C1 · 48 words
Words for thinking things over in Spanish
Norm, judgement, example, objection — what an argument about anything is made of.
La contraria almost never stands on its own: it lives inside llevar la contraria, to take the other side against somebody. No le lleves la contraria is « do not argue with him », and es de llevar la contraria describes a person who contradicts on principle. English has to pick a verb — « to contradict », « to argue with », « to go against » — and has no noun for the thing being carried. Spanish made one out of the feminine of contrario and carries it about.
The words
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Verb (12)
convenirto be advisableVerbC1
Conviene que lo diga.It is advisable that she says so.
atenderto see to, to serveVerbC1
Alguien tiene que atender los almacenes de noche.Somebody has to see to the warehouses at night.
permitirseto be able to affordVerbC1
Quien la rechaza suele poder permitírselo.Whoever refuses it can usually afford to.
resumirto sum upVerbC1
Una nota resume en un número el resultado.A mark sums the result up in one number.
fallarto fail, to be wrongVerbC1
Pueden haber fallado en cosas distintas.They may have been wrong about different things.
criticarto criticiseVerbC1
Quien la critica sin proponer otra cosa.Whoever criticises it without proposing anything else.
defenderto defendVerbC1
Está defendiendo algo peor sin saberlo.He is defending something worse without knowing it.
acortarto cut shortVerbC1
Los jóvenes acortan todo.Young people cut everything short.
apartarseto depart fromVerbC1
Quien se aparta del acuerdo paga un precio.Whoever departs from the agreement pays a price.
juzgarto judgeVerbC1
Una diferencia de registro que se juzga como falta.A difference of register judged as a mistake.
desconocernot to knowVerbC1
Deja a quien la desconoce sin saber por qué.It leaves whoever does not know it without knowing why.
participarto take partVerbC1
Participaron tres personas.Three people took part.
Adjective (9)
ciertocertain, someAdjectiveC1
Ciertas palabras se usan mal.Certain words are used wrongly.
correctorightAdjectiveC1
Esto no convierte cualquier uso en correcto.That does not make every use right.
útilusefulAdjectiveC1
La discusión útil no es esa.The useful argument is not that one.
automáticoautomaticAdjectiveC1
La recomendación automática no es gratis.The automatic recommendation is not free.
imperfectoimperfectAdjectiveC1
Una prueba imperfecta protege mejor que un juicio.An imperfect test protects better than a judgement.
inofensivoharmlessAdjectiveC1
Eso sería inofensivo si se leyera como lo que es.That would be harmless if it were read as what it is.
modestomodestAdjectiveC1
Lo que se sigue es más modesto.What follows from it is more modest.
razonablereasonableAdjectiveC1
Lo hace de forma perfectamente razonable.He does it in a perfectly reasonable way.
eternoeternalAdjectiveC1
No es defender que sea eterna.It does not mean defending it as eternal.
Adverb (3)
atrásback, backwardsAdverbC1
Se puede seguir esa queja hacia atrás.That complaint can be followed backwards.
simplementesimplyAdverbC1
O simplemente dejaría de mirarlo.Or she would simply stop looking at it.
perfectamenteperfectlyAdverbC1
Es perfectamente razonable.It is perfectly reasonable.
Phrase (8)
el registro de usothe record of what was usedPhraseC1
El registro de uso vale dinero.The record of what was used is worth money.
la red de almacenesthe network of warehousesPhraseC1
La red de almacenes trabaja de noche.The network of warehouses works at night.
el turno de nochethe night shiftPhraseC1
Depende de un turno de noche.It depends on a night shift.
a la vistain sightPhraseC1
En ese instante no está a la vista.At that moment it is not in sight.
por principioon principlePhraseC1
Quien la rechaza por principio.Whoever refuses it on principle.
cabía en una preguntacame down to one questionPhraseC1
La decisión cabía en una pregunta.The decision came down to one question.
no se sigue de ahíit does not follow from thatPhraseC1
No se sigue de ahí que haya que dejarlo.It does not follow from that that it has to be dropped.
sin saberlowithout knowing itPhraseC1
Defiende algo peor sin saberlo.He defends something worse without knowing it.
Noun (f) (10)
la comodidadcomfortNoun (f)C1
La comodidad es un bien real.Comfort is a real good.
la advertenciathe warning noticeNoun (f)C1
Se deja de leer una advertencia que aparece siempre.A warning notice that always appears stops being read.
la recomendaciónthe recommendationNoun (f)C1
La recomendación automática se paga con el registro.The automatic recommendation is paid for with the record of use.
la discusiónthe argumentNoun (f)C1
La discusión útil es otra.The useful argument is a different one.
la comunicacióncommunicationNoun (f)C1
No es lo mismo que un fallo de comunicación.That is not the same as a failure of communication.
la definiciónthe definitionNoun (f)C1
Por definición está del lado de la norma.By definition it is on the side of the norm.
la gramáticagrammarNoun (f)C1
Una página que enseña gramática.A page that teaches grammar.
la credibilidadcredibilityNoun (f)C1
Paga un precio en credibilidad.He pays a price in credibility.
la versiónthe versionNoun (f)C1
Cada versión cita sus ejemplos.Every version quotes its own examples.
la contrariathe contrary, the opposite sideNoun (f)C1
Al cliente no se le lleva la contraria.One does not take the opposite side with a customer.
Noun (m) (6)
el entendimientothe understanding of itNoun (m)C1
Paga un precio en entendimiento.He pays a price in the understanding of it.
el ejemplothe exampleNoun (m)A2
Cada versión cita ejemplos que hoy nadie discutiría.Every version quotes examples nobody would argue about today.
el instantethe instantNoun (m)C1
En ese instante no está a la vista.At that instant it is not in sight.
el descuidothe oversightNoun (m)C1
Queda fuera, no por descuido.It is left out, and not by oversight.
el encargadothe person in chargeNoun (m)C1
El encargado le daría el dinero.The person in charge would give him the money.
el esfuerzothe effortNoun (m)C1
No mide el esfuerzo del alumno.It does not measure the pupil's effort.
This list belongs to Opinions and arguing — twelve lists and 596 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 48 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.