Vocabulary: school life, rules and exams

Subjects, places and people at school, and the words for rules, marks and exams.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)

Subjects

No capital letters for subjects or languages: el inglés, la historia.
SpanishEnglish
las cienciasscience
la químicachemistry
la físicaphysics
la biologíabiology
la historiahistory
la geografíageography
el inglésEnglish
el alemánGerman
el francésFrench
la informáticaICT, computing
el dibujoart, drawing
la educación físicaPE
las matemáticasmaths
la asignaturaschool subject

Places, people and the school day

El aula (classroom) is feminine but takes el because it starts with a stressed a: el aula moderna.
SpanishEnglish
el aulaclassroom
el laboratoriolaboratory
el gimnasiogym
el patioplayground
el comedorcanteen, dining hall
el alumno, la alumnapupil
el director, la directorahead teacher
el institutosecondary school
la escuela primariaprimary school
el recreobreak
el horariotimetable
el trimestreterm
el bachilleratosixth-form studies (ages 16 to 18)
el salón de actosschool hall

Work, rules and exams

Aprobar = to pass. Suspender = to fail. Sacar buenas notas = to get good marks.
SpanishEnglish
los debereshomework
el cuadernoexercise book
el estuchepencil case
el bolígrafopen
la reglaruler
el lápizpencil
la mochilaschool bag
aprobarto pass (an exam)
suspenderto fail (an exam)
la notamark, grade
el uniformeuniform
obligatorio / obligatoriacompulsory
estar prohibidoto be forbidden
estricto / estrictastrict
el castigopunishment
el acoso escolarbullying
Worked example

Translate: Yesterday I had a chemistry exam and I hope that I passed.

  1. I had = tuve (tener, preterite)
  2. a chemistry exam = un examen de química
  3. I hope that I passed = espero haber aprobado (Higher: espero que haya aprobado, with the subjunctive)

Answer: Ayer tuve un examen de química y espero haber aprobado.

Key idea

Las ciencias, la química, la física, la informática, el dibujo, la educación física, la asignatura. El aula, el patio, el comedor, el alumno, el instituto, el recreo, el horario, el trimestre. Los deberes, el estuche, la mochila, aprobar, suspender, sacar buenas notas, obligatorio, estar prohibido, el acoso escolar.

Key words
las ciencias
science
el dibujo
art
el instituto
secondary school
los deberes
homework

All GCSE and International GCSE Spanish key terms and definitions →

Quick check

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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. What does el dibujo mean?

    1. ICT, computing
    2. maths
    3. history
    4. art (drawing)
    Show the answer

    Answer: art (drawing)

    El dibujo = art.

  2. Which is the Spanish for "history"?

    1. la historia
    2. el alemán
    3. la química
    4. el dibujo
    Show the answer

    Answer: la historia

    History = la historia.

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Practise this lesson free (7 questions)All GCSE and International GCSE Spanish lessons

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Sources and references

Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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