The Home

Section 1: The Home (La Casa)

  1. Vocabulary - Begin by learning the basic nouns and adjectives that describe different aspects of a home. For example, bedrooms (los dormitorios), kitchen (la cocina), garden (el jardín), big/small (grande/pequeño), comfortable/uncomfortable (cómodo/incómodo)

  2. Verbs - Learn verbs associated with activities at home such as cooking (cocinar), cleaning (limpiar), sleeping (dormir), studying (estudiar), watching television (ver la televisión), and others.

  3. Descriptions - Practice describing a home in Spanish. For example, the size, the number of rooms, the colour, the location, the type of building and so on. Examples could be: “Vivo en una casa grande” (I live in a big house) or “Mi casa es muy cómoda” (my house is very comfortable).

  4. Opinions - Learn to give and explain your opinion about your house and the location. For example, “Me gusta mi casa porque es acogedora y está cerca de la escuela” (I like my house because it is cosy and it’s near to the school).

  5. Idioms and phrases - Spanish is rich in idioms and phrases. Learn a few that relate to the home such as “estar en las nubes” (to be daydreaming), “ponerse las pilas” (to buckle down or get to work), or “no hay lugar como el hogar” (there’s no place like home).

  6. Comparisons - Be able to compare your home to other places or previous homes you’ve lived in. “Mi casa es más grande que mi antigua casa” (My house is bigger than my old house), “Mi casa es más cómoda que la casa de mi abuela” (my house is more comfortable than my grandma’s house).

  7. Cultural Differences - Understand some of the cultural differences and similarities between homes in your own culture and Spanish-speaking countries. For example, the typical Spanish home, the importance of the kitchen in a Spanish house, or the tradition of using a siesta room.

  8. Practise - Apply your acquired vocabulary by writing essays or paragraphs describing a home, presenting it orally, or discussing it in a conversation. It is not enough to just memorise the words, you have to use them in context.

Remember to use a variety of tenses, adjectives, verbs, and elaborate expressions to enrich your answer, show variety, and increase the complexity of your speech or writing. Try to be confident and express your ideas clearly. Good luck in your revision!