B1 · 50 words
Celebrations and invitations in Spanish
Inviting, congratulating, apologising — and when to arrive.
Hacer puente is a Spanish institution with no English name. When a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, the working day between it and the weekend is a puente, a bridge, and taking it off is hacer puente: four days out of one day's holiday. If the holiday lands on a Wednesday and somebody takes the whole week, that is an acueducto, an aqueduct — a joke everybody makes and everybody understands. The calendar of these bridges is published a year ahead and decides when the trains sell out.
The words
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Verb (11)
invitarto inviteVerbB1
Nos invitaron a cenar el sábado.They invited us to dinner on Saturday.
asistirto attend, to be thereVerbB1
No pude asistir a la boda.I could not go to the wedding.
celebrarto celebrateVerbB1
Celebramos el fin de curso en el jardín.We celebrated the end of the course in the garden.
felicitarto congratulateVerbB1
Llámalo para felicitarlo.Ring him to congratulate him.
brindarto drink a toastVerbB1
Brindamos por los dos.We drank a toast to the two of them.
disfrazarseto dress upVerbB1
Se disfrazaron de piratas.They dressed up as pirates.
adornarto decorateVerbB1
Adornaron la casa con luces.They decorated the house with lights.
disculparseto apologiseVerbB1
Se disculpó por llegar tarde.He apologised for being late.
despedirseto say goodbyeVerbB1
Nos despedimos en el portal.We said goodbye in the entrance hall.
acompañarto go with somebodyVerbB1
Te acompaño hasta la parada.I will walk with you as far as the stop.
reunirseto meet up, to get togetherVerbB1
Nos reunimos una vez al mes.We get together once a month.
Adjective (2)
agradecidogratefulAdjectiveB1
Estoy muy agradecida por la ayuda.I am very grateful for the help.
animadolivelyAdjectiveB1
La fiesta estuvo muy animada.The party was very lively.
Phrase (10)
el regalo de cumpleañosthe birthday presentPhraseB1
Compramos el regalo de cumpleaños entre todos.We bought the birthday present between us.
envolver un regaloto wrap a presentPhraseB1
Envolvió el regalo con papel azul.She wrapped the present in blue paper.
el día festivothe public holidayPhraseB1
El lunes es día festivo.Monday is a public holiday.
hacer puenteto take the days between a holiday and the weekendPhraseB1
Hacemos puente del jueves al domingo.We are taking Thursday to Sunday off.
los fuegos artificialesthe fireworksPhraseB1
Los fuegos artificiales empiezan a medianoche.The fireworks start at midnight.
el ambiente festivothe festive atmospherePhraseB1
Había un ambiente festivo en la plaza.There was a festive atmosphere in the square.
la tarta de cumpleañosthe birthday cakePhraseB1
La tarta de cumpleaños era de chocolate.The birthday cake was chocolate.
el regalo de agradecimientothe thank-you presentPhraseB1
Llevamos un regalo de agradecimiento.We took a thank-you present.
la reunión familiarthe family gatheringPhraseB1
La reunión familiar es en agosto.The family gathering is in August.
durar hasta tardeto go on latePhraseB1
La cena duró hasta tarde.The dinner went on late.
Noun (f) (15)
la invitaciónthe invitationNoun (f)B1
Recibimos la invitación por correo.We got the invitation by email.
la bodathe weddingNoun (f)B1
La boda fue en un pueblo pequeño.The wedding was in a small village.
la enhorabuenathe congratulationsNoun (f)B1
¡Enhorabuena por el trabajo nuevo!Congratulations on the new job!
la vísperathe eve, the day beforeNoun (f)B1
La víspera se cena en familia.On the eve there is a family dinner.
la NochebuenaChristmas EveNoun (f)B1
En Nochebuena cenamos tarde.On Christmas Eve we eat late.
la NocheviejaNew Year's EveNoun (f)B1
Pasamos la Nochevieja en casa.We spent New Year's Eve at home.
la feriathe town fair; the trade fairNoun (f)B1
La feria dura una semana entera.The fair lasts a whole week.
la medianochemidnightNoun (f)B1
Nos fuimos sobre medianoche.We left at around midnight.
la velathe candleNoun (f)B1
Sopla las velas y pide un deseo.Blow out the candles and make a wish.
la sobremesathe time spent at the table after a mealNoun (f)B1
La sobremesa duró dos horas.We sat on at the table for two hours.
la costumbrethe customNoun (f)B1
Es una costumbre de la región.It is a custom of the region.
la tradiciónthe traditionNoun (f)B1
La tradición viene de muy atrás.The tradition goes back a long way.
la disculpathe apologyNoun (f)B1
Aceptó la disculpa sin más.She accepted the apology without more ado.
la despedidathe farewellNoun (f)B1
La despedida fue en la estación.The farewell was at the station.
la sorpresathe surpriseNoun (f)B1
Fue una sorpresa para todos.It was a surprise for everybody.
Noun (m) (12)
el anfitriónthe hostNoun (m)B1
El anfitrión nos recibió en la puerta.The host greeted us at the door.
el invitadothe guestNoun (m)B1
Eran unos treinta invitados.There were about thirty guests.
el bautizothe christeningNoun (m)B1
El bautizo es el domingo por la mañana.The christening is on Sunday morning.
el aniversariothe anniversaryNoun (m)B1
Celebran su aniversario de boda.They are celebrating their wedding anniversary.
el santothe name dayNoun (m)B1
Hoy es su santo, no su cumpleaños.Today is her name day, not her birthday.
el brindisthe toastNoun (m)B1
Hizo un brindis muy corto.He made a very short toast.
el desfilethe processionNoun (m)B1
El desfile pasa por la calle mayor.The procession goes along the main street.
el disfrazthe fancy dress costumeNoun (m)B1
Alquilamos el disfraz en una tienda.We hired the costume from a shop.
el adornothe decorationNoun (m)B1
Los adornos se quitan en enero.The decorations come down in January.
el deseothe wishNoun (m)B1
No cuentes el deseo.Do not tell anyone the wish.
el aperitivothe aperitifNoun (m)B1
Tomamos un aperitivo antes de comer.We had an aperitif before lunch.
el detallethe thoughtful gestureNoun (m)B1
Fue un detalle muy bonito.It was a very kind gesture.
This list belongs to Free time and sport — 13 lists and 591 words that can also be practised as a whole.
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.