B1 Spanish vocabulary
Intermediate Spanish — opinions, experiences, housing, work, and the words that unlock independent conversation. All 339 words below include an English meaning and link to a full entry with examples and usage notes.
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- Education30
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- Planning7
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- Motivation6
- Volition trigger6
- Informal register6
- Periphrasis6
All B1 words
- subirverbto upload
- obranounartwork or work of art — a creative work in any visual medium; compound: una obra de arte
- entradanounticket for an event
- a menudoadverboften, frequently
- compartirverbto share
- publicarverbto post, to publish
- desarrollarverbto develop
- valer la penaverbto be worth it, to be worthwhile
- de hechoadverbin fact, as a matter of fact
- de vez en cuandoadverbfrom time to time, occasionally
- red socialnounsocial network, social media platform
- dolerverbto hurt, to ache
- funciónnounperformance session or screening at a scheduled time
- grabarverbto record
- no solo … sino tambiénconjunctionnot only … but also
- quizásadverbperhaps, maybe
- considerarverbto think that, to hold the view that
- ejercicionoun(physical) exercise (general activity sense)
- por ciertoadverbby the way, incidentally
- tal vezadverbperhaps, maybe
- ojaláinterjectionI hope / I wish / if only
- acordarseverbto remember, to recall
- ni siquieraadverbnot even
- asegurarverbto assert, to assure
- olvidarseverbto forget, to slip one's mind
- perfilnounonline profile
- por un lado … por otro ladoadverbon the one hand … on the other
- salir converbto go out with / to date
- conexiónnouninternet connection
- en cuanto aprepositionregarding / as for
- plataformanoundigital platform
- defenderverbto defend, to argue for
- afirmarverbto assert, to state confidently
- besarverbto kiss
- recomendarverbto recommend
- medio ambientenounthe environment
- activoadjective(physically) active (lifestyle or person)
- fijarseverblook at this, can you believe it
- respecto aprepositionregarding, with respect to
- abrazarverbto hug / to embrace
- actualizarverbto update
- dispositivonoundevice
- opinarverbto express an opinion, to think
- preververbto foresee, to predict
- reducirverbto reduce / to cut
- aconsejarverbto advise, to recommend
- bloquearverbto block
- llevarse bienverbto get on well / to get along well
- alquilarverbto rent
- editarverbto edit a video or audio file
- imaginarseverbto imagine, to picture
- alquilernounrent
- en conclusiónadverbin conclusion
- protegerverbto protect
- resistencianounendurance / stamina
- sugerirverbto suggest a course of action
- anticiparverbto anticipate, to foresee
- transmitirverbto livestream, to broadcast live
- tratamientonounmedical treatment, course of therapy or medication
- mientras queconjunctionwhereas, while
- al fin y al caboadverbafter all, when all is said and done
- confiar enverbto trust
- denunciarverbto report
- dudarverbto doubt — inherent subjunctive trigger; dudar que + subjunctive always; no cabe duda de que + indicative
- fracasarverbto fail, be unsuccessful
- recetanounrecipe
- recuperarseverbto recover
- por otra parteadverbon the other hand, furthermore
- sorprenderseverbto be surprised, to react with surprise
- suscribirseverbto subscribe
- transmisiónnounbroadcast / live stream
- deportivoadjectivesporty / athletic
- enamorarse deverbto fall in love with
- iniciar sesiónverbto log in to a digital account or platform by entering credentials; antonym: cerrar sesión
- superarverbto overcome, to get through
- vecinonounneighbour
- ansiedadnounanxiety — persistent feeling of worry or unease; clinical or psychological sense
- cerrar sesiónverbto log out of a digital account or platform; antonym: iniciar sesión; important in shared-device security contexts
- dejar de seguirverbto unfollow
- disculparverbexcuse me
- entrenamientonountraining session / workout
- estafanounscam, fraud
- picarverbto chop / to dice / to mince
- conservarverbto conserve / to preserve
- calentarverbto warm up
- exigirverbto demand, to insist upon
- no obstanteadverbnevertheless, notwithstanding — formal register contrastive connector; equivalent to sin embargo but higher register
- noticias falsasnounfake news — false stories deliberately spread to mislead; related: el bulo
- repararverbto repair, to fix
- tener que ververbto have to do with, to be related to
- extrañarverbto miss
- lesiónnouninjury — internal damage to musculoskeletal tissue; contrast: herida
- renunciarverbto resign from, to give up
- a largo plazoadverbin the long term, long-term
- ciberseguridadnouncybersecurity, the practice of protecting digital systems and data from attack; one word no hyphen; ciber- prefix is productive
- echar de menosverbto miss
- facturarverbto check in luggage at an airport counter
- ingredientenouningredient
- consumirverbto consume
- a corto plazoadverbin the short term, short-term
- pelearse converbto argue with / to fall out with
- emocionarseverbto be moved / to get emotional
- espectáculonounshow / entertainment event
- hervirverbto boil
- relajarseverbto relax
- rutinanoun(training) routine — a structured weekly exercise programme — seguir una rutina, cambiar la rutina de entrenamiento
- decorarverbto decorate
- embarazonounpregnancy — the state of being pregnant
- escenarionounstage — the raised platform in a theatre or concert hall where performers act or play
- tarde o tempranoadverbsooner or later
- cirugíanounsurgery — a surgical procedure or the field of surgery; formal register
- exposiciónnounexhibition — a curated public display of artworks or artefacts in a museum or gallery
- festivalnounfestival — a multi-day cultural event organised around music or another art form
- frustrarseverbto get frustrated / to feel frustrated
- ingresonounhospital admission; ingresar — to be admitted
- reciclarverbto recycle
- caseronounlandlord / landlady — owner who rents out a property
- dicho de otra maneraadverbput another way, in other words
- grasanounbody fat
- ilusionarseverbto get excited about / to get one's hopes up
- instrumentonounmusical instrument — any device used to produce musical sound
- ollanounpot / cooking pot
- reclamarverbto lodge a formal complaint, to demand redress
- contaminarverbto pollute / to contaminate
- deprimirseverbto become depressed, to get depressed
- despegarverbto take off
- géneronounartistic genre — the category or style of a creative work
- inquilinonountenant
- contaminaciónnounpollution / contamination
- agobiarseverbto feel overwhelmed, to be swamped
- aterrizarverbto land
- decepcionarseverbto be disappointed / to feel let down
- fianzanounsecurity deposit
- freírverbto fry
- matricularseverbto enrol, to register at
- novelanounnovel — a long prose fiction work; NOT 'news'
- primeramenteadverbfirst of all, firstly
- vitaminanounvitamin
- convivirverbto live together, to cohabit
- poemanounpoem — an individual piece of poetry; el poema is masculine despite -a ending; contrasts with la poesía
- agotarverbto exhaust oneself / become spent
- avergonzarseverbto feel ashamed / to be embarrassed
- mudanzanounhouse move, removal
- retrasarseverbto be delayed, to run late
- sarténnounfrying pan
- disfrutarverbto enjoy something
- contadornounutility meter
- crujienteadjectivecrunchy / crispy
- fisioterapianounphysiotherapy — rehabilitation practice using physical methods; hacer fisioterapia
- fortalecerverbto strengthen
- orientarseverbto get one's bearings, to find one's way
- compartir pisoverbto share a flat with non-family housemates — compartir piso con alguien
- entretenerseverbto amuse oneself
- plantarverbto plant
- amueblarverbto furnish
- arrepentirseverbto regret
- batirverbto whisk / to beat
- ensayarverbto rehearse — to practise a performance
- proteínanounprotein
- actuarverbto perform, to appear on stage or in a show — intransitive in this sense; contrasts with interpretar
- amuebladoadjectivefurnished
- insomnionouninsomnia — persistent inability to fall or stay asleep; medical term
- comunidad de propietariosnounresidents' / owners' association
- congelarverbto freeze
- flexibilidadnoun(physical) flexibility (range of motion in joints and muscles) — mejorar la flexibilidad, falta de flexibilidad articular
- fracturanounfracture — break in a bone; fracturarse
- postularverbto apply for
- fotografiarverbto photograph, to take photographs of
- sostenibleadjectivesustainable
- espaciosoadjectivespacious, roomy
- estirarverbto stretch
- perder el vueloverbto miss a flight
- ocionounleisure, free time — time not occupied by work or obligations; recreational time for cultural and personal activities
- caloríanouncalorie
- tarjeta de embarquenounboarding pass
- butacanounupholstered seat in a theatre or cinema
- reciclajenounrecycling
- equipaje de manonounhand luggage, carry-on baggage
- sudarverbto sweat
- partituranounsheet music or musical score — the printed notation of a musical composition used by performers; leer la partitura; contrast: tocar de memoria
- conmovedoradjectivemoving, touching
- contratiemponounsetback / mishap
- entretenidoadjectiveentertaining, enjoyable — used with ser to describe content as having the inherent quality of being entertaining; estar entretenido = being absorbed/occupied
- fascinanteadjectivefascinating — gender-invariable adjective
- hacer escalaverbto make a stopover, to have a layover
- lesionarseverbto injure oneself / get injured
- hinchazónnounswelling — the condition of a body part being swollen; hincharse
- indemnizaciónnouncompensation, indemnity
- sazonarverbto season
- descongelarverbto defrost / to thaw
- transferirverbto transfer
- ingresarverbto deposit money into a bank account; ingresar + amount + en la cuenta
- retirarverbto withdraw money from an account or ATM; formal register
- ahorrarverbto save
- endeudarseverbto go into debt, to take on debt
- rellenarverbto fill in / complete a form; Peninsular standard
- firmarverbto sign
- tramitarverbto process
- certificarverbto certify, to authenticate
- trámitenounadministrative step or procedure
- expedientenounofficial file / dossier held by an institution; expediente académico = academic transcript; expediente disciplinario = disciplinary proceedings
- presupuestonoun(1) quote / cost estimate for a job (pedir un presupuesto); (2) budget (presupuesto mensual / familiar) — both senses at B1
- hipotecanounmortgage — long-term loan secured against property; hipoteca a tipo fijo / variable; pedir/solicitar una hipoteca
- préstamonounloan — money lent by a bank or person to be repaid with interest; pedir/solicitar un préstamo; préstamo personal vs hipotecario
- interésnouninterest
- saborearverbto savour
- comisiónnounbank fee / charge levied for a financial service; comisión de mantenimiento, comisión de apertura; sin comisiones = fee-free
- rentableadjectiveprofitable, cost-effective
- asequibleadjectiveaffordable
- talarverbto fell / to cut down
- derretirverbto melt
- retenerverbto retain
- captarverbto grasp, to pick up on
- asimilarverbto assimilate, to internalise
- energía renovablenounrenewable energy
- profundizarverbto go deeper into, to study in depth
- calentamiento globalnounglobal warming
- dominarverbto master, to have command of
- comprenderverbto understand
- cambio climáticonounclimate change
- equivocarseverbto make a mistake, to be wrong
- evaluarverbto assess, to evaluate
- huella de carbononouncarbon footprint
- motivarverbto motivate
- motivarseverbto motivate oneself, to get motivated
- deforestaciónnoundeforestation
- ejercitarseverbto exercise
- perseverarverbto persevere, to keep going
- abandonarverbto drop out of, to give up
- esforzarseverbto make an effort, to try hard
- calificarverbto grade, to mark
- aprendizajenounlearning
- sequíanoundrought
- conocimientonounknowledge
- comprensiónnouncomprehension
- expresiónnounexpression
- fluideznounfluency
- pronunciaciónnounpronunciation
- vertederonounlandfill / rubbish dump
- competencianouncompetence, skill
- certificadonouncertificate
- diplomanoundiploma
- apuntenounnote
- ecosistemanounecosystem
- tutornountutor
- método de enseñanzanounteaching method
- autodidactaadjectiveself-taught, autodidact
- aplicadoadjectivediligent, hardworking
- ecológicoadjectiveecological / organic
- biodegradableadjectivebiodegradable
- renovableadjectiverenewable
- contaminanteadjectivepolluting / pollutant
- sedentarioadjectivesedentary
- hidratarseverbto hydrate
- masa muscularnounmuscle mass
- sonreírverbto smile
- señalarverbto point at / to indicate
- tonificarverbto tone
- mandarverbto order, to command
- pasarlo bienverbto have a good time, to enjoy oneself
- pasarlo malverbto have a bad time, to go through a difficult period
- permitirverbto allow, to permit
- tener razónverbto be right
- prohibirverbto prohibit, to ban
- salir bienverbto turn out well, to go well
- rogarverbto beg, to kindly request
- salir malverbto turn out badly, to go wrong
- suplicarverbto implore, to beg desperately
- tener en cuentaverbto take into account, to bear in mind
- darse prisaverbto hurry up, to rush
- insistirverbto insist that
- hacerse cargo deverbto take charge of, to take responsibility for
- lamentarverbto regret, to be sorry about
- llevar a caboverbto carry out, to accomplish
- ponerse de acuerdoverbto reach an agreement, to agree on something
- temerverbto fear that
- dar penaverbto feel sad that, it's a pity that
- tomar en serioverbto take seriously
- dar rabiaverbto be infuriating that, to make angry that
- tomar a bromaverbto treat as a joke, to laugh off
- dar vergüenzaverbto be ashamed that, to be embarrassing that
- meter la pataverbto put one's foot in it, to blunder socially
- dar miedoverbto be scared that, it frightens me that
- hacer casoverbto pay attention to, to heed
- dar igualverbit doesn't matter, it's all the same to me
- molestarverbto bother, to annoy
- dar la ganaverbto feel like
- fastidiarverbto annoy, to be a nuisance that
- dejar en pazverbto leave alone, to stop bothering
- emocionarverbto move emotionally, to be moved that
- caerle bienverbto like someone
- cuestionarverbto question, to challenge validity
- asentirverbto nod in agreement, to assent
- poner en dudaverbto call into question, to cast doubt on
- negar con la cabezaverbto shake one's head
- resultar improbableverbit turns out unlikely that, it seems improbable that
- gesticularverbto gesture, to gesticulate
- parecer mentiraverbit seems unbelievable that, it's hard to believe that
- constarverbthere is no record that
- saludar con la manoverbto wave hello / goodbye
- antes de queconjunctionbefore
- mirar fijamenteverbto stare, to gaze fixedly at
- después de queconjunctionafter
- reírse a carcajadasverbto laugh out loud, to roar with laughter
- llorar de emociónverbto cry with emotion, to cry from being moved
- en cuantoconjunctionas soon as
- ruborizarseverbto blush, to go red
- fruncir el ceñoverbto frown, to knit one's brows
- tan pronto comoconjunctionas soon as — formal written register
- bostezarverbto yawn
- para queconjunctionso that, in order that
- a fin de queconjunctionin order that — formal
- venir a + infinitivoverbto amount to, to come to
- sin queconjunctionwithout
- terminar de + infinitivoverbto finish doing
- hacer + infinitivo (causativo)verbto make someone do
- no sea queconjunctionlest, in case
- dejar + infinitivo (permisivo)verbto let / allow to do
- ayudar a + infinitivoverbto help to do
- aprender a + infinitivoverbto learn to do
- mejoradjectivebetter that
- convenienteadjectiveadvisable that
- re- (prefijo repetición)particlere- prefix: repetition / intensification
- des- (prefijo negación)particledes- prefix: negation / reversal — deshacer
- in-/im-/il-/ir- (prefijo negación adjetivo)particlein-/im-/il-/ir- prefix: negates adjectives
- anti- (prefijo oposición)particleanti- prefix: active opposition to a concept or phenomenon; directly productive cognate with English anti-
- lógicoadjectivelogical that, makes sense that
- super-/sobre- (prefijo intensificación)particlesuper-
- -mente (sufijo adverbio)particle-mente suffix: added to feminine singular adjective to form adverb of manner; coordination rule: only last adverb in series takes full -mente
- a pesar de queconjunctiondespite the fact that, although
- -ción/-sión (sufijo sustantivo)particle-ción/-sión suffix: forms feminine nouns of action from verbs; stress always on -ción; high cognate productivity with English -tion/-sion
- siempre queconjunctionprovided that, as long as
- -dor/-dora (sufijo agente)particle-dor/-dora suffix: forms agent nouns
- con tal de queconjunctionprovided that, on condition that
- -able/-ible (sufijo posibilidad)particle-able
- a no ser queconjunctionunless
- compuesto nominal V+Nparticleverb+noun compound nouns
- a menos queconjunctionunless
- en caso de queconjunctionin case that, in the event that