Question 1

How do I say 'I would like to be a doctor' in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

You say 'Me gustaría ser médico' (if you are male) or 'Me gustaría ser médica' (if you are female). The verb 'gustaría' is in the conditional tense, and 'ser' is used for professions. Remember to match the gender of the profession to your own gender.

Question 2

What's the difference between 'voy a estudiar' and 'estudiaré'?

Accepted Answer

'Voy a estudiar' is the near future, meaning 'I am going to study' – it's used for plans that are definite or immediate. 'Estudiaré' is the simple future, meaning 'I will study' – it's more formal and can be used for more distant or hypothetical plans. Both are correct, but using a mix shows a wider range of grammar.

Question 3

How can I describe my school in Spanish for the speaking exam?

Accepted Answer

Start with the type of school: 'Mi instituto es un colegio mixto/privado/público.' Then describe facilities: 'Hay una biblioteca grande, un laboratorio de ciencias y un campo de fútbol.' Add opinions: 'Me gusta mi instituto porque los profesores son amables, pero hay demasiados exámenes.' Use adjectives like 'moderno', 'antiguo', 'bien equipado'.

Question 4

What vocabulary do I need for talking about future careers?

Accepted Answer

Key words include: 'las prácticas laborales' (work experience), 'la universidad' (university), 'el aprendizaje' (apprenticeship), 'el puesto de trabajo' (job position), 'el currículum' (CV), 'la entrevista' (interview). Also learn job titles like 'abogado/a', 'ingeniero/a', 'enfermero/a', 'empresario/a'.

Question 5

How do I express opinions about school subjects in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

Use verbs like 'gustar' (to like), 'encantar' (to love), 'odiar' (to hate), 'interesar' (to interest), 'aburrir' (to bore). For example: 'Me encanta la historia porque es fascinante.' 'No me interesa la física porque es demasiado difícil.' Add reasons with 'porque' and use intensifiers like 'mucho', 'bastante', 'un poco'.

Question 6

What are common mistakes when talking about future plans in GCSE Spanish?

Accepted Answer

A common mistake is forgetting to use the correct future tense. For example, saying 'Yo trabajo como médico' (I work as a doctor) instead of 'Yo trabajaré como médico' (I will work as a doctor). Another mistake is mixing up 'ser' and 'estar' for professions – always use 'ser'. Also, avoid direct translations like 'voy a ser un doctor' – it's 'voy a ser médico' without the article.

Thematic Context: Studying and my future

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Related Topics in EDEXCEL GCSE Spanish

Grammar: Adjectives and adjectival phrases

Grammar: Adverbs and adverbial phrases

Grammar: Derivational morphology

Grammar: Nouns, pronouns and determiners

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