B2 · 50 words
The city and its buildings in Spanish
Plans, façades, density — the city as something somebody decided.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
El arbolado is the trees of a place taken as one thing — not a wood, not a number, the tree cover. Spanish makes these collectives with -ado and they are everywhere once you see them: el empedradois the cobbles of a streetel alumbradothe street lightingel tejadothe roof as a spread of tiles English has no working suffix for this and must say « the trees » or build a compound. The Spanish word lets a planner say in three words what English needs a phrase for: el arbolado bajó la temperatura.
The words
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Phrase (25)
el casco antiguothe old quarterPhraseB2
El casco antiguo es peatonal.The old quarter is closed to traffic.
el barrio periféricothe outer districtPhraseB2
El barrio periférico creció en los sesenta.The outer district grew in the sixties.
el plan urbanísticothe development planPhraseB2
El plan urbanístico está en revisión.The development plan is being revised.
el suelo urbanizablethe land released for housesPhraseB2
Recalificaron suelo urbanizable.They rezoned land released for houses.
la licencia de obrathe building permitPhraseB2
La licencia de obra tardó un año.The building permit took a year.
la obra nuevathe new buildPhraseB2
La obra nueva se entrega en otoño.The new build is handed over in the autumn.
la vivienda protegidathe social housing flatPhraseB2
La vivienda protegida tiene precio limitado.The social housing flat has a capped price.
el parque de viviendasthe stock of homesPhraseB2
El parque de viviendas es antiguo.The stock of homes is old.
el alquiler turísticothe holiday lettingPhraseB2
El alquiler turístico se regula por barrios.Holiday letting is regulated district by district.
el patio interiorthe inner courtyardPhraseB2
El patio interior da luz a seis pisos.The inner courtyard gives light to six flats.
la reforma integralthe gutting and rebuildingPhraseB2
La reforma integral duró ocho meses.The gutting and rebuilding took eight months.
el catálogo de protecciónthe list of protected buildingsPhraseB2
El edificio entró en el catálogo de protección.The building went on the list of protected buildings.
el bien de interés culturalthe listed monumentPhraseB2
Es un bien de interés cultural desde 1985.It has been a listed monument since 1985.
el mobiliario urbanothe street furniturePhraseB2
El mobiliario urbano es nuevo y frío.The street furniture is new and cold.
el carril bicithe cycle lanePhraseB2
El carril bici acaba en mitad de la calle.The cycle lane ends in the middle of the road.
la zona peatonalthe pedestrian areaPhraseB2
La zona peatonal se amplió el año pasado.The pedestrian area was made bigger last year.
la plaza durathe hard squarePhraseB2
La plaza dura es insoportable en agosto.The hard square is unbearable in August.
la sombra urbanathe shade in the cityPhraseB2
La sombra urbana se planifica ahora.Shade in the city is planned for nowadays.
la isla de calorthe heat islandPhraseB2
El centro es una isla de calor.The centre is a heat island.
la accesibilidad urbanagetting about without barriersPhraseB2
La accesibilidad urbana falla en los bordillos.Getting about without barriers fails at the kerbs.
el equipamiento públicothe public facilitiesPhraseB2
Falta equipamiento público en el barrio.The district is short of public facilities.
la altura máximathe height limitPhraseB2
La altura máxima son seis plantas.The height limit is six storeys.
la planta baja comercialthe shops on the ground floorPhraseB2
La planta baja comercial da vida a la calle.The shops on the ground floor bring the street to life.
el aparcamiento disuasoriothe park and ridePhraseB2
El aparcamiento disuasorio está junto al tranvía.The park and ride is next to the tram.
la participación vecinalthe say the neighbours havePhraseB2
La participación vecinal cambió el proyecto.The say the neighbours have changed the scheme.
Noun (m) (13)
Grammar for these: Masculine or feminine · The plural
el ensanchethe planned extension of the cityNoun (m)B2
El ensanche se trazó en cuadrícula.The planned extension of the city was laid out as a grid.
el zaguánthe entrance hallNoun (m)B2
El zaguán conserva el suelo original.The entrance hall still has its original floor.
el ladrillothe brickNoun (m)B2
El ladrillo se fabricaba al lado.The brick was made next door.
el hormigónthe concreteNoun (m)B2
El hormigón quedó a la vista.The concrete was left exposed.
el forjadothe floor slabNoun (m)B2
El forjado hubo que reforzarlo.The floor slab had to be strengthened.
el andamiothe scaffoldingNoun (m)B2
El andamio lleva dos años puesto.The scaffolding has been up for two years.
el arboladothe trees taken togetherNoun (m)B2
El arbolado bajó la temperatura tres grados.The trees taken together brought the temperature down three degrees.
el bordillothe kerbNoun (m)B2
Rebajaron el bordillo en cada esquina.They lowered the kerb at every corner.
el solarthe empty plotNoun (m)B2
El solar lleva vacío veinte años.The empty plot has stood there twenty years.
el derribothe demolitionNoun (m)B2
El derribo se hizo de madrugada.The demolition was done at dawn.
el rascacielosthe tower blockNoun (m)B2
El rascacielos se ve desde la autopista.The tower block can be seen from the motorway.
el tranvíathe tramNoun (m)B2
El tranvía volvió después de cuarenta años.The tram came back after forty years.
el urbanismothe town planningNoun (m)B2
El urbanismo decide cómo se vive.Town planning decides how people live.
Noun (f) (12)
Grammar for these: Masculine or feminine · The plural
la cuadrículathe gridNoun (f)B2
La cuadrícula facilita orientarse.The grid makes it easy to find your way.
la recalificaciónthe rezoningNoun (f)B2
La recalificación multiplicó el valor.The rezoning multiplied the value.
la promotorathe developerNoun (f)B2
La promotora quebró a mitad de obra.The developer went bust half way through.
la especulaciónthe speculationNoun (f)B2
La especulación vació el centro.Speculation emptied the centre.
la gentrificaciónthe pushing out by improvementNoun (f)B2
La gentrificación cambió las tiendas primero.The pushing out by improvement changed the shops first.
la densidadthe densityNoun (f)B2
La densidad aquí es alta y funciona.The density here is high and it works.
la fachadathe front of the buildingNoun (f)B2
La fachada es de ladrillo visto.The front of the building is in bare brick.
la vigathe beamNoun (f)B2
La viga de madera es original.The wooden beam is the original one.
la cimentaciónthe foundationsNoun (f)B2
La cimentación es lo más caro.The foundations are the most expensive part.
la restauraciónthe restorationNoun (f)B2
La restauración respetó los materiales.The restoration respected the materials.
la acerathe pavementNoun (f)B2
La acera es demasiado estrecha.The pavement is far too narrow.
la ruinathe state of being past savingNoun (f)B2
La casa fue declarada en ruina.The house was declared past saving.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to Buildings, cities and energy — nine lists and 450 words that can also be practised as a whole.