B2
Spanish B2: Fluent
The effort goes out of listening here. A talk, a discussion, a newspaper piece in your own field all get through without constant checking back.
Speaking brings a choice that was not there before: the same thing can now be put several ways, and they differ in how polite they sound, how certain, how formal.
Tenses: present, past, future2
The past
1The future
1Verbs: ser, estar, subjunctive9
Can, must, want
1The subjunctive
5B2The imperfect subjunctiveFrom the third person plural of the preterite — and there are two sets of endings to choose from.B2Subjunctive after doubtDeny the believing and the clause changes mood.B2Time clauses: the past and special casescuando llegara, mientras with the subjunctive, al plus infinitive — what comes after the basic rule.B2The perfect subjunctive: haya hechoFor what has already happened and is being judged all the same.B2Indicative or subjunctive?One question settles it: is the clause being asserted?
Conditional sentences
2The passive
1Nouns, articles and adjectives3
Adjectives
1Pronouns
1Prepositions
1Sentence structure2
Subordinate clauses
2Style and fine points8
Fine points and style
8B2Word order: subject after verbThe subject may follow the verb — and that says something.B2Filler words: pues, bueno, valepues, bueno, vale, ya — your «well», «right», «OK», «look».B2Punctuation and spellingAlmost nothing takes a capital letter.B2More verb phrases: ir, andar, tener, llevarA gerund or participle after a helper verb — for gradually, constantly and already done.B2The neuter article loEnglish needs a dummy noun here; Spanish needs none.B2Spain vs Latin AmericaEnglish lost its own «ye» — so one of the two systems will feel familiar.B2Infinitive or gerund?«Smoking is bad» is Fumar es malo, with an infinitive.B2Linking words in a textSix groups — and two that look like English words and are not.
Word lists at level B2
Lists: 40 · words: 2002
- Politics and society
- The economy and the firm
- Law and the courts
- Science and research
- Technology and data
- The health service
- The education system
- Environmental policy
- The media and journalism
- History and memory
- Psychology and behaviour
- Talking about literature
- Talking about film and music
- The city and its buildings
- Migration and belonging
- Money and providing for later
- Transport and infrastructure
- Farming and food
- Talking about language
- Arguing and objecting
- Becoming: six verbs for one change
- Public administration
- Social networks
- Competition and the club
Reading texts at level B2
- El informe que nadie leyó
- La casa de los abuelos
- El error en la factura
- El primer día en otro idioma
- La reunión que podía ser un correo
- El cliente que siempre tenía razón
- Dos recuerdos del mismo día
- El Camino sin móvil
- La última jugada
- El carné a los cuarenta
- El ascensor de la comunidad
- La capitana
Sentences from this level’s topics
Mi antigua jefa vive en Sevilla.My former boss lives in Seville.
Lo compré ayer.I bought it yesterday.
La conocí en un congreso.I met her at a conference.
Para el jueves habré leído el informe.By Thursday I will have read the report.