The government and elections
El gobierno y las elecciones
- Get to know the basic government institutions of the country.
- Talk about elections and voting.
- The past tenses (summary)
Learn about Spanish government institutions, the monarchy, and elections. This course covers key vocabulary, past tenses, and practical dialogues on voting and political processes to build your Spanish communication skills at A2 level.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (17) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
La OTAN
NATO
2
El (primer) ministro
The prime minister
3
Votar
To vote
4
El parlamento
The parliament
5
Gobernar
To govern
Ejercicio 2: Conversation exercise
Instrucción:
- What government does your country have? (What government does your country have?)
- Does there exist a royal family in your country? (Does there exist a royal family in your country?)
- Did you go to the army? (Did you go to the army?)
- When are the elections? (When are the elections?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
El 7 de julio votamos por un nuevo presidente y gobierno. The 7th of july we voted for a new president and government. |
|
El rey es el jefe del estado. The king is the head of the state. |
|
El último gobierno estaba compuesto por 3 partidos políticos. The last government consisted out of 3 political parties. |
|
El gobierno está controlado por el parlamento y los jueces. The government is controlled by the parliament and judges. |
|
Tuve que ir al ejército igual que todos mis amigos. I had to go to the army just like all my friends. |
|
No fui al ejército, pero trabajé en una organización social durante un año. I did not go to the army but I worked in a social organisation for a year instead. |
|
El primer ministro ha cambiado desde las últimas elecciones. The prime minister changed since the last elections. |
| ... |
Exercise 3: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. El presidente ____ junto con su ministro durante la década pasada.
(The president ____ together with his minister during the past decade.)2. La princesa ____ el parlamento el mes pasado.
(The princess ____ the parliament last month.)3. Esta semana ____ ____ en las elecciones del gobierno local.
(This week ____ ____ in the local government elections.)4. Hace un rato ____ al nuevo juez para el tribunal.
(A moment ago ____ the new judge for the court.)Exercise 5: The Election Day
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Elegir - To choose
Pretérito indefinido
- yo elegí
- tú elegiste
- él/ella/Ud. eligió
- nosotros/nosotras elegimos
- vosotros/vosotras elegisteis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. eligieron
Votar - To vote
Pretérito imperfecto
- yo votaba
- tú votabas
- él/ella/Ud. votaba
- nosotros/nosotras votábamos
- vosotros/vosotras votabais
- ellos/ellas/Uds. votaban
Votar - To vote
Pretérito indefinido
- yo voté
- tú votaste
- él/ella/Ud. votó
- nosotros/nosotras votamos
- vosotros/vosotras votasteis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. votaron
Explicar - To explain
Pretérito indefinido
- yo expliqué
- tú explicaste
- él/ella/Ud. explicó
- nosotros/nosotras explicamos
- vosotros/vosotras explicasteis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. explicaron
Exercise 6: Los tiempos del pasado (resumen)
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The past tenses (summary)
Show translation Show answershemos reservado, elegí, votaron, fuimos, Visité, trabajaba, votaba, votabas
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Elegir to choose Share Copied!
Pretérito indefinido
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) elegí | I chose |
| (tú) elegiste | You chose |
| (él/ella) eligió | he/she chose |
| (nosotros/nosotras) elegimos | we chose |
| (vosotros/vosotras) elegisteis | You chose |
| (ellos/ellas) eligieron | they chose |
Votar to vote Share Copied!
Pretérito imperfecto
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) votaba | I used to vote |
| (tú) votabas | You used to vote |
| (él/ella) votaba | he/she was voting |
| (nosotros/nosotras) votábamos | we voted |
| (vosotros/vosotras) votabais | you voted |
| (ellos/ellas) votaban | they voted |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice Spanish today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Understanding The Government And Elections in Spain
This lesson introduces you to the structure and key institutions of the Spanish government, including the roles of the Congress, Senate, and the Constitutional Court. You will also explore the historical context through the topic "Los tiempos del pasado" (times of the past) and learn about the Spanish monarchy, focusing on the Princes of Asturias, part of the crown of Spain.
Key Vocabulary And Grammar Focus
- Government institutions: Congreso (Congress), Senado (Senate), Tribunal Constitucional (Constitutional Court)
- Political roles: presidente (president), ministros (ministers), parlamento (parliament)
- Election terms: votar (to vote), elecciones (elections), sistema electoral (electoral system)
- Verb tenses: Focus on past tenses such as pretérito imperfecto and pretérito indefinido, essential for discussing historical events and past actions.
Lesson Activities Overview
The lesson contains dialogues simulating conversations about government institutions, personal experiences voting, and preparations for voting. Examples include discussing the roles of government bodies, the importance of voting responsibly, and procedural details like bringing identification documents to polling stations.
Understanding Context And Language Differences
Unlike English, Spanish often uses two distinct past tenses to describe completed actions versus habitual or ongoing past actions. For example, "voté" (I voted) indicates a specific completed action, while "votaba" (I used to vote) speaks about habitual past behavior. Familiarity with phrases like "el presidente gobierna" (the president governs) versus "el presidente gobernaba" (the president used to govern) helps convey nuances in timing and context.
Useful phrases include "¿Fuiste a votar?" (Did you go to vote?) and "Para votar, necesito llevar mi DNI" (To vote, I need to bring my ID). These practical expressions support real-life conversations related to government and elections.
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
