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I need help for AS Spanish!!!

I was wondering if anyone who has just completed their AS/A2 Spanish could give me some advice?

I'm starting year 12 on Wednesday and I can safely say that out of all of my options, Spanish is the one that scares me the most!!! I got an A* at GCSE but I managed to do that without having much of an awareness for the actual language.

Can you please suggest what would be useful for me to look over before starting the course (i.e tenses/vocab etc...)

Thanks in advance!

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Reply 1
Hi worksmartnothard! I'm about to start year 13 so I've already done a year of A level Spanish having got an A* at GCSE and I got an A at AS. My teachers started right back at the beginning as far as grammar and vocab is concerned - literally present tense regulars and la familia vocab made up our first few weeks because we'd all forgotten everything! So maybe just look over some GCSE grammar and you'll be fine. The thing that got me through last year was watching telenovelas (Spanish soaps) with English subtitles because it helps SO MUCH (especially your speaking!!) which are readily available on netflix, 4od, sky box sets etc I can recommend you some if you're interested, but starting to listen to Spanish will get you in the right mindset. Check out this youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/kvnvasquez where some singers do Spanish versions of current pop songs - you can even download most of them and listening to them daily (there's quite a few!) will help loads too. Any general advice on stuff during the year let me know and don't worry you'll defo have an awareness for the language by the end of the year! PS I know some people hate A level languages after GCSE but I have really loved Spanish so far so go in with an open mind and I'm sure you will too :smile:)))) well done on getting an A* at GCSE and good luck next year!
Original post by gxsellef
Hi worksmartnothard! I'm about to start year 13 so I've already done a year of A level Spanish having got an A* at GCSE and I got an A at AS. My teachers started right back at the beginning as far as grammar and vocab is concerned - literally present tense regulars and la familia vocab made up our first few weeks because we'd all forgotten everything! So maybe just look over some GCSE grammar and you'll be fine. The thing that got me through last year was watching telenovelas (Spanish soaps) with English subtitles because it helps SO MUCH (especially your speaking!!) which are readily available on netflix, 4od, sky box sets etc I can recommend you some if you're interested, but starting to listen to Spanish will get you in the right mindset. Check out this youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/kvnvasquez where some singers do Spanish versions of current pop songs - you can even download most of them and listening to them daily (there's quite a few!) will help loads too. Any general advice on stuff during the year let me know and don't worry you'll defo have an awareness for the language by the end of the year! PS I know some people hate A level languages after GCSE but I have really loved Spanish so far so go in with an open mind and I'm sure you will too :smile:)))) well done on getting an A* at GCSE and good luck next year!


Ok first of all, thank you so so so so much for your reply, I seriously appreciate it!! Oh and well done on your grades!

I really hope my teacher does the same because although I've gone over my tenses and vocab, I still don't feel too confident. Can you explain the difference between imperfect, perfect and the preterite tense?? I've been braking my head over it all day and just don't know when it would be appropriate to use each one.

I will definitely check out that youtube channel. Once again, thank you so much for your help!! I am definitely really excited but just so scared that I won't be able to string sentences together ;D.
Reply 3
Original post by worksmartnothard
Ok first of all, thank you so so so so much for your reply, I seriously appreciate it!! Oh and well done on your grades!

I really hope my teacher does the same because although I've gone over my tenses and vocab, I still don't feel too confident. Can you explain the difference between imperfect, perfect and the preterite tense?? I've been braking my head over it all day and just don't know when it would be appropriate to use each one.

I will definitely check out that youtube channel. Once again, thank you so much for your help!! I am definitely really excited but just so scared that I won't be able to string sentences together ;D.


No worries!!

The perfect tense (he jugado) is to say "I have played" which you can hear by how you construct it (whatever conjugated form of HABER you need, haber being an auxiliary verb "to have" so you use it whenever you would in English.

The preterite tense is when you're talking about a completed action with a definite start and finish eg "jugué al fútbol ayer"

The imperfect tense is when you're talking about an action that doesn't have a definite start point and a definite end. The main two examples this applies to are talking about old habits ("I used to play football" and interrupted actions ("I was playing football when it started raining". Fittingly, the last example sentence I gave uses the preterite as well: Jugaba al fútbol cuando comenzó llover as the action of playing football was interrupted so requires the imperfect and the rain had a definite start point so requires the preterite. That sentence construction is quite a common one but is seen as complex because you're putting two tenses into one sentence which exam boards likey :biggrin:

I hope that helps a bit! Rules of when to use what tense your teachers will probably go through with you profusely, although it's good to know before you go in!

By the end of the year you'll be able to speak without even thinking about it, te lo prometo

Anything else you need that I can try to help you with, let me know :smile:
Original post by gxsellef
No worries!!

The perfect tense (he jugado) is to say "I have played" which you can hear by how you construct it (whatever conjugated form of HABER you need, haber being an auxiliary verb "to have" so you use it whenever you would in English.

The preterite tense is when you're talking about a completed action with a definite start and finish eg "jugué al fútbol ayer"

The imperfect tense is when you're talking about an action that doesn't have a definite start point and a definite end. The main two examples this applies to are talking about old habits ("I used to play football" and interrupted actions ("I was playing football when it started raining". Fittingly, the last example sentence I gave uses the preterite as well: Jugaba al fútbol cuando comenzó llover as the action of playing football was interrupted so requires the imperfect and the rain had a definite start point so requires the preterite. That sentence construction is quite a common one but is seen as complex because you're putting two tenses into one sentence which exam boards likey :biggrin:

I hope that helps a bit! Rules of when to use what tense your teachers will probably go through with you profusely, although it's good to know before you go in!

By the end of the year you'll be able to speak without even thinking about it, te lo prometo

Anything else you need that I can try to help you with, let me know :smile:



Oh my gosh that makes things so much clearer now! Thank you so much!

Ahhh I really hope so, I've been trying to have conversations with friends who are taking Spanish, in Spanish. It's going ok but not as smoothly as I'd hoped :biggrin:.

So what other a levels are you doing??
Reply 5
Original post by worksmartnothard
Oh my gosh that makes things so much clearer now! Thank you so much!

Ahhh I really hope so, I've been trying to have conversations with friends who are taking Spanish, in Spanish. It's going ok but not as smoothly as I'd hoped :biggrin:.

So what other a levels are you doing??


No problem! Yeah you'll feel like an illiterate idiot at first (I still do a lot of the time yay) but it'll improve loads, especially if you have the right attitude which it looks like you do!

I'm doing chemistry, biology and maths on top of Spanish for A2. I'm not dropping anything:s-smilie: the truth is I acc enjoy Spanish too much to drop it lol and I can't drop any of the others for the course I want to do! Wbu??
Original post by gxsellef
No problem! Yeah you'll feel like an illiterate idiot at first (I still do a lot of the time yay) but it'll improve loads, especially if you have the right attitude which it looks like you do!

I'm doing chemistry, biology and maths on top of Spanish for A2. I'm not dropping anything:s-smilie: the truth is I acc enjoy Spanish too much to drop it lol and I can't drop any of the others for the course I want to do! Wbu??


Couldn't have put it any other way, that's exactly how I feel haha! Hope so :tongue:

OMG I'm doing the exact same (for AS anyway)!!!! Looks like I might end up bugging you about other subjects then as well if I have any doubts...:colondollar:.

Did all of your exams this year count towards you final grade then?? I'm gonna take a wild guess and ask if your aiming towards medicine?? :tongue:
Reply 7
Original post by worksmartnothard
Couldn't have put it any other way, that's exactly how I feel haha! Hope so :tongue:

OMG I'm doing the exact same (for AS anyway)!!!! Looks like I might end up bugging you about other subjects then as well if I have any doubts...:colondollar:.

Did all of your exams this year count towards you final grade then?? I'm gonna take a wild guess and ask if your aiming towards medicine?? :tongue:


Really?!! I'm the only one in my year with my subject combo! I really like it actually - Spanish helps to empty all the science out of your brain, even for just an hour a day. Yeah please do ask me stuff!!!

No only Spanish and maths counted for me this year (As in both so we're all good!) - I'm doing new bio and chem which is lucky because I defo wouldn't have got an A in chem this year:s-smilie: yeah I am lol, I'm guessing you are too then! What unis are you looking at?
Reply 8
Original post by worksmartnothard
I was wondering if anyone who has just completed their AS/A2 Spanish could give me some advice?

I'm starting year 12 on Wednesday and I can safely say that out of all of my options, Spanish is the one that scares me the most!!! I got an A* at GCSE but I managed to do that without having much of an awareness for the actual language.

Can you please suggest what would be useful for me to look over before starting the course (i.e tenses/vocab etc...)

Thanks in advance!

hey I did Spanish at AS and basically started out as a U grade in September haha but managed to get an A overall. at GCSE I got an A but that was basically because of a tutor doing my coursework LOL. So for AS at the start it was extremely embarrassing when I moved to a new school and my class knew all this stuff I didn't , teachers would pick on me and be really cruel BUT TBH I'm glad they did. through this embarrassment I decided to do around one hour of vocab a day from October til my exam, as well as speak it with my tutor for 1 hour every week. This really helped and if recommend getting a tutor because u can't really improve speaking unless u speak.

another tip would be learn loads verb endings for the present tense now (can probably find a list in your textbook) so that they roll off your tongue - this is crucial to be able to speak and write it without help.
good luck :smile:
Original post by gxsellef
Really?!! I'm the only one in my year with my subject combo! I really like it actually - Spanish helps to empty all the science out of your brain, even for just an hour a day. Yeah please do ask me stuff!!!

No only Spanish and maths counted for me this year (As in both so we're all good!) - I'm doing new bio and chem which is lucky because I defo wouldn't have got an A in chem this year:s-smilie: yeah I am lol, I'm guessing you are too then! What unis are you looking at?


Can i ask what your GCSE grades were? And also what the hardest and easiest part of Spanish a level is? Start year 12 tomorrow and I'm taking biology, chemistry, maths and Spanish!
Original post by Lucofthewoods
Can i ask what your GCSE grades were? And also what the hardest and easiest part of Spanish a level is? Start year 12 tomorrow and I'm taking biology, chemistry, maths and Spanish!


I think we should start our own thread of bio,chem,maths,spanish people!! I didn't realise there were so many of you out there!

GCSEs 9A*,1A,1B. Bio A* Chem A* Maths A* Span A*(full ums)

I found speaking the easiest personally because we have a native Spanish speaker in school who's job is to talk to us for half an hour a week or something so we got loads of practice. The reading-listening paper is much better than GCSE, you won't die of boredom halfway through lol! I think a big part is my teachers - one of them has basically become my mum so that obviously won't apply to other people. the main good thing about it is how you feel yourself improving at a rate you just don't feel at GCSE - you're practising every day so you find yourself going to say stuff in Spanish without thinking about it, then one day you do it and you actually get it right! Then you start talking to people in your class only in Spanish, then you set your phone settings to Spanish, then everyone else doing normal subjects thinks you're weird while you can speak a whole different language and talk to a billion more people than they can and I guess I just think that's cool. If you go into it thinking you'll enjoy it, you will. If you go in knowing it's your fourth subject and who cares because languages are meant to be easy, that's where you'll go wrong because they do require a LOT of work, but you get out what you put in. I can't stress that enough!

Buena suerte para mañana:smile:
Reply 11
I am Spanish, that's the best way to pass
Original post by gxsellef
Really?!! I'm the only one in my year with my subject combo! I really like it actually - Spanish helps to empty all the science out of your brain, even for just an hour a day. Yeah please do ask me stuff!!!

No only Spanish and maths counted for me this year (As in both so we're all good!) - I'm doing new bio and chem which is lucky because I defo wouldn't have got an A in chem this year:s-smilie: yeah I am lol, I'm guessing you are too then! What unis are you looking at?


Ooay, I know two other people in my year who are doing the combination!

That's one of the reasons why I chose Spanish over physics ( it took me like a month to decide which one I should do ahaha)

Well done you!!! I'm sure you could have although I have heard that chemistry is a huge leap going from GCSE to AS?? I was also wondering - do you recommend that I look over a few things for biology before I start AS? Bio teachers didn't set any work so I'm a bit stumped on what to do...

Yeah I am:ahee:. Tbh I haven't done much in depth reading about it yet but I do know that oxbridge/ucl etc is out of the picture because I don't intend on sitting the BMAT. Cardiff /Leeds/Manchester look quite good though! How about yourself??
Original post by worksmartnothard
Ooay, I know two other people in my year who are doing the combination!

That's one of the reasons why I chose Spanish over physics ( it took me like a month to decide which one I should do ahaha)

Well done you!!! I'm sure you could have although I have heard that chemistry is a huge leap going from GCSE to AS?? I was also wondering - do you recommend that I look over a few things for biology before I start AS? Bio teachers didn't set any work so I'm a bit stumped on what to do...

Yeah I am:ahee:. Tbh I haven't done much in depth reading about it yet but I do know that oxbridge/ucl etc is out of the picture because I don't intend on sitting the BMAT. Cardiff /Leeds/Manchester look quite good though! How about yourself??



Thank you! Yeah chemistry's the biggest jump so as long as you've done some prep work for that and make sure you can remember all your GCSE stuff because they hit you with some hard stuff straight away ! (because nothing in chemistry is easy....:frown:) Biology is honestly not bad, especially in comparison to chemistry, so I'd say maybe have a read of your biology GCSE notes again or something to remind yourself, other than that you'll be fine! :smile:

How come you don't want to sit the BMAT? I'm preparing for the UKCAT at the moment and it's absolutely horrific and impossible so I think I may as well go hard or go home:wink: so I'm looking at UCL, Imperial, KCL, Bristol and Cardiff (depending on how my UKCAT goes). Leeds is BMAT by the way!!
Original post by gxsellef
Thank you! Yeah chemistry's the biggest jump so as long as you've done some prep work for that and make sure you can remember all your GCSE stuff because they hit you with some hard stuff straight away ! (because nothing in chemistry is easy....:frown:) Biology is honestly not bad, especially in comparison to chemistry, so I'd say maybe have a read of your biology GCSE notes again or something to remind yourself, other than that you'll be fine! :smile:

How come you don't want to sit the BMAT? I'm preparing for the UKCAT at the moment and it's absolutely horrific and impossible so I think I may as well go hard or go home:wink: so I'm looking at UCL, Imperial, KCL, Bristol and Cardiff (depending on how my UKCAT goes). Leeds is BMAT by the way!!


Oh boy, can't wait:redface:. Chemistry used to be my favourite subjects as well ;D... not for long I guess.
Ok, for bio I'll just remind myself of some GCSE topics and maybe read over the spec, however much I can fit into my last day of freedom :tongue:

With regards to the BMAT... I don't know really I thought I wouldn't be able to juggle a levels, extra-curricular, work experience, UKCAT AND the BMAT?? It all just seems like way too much for me!! I don't know... I may reconsider my choices nearer the time?? Do you think now is a good time for me to start prepping for the UKCAT??

I guess leeds is out of the picture for now then lol
Original post by worksmartnothard
Oh boy, can't wait:redface:. Chemistry used to be my favourite subjects as well ;D... not for long I guess.
Ok, for bio I'll just remind myself of some GCSE topics and maybe read over the spec, however much I can fit into my last day of freedom :tongue:

With regards to the BMAT... I don't know really I thought I wouldn't be able to juggle a levels, extra-curricular, work experience, UKCAT AND the BMAT?? It all just seems like way too much for me!! I don't know... I may reconsider my choices nearer the time?? Do you think now is a good time for me to start prepping for the UKCAT??

I guess leeds is out of the picture for now then lol


If you like chem now then you'll probably like it this year so that's a good sign!! Yeah I see what you mean but you can do the UKCAT up to 4 months before the BMAT to get it out the way - I suppose you're right in deciding what you think nearer the time!!

Don't start prepping now you'll hate it so much by the time you actually sit the test! I started properly 10 days before lol and got 787 so if that's possible than anything is! Get Medify and the ICS 1000 questions book and you'll be fine for it:smile:

Leeds is out of the picture if you don't do the BMAT, yeah, but most places are UKCAT so you have a lot of choices!
Original post by gxsellef
If you like chem now then you'll probably like it this year so that's a good sign!! Yeah I see what you mean but you can do the UKCAT up to 4 months before the BMAT to get it out the way - I suppose you're right in deciding what you think nearer the time!!

Don't start prepping now you'll hate it so much by the time you actually sit the test! I started properly 10 days before lol and got 787 so if that's possible than anything is! Get Medify and the ICS 1000 questions book and you'll be fine for it:smile:

Leeds is out of the picture if you don't do the BMAT, yeah, but most places are UKCAT so you have a lot of choices!


Hopefully!! Didn't have chemistry today as I missed it for the whole 'introductory period' so I'm still yet to see what's in store!!!

Oh right ok I never knew they were that far apart... I'm attending some course specifically designed for medical applications so I'll get an opinion there of what I should consider!

I've heard quite a few people say that now is too early!!! Would you say summer is a good time then?? Very well done on your mark omg, you're amazing:eek:. I will definitely check those books out if they're what you used :tongue: xx
Original post by worksmartnothard
Hopefully!! Didn't have chemistry today as I missed it for the whole 'introductory period' so I'm still yet to see what's in store!!!

Oh right ok I never knew they were that far apart... I'm attending some course specifically designed for medical applications so I'll get an opinion there of what I should consider!

I've heard quite a few people say that now is too early!!! Would you say summer is a good time then?? Very well done on your mark omg, you're amazing:eek:. I will definitely check those books out if they're what you used :tongue: xx


Lucky you haha! Yeah I recommend the summer holidays, although it ultimately depends on when you choose to sit it. Registration and booking opens in May - I left it till July and there weren't many available slots so do it as soon as you can!

Haha thank you! Those two are what everyone on here recommends and they are right :smile: focus on your AS for now, worry about the horror of UKCAT later because it's the most vile exam I've ever sat but if you practise I promise you'll be fine!

How was the rest of your first day?? :smile:
Original post by gxsellef
Lucky you haha! Yeah I recommend the summer holidays, although it ultimately depends on when you choose to sit it. Registration and booking opens in May - I left it till July and there weren't many available slots so do it as soon as you can!

Haha thank you! Those two are what everyone on here recommends and they are right :smile: focus on your AS for now, worry about the horror of UKCAT later because it's the most vile exam I've ever sat but if you practise I promise you'll be fine!

How was the rest of your first day?? :smile:


Great ok, thanks for the advice!!! I've heard so many disgusting things about the UKCAT, especially the timings. I'll push it aside until after my AS's

It was great thanks! I'm so happy we just started of the present tense in Spanish - they're not throwing us in at the deep end!!!

However, in maths we got a test to baseline our progress throughout the year, fun fun fun! No idea how I've done, I'll get my result tomorrow ;D

How's Year 13 so far? :tongue:
*havent read above comments so might be saying the same thing but
GCSE and a level spanish is a lot different, (naturally, as you progress in the language) I got an A in gcse (with full marks on speaking) and this year (as) i got a D which obviously im not happy with and redoing next year. It is a lot harder, and whereas in gcse you could pass it with knowing 20 words, in a level you have to work extremely hard and practice a lot! It is very hard but very fun and as you go on in the year it gets easier (you get better at language) which is unlike the other subjects :smile:

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