Pearson Edexcel · IGCSE · 4SP1
Spanish — Keywords & Key Terms — Definitions Glossary (2026)
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1)
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.
Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Spanish (4SP1)
Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Spanish (4SP1)
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1)
Aligned to Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) for 2026 across Pearson's five themes — Identity & Culture, Local Area/Holiday/Travel, School, Future Aspirations/Study/Work, International & Global Dimension — assessed via four papers: Paper 1 Listening, Paper 2 Reading + Translation into English, Paper 3 Speaking (role play, picture-based discussion, general conversation), Paper 4 Writing + Translation into Spanish.
Mark schemes: Pearson rewards linked reasoning (porque, ya que, así que) and accurate gender, number, and accent placement — missing accents on preterite forms (hablé, comió) lose translation marks. Distinguish ser vs estar, preterite vs imperfect, and por vs para; examiner reports flag these as the most common errors.
Active recall: 0 / 20 terms ticked
| Recalled | Topic | Level | Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Essential | Articles & gender patterns | El/la/los/las, un/una/unos/unas — most -o nouns are masculine, most -a nouns feminine; learn exceptions (el día, la mano, el problema). | |
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Core | Ser vs estar | Ser for DOCTOR (Description, Occupation, Characteristic, Time, Origin, Relationship); estar for PLACE (Position, Location, Action in progress, Condition, Emotion). | |
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Core | Adjective agreement & position | Adjectives follow the noun and agree in gender and number (una casa bonita, unos coches rojos); a few shorten before masculine singular nouns (buen, gran, primer). | |
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Core | Reflexive verbs | Levantarse, ducharse, divertirse — pronoun (me/te/se/nos/os/se) precedes conjugated verb or attaches to infinitive/gerund (voy a levantarme). | |
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Advanced | Preterite vs imperfect | Preterite for completed actions and sequences (ayer fui, comí, salí); imperfect for description, habit, and background (cuando era pequeño, jugaba) — both often appear in the same sentence. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Essential | School vocabulary core | Las asignaturas, el horario, el recreo, el director, los deberes — anchor terms for Paper 3 general conversation. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Core | Stem-changing verbs | E→ie (querer, preferir, empezar), o→ue (poder, dormir, contar), e→i (pedir, servir) — change in all forms except nosotros/vosotros. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Core | Gustar-type verbs | Me gusta el inglés / me gustan las ciencias — verb agrees with the thing liked, not the person; same pattern: encantar, interesar, molestar, doler. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Core | Direct & indirect object pronouns | Lo/la/los/las vs le/les; double-object order is RID — Reflexive, Indirect, Direct (se lo dije); le/les become se before lo/la/los/las. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Advanced | Comparatives & superlatives | Más/menos … que, tan … como; el/la más … de; irregulars mejor, peor, mayor, menor — useful when comparing subjects or schools. | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Essential | Near future & simple future | Ir a + infinitive for plans (voy a estudiar); simple future stem + endings (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) for predictions; irregular stems tendr-, har-, podr-, saldr-. | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Core | Conditional mood | Future stem + imperfect endings (-ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían) — me gustaría, podría, debería; for polite requests and hypotheticals. | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Core | Por vs para | Por for cause/exchange/duration/route (por la mañana, gracias por); para for purpose/destination/deadline (para aprender, para mañana). | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Core | Present perfect | Haber (he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han) + past participle (-ado/-ido) — for actions linked to the present (he trabajado este verano). | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Advanced | Subjunctive (recognition) | After cuando + future, espero que, ojalá, para que — recognise hable, coma, viva, sea, tenga in reading and listening; useful for top-band Paper 4. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Essential | Environment & society lexis | El cambio climático, el reciclaje, el transporte público, la pobreza, los derechos humanos — high-frequency global-issue vocabulary. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Core | Impersonal expressions | Hay que, se debe, es importante + infinitive; se puede / no se puede — flexible opener for Paper 4 essays on global issues. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Core | Negatives | No … nada, no … nunca, no … nadie, no … ni … ni, no … tampoco — double negative is required (no veo a nadie). | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Core | Connectives for argument | Sin embargo, no obstante, por lo tanto, además, por un lado … por otro lado, aunque — signal contrast and consequence. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Advanced | Passive & se constructions | True passive ser + past participle (la lengua es hablada); more common impersonal se (se habla español, se venden libros) — recognise in reading and translation. |
Pair this with our revision checklists, formula sheets hub and past paper finder.
Spanish (4SP1) — Keywords & Key Terms FAQ
- What is on this Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Spanish keywords and key terms list?
- It is a topic-organised glossary of important spanish terms with short, exam-style definitions aligned to Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) (4SP1). It is designed for “define”, “state”, “outline” and “explain” questions where precise vocabulary earns marks.
- How should I use this Spanish 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 (4SP1) 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.
- Can I download this Spanish 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 list aligned to the 4SP1 specification?
- Topic groupings and wording follow Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) for Pearson Edexcel 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 at IGCSE, separate from longer notes or topic trackers.