This deep dive covers Estructuras clave — Key Structures within Translation into English (Foundation 35 words / Higher 50 words) for GCSE Spanish. Revise Translation into English (Foundation 35 words / Higher 50 words) in Reading + Translation (ES→EN) for GCSE Spanish with 16 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. Use this page as part of a wider topic revision path rather than treating it as an isolated fact. It is section 2 of 4 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🔍 Estructuras clave — Key Structures
Spanish grammar has several structures that look like individual words but must be translated as set English phrases. Recognising these on sight is the difference between a natural translation and a mechanical one that loses marks.
| Spanish | Structure | English |
|---|---|---|
| Hace calor / frío / sol | Weather: hacer idiom | It is hot / cold / sunny |
| Se habla español | Se-passive | Spanish is spoken |
| Hay que estudiar | Hay que + infinitive (obligation) | One must / we must study |
| Me gustaría ir | Conditional of gustar | I would like to go |
| Haber aprobado | Perfect infinitive | Having passed |
| Si hubiera... habría | Pluperfect subjunctive → conditional perfect | If I had... I would have |
⭐ Never translate word-for-word
"Hace mucho calor" → NOT "It makes a lot of heat" → YES "It is very hot."
Spanish often uses hacer for weather and tener for states that English expresses with to be. Look for these idioms and translate the MEANING, not each word.
Key tener idioms to watch: tener hambre = to be hungry; tener frío = to be cold; tener razón = to be right; tener miedo = to be afraid.
Practice questions for Translation into English (Foundation 35 words / Higher 50 words)
Translate this sentence into English: **Me gusta mucho la música porque es muy relajante.**