Translating into Spanish
Translating into Spanish rewards care over ambition. Accuracy in a simple structure beats an impressive structure that collapses.
Part of your national curriculum
- Writing: Translate short written text accurately into the foreign language
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Translate short written text accurately into the foreign language
Key learning points
- • Checklist
- • Word order
- • Do not translate word by word
This lesson at a glance
- 22 minutes
- 19 parts to scroll through
- 4 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 19
Visual introductionPicture this
Translating into Spanish
Translating into Spanish rewards care over ambition. Accuracy in a simple structure beats an impressive structure that collapses.
In a nutshell
Translate short written text accurately into the foreign language
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 19
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Checklist
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 19
Learn
Checklist
For each sentence: which tense? Which verb, and does the ending match the subject? Do adjectives agree in gender and number? Is a personal 'a' needed before a person (visité a mi abuela)? Are accents in place?
Reset break
Part 4 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 19
Learn
Word order
Adjectives usually follow the noun: una casa blanca. Object pronouns go before a conjugated verb: lo compré. Questions do not need an auxiliary — ¿Fuiste a la playa?, not a translation of 'did'.
Quick check
Part 6 of 19
Quick check
Part 7 of 19
Reset break
Part 8 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 19
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Do not translate word by word
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 19
Learn
Do not translate word by word
'I am fifteen' is Tengo quince años. 'I liked the film' is Me gustó la película, with the film as subject. Ask what Spanish does in this situation, not what the English words are.
Quick check
Part 11 of 19
Reset break
Part 12 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 13 of 19
Explore the idea
Part 14 of 19
Worked example
Worked example
'Last summer I went to Spain with my sister. We visited a small museum and I liked it a lot, although it was very hot.' → 'El verano pasado fui a España con mi hermana. Visitamos un museo pequeño y me gustó mucho, aunque hacía mucho calor.' Note pequeño after the noun, me gustó (not yo gusté) and hacía for describing weather in the past.
Challenge round
Part 15 of 19
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Reset break
Part 16 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 4 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 17 of 19
Game · Recall cards
Translate into French: 'I never drink fizzy drinks.'
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 18 of 19
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Translating into Spanish
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Translate into French: 'I never drink fizzy drinks.'
2. How do you say 'I am 13 years old' in French?
3. 'A big house' translates as...
4. Where does 'pas' go in a negative sentence with 'aime'?
Lesson round-up
Part 19 of 19
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
Not sat
Games
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Points this lesson
0
Best run
0 in a row
Luna: 0 out of 4 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 19 · Watch & discover
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Translate short written text accurately into the foreign language