C2 · 50 words
Conflict and mediation in Spanish
How a quarrel starts, hardens and is settled.
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
A quarrel has a course, and Spanish has a word for each stage of it. El desencuentro is not a quarrel yet, only two people missing each other; el enconamiento is the point at which it has stopped being about the matter in hand; el avenimiento is the agreement nobody thought was still possible. The last entry on the list is the one English cannot match. La convivencia is what people have when they live alongside one another and it works — neighbours, colleagues, two halves of a family. « Coexistence » exists but sounds like a treaty between states; « living together » is about a flat; « getting along » has the right tone and the wrong weight. Spanish has one ordinary noun for it, so a mediation can be said to aim at la convivencia posible without sounding either legal or sentimental.
The words
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Phrase (36)
la fricción latentethe simmering tensionPhraseC2
La fricción latente estalló en la reunión.The simmering tension broke out in the meeting.
el agravamiento del enfrentamientothe worsening of the quarrelPhraseC2
El agravamiento del enfrentamiento sorprendió a los dos.The worsening of the quarrel surprised both of them.
el paso que ya no se deshacethe step that cannot be undonePhraseC2
La carta fue el paso que ya no se deshace.The letter was the step that cannot be undone.
la ruptura de tratothe breaking-off of contactPhraseC2
La ruptura de trato duró tres años.The breaking-off of contact lasted three years.
la parte agraviadathe wronged sidePhraseC2
La parte agraviada pidió una disculpa por escrito.The wronged side asked for an apology in writing.
el tercero imparcialthe impartial third partyPhraseC2
Un tercero imparcial redactó el acta.An impartial third party drew up the record.
la sesión de mediaciónthe mediation sessionPhraseC2
La sesión de mediación es confidencial.The mediation session is confidential.
el acta de conciliaciónthe record of the conciliationPhraseC2
El acta de conciliación la firman las dos partes.The record of the conciliation is signed by both parties.
devolver lo oído en otras palabrasto say back what was heard in other wordsPhraseC2
Devolver lo oído en otras palabras baja el tono enseguida.To say back what was heard in other words lowers the tone at once.
la necesidad que no se nombrathe need that is never namedPhraseC2
La necesidad que no se nombra decide la conversación entera.The need that is never named decides the whole conversation.
la exigencia inicialthe opening demandPhraseC2
La exigencia inicial bloqueó la conversación una hora.The opening demand blocked the conversation for an hour.
el terreno comúnthe common groundPhraseC2
Encontraron terreno común en el calendario.They found common ground in the calendar.
el paso atrás por ambas partesthe step back on both sidesPhraseC2
Sin un paso atrás por ambas partes no hay acuerdo.Without a step back on both sides there is no agreement.
el arreglo extrajudicialthe out-of-court settlementPhraseC2
El arreglo extrajudicial evitó el juicio.The out-of-court settlement avoided the trial.
la renuncia a seguir adelantethe decision to take it no furtherPhraseC2
La renuncia a seguir adelante se presentó por escrito.The decision to take it no further was put in writing.
la cláusula de salvaguardathe safeguard clausePhraseC2
La cláusula de salvaguarda protege a la parte más débil.The safeguard clause protects the weaker party.
el compromiso vinculantethe binding undertakingPhraseC2
El compromiso vinculante fija plazos concretos.The binding undertaking sets concrete deadlines.
el alto el fuego provisionalthe provisional ceasefirePhraseC2
El alto el fuego provisional duró lo que el verano.The provisional ceasefire lasted as long as the summer.
la reparación simbólicathe symbolic reparationPhraseC2
La reparación simbólica pesó más que el dinero.The symbolic reparation weighed more than the money.
el perdón sin olvidothe forgiveness without forgettingPhraseC2
El perdón sin olvido es lo que se pudo alcanzar.Forgiveness without forgetting was what could be reached.
la reconciliación tardíathe late reconciliationPhraseC2
La reconciliación tardía llegó en el entierro.The late reconciliation came at the funeral.
el arbitraje de equidadthe arbitration on fairnessPhraseC2
El arbitraje de equidad resuelve sin ceñirse a la letra.Arbitration on fairness decides without sticking to the letter.
la vía amistosathe amicable routePhraseC2
Intentaron primero la vía amistosa.They tried the amicable route first.
el escrito de quejathe letter of complaintPhraseC2
El escrito de queja se registró el mismo día.The letter of complaint was registered the same day.
la queja formal por escritothe formal written complaintPhraseC2
La queja formal por escrito activa un plazo de respuesta.The formal written complaint starts a deadline for a reply.
la instancia superiorthe next authority upPhraseC2
El asunto pasó a la instancia superior.The matter went to the next authority up.
el desgaste de las partesthe wearing down of both sidesPhraseC2
El desgaste de las partes acabó decidiendo el final.The wearing down of both sides decided the end of it.
el coste emocionalthe emotional costPhraseC2
El coste emocional no aparece en ninguna factura.The emotional cost appears on no invoice.
la espiral de reprochesthe spiral of reproachesPhraseC2
La espiral de reproches se corta nombrándola.The spiral of reproaches is broken by naming it.
el ataque personalthe personal attackPhraseC2
El ataque personal descalifica al que lo hace.A personal attack disqualifies the one who makes it.
el silencio como armathe silence used as a weaponPhraseC2
El silencio como arma hiere más que una respuesta.Silence used as a weapon hurts more than an answer.
la retirada dignathe dignified retreatPhraseC2
Le ofrecieron una retirada digna.A dignified retreat was offered instead.
salvar la carato save facePhraseC2
La fórmula permitía a los dos salvar la cara.The formula let both of them save face.
ceder sin humillarseto give ground without being humbledPhraseC2
Lo difícil es ceder sin humillarse.The hard part is to give ground without being humbled.
el acuerdo que nadie celebrathe agreement nobody celebratesPhraseC2
Fue un acuerdo que nadie celebra y todos cumplen.It was an agreement nobody celebrates and everybody keeps.
la convivencia posiblethe getting along that is achievablePhraseC2
El objetivo no era la amistad, sino la convivencia posible.The aim was not friendship but the getting along that is achievable.
Noun (m) (13)
el desencuentrothe talking at cross purposesNoun (m)C2
El desencuentro venía de un correo mal leído.The talking at cross purposes came from a misread email.
el rocethe friction between peopleNoun (m)C2
Los roces se repetían cada semana.The friction between people repeated itself every week.
el agraviothe slight that woundsNoun (m)C2
El agravio se recordaba años después.The slight that wounds was still remembered years later.
el resquemorthe lingering resentmentNoun (m)C2
Quedó un resquemor que nadie mencionaba.A lingering resentment stayed that nobody mentioned.
el enconamientothe hardening of positionsNoun (m)C2
El enconamiento hizo imposible hablar del asunto.The hardening of positions made the matter impossible to discuss.
el enquistamientothe hardening into something permanentNoun (m)C2
El enquistamiento del problema costó dos empleados.The hardening into something permanent cost two employees.
el mediadorthe mediatorNoun (m)C2
El mediador no propone soluciones, las hace posibles.A mediator does not propose solutions but makes them possible.
el conciliadorthe conciliatorNoun (m)C2
El conciliador sí puede sugerir una salida.A conciliator may indeed suggest a way out.
el reencuadrethe reframingNoun (m)C2
El reencuadre convierte una acusación en una necesidad.The reframing turns an accusation into a need.
el avenimientothe amicable settlementNoun (m)C2
El avenimiento llegó en la tercera sesión.The amicable settlement came in the third session.
el apaciguamientothe calming without agreementNoun (m)C2
El apaciguamiento sin acuerdo solo aplaza el problema.The calming without agreement only postpones the problem.
el desagraviothe making good of the slightNoun (m)C2
El desagravio público cerró el asunto.The public making good of the slight closed the matter.
el laudothe arbitrator's awardNoun (m)C2
El laudo es obligatorio para las dos partes.The arbitrator's award binds both parties.
Noun (f) (1)
la desescaladathe de-escalationNoun (f)C2
La desescalada empezó bajando el tono.The de-escalation began by lowering the tone.
This list belongs to People and feelings — 13 lists and 640 words that can also be practised as a whole.