually the official formula booklet or data sheet where provided. This page is a revision and teaching aid, not a replacement for board-issued materials.
Who is this formula sheet for (Secondary)?
It is written for students preparing for assessments at Secondary in Spanish, including classroom revision, homework support, and independent study. Teachers and tutors can also share it as a quick reference.
How should I revise with this formula sheet?
Work through past paper questions, quote the correct formula before substituting values, and check units and notation every time. Pair this sheet with timed practice and mark schemes so you see how examiners expect working to be set out.
Where can I get more help with Spanish revision?
Explore Tutopiya’s study tools, past paper finder, and revision checklists linked from our tools hub, or book a trial lesson with a subject specialist for personalised support alongside this formula reference.
Need Help with Edexcel IGCSE Spanish?
Practice Pearson-style picture-based speaking, combined reading & writing tasks and theme-based vocabulary with a native or near-native Spanish tutor. We focus on tense range, ser/estar accuracy and 4SP1 exam technique.
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This reference sheet aligns with Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) syllabus content for 2026 examinations.
Always include examples of past, present AND future tenses in every long writing answer — and at least one subjunctive for top-band marks in Paper 2 and Paper 3.