B2 · 50 words
Psychology and behaviour in Spanish
What somebody feels, why they do it, and how to describe both.
El duelo is grief — the state somebody is in after a death, estar de duelo — and it is also a duel, two people and their seconds. They are not one word wearing two hats: the first comes from dolor, pain, the second from Latin duellum, an old form of bellum, war. Two roads, the same spelling at the end of them, and only the sentence decides which is meant. English borrowed the second and kept the two apart. The first is worth having: Spanish uses one ordinary noun where English chooses between mourning, grief and bereavement according to how formal it is being.
The words
View
Verb (2)
concentrarseto concentrateVerbB2
Se concentra mejor en silencio.She concentrates better in silence.
sobrellevarto get through, to bearVerbB2
Sobrellevó el año con ayuda.She got through the year with help.
Phrase (16)
costarle a alguiento be hard for somebodyPhraseB2
Me cuesta concentrarme por la tarde.I find it hard to concentrate in the afternoon.
la memoria a corto plazothe short-term memoryPhraseB2
La memoria a corto plazo guarda poco.Short-term memory holds very little.
el olvido selectivoselective forgettingPhraseB2
El olvido selectivo protege.Selective forgetting protects people.
el estado de ánimothe moodPhraseB2
El estado de ánimo depende del sueño.Mood depends on sleep.
el estrés crónicothe long-running stressPhraseB2
El estrés crónico se nota en el cuerpo.Long-running stress shows in the body.
afectar a alguiento get to somebodyPhraseB2
Le afectó más de lo que dijo.It got to him more than he said.
la crítica constructivaconstructive criticismPhraseB2
La crítica constructiva nombra el paso siguiente.Constructive criticism names the next step.
el sesgo de confirmaciónthe confirmation biasPhraseB2
El sesgo de confirmación afecta a todos.Confirmation bias affects everybody.
la primera impresión duraderathe first impression that sticksPhraseB2
La primera impresión duradera pesa años.The first impression that sticks lasts for years.
la presión del grupothe pressure of the groupPhraseB2
La presión del grupo explica media adolescencia.The pressure of the group explains half of adolescence.
la norma socialthe unwritten rulePhraseB2
La norma social no está escrita.The unwritten rule is nowhere written down.
el refuerzo positivopositive reinforcementPhraseB2
El refuerzo positivo funciona a corto plazo.Positive reinforcement works in the short run.
la toma de decisionesthe decidingPhraseB2
La toma de decisiones cansa.Deciding is tiring.
la duda razonablethe reasonable doubtPhraseB2
Tenía una duda razonable.She had a reasonable doubt.
el desarrollo infantilthe development of a childPhraseB2
El desarrollo infantil no es una carrera.The development of a child is not a race.
la terapia cognitivacognitive therapyPhraseB2
La terapia cognitiva trabaja con tareas.Cognitive therapy works with set tasks.
Noun (f) (17)
la conductathe behaviourNoun (f)B2
La conducta cambió tras la mudanza.Her behaviour changed after the move.
la rutinathe settled routineNoun (f)B2
La rutina ayuda más de lo que parece.A settled routine helps more than it seems to.
la motivaciónthe motivationNoun (f)B2
La motivación baja a la tercera semana.Motivation drops in the third week.
la intenciónthe intentionNoun (f)B2
La intención no bastó.The intention was not enough.
la percepciónthe perceptionNoun (f)B2
La percepción del tiempo cambia con la edad.The perception of time changes with age.
la atenciónthe attentionNoun (f)B2
La atención dura veinte minutos.Attention lasts twenty minutes.
la distracciónthe distractionNoun (f)B2
La distracción está en el bolsillo.The distraction is in your pocket.
la ansiedadthe anxietyNoun (f)B2
La ansiedad aparece antes del examen.The anxiety turns up before the exam.
la resilienciathe power to recoverNoun (f)B2
La resiliencia se aprende.The power to recover can be learnt.
la autoestimathe self-esteemNoun (f)B2
La autoestima no depende del elogio.Self-esteem does not hang on praise.
la empatíathe fellow feelingNoun (f)B2
La empatía se agota si no se cuida.Fellow feeling runs out if it is not looked after.
la recompensathe rewardNoun (f)B2
La recompensa inmediata gana casi siempre.The immediate reward nearly always wins.
la postergaciónthe putting offNoun (f)B2
La postergación tiene poco que ver con la pereza.Putting things off has little to do with laziness.
la perezathe lazinessNoun (f)B2
No era pereza sino miedo.It was not laziness but fear.
la personalidadthe personalityNoun (f)B2
La personalidad se estabiliza con los años.Personality settles down over the years.
la introversiónthe introversionNoun (f)B2
La introversión no es timidez.Introversion is not shyness.
la timidezthe shynessNoun (f)B2
La timidez se le pasó con el tiempo.The shyness wore off with time.
Noun (m) (15)
el comportamientothe way somebody behavesNoun (m)B2
Su comportamiento sorprendió a todos.The way he behaved surprised everybody.
el hábitothe habitNoun (m)B2
El hábito tarda semanas en formarse.A habit takes weeks to form.
el detonantethe triggerNoun (m)B2
El detonante fue una llamada.The trigger was a telephone call.
el propósitothe resolutionNoun (m)B2
Cumplió el propósito de enero.She kept the resolution she made in January.
el recuerdothe memory of somethingNoun (m)B2
El recuerdo se transforma cada vez.The memory of something changes each time.
el bienestarthe wellbeingNoun (m)B2
El bienestar no se compra.Wellbeing cannot be bought.
el malestarthe uneaseNoun (m)B2
El malestar venía de antes.The unease came from before.
el elogiothe praiseNoun (m)B2
El elogio vacío se nota enseguida.Empty praise is noticed at once.
el prejuiciothe prejudiceNoun (m)B2
El prejuicio actúa antes de pensar.Prejudice acts before thought does.
el castigothe punishmentNoun (m)B2
El castigo enseña a esconderse.Punishment teaches people to hide.
el impulsothe impulseNoun (m)B2
Compró por impulso.He bought it on impulse.
el autocontrolthe self-controlNoun (m)B2
El autocontrol se agota como un músculo.Self-control tires like a muscle.
el rasgothe traitNoun (m)B2
Es un rasgo suyo de siempre.It has always been a trait of his.
el duelothe mourningNoun (m)B2
El duelo no sigue un calendario.Mourning follows no calendar.
el apegothe attachmentNoun (m)B2
El apego se forma muy pronto.Attachment forms very early.
This list belongs to People and feelings — 13 lists and 640 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.