C2 · 50 words
Geopolitics in Spanish
Sphere, alliance, deterrence, mediation — the language between states.
La denuncia is a busy word, and « denunciation » catches only its edge. At a police station it is the report you file: poner una denuncia, retirar la denuncia — no condemnation in it, just a form. In the law of treaties it is the ending of an agreement: la denuncia del tratado, a notice rather than an accusation. And denunciar in a newspaper does mean to expose something publicly: denunció las condiciones del centro. Three registers in one word, and only the third is what English hears first.
The words
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Phrase (46)
la zona de influenciathe area one power treats as its own, written in no treatyPhraseC2
La zona de influencia no aparece en ningún tratado.The zone of influence appears in no treaty.
el Estado tapónthe state that pays for lying between two large neighboursPhraseC2
El Estado tapón paga la vecindad de dos grandes.The buffer state pays for the closeness of two big neighbours.
la potencia regionalthe power that decides its corner without askingPhraseC2
La potencia regional decide sin consultar.The regional power decides without consulting.
el equilibrio de poderthe balance that holds as long as nobody measures itPhraseC2
El equilibrio de poder se sostiene mientras nadie lo mide.The balance of power holds as long as nobody measures it.
el poder blandothe power that persuades without compellingPhraseC2
El poder blando convence sin obligar.Soft power persuades without compelling.
el poder durothe power counted in equipment and in budgetPhraseC2
El poder duro se cuenta en material y en presupuesto.Hard power is counted in equipment and in budget.
la escalada del conflictothe climb of a conflict, rarely decided by one sidePhraseC2
La escalada del conflicto rara vez la decide uno solo.Escalation of a conflict is rarely decided by one side alone.
la desescalada diplomáticathe climb down, which needs a way out for bothPhraseC2
La desescalada diplomática necesita una salida airosa para ambos.Diplomatic de-escalation needs a graceful way out for both.
el umbral inaceptablethe line called unacceptable, worth nothing once crossed for freePhraseC2
El umbral inaceptable pierde valor si se cruza sin consecuencia.A threshold called unacceptable loses its worth once crossed without consequence.
la facilitación del diálogothe helping along of talks, which both sides must acceptPhraseC2
La facilitación del diálogo exige que ambos la acepten.Facilitating the dialogue requires both sides to accept it.
los buenos oficiosthe bringing together that proposes no content of its ownPhraseC2
Los buenos oficios acercan sin proponer contenido.Good offices bring the sides closer without proposing content.
la tregua negociadathe agreed halt, which is not yet peacePhraseC2
La tregua negociada no es todavía la paz.A negotiated truce is not yet peace.
el acuerdo marco de pazthe frame of a peace, leaving the detail for laterPhraseC2
El acuerdo marco de paz deja los detalles para después.The framework peace agreement leaves the details for later.
el tratado bilateralthe treaty of two, ratified in each parliamentPhraseC2
El tratado bilateral se ratifica en cada parlamento.A bilateral treaty is ratified in each parliament.
la ratificación del tratadothe confirming of a treaty at home, which can take yearsPhraseC2
La ratificación del tratado puede tardar años.Ratification of a treaty can take years.
la reserva al tratadothe carving out of one clause of a treatyPhraseC2
La reserva al tratado excluye una cláusula concreta.A reservation to the treaty excludes one particular clause.
la denuncia del tratadothe ending of a treaty, on the notice the treaty itself setsPhraseC2
La denuncia del tratado tiene su propio plazo.Denunciation of a treaty has a notice period of its own.
el derecho de vetothe right to block without having to arguePhraseC2
El derecho de veto bloquea sin necesidad de argumentar.The right of veto blocks without any need to argue.
la abstención constructivathe standing aside that lets a thing pass without backing itPhraseC2
La abstención constructiva deja pasar sin apoyar.Constructive abstention lets a thing pass without supporting it.
la resolución vinculantethe decision that binds the member statesPhraseC2
La resolución vinculante obliga a los Estados miembros.A binding resolution obliges the member states.
la misión de observaciónthe mission that reports and does not intervenePhraseC2
La misión de observación informa sin intervenir.An observation mission reports without intervening.
la fuerza de interposiciónthe force placed between the partiesPhraseC2
La fuerza de interposición se sitúa entre las partes.An interposition force places itself between the parties.
el mandato internacionalthe mandate that sets out what may be donePhraseC2
El mandato internacional define lo que se puede hacer.The international mandate defines what may be done.
la soberanía nacionalthe sovereignty given away by treaty, never lost on its ownPhraseC2
La soberanía nacional se cede por tratado, no se pierde sola.National sovereignty is given away by treaty, not lost by itself.
la integridad territorialthe wholeness of a territory, a principle and a quarrel at oncePhraseC2
La integridad territorial es un principio y una fuente de conflicto.Territorial integrity is a principle and a source of conflict.
la autodeterminación de los pueblosthe peoples' choosing, which runs into the principle abovePhraseC2
La autodeterminación de los pueblos choca con el principio anterior.Self-determination of peoples collides with the previous principle.
el reconocimiento diplomáticothe recognising of a state, which is a political actPhraseC2
El reconocimiento diplomático es un acto político.Diplomatic recognition is a political act.
la ruptura de relacionesthe breaking off that closes the embassyPhraseC2
La ruptura de relaciones cierra la embajada.Breaking off relations closes the embassy.
la persona non gratathe diplomat told to leave the countryPhraseC2
La persona non grata debe abandonar el país.A persona non grata must leave the country.
la valija diplomáticathe bag that is not openedPhraseC2
La valija diplomática no se inspecciona.The diplomatic bag is not inspected.
la inmunidad diplomáticathe immunity of a diplomat, which can be liftedPhraseC2
La inmunidad diplomática se puede levantar.Diplomatic immunity can be lifted.
el decano del cuerpo diplomáticothe longest-serving envoy, who speaks for all of themPhraseC2
El decano del cuerpo diplomático habla en nombre de todos.The dean of the diplomatic corps speaks on behalf of all.
la nota verbalthe note written in the third personPhraseC2
La nota verbal se escribe en tercera persona.A note verbale is written in the third person.
el comunicado conjuntothe joint statement, negotiated word by wordPhraseC2
El comunicado conjunto se negocia palabra por palabra.A joint communiqué is negotiated word by word.
la cumbre bilateralthe summit of two, which seals what was already agreedPhraseC2
La cumbre bilateral cierra lo que ya estaba acordado.The bilateral summit closes what had already been agreed.
la diplomacia preventivathe diplomacy that acts before there is any newsPhraseC2
La diplomacia preventiva actúa antes de que haya noticia.Preventive diplomacy acts before there is any news.
la diplomacia públicathe diplomacy aimed at a society rather than a governmentPhraseC2
La diplomacia pública se dirige a la sociedad, no al gobierno.Public diplomacy addresses the society, not the government.
la sanción económica selectivathe sanction aimed at named people rather than a countryPhraseC2
La sanción económica selectiva busca a personas concretas.Targeted economic sanctions look for particular people.
la guerra híbridathe mixing of the military with what is notPhraseC2
La guerra híbrida mezcla lo militar con lo que no lo es.Hybrid war mixes the military with what is not.
la desinformación estatalthe state's falsehood, meant to confuse rather than convincePhraseC2
La desinformación estatal no busca convencer, busca confundir.State disinformation does not seek to convince, it seeks to confuse.
la dependencia energéticathe reliance on somebody else's energy, which becomes a leverPhraseC2
La dependencia energética se convierte en instrumento político.Energy dependence turns into a political instrument.
el corredor estratégicothe passage worth more than the ground it crossesPhraseC2
El corredor estratégico vale más que el territorio que cruza.The strategic corridor is worth more than the territory it crosses.
el estrecho marítimothe narrows that gather the traffic and the riskPhraseC2
El estrecho marítimo concentra el tráfico y el riesgo.The strait concentrates the traffic and the risk.
la zona económica exclusivathe sea out to two hundred miles that belongs to the coastPhraseC2
La zona económica exclusiva llega hasta doscientas millas.The exclusive economic zone reaches out to two hundred miles.
la carrera armamentísticathe race that leaves everyone level and poorerPhraseC2
La carrera armamentística deja a todos igual y más pobres.The arms race leaves everyone level and poorer.
el control de armamentothe limiting of arms, which lives on verificationPhraseC2
El control de armamento vive de la verificación.Arms control lives on verification.
Noun (f) (3)
la geopolíticathe reading of a map as an argumentNoun (f)C2
La geopolítica lee el mapa como argumento.Geopolitics reads the map as an argument.
la hegemoníathe standing that works even when it is not usedNoun (f)C2
La hegemonía se ejerce también sin usarla.Hegemony works even when it is not used.
la disuasiónthe talking out of an intention, which works while it is believedNoun (f)C2
La disuasión funciona mientras resulte creíble.Deterrence works as long as it stays credible.
Noun (m) (1)
el ultimátumthe demand that has to be met or taken backNoun (m)C2
El ultimátum obliga a cumplirlo o a retirarlo.An ultimatum has to be met or withdrawn.
This list belongs to Society, politics and media — 23 lists and 1150 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.