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Spanish Essay Phrases: 40 Useful Phrases for an Impressive Writeup

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May 30, 2019

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Do you need to write a lot of essays in Spanish? If you do, don’t worry. It's about to get a little bit easier for you because here in this article, we’ve listed many useful Spanish essay phrases that you can readily use in your essays.

Feel free to pepper your essays with the words and expressions from this list. It would certainly elevate your essays and impress your teachers. You're welcome!

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Spanish Essay Phrases

Additional Resources

You can also check out the following resources:

84 Spanish Expressions for Agreeing and Disagreeing

Common Spanish Verbs

Expresiones útiles para escribir en español

Looking for more Spanish phrases? Check out this e-book with audio!

Try to use the essay phrases in Spanish that you learned in this lesson and write a few example sentences in the comments section!

About the author 

Janey is a fan of different languages and studied Spanish, German, Mandarin, and Japanese in college. She has now added French into the mix, though English will always be her first love. She loves reading anything (including product labels).

VERY VERY useful !! Gracias

Amazing! This will definitely help me in tomorrow’s spanish test 🙂

Sounds good

Thanks for the assistance, in learning Spanish.

Amazing article! Very helpful! Also, this website is great for Spanish Beginners.

It’s easy when you put it that way

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Basic Guidelines For Writing Essays in Spanish

Students tend to focus on speaking practice while learning Spanish, so they often neglect writing. However, most educators emphasize its importance for mastering the language. They say it’s impossible to become fluent in a particular language if one doesn’t train writing skills. 

Therefore, teachers give a lot of essay assignments to students. This type of homework is a great way to inspire them to think and communicate in Spanish effectively. It may be quite difficult to complete such a task. However, it’s one of the most effective ways to learn Spanish or any other language.

You may be tempted to go online and find the best essay writing service to have your essay written for you. This may be helpful when you’re pressed for time, but in the long run, you’re missing an opportunity to improve your own essay writing skills. That’s why we are going to provide you with some recommendations on how to ease the writing process.

Some tips on writing in Spanish 

• Be careful with word spelling. Remember that teachers pay special attention to spelling so it can either make or break your student image. Having good spelling makes a positive impression of your writing skills and boosts your grades. 
• Make your essay coherent with the help of connectors. Use them to explain the relationship between the ideas so your essay doesn’t look like just a list of thoughts and facts. 
• Pay attention to syntax or the word order. As you need to stick to the academic style, try to keep the traditional order such as “subject + verb + objects”. This will also help you express your opinion in a simpler way, so it’s more clear to the reader.
• Avoid word repetitions by using synonyms. Frequent repetitions make your text boring and heavy. If you use the same words again and again, your essay will look dull. Hence, try to find synonyms in Spanish thesaurus and replace the most commonly used expressions with them. 
• Before you create a final version of your essay, let someone read it and give feedback. It’s hard to be objective about your writing, so ask another person to tell you which ideas are less clear if your text contains any confusing phrases, and what are the positive aspects that can be reinforced. 
• Do not write the essay in your native language first to translate it into Spanish then. This approach is not viable for mastering a foreign language. The only thing that you are doing by translating the text literally is practicing the grammatical structures that you have learned. This doesn’t help you learn new idioms and collocations that don’t follow the general grammatical rules. 

Now that you know how to make your writing better, let’s consider a step-by-step guide to essay writing in Spanish. 

Pick an interesting topic 

If possible, choose a topic you are truly excited about. Unless the specific title was given to you by instructors, find a theme you want to research and write about. True interest is what will drive you towards creating an excellent piece. If you enjoy reading about the subject you are going to analyze in your essay, then you will definitely succeed in writing. Remember that decent work can be done only if you are passionate about it. 

Brainstorm the ideas 

When it comes to any project, brainstorming is an integral stage of the creation process. This is one of the most efficient ways to gain insights and generate new ideas. You can use this technique to think of the main supporting arguments, an approach for a catchy introduction, and paragraph organization. You can also try freewriting and/or make a brief outline to ease the writing process itself. 

Create an introduction 

Probably the main rule about creating an introduction that you have to stick to is adding a clear thesis statement there. It must be included in the first paragraph to give your essay a certain direction and help the readers focus their attention on the topic. Also, your introduction must be catchy and intriguing to evoke the desire to read the essay further and learn more. 

Organize an essay body 

It’s essential to make the body paragraphs organized logically. You need to make sure that each of them is closely related to the main topic and discusses one major point. Each body paragraph must consist of a topic sentence and supporting arguments with evidence. It’s very important to write sentences in a logical sequence so they follow each other orderly. Also, since paragraphs shouldn’t overlap in content, add smooth transitions from one to the other. 

Sum up the content 

The vital requirement to the conclusion is that it must logically relate to the original thesis statement. Generally, it’s not acceptable to introduce new ideas in the conclusion. Instead, you need to sum up the main points mentioned in the essay’s body. It’s also forbidden to add any off-topic ideas to the last paragraph of your paper.

Check content relevance and cohesion 

Once you complete the conclusion, read through the essay for relevance and cohesion. Make sure that the whole piece is on the topic and in the mode required. In particular, check if body paragraphs support the thesis statement and whether the conclusion relates to it. After that, read your paper once again to see whether the parts connect together well. Think if there are logical links between ideas and if you need more transitions. 

Read for clarity and style

Scan your essay to find out whether some sections may be unclear to the reader. Analyze the text to find out if it sounds academic and polished. Check if there are any vague pronouns, excessive wording, or awkward phrases. Don’t forget to make sure that all points are listed in similar grammatical forms.

The last stage of your writing process is final proofreading. Read your paper the last time looking at grammar, spelling, punctuation, verb tense, word forms, and pronoun agreement. Correct all the mistakes to make your work excellent. 

Remember that the most important thing about learning a foreign language is a regular practice. Therefore, you should use any opportunity provided by instructors to polish your skills. Hopefully, the recommendations given above will help you write an excellent essay and master the Spanish language!

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65 spanish phrases to use in an essay.

If Spanish is not your first language, memorizing specific phrases can help you improve your essay-writing skills and make you sound more like a native speaker. Thus below, you will find a list of useful phrases categorized by groups to help you appear more proficient and take your essays to the next level!

Introductory Phrases

Based on my vast experience as a freelance writer , I can say that starting an essay is undoubtedly the most challenging part of essay writing. Nonetheless, many phrases have proven to help organize my thoughts and form cohesive and intriguing introductions, such as:

• “Para empezar” – To begin with

• “Al principio” – At the beginning… 

• “En primer lugar” – To start… 

• “Empecemos por considerar” – Let’s begin by considering/acknowledging 

• “A manera de introducción” – We can start by saying…

• “Como punto de partida “ – As a starting point

• “Hoy en día” – Nowadays… Notice that these introductory phrases are not exactly the same than those you would use in a conversation. For that, I suggest reading my article about Sentence Starters in Spanish .

You can also use phrase to introduce a new topic in the text such as:

• En lo que se refiere a – Regarding to
• Respecto a – Regarding to
• En cuanto a – Regarding to
• Cuando se trata de – When it comes to
• Si pasamos a hablar de – If we go ahead to talk about

Concluding Phrases

It is also crucial that you know how to finish your essay. A good conclusion will allow you to tie all your ideas together and emphasize the key takeaways. Below, a few ways in which you can begin a concluding argument:

• “En conclusion” – In conclusion

• “En resumen/resumiendo…” – In summary

• “Como se puede ver…” – As you can see

• “Para concluir” – To conclude

• “Para finalizar” – To finish

• “Finalmente, podemos decir que…” – We can then say that…

• “ En consecuencia, podemos decir que…” – As a result, one can say that…

• “Por fin” – Finally

Transitional Phrases

Transitions phrases are crucial if you wish your essay to flow smoothly. Thus, I recommend you pay special attention to the following sentences:

• “Además” – Besides

• “Adicionalmente” – In addition…

• “Dado que…” – Given that…

• “Por lo tanto” – Therefore

• “Entonces” – Thus/So

• “Debido a…” – Hence

• “Mientras tanto” – Meanwhile

• “Por lo que” – This is why

• “Desde entonces” – Since then

Argumentative Phrases

When writing essays, it is very common for us to need to include argumentative phrases to get our message across. Hence, if you are looking for new ways to introduce an argument, below a few ideas:

• “Por otro lado…” – On the other hand…

• “En primera instancia…” – First of all 

• “A diferencia de…” – As oppossed to

• “De igual forma” – More so

• “Igualmente” – The same goes for… 

• “En otras palabras” – In other words

• “A pesar de que…” – Although 

• “Aunque” – Even though 

• “En contraste” – By contrast 

• “De hecho…” – In fact… 

• “Sin embargo” – Nevertheless

• “No obstante” – However

Opinion Phrases

There are many formal (and less formal ways) to express your opinions and beliefs in Spanish. Here, a few examples: 

• “Considero que…” – I considerthat…

• “Mi opinión es” – It is my opinion

• “Pienso que…” – I think that…

• “Opino que” – In my opinion…

• “Afortunadamente” – Fortunately

• “ Lamentablemente” – Unfortunately

• “Me parece que…” – It seems to me that…

• “En mi opinión” – I believe that…

• “En mi experiencia” – Based on my experience

• “Como yo lo veo…” – As I see it…

• “Es mi parecer” – My pointview 

General Phrases

Finally, I wanted to include a group of useful common phrases that can enrich your essay’s vocabulary:

•   “En realidad” – In reality

• “Actualmente” – Today/Nowadays 

• “De acuerdo a…” – According to… 

• “Por ejemplo” – For example

• “Cabe recalcar que…” – It is important to note that… 

• “Vale la pena resaltar que…” – It is important to highlight that… 

• “No podemos ignorar que…” – We can’t ignore that… 

• “Normalmente” – Usually/Normally 

• “Por lo general” – In general

• “Es normal que…” – It is normal to…

• “Otro hecho importante es…” – Another relevant factor is… 

• “Podría decirse que…” – One could say that… 

• “Para ilustrar” – To illustrate 

There you have it! A list of 60 useful phrases you can memorize to make your essays sound more professional and become more appealing to readers. However, if you are struggling and need further assistance with your essay, here you can see an Spanish essay example that can help you to structure and edit your work.

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Writing an Essay in Spanish: Tips for a Great Essay

When learning Spanish, many students put all their energy into practicing speaking. They chat with classmates, engage in conversations with native speakers, and tune into Spanish TV shows or podcasts. But amidst this flurry of spoken practice, writing often gets pushed aside like yesterday's homework.

Yet, without honing those writing chops, achieving true fluency in Spanish—or any language for that matter—can be tough. That's why, in this article, we're jumping into writing an essay in Spanish, showing why it's not just a dreaded task but a great chance to boost your language skills. ¡Vamos!

Quick Tips on Writing in Spanish

Now that you're ready to tackle Spanish essay writing, let's make sure you're armed with some handy tips from our Spanish essay writer :

• Mind Your Spelling : Pay close attention to how words are spelled. Good spelling can make your writing look professional and help you avoid embarrassing mistakes.
• Use Transition Words : Incorporate transition words like 'sin embargo' (however), 'por lo tanto' (therefore), and 'además' (moreover) to connect your ideas and make your essay flow smoothly.
• Stick to Simple Sentences : Keep your sentences straightforward and easy to understand. Avoid using overly complicated phrases that might confuse your reader.
• Practice Grammar Regularly : Brush up on grammar rules to avoid common mistakes. Pay attention to verb conjugations, noun-adjective agreement, and sentence structure.
• Expand Your Vocabulary : Learn new Spanish words and phrases regularly to enrich your writing. Try using a Spanish-English dictionary or language-learning app to discover new vocabulary.
• Read Spanish Texts : Read books, articles, and essays written in this language to familiarize yourself with the language's structure and style. Pay attention to how sentences are constructed and how ideas are expressed.

With these quick tips in mind, let’s now check out a step-by-step guide to crafting an essay in Spanish.

Choose a Compelling Subject

When you start your essay, picking a compelling subject is your first step. Choose a topic that you care about. It will show in your writing, making it more engaging and lively.

Think about what excites you or what you want to know more about. Maybe there's a part of Spanish culture that fascinates you, like flamenco dancing or the traditional food of a specific region. Or perhaps you're intrigued by a historical figure or a current issue in Spanish-speaking countries.

Once you settle on a topic, dig into it. Look up articles, watch videos, and gather as much information as you can. This background work will not only beef up your knowledge but also give you plenty of material to draw from when you sit down to write your essay.

Generate Ideas

Brainstorming can really kick things into gear by helping you develop a deep and varied pool of thoughts related to your topic. Start by jotting down everything that comes to mind about your subject. Don't worry about organizing these ideas yet; the goal is to get all your thoughts out on paper. You might be surprised by what you come up with!

Use mind maps to help visualize the connections between different ideas. Draw a circle in the center of a page, write your main topic in it, and then branch out with related ideas, connecting them with lines to show how they relate to each other and to the central theme.

Asking questions can also spark more ideas. What? Who? Where? When? Why? How? These questions can lead you to consider different angles of your topic that you might not have thought about before.

Once you have a good list of ideas, look for patterns or themes that could form the backbone of your essay. Choose the ones that are most interesting to you, or that have plenty of information available, and you'll find your essay starts to take shape naturally from there.

Craft an Opening

The opening, or introduction, should not only introduce your topic but also pique the reader's curiosity. Here's how you can create an engaging introduction:

• Start with a hook : Begin with an intriguing statement, a surprising fact, or a provocative question related to your topic. For example, if you're writing about the influence of Spanish cinema, you might start with statistics about the international awards Spanish films have won.
• Provide some background : After grabbing the reader's attention, give a bit of background to place your topic in context. This doesn't have to be detailed but should provide enough information to understand the importance of the topic and why it's relevant.
• State your thesis : End your introduction with a clear thesis statement that will guide the rest of your essay, making sure it's specific and directly related to your topic.

Structure the Essay

A well-organized essay makes it easier for your readers to follow your arguments and understand the points you're making. As previously mentioned, your introduction should start with a hook to capture interest, provide some background information to set the scene and conclude with a strong thesis statement that outlines your main argument or perspective.

As for the body section, start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. This sentence should link back to your thesis statement and indicate how this paragraph will support your overall argument. Then, follow the topic sentence with evidence, examples, and explanations to flesh out your argument.

Lastly, begin your conclusion by briefly summarizing the key points you have discussed. Then, reinforce your thesis statement with a fresh rephrasing, showing how the body of your essay has supported it throughout.

Recap the Content

Now that you've laid out your arguments in the body of your essay, it's time to recap. Briefly go over the main points from each section of your essay. This reminds the reader of what you've discussed and how it all connects. Then, tie each point back to your thesis statement. Also, mention any particularly strong evidence or insightful observations again, reinforcing their importance.

Ensure Coherence and Relevance

Once you've recapped the content of your writing, it's essential to ensure coherence and relevance throughout. You can do this by reviewing the transitions between paragraphs and sections, ensuring they flow smoothly and logically from one idea to the next.

Also, look for any redundant or repetitive information. Remove anything that doesn't add value to your argument or that repeats points you've already made. It's also important to avoid going off on tangents or introducing unrelated information.

Lastly, before finalizing your essay, ask yourself if every part of it is relevant to your main argument. If not, consider revising or removing those sections to maintain focus.

Review for Clarity and Style

Once you've ensured coherence and relevance in your writing, it's time to review for clarity and style. Break down long or convoluted sentences into shorter, more straightforward ones. This helps prevent confusion and keeps your writing clear. You can also read your essay aloud to yourself or have someone else read it to you. This can help you identify awkward phrasing or unclear passages that may need revision.

Edit for Errors

Finally, it's time to edit your essay for errors. This step is crucial for ensuring that your writing is polished and professional. Using a spellchecker or asking a native speaker to proofread your essay for you is usually a good idea. Then, double-check your formatting, including margins, font size, and spacing. Make sure your essay follows any specific formatting guidelines provided by your instructor.

By thoroughly editing your essay for Spanish language errors, you ensure that your final product is polished and ready to impress your readers. Take your time with this step to catch any mistakes and make the necessary revisions for a flawless finish.

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52 Spanish Essay Phrases for Your AP Exam

In order to do well on the AP Spanish exam’s   free-response  section, you must be able to write a persuasive essay based on three Spanish-language sources.

Here we’ve put together a list of 52 vocabulary words and essays phrases that will come in handy for making and supporting arguments in your AP Spanish essays.

Handy Essay Phrases for Writing a Strong Spanish AP Composition

Starting your essay, agreeing and disagreeing, stating an opinion, supporting an opinion, contrasting (or comparing), transitional phrases, changing topics, concluding your essay, how to prepare for the ap spanish essay, what are the details of the ap spanish essay.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Para empezar – To begin with

Hoy en día – Nowadays…

Hoy en día, las personas están en Internet hasta ocho horas por día. (Nowadays, people are on the Internet up to eight hours per day.)

A manera de introducción – We can start by saying…

Como punto de partida – As a starting point

Al principio – At the beginning… 

En primer lugar  – To start… 

Empecemos por considerar – Let’s begin by considering…

Estoy de acuerdo/No estoy de acuerdo — I agree/I disagree

Estoy de acuerdo con lo que dice el autor. (I agree with what the author says.)

No estoy de acuerdo con la idea principal de la fuente número dos . (I disagree with the main idea of source number two.)

En mi opinión — In my opinion

En mi opinión, los jóvenes deberían comer más sano. (In my opinion, young people should eat healthier.)

La verdad es   — The truth is

La verdad es que todavía hay mucha desigualdad en los Estados Unidos . (The truth is there is still a lot of inequality in the United States.)

Es verdad  — It’s true

Es verdad que las redes sociales pueden ser peligrosas . (It’s true that social media can be dangerous.)

Es falso   —   It’s false

Hay gente que dice que las redes sociales son peligrosas, pero esto es falso . (There are people who say that social media is dangerous, but this is false.)

Me parece/No me parece   —   It seems to me/It doesn’t seem to me

Me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

No me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I don’t think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

Remember that since me parece implies an opinion or emotion, you must conjugate the verb in the subjunctive tense.

(Yo) pienso que   —   I think that

Yo pienso que no hay nada más importante que la familia . (I think that there is nothing more important than family.)

(Yo) creo que  — I believe that

Yo creo que todos los adolescentes deberían aprender a tocar un instrumento . (I believe that all adolescents should learn to play an instrument.)

The following phrases all have the same structure: Es  + adjective +  que .

This structure is similar to the English “It’s [adjective] that…” and is great for expressing and supporting opinions in a strong and confident manner. Here are some phrases that are especially useful when making and defending claims in a persuasive essay:

Es evidente que   —   It’s evident that

Es claro que   —   It’s clear that

Es cierto que  —   It’s certain that

Es obvio que   — It’s obvious that

Es importante que  — It’s important that

Es necesario que   — It’s necessary that

Es probable que   —   It’s probable that

Es dudoso que  — It’s doubtful that

For some of these phrases, the verb following the word que must be conjugated in the indicative, while others require the subjunctive . A good rule of thumb is that when implying that something is certain, use the indicative. When expressing doubt or expressing some other emotion, use the subjunctive.

On this list, evidente, claro, cierto  and obvio use indicative verbs, and importante, necesario, probable  and dudoso use subjunctive verbs.

Es cierto que nuestro clima está cambiando . (It is certain that our climate is changing.)

Es importante que la gente sepa hablar más de un idioma . (It’s important that people know how to speak more than one language.)

These words will help you refer to your three sources, which contain information that will help you support your argument. This section also contains transition words to connect one part of your argument to the next.

Según   — According to  

Según el autor… (according to the author…)

La fuente  —   The source

Según la fuente numero 1… (According to source number one…)

El tema   —   The theme/topic

Esto es un tema muy importante. (This is a very important topic.)

Mostrar   —   To show

La fuente muestra la importancia de la diversidad. (The source shows the importance of diversity.)

Remember, mostrar is an o-ue stem-changing verb—pay attention to conjugation!

Demostrar   —   To demonstrate

La tabla demuestra que muchos jóvenes en España juegan al fútbol. (The table demonstrates that many youths in Spain play football.)

Demostrar is also an o-ue stem changing verb. Luckily for you, it follows the exact same conjugation rules as mostrar !

Indicar   —   To indicate

La tabla indica que hay muchas familias pobres en ese barrio. (The table indicates that there are many poor families in that neighborhood.)

Apoyar   —   To support

Estos datos apoyan la idea de que el clima está cambiando. (This data supports the idea that the climate is changing)

Sin duda   — Without a doubt

Sin duda, el cambio climático es el problema más grave que enfrenta nuestra planeta. (Without a doubt, climate change is the most serious problem that our planet faces.)

Por otra parte   — On the other hand

Es importante que la economía crezca, pero por otra parte, tenemos que cuidar el medio ambiente. (It’s important that the economy grows, but on the other hand, we have to care for the environment.)

Aunque   — Even though/Although

Aunque is followed by an indicative verb when the outcome is known, but a subjunctive verb when the outcome is speculative.

Aunque cuesta mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución. (Even though it costs a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Aunque cueste mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución . (Even though it may cost a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Al igual que  —   Just like

Al igual que en los años 40, hoy en día hay mucha gente que no quiere ayudar a los refugiados de guerra . (Just like in the 40s, today there are many people who don’t want to help war refugees.)

Tanto… como… — … as well as…

Fill in this phrase with two nouns to emphasize that you’re talking equally about two different things.

Tanto chicos como chicas deberían aprender a cocinar, limpiar, coser y cuidar a los bebés. (Boys as well as girls ought to learn how to cook, clean, sew and care for babies.)  

Sino   —   But rather

Remember that Spanish has two translations for the English word “but.” The word sino is like the English phrase “but rather,” used to introduce an alternative.

En comparación  —   In comparison

En comparación, la fuente número 2 indica que hay más obesidad en Estados Unidos que en España . (In comparison, source number 2 indicates that there is more obesity in the United States than in Spain.)

Leer no es una pérdida de tiempo, sino una manera de aprender y de conocer otras culturas . (Reading isn’t a waste of time, but rather a way to learn and understand other cultures.)

Además  — Additionally

This word is usually seen at the beginning of a sentence, and it’s useful for transitioning from one idea or argument to another.

Además, es evidente que la tecnología nos ayuda mucho. (Additionally, it’s evident that technology helps us a lot.)

Sin embargo   —   However

This is another good transition word. In your essay, you may want to present an alternate argument and then explain why you disagree with it. Sin embargo is very helpful for this.

Obviamente, estudiar es muy importante. Sin embargo, es necesario que los adolescentes tengan tiempo para jugar con sus amigos . (Obviously, studying is very important. However, it’s necessary that teenagers have time to play with their friends.)

Por lo cual   —   For this reason/That’s why/Which is why

This phrase is used in the middle of a sentence to connect ideas.

La Amazonía tiene un alto nivel de biodiversidad, por lo cual la conservación de esta región debe ser una prioridad.  (The Amazon has a high level of biodiversity, which is why the conservation of this region must be a priority.)

Sobre un tema relacionado — On a related topic

Sobre un tema relacionado con la inteligencia artificial, se están llevando a cabo investigaciones para mejorar la capacidad de aprendizaje de los algoritmos de machine learning.  (Regarding a topic related to artificial intelligence, research is being conducted to enhance the learning capacity of machine learning algorithms.)

Cuando se trata de –  When it comes to

Relacionado con esta idea — Related to this idea

Una idea similar es — A similar idea is

Una idea similar es utilizar la realidad virtual como herramienta educativa para mejorar la experiencia de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. (A similar idea is to use virtual reality as an educational tool to enhance the learning experience of students.)

Ahora estoy pasando a  — Now moving onto

In your final paragraph, you’ll want to provide a summary of your main argument and your main supporting points. You can use the following helpful phrases:

En conclusión   —   In conclusion

En resumen   —   In summary

En fin   —   Finally

En conclusión,/En resumen,/En fin, las tres fuentes muestran que la contaminación del aire es un problema muy grave para todo el mundo . (In summary, the three sources show that air pollution is a very serious problem for the whole world.)

After summarizing your essay, you’ll want to restate your main argument in a succinct, strongly-worded sentence. Start with these phrases:

Por estas razones   —   For these reasons

Por eso  — That is why

Así que   —   Therefore

Entonces  — So

Por estas razones,/Por eso,/Así que/Entonces, afirmo que los adolescentes no deberían usar las redes sociales. (For these reasons, I affirm that teenagers should not use social media.)

In many ways, preparing for the free-response section is the same as preparing for the rest of the AP exam.

It involves studying grammar and vocabulary, and it also means immersing yourself in the Spanish language as much as possible.

There are also some targeted ways to practice for the free-response section.

• Do practice exams and read sample essays. The College Board  has posted the full AP exams from the last several years. Try to read the sources and write the essay in the allotted 55 minutes. When you’re done, go back and slowly revise your essay for errors in grammar, spelling and logic. After that, you can also check out the grading rubric provided by the College Board and several sample persuasive essays . Try to compare your essay against the rubric and the samples to see how you can improve your writing.
• Practice summarizing and analyzing Spanish-language sources. Remember all those great resources listed above? Well, it’s not enough to just read or listen to them. The whole point of the presentational essay is to measure your ability to summarize, synthesize and argue. So, after you read or listen to a Spanish-language source, take five minutes to summarize it—on paper. Identify the main argument, and then make a bulleted list of important points. Finally, write a few sentences summarizing your personal opinion.
• Learn targeted vocabulary for talking about opinions and arguments. Is there anything more frustrating than knowing exactly what you want to say, but not having the vocabulary to say it? This article lists many crucial vocabulary words for expressing and supporting opinions in persuasive essays. Using these words and phrases will help make your writing flow more smoothly, and allow you to argue with more credibility.
• Use authentic content to immerse yourself so you get used to thinking in Spanish. A virtual immersion program like FluentU can help you get going with a bit more structure.

You can also find some great info on great news outlets , podcasts , YouTube channels  and blogs —all in Spanish. Even following some Spanish Twitter feeds or listening to Spanish music can be a great way to work a little language practice into your day.

The free-response section of the exam is meant to test your ability to communicate with others in spoken and written Spanish.

There are two essays in the free-response section. The interpersonal essay asks you to respond to an email. The presentational essay  tests how well you can draw information from Spanish-language sources, form an argument and write formally. This second essay is a little less straightforward, so we’ll walk you through it here.

So, how does it work?

The presentational essay is based on three sources . Two of them are written sources and one is an audio source.

These sources can be just about anything: Advertisements, articles, infographics, letters, maps, interviews, radio programs, podcasts and conversations are just some examples of the types of sources you may encounter.

You’ll have about 55 minutes to complete this particular essay. First, you’ll have six minutes to read the prompt and the two written sources, and then you’ll hear the audio source twice. Finally, you’ll have 40 minutes to plan and write your essay.

The essay is graded on the basis of Spanish language skills like reading, listening, writing and grammar—but it’s also based on your general ability to analyze the sources and make a strong, coherent argument.

Of course, learning vocabulary and essay phrases is just one way to prepare for the free-response section.

Remember to expose yourself to as many Spanish-language sources as you can before test day, and don’t forget to think critically about those sources as you read them!

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51 Spanish Phrases for Essays to Impress with Words

• January 7, 2021

Joanna Lupa

Communicating in a foreign language is hard enough, even in everyday situations, when no sophisticated or academic vocabulary is needed. 

Being able to write an actual essay in Spanish requires you not only to have a solid grammar base but also be knowledgeable about specific phrases and words typically used in school and university writing. 

For those of you who study in one of the Spanish speaking countries or are toying with the idea of signing up for an exchange program, I have prepared a summary of useful Spanish phrases for essays. They are divided into the following categories:

• Connectors (sequence, contrast, cause and effect, additional information, and conclusion)
• Expressions to give your opinion, agree and disagree with a thesis
• fancy academic expressions

Spanish Connectors to Use in Essays

Written language tends to be more formal than the spoken one. Ideas get explained in complex sentences showing how they relate to each other. A fantastic tool to achieve that is connectors.

What are some useful Spanish connectors for essays? Let’s have a look at the ten examples below:

• 🇪🇸 primero – 🇬🇧 first
• 🇪🇸 segundo – 🇬🇧 second
• 🇪🇸 el siguiente argumento – 🇬🇧 the next argument
• 🇪🇸 finalmente – 🇬🇧 finally, last but not least 
• 🇪🇸 sin embargo – 🇬🇧 however, nevertheless, nonetheless
• 🇪🇸 por lo tanto – 🇬🇧 therefore, thus
• 🇪🇸 además – 🇬🇧 besides
• 🇪🇸 por un lado….por el otro lado – 🇬🇧 on the one hand….on the other hand
• 🇪🇸 a menos que – 🇬🇧 unless
• 🇪🇸 a pesar de (algo) – 🇬🇧 despite / in spite of (something)
• 🇪🇸 aunque / a pesar de que – 🇬🇧 although / even though
• 🇪🇸 debido a – 🇬🇧 due to
• 🇪🇸 puesto que / dado que – 🇬🇧 given that
• 🇪🇸 ya que –  🇬🇧 since
• 🇪🇸 mientras que – 🇬🇧 whereas
• 🇪🇸 en conclusión – 🇬🇧 in conclusion
• 🇪🇸 para concluir – 🇬🇧 to conclude

Do you think you would know how to use these connectors in an essay? Let’s suppose you are writing about ecology:

🇪🇸 Los paises han estado cambiando sus politicas. Sin embargo, aún queda mucho por hacer.  🇬🇧 Countries have been changing their policies. However, there is still a lot to do. 

🇪🇸 Una de las amenazas climáticas es el efecto invernadero. Además está la contaminación del agua que presenta un serio riesgo para la salud.  🇬🇧 One of the climate threats is the greenhouse effect. Besides, there is water pollution that presents a severe health hazard. 

🇪🇸 A pesar de los acuerdos internacionales, varios países no han mejorado sus normas ambientales.  🇬🇧 Despite international agreements, many countries haven’t yet improved their environmental standards. 

🇪🇸 Debido a la restricción en el uso de bolsas de plástico desechables, Chile ha podido reducir su huella de carbono.  🇬🇧 Due to the restrictions in the use of disposable plastic bags, Chile has been able to reduce its carbon print. 

Spanish Phrases to Express Your Opinion in Essays

Essay topics commonly require you to write what you think about something. Or whether you agree or disagree with an idea, a project, or someone’s views. 

The words below will allow you to express your opinion effortlessly and go beyond the typical “creo que ” – “ I think ”:

• 🇪🇸 (yo) opino que – 🇬🇧 in my opinion
• 🇪🇸 me parece que – 🇬🇧 it seems to me
• 🇪🇸 desde mi punto de vista – 🇬🇧 from my point of view
• 🇪🇸 (no) estoy convencido que  – 🇬🇧 I am (not) convinced that
• 🇪🇸 no me cabe la menor duda – 🇬🇧 I have no doubt 
• 🇪🇸 estoy seguro que – 🇬🇧 I’m sure
• 🇪🇸 dudo que – 🇬🇧 I doubt
• 🇪🇸 sospecho que – 🇬🇧 I suspect
• 🇪🇸 asumo que – 🇬🇧 I assume
• 🇪🇸 estoy (totalmente, parcialmente) de acuerdo – 🇬🇧 I (totally, partially) agree
• 🇪🇸 no estoy de acuerdo en absoluto – 🇬🇧 I absolutely disagree
• 🇪🇸 opino diferente – 🇬🇧 I have a different opinion
• 🇪🇸 me niego a aceptar – 🇬🇧 I refuse to accept
• 🇪🇸 estoy en contra / a favor de – 🇬🇧 I am against / in favor of
• 🇪🇸 no podría estar más de acuerdo – 🇬🇧 I couldn’t agree more
• 🇪🇸 encuentro absolutamente cierto / falso  – 🇬🇧 I find it absolutely correct / false

Phrases like these can really give shape to your essay and increase its formality level. This time, let’s verify it with views on education: 

🇪🇸 Opino que estudiando remotamente los jóvenes están perdiendo las habilidades sociales.  🇬🇧 In my opinion, remote schooling makes youngsters lose their social skills. 

🇪🇸 Dudo que esta decisión traiga verdaderos cambios para el sistema educacional en mi país.  🇬🇧 I doubt this change will bring any real changes to the educational system in my country. 

🇪🇸 Estoy totalmente de acuerdo con que todos deberían tener acceso a educación de calidad. 🇬🇧 I totally agree that everyone should have access to good quality education. 

🇪🇸 Estoy en contra de escuelas solo para niñas o solo para niños.  🇬🇧 I am against girls-only or boys-only schools. 

Pay attention to certain language differences between English and Spanish versions. The most common mistake that my students make is to say “ I am agree ” ❌ (direct translation from “ Estoy de acuerdo ”) instead of “ I agree ”✔️. 

Fancy Academic Verbs and Expressions for Essays in Spanish

Would you like to impress your professor with sophisticated academic vocabulary or get extra points on your DELE? Grab a pen and take notes:

• 🇪🇸 afirmar  – 🇬🇧 to state
• 🇪🇸 refutar – 🇬🇧 to refute, to reject
• 🇪🇸 argumentar – 🇬🇧 to argue that
• 🇪🇸 poner en duda  – 🇬🇧 to cast doubt
• 🇪🇸 poner en evidencia – 🇬🇧 to shed light 
• 🇪🇸 demostrar – 🇬🇧 to demonstrate
• 🇪🇸 concentrarse en – 🇬🇧 to focus on
• 🇪🇸 sostener – 🇬🇧 to sustain
• 🇪🇸 reflejar – 🇬🇧 to reflect
• 🇪🇸 considerando (que) – 🇬🇧 considering (that)
• 🇪🇸 siendo realista – 🇬🇧 realistically speaking
• 🇪🇸 de cierto modo – 🇬🇧 in a way
• 🇪🇸 en lo que se refiere a – 🇬🇧 with regards to
• 🇪🇸 en vista de – 🇬🇧 in view of
• 🇪🇸 de acuerdo a – 🇬🇧 according to
• 🇪🇸 no obstante – 🇬🇧 nevertheless

So many great words to work with! And some of them sound really similar to English, right? This is exactly why Spanish is such a good option when you want to learn a second language.

Let’s see how to make all these verbs and phrases work:

🇪🇸 Los resultados de los nuevos estudios ponen en duda la relación entre el consumo de huevos y altos niveles de colesterol.  🇬🇧 The recent study findings cast doubt on the relation between egg consumption and high cholesterol levels. 

🇪🇸 Los autores del estudio argumentan que los azucares y los carbohidratos juegan un rol importante en este asunto.  🇬🇧 The authors of the study argue that sugars and carbs play an important role in this topic. 

🇪🇸 En lo que se refiere al consumo de carne, este influye directamente los niveles de colesterol malo, sobre todo si es carne con mucha grasa. 🇬🇧 Regarding meat consumption, it directly influences the levels of “bad” cholesterol, especially in the case of greasy meat. 

Writing in Spanish

Written expression  

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Table of contents 1. Is it difficult to write in Spanish? 2. Why is it important to learn to write in Spanish? 3. What rules should I follow when writing in Spanish? 4. What techniques does Lengalia recommend for writing in Spanish? 5. What resources does Lengalia offer me for writing in Spanish? 6. What tips will help me write in Spanish?

1. Is it difficult to write in Spanish?

Actually, contrary to popular belief, most students find that learning to write in Spanish is not as complicated as they first thought. As in English, there are many varieties or registers of Spanish, from the very formal style used in official documents to the more informal language used online in blogs. Here are some examples: - Standard Spanish. This is the Spanish you will find in the media and in most printed material. Unless otherwise indicated, the words, examples and idiomatic expressions in the dictionaries belong to Standard Spanish. The register of Standard Spanish is appropriate for most situations, whether written or spoken. It is advisable at the outset for students to aim for simplicity and directness when writing in Spanish. - Formal and literary language. Like English, formal Spanish is a relatively restricted subset of the language, especially in specific areas such as law. - Informal language. Spanish is rich in informal terms and turns of phrase which are used in almost all areas of everyday life. Informal Spanish should not be used when writing essays, reports, memorandums, etc. When writing in Spanish, it is important to be aware of this and to choose the register appropriate to the context. As a general rule, the language used in essays, articles and reports tends to be more formal in Spanish than in English. The key thing is to make sure that you use language that conveys what you want to say as clearly and legibly as possible. When you are learning to write in Spanish, we recommend you use a dictionary if you are unsure about spelling, for example. When learning our mother tongue, we follow a simple process. First, we learn to listen , then speak , then to read and, finally, write . Therefore, if we want to learn a second language, we must follow a similar process. Writing in Spanish is the last skill to learn because it is arguably much more complicated than the others. However, it is no less important. In fact, the different skills all complement each other. If you enjoy writing, but have not yet mastered it, don't worry. Always remember that writing is a process that you have to learn to master, even in your mother tongue. It is like learning to ride a bicycle or drive a car. You don't learn by reading a manual or watching others do it. You learn by practising. You don't need to become a professional writer to be a good writer. However, if you want to learn Spanish well, you should not neglect the skill of writing in Spanish.

2. Why is it important to learn to write in Spanish?

Voltaire once said, ‘Writing is the painting of the voice’. In the context of second language acquisition, writing is defined here as putting words on paper. The more you read, the more your writing improves. However, it is also possible to have good reading comprehension without being able to write well. Although these skills are interrelated, you need to work on each area or skill separately. It is normal for learners of Spanish to give more importance to the acquisition of listening or reading skills over writing skills. However, writing in Spanish can be a major step forward in your learning. It allows you to actively consolidate the grammatical structures you have learned as well as helping you organise how to express your ideas in Spanish. When you write, you have time to reflect. And of course, it is now almost impossible to avoid writing. Think about how many times you have written something today - writing is inescapable! If your goal is to learn the language, you will have to learn to write in Spanish. Indeed, writing in Spanish can provide you with many advantages : - It improves fluency . Writing practice helps you think and speak in the language you are learning. As you practise, you will be able to form new thoughts in the language. Your ability to create complete sentences will help you in real conversation because you have already learned the grammar rules. - It is active learning . Speaking and writing are two closely related skills. Both force you to think for yourself and use the words you know to create the sentences you want to write in Spanish. - It forces you to research information . When writing in Spanish, you might have to look up words you don't know. This helps you to quickly learn the words that are most relevant in that context. - It helps you avoid mistakes . When you try to speak in a foreign language you are learning, you don't have much time to focus on the mistakes you make, otherwise the flow of the conversation will be interrupted. However, when you write and create sentences, you’ve got time to correct your mistakes. We also recommend you show the text you have tried to write in Spanish to your teacher or someone who knows the language. Ask them to check what you have written and show you the mistakes you have made. - It helps build vocabulary . Verb construction and new vocabulary are learned when you practise writing in a foreign language. Memorising verbs and nouns is fine, but using them smoothly in speech or writing is another matter. By writing new words in Spanish, your brain retains them, allowing you to access them later. Writing in Spanish also helps you understand how to integrate words into complete sentences.

3. What rules should I follow when writing in Spanish?

Voltaire once said, ‘Writing is the painting of the voice’. In the context of second language acquisition, writing is defined here as putting words on paper. The more you read, the more your writing improves. However, it is also possible to have good reading comprehension without being able to write well. Although these skills are interrelated, you need to work on each area or skill separately. It is normal for learners of Spanish to give more importance to the acquisition of listening or reading skills over writing skills. However, writing in Spanish can be a major step forward in your learning. It allows you to actively consolidate the grammatical structures you have learned as well as helping you organise how to express your ideas in Spanish. Every language has a particular set of writing rules. Although some rules seem to be almost universal, others vary from language to language. Therefore, in order to learn to write in Spanish correctly, you need to know the main rules: - Spanish spelling . Spanish spelling is easier than English as we normally write words as they are pronounced, i.e. each sound corresponds to a single letter and vice versa. However, there are some cases to pay attention to: • The letter ‘h’ is not pronounced. Also, this letter changes the sound of the letter ‘c’ when they are together, as in coche or noche. • There are some letter pairs that can be confusing, such as b/v, r/rr, g/j, ll/y, c/k/q and c/s/z. • Spanish uses accents. If a word is accented in Spanish, it cannot be ignored as they sometimes change the meaning of words (dé/de; té/te). - The use of capital letters in Spanish . Spanish and English, for example, share many capitalisation rules, but there are also some differences. For example, Spanish does not capitalise months, days of the week, languages, nationalities, religions, social and political movements or the pronoun yo (unless it is the first word of the sentence). Also, in Spanish, the first word after a colon is not capitalised. - Punctuation in Spanish . There are some rules of punctuation in Spanish that should not be overlooked: • Spanish has a question mark and an opening exclamation mark (¿, ¡). For example, ¿Dónde está el gato? ‘Where is the cat?’, ¡Qué buen día hace hoy! ‘What a lovely day it is!’ • Spanish uses a colon at the opening of letters (e.g. Querido José: ‘Dear José,’ or Hola, Pepe: ‘Hi Pepe,’) whereas English uses a comma (colons apply only in the case of formal letters). • The last two items in a list should be joined with a conjunction such as y ‘and’ or o ‘or’. • In Spanish, a space is used to separate groups of thousands (e.g. 100 000), and a comma is used as a decimal separator (e.g. 1,5). • Spanish usually leaves commas, full stops and other punctuation marks outside the inverted commas. In English, the placement of these punctuation marks varies depending on which regional variation of English is being used, for example, UK or US.   - Spanish sentence structure . Structure refers to the internal organisation of a language, i.e. the order in which we must place the parts of a sentence to make it grammatically correct. Both Spanish and English follow the general rule: Subject + Verb + Object but this is not always the case. - In Spanish, the subject can be omitted if it is a pronoun . This is possible because Spanish verbs have a different ending for each grammatical person. - Adjectives follow the noun . There are some exceptions that alter the meaning but, in general, adjectives always follow the noun. For example, una habitación luminosa ‘a bright room’. - Nouns, determiners and adjectives have to agree in Spanish . For example, la chica guapa ‘the beautiful girl’. 3.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF WRITTEN DISCOURSE In addition to knowing the main rules for writing in Spanish correctly, the written text must have the following characteristics: - Adequacy . This refers to whether or not a text is appropriate in its context. It determines the regional variety and the register to be used. It fulfils the established communicative purpose and respects the social and discursive conventions of the genre. - Coherence .  This refers to the semantic relationships between the parts that make up a text, so that it makes sense and can be understood by the reader. It organises the communicative structure in a certain way (introduction, sections, conclusions, etc.). In this way, it helps to construct the meaning of the text, as well as to organise it. - Cohesion . The different elements of the text are connected by means of different mechanisms: repetitions, semantic relations (antonymy and homonymy), links, discourse connectors, anaphoric and deictic pronouns, etc. 3.2 THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEXTS YOU CAN WRITE IN SPANISH The different types of texts you might write in Spanish are messages, informal or formal letters, professional emails, your CV or perhaps a job application. Writing in Spanish covers all kinds of situations, so we will briefly review the main characteristics of each text. 3.2.1 Writing letters in Spanish   Letters can be formal or informal. This will affect not only the body of the letter, but also the way you start and end it. There are some rules to keep in mind when writing a letter in Spanish: - Querido/a is only used in informal letters, while Estimado/a is the preferred form in formal letters. Both can be translated as ‘Dear’ in English. - Normally only the name of the person you are writing to is used if the letter is informal as in Querido Luis ‘Dear Luis’, but Señor, Señora plus the surname if the letter is formal as in Estimado Sr. Martín (equivalent in terms of formality to ‘Dear Sir’). If you do not know the name of the person you are addressing, you can opt for Estimados señores ‘Dear Sirs’. - When closing a letter, you can write Besos or Abrazos (equivalent to ‘Love from’ or ‘Lots of love’) in informal letters, but never in formal letters. Use Saludos ‘Best wishes’ in semi-formal letters and Cordialmente ‘Kind regards’ or Atentamente ‘Yours faithfully’ in formal letters. 3.2.2 Writing an email in Spanish Knowing how to write an email in Spanish is a skill you are going to need sooner or later because email communication, especially in a professional environment, is something we do on a daily basis nowadays. Most letter writing rules also apply here. Make sure that you use the right opening and closing in your email, and that the general tone and vocabulary used are appropriate to the situation. When writing an email, especially a formal one, you will normally need to include five sections: greeting, introduction, reason for the email, body and closing. 3.2.3 Writing an essay in Spanish Beginning to write an essay in Spanish is possibly one of the most difficult tasks for beginner learners. Going from single sentences to several paragraphs requires a lot of practice, but there are fixed expressions that can be used to make this process easier. Depending on the type of writing you do, you will need to cover one or more of the following points: - Opinion . This is very common in essays, especially those included in official Spanish exams. Make sure you use expressions which help you introduce your opinions: en mi opinión ‘in my opinion’, a mi juicio ‘in my opinion’, desde mi punto de vista ‘from my point of view’, me parece que ‘it seems to me that’, creo que ‘I think that’, etc. - Constructing an argument . In this type of writing you should back up your statements with arguments. Try to introduce words and expressions such as según ‘according to’, de acuerdo con ‘in accordance with’, en palabras de ‘in the words of’, etc. and write the source. - Conclusion . The conclusion usually summarises the main themes of the essay and answers the questions and hypotheses that have been raised in the introduction. When writing a conclusion, use expressions such as: en conclusión ‘in conclusion’, por esta razón ‘this is why’, en definitiva ‘in conclusion’, en resumen ‘in summary’, etc.When you write, you have time to reflect. And of course, it is now almost impossible to avoid writing. Think about how many times you have written something today - writing is inescapable! If your goal is to learn the language, you will have to learn to write in Spanish. Indeed, writing in Spanish can provide you with many advantages : - It improves fluency . Writing practice helps you think and speak in the language you are learning. As you practise, you will be able to form new thoughts in the language. Your ability to create complete sentences will help you in real conversation because you have already learned the grammar rules. - It is active learning . Speaking and writing are two closely related skills. Both force you to think for yourself and use the words you know to create the sentences you want to write in Spanish. - It forces you to research information . When writing in Spanish, you might have to look up words you don't know. This helps you to quickly learn the words that are most relevant in that context. - It helps you avoid mistakes . When you try to speak in a foreign language you are learning, you don't have much time to focus on the mistakes you make, otherwise the flow of the conversation will be interrupted. However, when you write and create sentences, you’ve got time to correct your mistakes. We also recommend you show the text you have tried to write in Spanish to your teacher or someone who knows the language. Ask them to check what you have written and show you the mistakes you have made. - It helps build vocabulary . Verb construction and new vocabulary are learned when you practise writing in a foreign language. Memorising verbs and nouns is fine, but using them smoothly in speech or writing is another matter. By writing new words in Spanish, your brain retains them, allowing you to access them later. Writing in Spanish also helps you understand how to integrate words into complete sentences.

4. What techniques does Lengalia recommend for writing in Spanish?

A number of techniques, at all ability levels, are needed to write well in Spanish. Lengalia recommends you approach the text as follows: - Mind mapping . Before you start writing in Spanish, organise your ideas and the topics you want to deal with in the text. Make an outline of what you want to communicate. This is the basic pattern of introduction, body and conclusion of writing that should be present in any text, not only in long essays. - Think in Spanish . As soon as you start preparing the text, think in Spanish all the time. This will help you avoid problems at later stages of your writing progress in Spanish. - Use short sentences . Short sentences help to express ideas clearly and directly. Long sentences can lead to mistakes and the text can become confusing for the reader. - Use connectors . This tip will help you when writing in Spanish. Connectors such as además ‘additionally’, mientras tanto ‘meanwhile’, sin embargo ‘however’, por eso ‘therefore’, por tanto ‘thus’ are words that help the conversation flow better. - Check punctuation . One of the most common mistakes made when writing in Spanish is forgetting to use the initial exclamation and question marks. This is quite common as these symbols don’t exist in English. Likewise, many novice writers ignore the use of commas... It is therefore essential to revise the text once it is finished. - Look for idiomatic expressions . These are structures, phrases and idioms used in Spanish that are specific to each type of text to be written. Looking up commonly used idioms that are specific to the text type makes the writing more appropriate. - Use equivalents . Using equivalents is a sign that you are already an advanced learner of the language. For example: sin embargo ‘however’ instead of no obstante , or lograr ‘to achieve’ instead of conseguir . It shows that you have a wide vocabulary and that you know how to express your ideas in many different ways in Spanish, thus enriching the text.

5. What resources does Lengalia offer me for writing in Spanish?

Lengalia's courses will help you to improve in all areas of the language, always taking your ability level into consideration. We have courses for beginners from a very basic level A1 to an advanced level C2. The complexity is based on the criteria defined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). All courses follow our method for learning Spanish based on learning paths which emphasise acquiring a solid foundation in the language to increase the student's confidence. In the different courses on Spanish grammar and pronunciation Spanish course you will be able to practise writing via the many and varied exercises. In the professional spanish courses , we offer exercises to learn how to write letters or emails in professional situations. We also offer exercises to learn how to use accents accurately when spelling. And with our spanish vocabulary trainer you can learn thousands of new words.  A rich vocabulary will make your text stand out. Think of grammar rules as the skeleton of your writing and the vocabulary as the meat.

6. What tips will help me to write in Spanish?

To conclude, we would like to present you with some useful tips for writing in Spanish and that will help you improve day by day. With practice and perseverance, in a few months you will notice a great improvement in your learning. - Read as much as you can . The best way to keep improving your writing in Spanish is to read in Spanish. When you read in Spanish, your brain absorbs words, phrases, structures, idioms and even conjugations. Get used to reading about different topics and types of texts. - Practice daily . Start incorporating writing into your daily Spanish practice. There are many types of texts to write in Spanish, you can easily incorporate them into your daily routine. - Find a writing partner . Find a language exchange partner with whom you can have oral and written conversations, as this is a good way to take your progress to the next level. Write them a message in Spanish via WhatsApp, email, etc. - Write a diary . This gives you the opportunity to both write and think in Spanish every day. Let the ideas flow in Spanish. That way, when you have to write a more important text, the words will come to you more easily. - Write about a topic of interest . As with the diary, it is easier to write about something that interests you. This will inject more enthusiasm into the whole exercise. - Write by hand . Research shows that writing by hand has enormous benefits for the brain and our learning process. - Ask someone else to review your work . Although it is good practice to write as much as you can, there is no point in making mistakes and not knowing about it. Therefore, just as important as writing in Spanish is having someone who can proofread and correct your work. Remember that the more you write, the more easily the words will begin to flow. As the saying goes, ‘Practice makes perfect’. To create sentences on your own properly you need to step outside your comfort zone. Doing so will take some effort, but keep in mind that using the language you are learning is the most important part of your language acquisition journey.

General Spanish > Why Learn Spanish? > Learn How To Write In Spanish With The Basics To Improve Quickly

Learn How To Write In Spanish With The Basics To Improve Quickly

Are you learning Spanish ? Would you like to learn how to write correctly? In this article you will discover everything you need to know:

• The basics to write in Spanish;
• How to write an email in Spanish;
• How to write an essay in Spanish;
• How to write an informal and formal letter in Spanish;
• How to improve your writing skills in Spanish;
• Learn Spanish at your own pace with the General Español program.

Read on to learn how to write in Spanish and the tips to improve quickly!

The basics to write correctly in Spanish

Whether you are starting from a  beginning level of Spanish , an  intermediate level , or an advanced level, whether you are  learning Spanish as a child  or an adult, you need to learn some basics to correctly write in Spanish .

You can’t write if you don’t know the orthography of the language. Luckily, Spanish has very regular spelling rules . Once you learn each letter’s sound, spelling out a Spanish word by sounding it out is very simple. That said, if you are unsure how to spell a word, you can always ask: ¿Cómo se escribe? (How is it written?) or ¿Cómo se deletrea? (How is it spelled?). There are some common mistakes you have to pay attention to:

• Y or LL? The letter “y” and the double-l (“ll”) usually have the same pronunciation. One common error is mixing them up. The context is, in many cases, key to figuring out which sound to use.
• C, Z or S? In European Spanish, the letter S sounds like it does in English, but the C resembles the “th” sound in English”. The problem is that the Z in Spain makes that same “th” sound. So, beware.

In order to write correctly, you need to perfectly know both your grammar and Spanish grammar. If you know what a subject, a verb, an adverb and a complement are, you are halfway.

Capitalization

Capitalization rules change from one language to the other. In Spanish you don’t capitalize as much as you do in English. For example the languages are not capitalized (e.g. español, inglés, italiano, francés, etc). You still have to capitalize proper nouns, country names, etc (e.g. Francisco, Ana, …, España, Estados Unidos, Inglaterra, etc).

In English there are no accents. So, it can be very difficult for native English speakers to get used to Spanish accents. There is only one accent “´” called acute accent, which goes on many words and it is written (or not) according to some syllabic rules. You’ll need to learn these rules in order to avoid mistakes.

Punctuation

An underrated part of the written language is punctuation. Every language has its own rules and peculiarities. So, if you want to write like a native, you should also beware of that. In the following sections we’ll go into detail.

How to write an email in Spanish

Writing an email is not that easy. In Spanish, as in all the other languages, there are some politeness rules (as well as grammar and punctuation ones) that need to be respected.

To start an email you’ll need to write: “ Hola, X :” Yes, there’s a comma after “ Hola ” (or Buenas , or other greeting), then you need to say the name of the person followed by a colon.

Then there’s the body of the email , where you can write the message you want to communicate (beware of grammar, spelling and accents!). Depending on the email, you’ll have to be more formal or informal. If you want to know more about levels of formality in Spanish, you can easily find articles on the web. In general, “ tú ” is for an informal email, while “ usted ” is used in formal contexts.

At the end of the email you’ll write the final greetings , like: “Un saludo”, “Muchas gracias y ¡qué tengas un buen día!”, “Hasta pronto”, and so on. Again, choose the greeting according to the level of formality of your email. Don’t forget to sign your email!

How to write an essay in Spanish

Writing an essay in Spanish is not that hard. After all, it’s like writing an essay in English, with the difficulty that it’s not your native language so you’ll have to pay attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation. Here are some tips for you to write a great essay in Spanish :

• Draft an outline first. Before starting your essay, try to write down the major points: who are you talking to? What’s the level of formality? What’s the purpose of the essay? And so on.
• Choose your words. Write down some key-words and use them in your essay. Look for synonyms so that you don’t repeat yourself.
• Start with the introduction. Write a clear introduction, where you explain what you are going to talk about and why.
• The body. The body is the longest part of the essay. Here you explain your ideas, giving explanations and reviews about the topic you are discussing. The tone of voice will depend on the recipient, the purpose and the formality.
• Finally, the conclusion. Write a conclusion that summarizes what you said in the body and try to persuade the reader.

Pay attention to spelling and punctuation and beware of calques (don’t copy grammar of your mother tongue but use original and native Spanish grammar structures!)

How to write an informal and formal letter in Spanish

Just like emails, letters can be either formal or informal. Depending on the formality level, you’ll have to choose the appropriate greetings and register. Let’s start with the structure of the letter, which never changes.

• Opening greetings. The very first part of the letter where you greet your recipient.
• The body. Just like the email, the letter has a central part called “body”, where you tell why you are writing this letter.
• Final greetings

Here you close your letter by saying goodbye and thanking for the attention. Let’s see the greetings according to the registers.

Opening greetings

Formal letter: Estimado señor o señora: (Dear Sir or Madam, ) Informal letter; Hola, X: (Hi, / Hi there,)

How to introduce the body

Formal : Lo/la estoy contactando sobre… (I am reaching out regarding…) Informal : Te escribo porque… (I’m writing to you because…)

How to close the body

Formal : Quedo a la espera de recibir noticias suyas tan pronto le sea posible. (I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.) Informal : Espero tu respuesta (I’ll be waiting for your reply)

Closing greetings

Formal : Saludos cordiales (Kind regards) Informal : Un saludo (Cheers)

As in the email, remember to use “ tú ” in an informal letter (when talking to people you know, like your friends or family) and “ usted ” in a formal letter (when talking to someone you don’t know, or someone to whom you wish to show respect and formality).

How to improve your writing skills in Spanish

Having strong writing skills is essential not only to guarantee you good written communication, but also to improve your spoken language. Although it is not easy to estimate  how long it takes to learn Spanish  and  how hard it is to learn this language , by following these tips you will definitely improve your Spanish skills, especially the written ones.

Start using short sentences

Like anything else, language-learning is a long path that requires patience and self-love. Trying to build complex, long sentences in the beginning, will just confuse and demotivate you. Start with short, simple sentences and when you feel confident with them, try to make them a bit longer and more complex.

Check online

If you have any doubt, don’t be ashamed: even native speakers sometimes have doubts! Checking the correct structure will help you memorize it and the next time you will for sure remember it and use it correctly straight away! In addition to using the Internet to make checks, you should know that there are plenty of good online resources for learning Spanish and improve it.

Read in Spanish

Reading is a great way to improve. You will come across new grammar structures and expressions and you will be able to write them down, study them and then try to use them when writing.

Double-check

Double-checking is very important: grammar, punctuation, spelling, connectors, words and verbs… You need to verify everything, not only in the beginning (and not only when writing in Spanish!)

Set Your Keyboard in Spanish

To ease the writing process, try to set your keyboard in Spanish: this way you’ll easily find all the accents you need, you won’t go crazy trying to type the “ñ” and you feel like a real native!

Use a  couple of “creative” tips

Find a penfriend and ask him for corrections. We all know that moving to a Spanish-speaking country is the best way to learn the language, but if for any reason you can’t do it, ask a native speaker for help. Find a penfriend on a platform like Conversation exchange and start writing emails to him or her. You will correct each other’s mistakes, learn new expressions and grammar structures and eventually become good friends!

Start Writing a Journal. You can also consider writing a journal: this way you will write in Spanish everyday, keep track of your progress and learn new words every day!

How to practice online with Global General

A great way of learning Spanish is Global General . Not only will you improve your writing skills, but you will also be able to work on listening, reading and speaking competencies ! Global General is dedicated to learners at a beginner or intermediate leve l, and offers 5 languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian and German. Every language is developed according to the CEFR standards. This new product by GlobalExam allows students to learn 100% online , in a dynamic and effective way. What do we offer to our students?

• Flashcards to train your memory and learn new vocabulary
• Simulations to help you train in real context, for all the competencies: spoken, written and oral
• A “ did you know ” section to help you deepen your knowledge of the language
• 5000 detailed corrections
• Personalised feedback from our coaches
• Validation of the acquired competences every 5 simulations
• 150 hours of unique content
• 500 audio tracks

Choose Global General for a dynamic, modern and complete method: no more boring classes, time wasted on commutes, teachers who don’t have enough time for you… You can learn Spanish from home, whenever you want, at your own pace, yet receive personalized corrections.

What are you waiting for? Just sign up and start learning Spanish with GlobalExam !

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15 Simple Tips to Improve Your Writing in Spanish

Writing in Spanish is one of the most important skills you can acquire while learning the language. However, sometimes writing is overlooked, as most people focus on learning how to speak. 

Keep reading to learn why improving your writing in Spanish is so important, what types of texts in Spanish you may need to write at some point in your personal or professional life. Plus, get 15 clever tips to help you write better in this new language you’ve chosen to learn! 

Why Improve Your Writing in Spanish?

It’s quite normal that Spanish students prioritize acquiring speaking and listening skills over writing and reading ones. However, writing in Spanish can do wonders to your learning progress, as it helps you solidify the grammar structures learned and organize the way you express your ideas in Spanish. 

Also, these days it’s impossible to avoid writing altogether. Just think about how many times you’ve written something today. There’s no way around it. If your goal is to achieve fluency in Spanish , you will have to learn and improve your writing in Spanish.

Types of Texts You Might Need to Write in Spanish

Depending on your future plans, the different types of texts that you’ll be writing in Spanish could include text messages , friendly or formal letters , professional emails , your resumé, or perhaps even a job application. 

There you have it; writing in Spanish covers all kinds of situations. From friendly, informal conversations to formal business documents, you need to be prepared to write them properly in Spanish.

15 Ways to Improve Your Writing in Spanish

In order to cover every learning level, I’ve divided these 15 tips into the categories of beginners, intermediate, and advanced. Feel free to skip to the tips most appropriate for you.

5 Tips for Beginners

1. brainstorm.

Before starting to write, brainstorm everything you want to cover in your text. This simple exercise of thinking beforehand helps not only with your writing in Spanish but also with any kind of writing.

2. Think in Spanish

As soon as you start preparing your text, think in Spanish all the time. That’s the only way you will improve your writing in Spanish. Trust me on this, if you think and work in English with the idea of translating your text later, you will only create more problems for yourself and your text will lack coherence. 

I know it can be hard to think in Spanish, especially at the beginners level, but if you force yourself to do it now, you’ll save yourself trouble at later stages of your Spanish writing progress.

3. Choose Your Verbs Before You Start Writing in Spanish

Dealing with verbs is one of the hardest-to-master grammar concepts in Spanish. The conjugation of irregular verbs can get especially tricky, so a good way to avoid trouble with them is writing down the verbs you plan to use and have their conjugation cheat sheet at hand. 

As your feeling for the language keeps growing, verbs conjugations will start coming to you in a more natural way, and you won’t need those cheat sheets, but at the beginner level, this is a great tool.

4. Use Short Sentences

I can’t emphasize this one enough. When you use short sentences, you keep your ideas clear and focused. Once you start writing long sentences, trying to cover more and more issues, that’s when you start making mistakes and the text becomes confusing for your reader. Keep it simple and straight, use short and paragraphs.

5. Set Your Keyboard in Spanish

Spanish has a series of letters, punctuation marks, and symbols that don’t exist in English. The solution is simple: set your keyboard in Spanish , both on your phone and computer, and focus on your Spanish, not technical difficulties. 

5 Tips for Intermediate Spanish Students

1. read in spanish.

The best way to improve your writing in Spanish is by reading in Spanish. Simple as that. When you read in Spanish, your brain absorbs words, sentences, structures, idioms, and even conjugations. You’re immersing yourself in a pool of Spanish. Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything, just keep reading and your brain will do the rest.

2. Use Connectors

This useful tip will help you a lot with your writing in Spanish. Connectors like además, mientras tanto, por eso , are words that make the conversation flow more smoothly. They don’t change the meaning of a sentence, and they’re there just to help you ‘connect’ your ideas.

3. Organize Your Ideas

Before you start writing, make an outline of what you want to communicate and prioritize your ideas. This is the basic introduction, body, and conclusion pattern of writing which should be present in any text, not only long essays. A short text such as an email should have its own introduction, body, and conclusion, too.

4.  Double-check Your Punctuation

One of the most common mistakes you can make while writing in Spanish is to forget about using the initial exclamation and question marks. It’s normal; these symbols don’t even exist in English. Make a point of double-checking your punctuation every time you write in Spanish, and with time, this won’t be an issue anymore.

5.  Find a Writing Friend

Also known as Spanish language partner or language exchange partner, finding a native Spanish-speaking friend with whom you can have oral and written conversations, is a great way to take your Spanish progress to the next level. You learn by reading their messages, and it forces you to write back even if you don’t have much to say. The idea is to immerse yourself in the language and make a friend along the way!

5 Tips for Advanced Spanish Learners

1. start writing a journal.

Keeping a journal in Spanish helps in many ways. It’s a way to write in Spanish and give you some time to think in Spanish every day. It’s easier to write about your daily activities just for yourself than to write a formal letter. Don’t worry too much about spelling or punctuation, just let your ideas flow in Spanish. This way, when you need to write a more important text, words will come to you easily and then you can focus on your grammar. 

2. Write About What You’re Passionate About

As with the journal, it’s easier to write about things that are important to you. If you start writing in Spanish about things you love, you’ll put more enthusiasm into the whole exercise. If you start with boring stuff, it’s likely that you’ll avoid practicing your writing altogether. 

3.  Search for Idioms

Here, I’m talking about the structures, phrases, and idioms used in Spanish that are specific to the type of text you have to write. For instance, formal letters in Spanish typically start with A quien corresponda (To Whom It May Concern) and finish with Atentamente (Sincerely). Searching for these kinds of widely-used idioms specific to the type of text you’re writing gives your writing a more proficient look.

4.  Use Synonyms

Using synonyms is a sign that you’re now an advanced learner of the language. It shows that you manage an ample vocabulary and can express your ideas in many different ways in Spanish. Avoiding repeating the same word by using synonyms is what you should do when writing in your native language. Doing it in Spanish shows your progress in the language. 

5. Ask for Feedback

Whenever possible, ask a native speaker or someone you know is fluent in Spanish for feedback on your writing. It could be your teacher or your language partner, but it’s always a good idea to get a second opinion. 

Start Writing Today!

Finally, the only way to improve your texts in Spanish is by writing. I’m stating the obvious, but what I mean is that you need to make developing your writing skills one of your main goals throughout your learning process. Design a writing routine for yourself and follow it. Keep these 15 tips in mind and soon you’ll be making great strides with your writing. 

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GCSE Spanish

Writing essays in Spanish for the open-ended task

The GCSE Open-ended Task is worth 32 points. More than half  of the 60 that can be obtained in the Writing Exam .  So I think it’s worth paying special attention to this activity.

You’ll need to write about 150 words in Spanish , based on two bullet points. You can see an example below , taken for a past exam. In the end, we also have a gift for you. 

Tips to carry out the open-ended task

As in the Structured task , you will have t wo assignments to choose from . Read the instructions carefully before choosing one of the two tasks to work with. T hink about which of them you know more vocabulary abou t, that will be a great help to start!

This task is more creative, make sure you include some opinions with reasons . On the other hand, having a clear purpose will allow you to select the language best suited to your task , it is not the same if you have to write an email to a friend, a letter to the school principal or even you have to write an article for a school magazine.

Organize your writing into a clear structure, which must include three parts:

• opening – engaging the reader, or outlining the main point of your task
• middle – a series of paragraphs that go into more detail
• end – a concluding paragraph that draws the points together

Don’t forget to use various verb tenses and grammar connectors to join your ideas, along with a wide variety of vocabulary.

GCSE open-ended writing task example

Here is an example of a GCSE open-ended task that appeared in a previous exam.

Start by explaining what you are going to talk about and what your opinion is on the subject: Creo que ser joven tiene muchísimas cosas buenas, también hay alguna mala, pero son las menos…

To describe that fun day, you will need to use at least the preterite (pretérito indefinido), to talk about the facts, and the imperfect tense (pretérito imperfecto) , to describe the circumstances: Hace dos semanas fui con mis amigos a ver un partido de fútbol, era la final de la copa y estabamos muy ilusionados y nerviosos, porque…

To give your opinion you will need to use the opinion verbs: Creo que, pienso que, en mi opinion… Remember that when you use these verbs in a negative sentence you have to use the subjunctive mood. It will be fantastic if you can use one: No creo que podamos tener un buen trabajo en el futuro…  

Once you have finished your writing, Check through your work carefully . Double-checking your work is really important, even small mistakes can cost marks. Take a look at this checklist:

Finally, you can send us your essay by email to [email protected], we will be happy to correct it and send it to you with comments . After that, if you want to practice with more tasks like this, you can register as a VIP student.

Essay in Spanish? How to Write a Spanish Essay

Elizabeth carrillo, 23 oct 2022.

Latin American authors such as Octavio Paz and Carlos Fuentes are well-known for their essays in Spanish. Read their essays to strengthen your own essay writing abilities. The components and writing process of a basic essay in Spanish is the same as English: an introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion. If you know how to write in English, you will transfer these skills to write in any foreign language as well – you just need to know Spanish words and useful phrases and learn how to string them together in a natural way. Write essays in Spanish to improve your Spanish language skills.

Explore this article

• Write your Spanish essay

1 Write your Spanish essay

Organize your thoughts for the essay in an outline form and summarize what you want to cover, step-by-step, in your essay. Choose an essay style if you have that option. Depending on what writing skills you have, a personal essay is easiest to write because it generally doesn't require any research. You could also try writing a persuasive essay.

Write a first draft of your essay. Be sure to have all the five paragraph components of a basic essay. Create a clear thesis statement for the last sentence of your introductory paragraph and make sure your main argument and main points are clearly laid out.

Print off the draft and read it out loud. The Spanish writing by nature is more flowery and indirect than English. You might have longer sentences to support your main points; turn to a Spanish-English dictionary for better word choices.

Correct any spelling problems. Pay special attention to words with accents.

Check with a Spanish grammar book to resolve any sentence structure issues. The subjunctive form is generally the most difficult grammatical element for Spanish language learners.

Write your final draft. Have someone else proofread the work; someone whose first language, or native language, is Spanish, is ideal. You can also use an online writing service if a native Spanish speaker isn’t available to you, even though it might not catch every error.

• 1 La Casa.edu: Organization of an Essay: Writing in Spanish at the University Level

About the Author

Born in New York City, Elizabeth Carrillo has worked as a bilingual freelance writer and translator since 2009. She contributes to various websites with articles on soccer and Mexico. Carrillo holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University.

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Using Transition Words in Spanish

To sound natural when writing in Spanish, it is important to use conectores ( transition words ). Transition words link your ideas together, allowing them to flow smoothly from one sentence to the next.

There are many types of transition words you can use when you are writing in Spanish. Let’s take a closer look!

Sequence and Order

The following transition words help us arrange ideas, events, and reasons according to their order of importance or to the order in which they happened chronologically .

Let’s put some of these into context!

Cause and Effect

Use these transition words to make a connection between cause and effect .

Let’s take a look at some examples!

Addition and Agreement

The following transition words add information , express agreement , and reinforce relationships and ideas that came before .

Check out these examples!

Examples, Emphasis, and Clarification

The following transitions are used to introduce examples as support , emphasize a particular fact , or explain a point .

Use these transition words to connect two things by focusing on their differences .

Here are some examples!

Summarizing and Concluding

These transition words can be used to conclude an argument or to summarize ideas .

Want more tips on writing in Spanish? Check out these articles!

• Spanish Punctuation
• Advanced Spanish Punctuation
• Spanish Words to Use in an Essay
• How to Write a Letter in Spanish
• Ace the AP Spanish Exam

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Full Transcript of Kamala Harris’s Democratic Convention Speech

The vice president’s remarks lasted roughly 35 minutes on the final night of the convention in Chicago.

• Share full article

By The New York Times

• Aug. 23, 2024

This is a transcript of Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech on Thursday night in which she formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for the presidency.

OK, let’s get to business. Let’s get to business. All right.

So, let me start by thanking my most incredible husband, Doug. For being an incredible partner to me, an incredible father to Cole and Ella, and happy anniversary, Dougie. I love you so very much.

To our president, Joe Biden. When I think about the path that we have traveled together, Joe, I am filled with gratitude. Your record is extraordinary, as history will show, and your character is inspiring. And Doug and I love you and Jill, and are forever thankful to you both.

And to Coach Tim Walz. You are going to be an incredible vice president. And to the delegates and everyone who has put your faith in our campaign, your support is humbling.

So, America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was, no doubt, unexpected. But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys. So, my mother, our mother, Shyamala Harris, had one of her own. And I miss her every day, and especially right now. And I know she’s looking down smiling. I know that.

So, my mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer.

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