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)
Explore key Spanish government institutions and election vocabulary such as "gobierno" (government), "elecciones" (elections), and verbs like "votar" (to vote) and "elegir" (to choose) in past tenses to discuss democratic processes.
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:
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El 7 de julio votamos por un nuevo presidente y gobierno. The 7th of july we voted for a new president and government. |
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El rey es el jefe del estado. The king is the head of the state. |
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El último gobierno estaba compuesto por 3 partidos políticos. The last government consisted out of 3 political parties. |
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El gobierno está controlado por el parlamento y los jueces. The government is controlled by the parliament and judges. |
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Tuve que ir al ejército igual que todos mis amigos. I had to go to the army just like all my friends. |
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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. |
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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!
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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 |
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The Government and Elections
This lesson focuses on fundamental aspects of the government structure and electoral processes in Spain, tailored for A2 level Spanish learners. It offers an introduction to important political institutions, their roles, and common vocabulary related to governance and voting.
Key Topics Covered
- Government institutions: Congreso (Congress), Senado (Senate), Tribunal Constitucional (Constitutional Court), Presidente (President), Parlamento (Parliament).
- Electoral processes: Voting cycles, preparation for voting, and documents needed such as DNI and electoral cards.
- Past and present: Verbs in past tenses describing government and personal experiences with elections.
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
- Gobernar - to govern
- Votar - to vote
- Elegir - to choose or elect
- Participación - participation
- Elecciones - elections
- Instituciones - institutions
Example Sentences
- "¿Sabías que el Congreso aprueba las leyes en nuestro país?" (Did you know Congress approves the laws in our country?)
- "Esta semana he leído mucho sobre cómo funciona el Tribunal Constitucional." (This week I have read a lot about how the Constitutional Court works.)
- "El presidente representa al país ante otros gobiernos." (The president represents the country before other governments.)
Verb Usage in Context
The lesson introduces past tenses such as pretérito imperfecto and pretérito indefinido, essential for describing habits and specific completed actions in the past. For example:
- El presidente gobernaba junto con su ministro durante la década pasada. (The president governed together with his minister during the past decade.)
- Hace un rato elegí al nuevo juez para el tribunal. (A while ago I elected the new judge for the court.)
Differences Between English and Spanish in This Context
Spanish often distinguishes between two past tenses: pretérito imperfecto (used for repeated or ongoing past actions) and pretérito indefinido (used for completed actions). English generally expresses both with the simple past or past progressive, so understanding this distinction helps for precise communication.
Some useful expressions related to governance and elections include:
- "Votar" means 'to vote'—a central verb in this theme.
- "Gobierno" corresponds to 'government' and is a masculine noun.
- "Elecciones" means 'elections.' In Spanish, it is always plural.
- "Instituciones gubernamentales" refers to government institutions and is useful for formal discussions.
These words and grammatical points build a solid foundation for learners aiming to discuss politics and civic responsibilities in Spanish naturally and accurately.
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