University degree

Understanding the Spanish University System

This lesson explores how the university system functions in Spain, focusing on academic degrees, institutions, and useful past-time expressions in Spanish. It is designed for A2-level learners seeking to improve both their cultural knowledge and language skills.

The Spanish University Framework

In Spain, universities are either public or private, offering various degrees such as grados (bachelor’s degrees), másteres (master’s degrees), and doctorados (doctorates). An important example highlighted is the Universidad de Salamanca, the oldest university in Spain, known for its rich history and academic prestige.

Key Vocabulary and Expressions with the Past Tenses

The lesson introduces several time expressions commonly used with past tenses:

• Ayer – yesterday
• De repente – suddenly
• El mes pasado – last month
• Anteriormente – previously
• Muchas veces – many times
• Durante – during
• Al principio – at the beginning
• Al final – in the end
• Durante el semestre – during the semester

Practical Dialogues for Students

The lesson includes realistic dialogues to practice asking about university programs, discussing studies with classmates, and explaining the university system to newcomers. These promote natural conversation and comprehension of common academic topics.

Verb Focus: Past Tenses Practice

Spanish past tenses such as pretérito imperfecto and pretérito perfecto are emphasized to describe habitual actions, completed events, and past experiences. Examples include:

• Estudiaba (I used to study)
• Leía (I was reading / I used to read)
• He venido (I have come)
• Vine (I came)

Brief Comparison: Spanish vs. English Instruction Language

Spanish often uses past tenses more precisely than English, with multiple forms conveying nuances, e.g., pretérito imperfecto for ongoing or habitual past actions versus pretérito perfecto for actions with relevance to the present. Time expressions like ayer or el mes pasado help set context, similar to 'yesterday' or 'last month' in English. However, the placement of adverbs and verb conjugations differ, so paying attention to verb endings is essential.

Useful phrases to remember:

• ¿Puede informarme sobre…? – Can you inform me about…?
• ¿Qué títulos puedo obtener? – What degrees can I obtain?
• Durante mi estancia – During my stay
• Al principio / Al final – At the beginning / In the end

This guide prepares learners for deeper engagement with the lesson content and encourages effective language acquisition on the topic of university studies in Spain.