Cambridge International · IGCSE · 0530
Spanish (Foreign Language) — Keywords & Key Terms — Definitions Glossary (2026)
Cambridge IGCSE Spanish — Foreign Language (0530)
Topic-by-topic keywords, key terms and definitions for precise exam language—separate from our revision checklists (topic coverage) and formula sheets (equations).
Keywords & Key Terms — definitions
Examiner-style keywords and definitions organised by syllabus topic. Terms are tagged Essential (start here), Core (typical exam standard), and Advanced for harder distinctions — tick each row when you can recall it. Your progress is saved in this browser for this list.
Cambridge International IGCSE Spanish (Foreign Language) (0530)
Cambridge International IGCSE Spanish (Foreign Language) (0530)
Cambridge IGCSE Spanish — Foreign Language (0530)
Aligned to Cambridge IGCSE Spanish 0530 (2026): the 5 prescribed topic areas (everyday activities, personal & social life, the world around us, the world of work, the international world) assessed across Listening (Paper 1), Reading (Paper 2), Speaking (Paper 3) and Writing (Paper 4).
Mark schemes: Cambridge rewards a range of tenses (especially preterite vs imperfect contrast), accuracy of agreement (gender, number, adjective), correct use of ser vs estar, and varied vocabulary. Examiner reports flag mixing preterite/imperfect, omitting personal a, and over-using the present tense — plan to demonstrate at least 3 tenses in Speaking and Writing.
Active recall: 0 / 23 terms ticked
| Recalled | Topic | Level | Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Essential | Regular -AR / -ER / -IR present tense | Drop the infinitive ending and add the regular present-tense endings (e.g. hablar → hablo, comer → como, vivir → vivo). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Preterite vs imperfect | Preterite = completed past actions (ayer comí pizza); imperfect = description, habit and ongoing past (cuando era pequeño, jugaba al fútbol) — Cambridge examiners specifically reward correct contrast of the two. | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Immediate future — ir + a + infinitive | Conjugate ir in the present and follow with a + infinitive to express what is going to happen (voy a estudiar). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Simple future and conditional | Future = infinitive + -é/-ás/-á/-emos/-éis/-án; conditional = infinitive + -ía endings, used for ‘would’ (me gustaría viajar). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Core | Present perfect — haber + past participle | He/has/ha/hemos/habéis/han + past participle (-ado/-ido) for actions completed in a time period that includes the present (este año he visitado…). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Advanced | Present subjunctive — ojalá, cuando + future, doubt/emotion | Triggered by ojalá (I hope), cuando referring to a future event (cuando sea mayor), and expressions of doubt or emotion (no creo que sea, me alegra que vengas). | |
| Verb conjugations & tenses | Advanced | Key irregular verbs | ser, estar, tener, hacer, ir, poder, querer — learn present, preterite, imperfect, future and conditional forms; they appear constantly across all four papers. | |
| SER vs ESTAR — DOCTOR / PLACE | Essential | SER — for permanent identity | Use ser for fixed characteristics: DOCTOR = Description, Occupation, Characteristic, Time/date, Origin, Relationship (soy alta, soy estudiante, es lunes, soy de España). | |
| SER vs ESTAR — DOCTOR / PLACE | Core | ESTAR — for temporary states and location | Use estar for: PLACE = Position, Location, Action (continuous), Condition, Emotion (estoy en casa, estoy cansado, estoy estudiando, estoy contento). | |
| SER vs ESTAR — DOCTOR / PLACE | Core | Adjectives that change meaning with ser/estar | ser aburrido = boring vs estar aburrido = bored; ser listo = clever vs estar listo = ready; ser bueno vs estar bueno (tasty/healthy). | |
| SER vs ESTAR — DOCTOR / PLACE | Core | Location of events vs objects | Events use ser (la fiesta es en mi casa), but the location of objects/people uses estar (mi casa está en Madrid). | |
| SER vs ESTAR — DOCTOR / PLACE | Advanced | Estar + gerund — present continuous | Estar + -ando/-iendo to describe an action happening right now (estoy comiendo) — distinct from English habitual present. | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Essential | Subject pronouns | yo, tú, él/ella/usted, nosotros/as, vosotros/as, ellos/ellas/ustedes — usted/ustedes are formal forms taking 3rd-person verb endings. | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Core | Direct and indirect object pronouns | Direct: me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las; indirect: me, te, le, nos, os, les — placed before the conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive/gerund. | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Core | Gustar-type verbs | Use indirect object pronoun + verb agreeing with what is liked: me gusta + singular noun/infinitive (me gusta el chocolate / me gusta leer); me gustan + plural noun (me gustan los libros). Same pattern: encantar, doler, interesar, faltar. | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Core | Reflexive verbs | Pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) before the conjugated verb to show the subject acts on itself (me levanto, se llama). | |
| Pronouns & negatives | Core | Negatives — no, nunca, nada, nadie | Place no before the verb; nunca, nada, nadie, ningún can either replace no or appear after the verb when no is present (no como nada = I eat nothing). | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | The 5 Cambridge topic areas | Everyday activities, personal & social life, the world around us, the world of work, and the international world — every Speaking/Writing prompt maps onto one of these. | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | Useful connectives | porque (because), sin embargo (however), además (moreover), por ejemplo (for example), en mi opinión (in my opinion), primero / luego / después / finalmente (first / then / afterwards / finally). | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | Paper 1 — Listening | Recorded extracts in Spanish; multiple-choice and short answers — listen for tense markers (ayer, mañana, normalmente). | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | Paper 2 — Reading | Texts in Spanish testing comprehension and inference; answers in Spanish — accents (á, é, í, ó, ú, ñ) are checked. | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Core | Paper 3 — Speaking | Role play + presentation/discussion + general conversation; aim to use present + preterite + imperfect + future and an opinion with justification. | |
| Topic vocabulary & exam technique | Advanced | Paper 4 — Writing | Two tasks (e.g. email and longer composition); reward range of tenses (including subjunctive triggers), accurate ser/estar, agreement and topic-specific vocabulary. |
Pair this with our revision checklists, formula sheets hub and past paper finder.
Spanish (Foreign Language) (0530) — Keywords & Key Terms FAQ
- What is on this Cambridge International IGCSE Spanish (Foreign Language) keywords and key terms list?
- It is a topic-organised glossary of important spanish (foreign language) terms with short, exam-style definitions aligned to Cambridge IGCSE Spanish — Foreign Language (0530) (0530). It is designed for “define”, “state”, “outline” and “explain” questions where precise vocabulary earns marks.
- How should I use this Spanish (Foreign Language) glossary alongside past papers?
- Tick terms when you can recall them without reading the answer, then check your wording against mark schemes. Pair vocabulary practice with past papers for IGCSE Spanish (Foreign Language) (0530) so you apply terms in context.
- Is this the same as a revision checklist or a formula sheet?
- No. Revision checklists help you track which syllabus topics you have covered and your confidence—separate pages on Tutopiya. Formula sheets summarise equations and quantitative relationships. This page is only a definitions and key-terms glossary for Spanish (Foreign Language).
- Can I download this Spanish (Foreign Language) keywords and key terms list for free?
- Yes. After a quick free sign-up you can download a UTF-8 CSV (opens in Excel or Google Sheets) or open a print-friendly page and save as PDF. Browsing the list on the page is free.
- Is this Spanish (Foreign Language) list aligned to the 0530 specification?
- Topic groupings and wording follow Cambridge IGCSE Spanish — Foreign Language (0530) for Cambridge International IGCSE. Always confirm final learning objectives and any regional options in your official specification and recent examiner reports for your exam session.
- Why focus on definitions instead of full notes?
- Mark schemes reward correct technical terms and clear links between ideas. A compact glossary lets you drill the exact language examiners expect for Spanish (Foreign Language) at IGCSE, separate from longer notes or topic trackers.