B2 · 50 words
Belief and its vocabulary in Spanish
Words for something you can only discuss precisely if you have them.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
English has one word, pilgrimage, for two Spanish things that share almost nothing. La peregrinación is the long walk with a destination: weeks on foot, a rucksack, and el peregrino at the end of it. La romería is a single day. The village goes out to a chapel in the fields, hears mass, and then eats and dances there until the evening, and plenty of the people there do not believe a word of it. The name comes from el romero, one who went to Rome, but nothing about a modern romería is far away. Even the verbs differ: one is hacer el camino, the other ir de romería — which is much closer to going on an outing.
The words
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Adjective (1)
Grammar for these: Agreement: gender and number · Demonstratives: este, ese, aquel
laiconot run by any churchAdjectiveB2
El Estado es laico desde 1978.The state has not been run by any church since 1978.
Exclamation (1)
ojalálet us hopeExclamationB2
Ojalá salga bien.Let us hope it turns out well.
Phrase (14)
el santo patrónthe patron saintPhraseB2
El santo patrón da nombre a la fiesta.The patron saint gives the feast its name.
la imagen religiosathe figure carried in processionPhraseB2
La imagen religiosa sale en procesión.The figure carried in procession goes out today.
la primera comuniónthe first communionPhraseB2
La primera comunión fue en la ermita.The first communion was in the chapel.
la comunidad religiosathe community of a faithPhraseB2
La comunidad religiosa se reúne los viernes.The community of that faith meets on Fridays.
la libertad religiosafreedom of religionPhraseB2
La libertad religiosa está en la Constitución.Freedom of religion is in the constitution.
la tolerancia religiosaputting up with another religionPhraseB2
La tolerancia religiosa se practica en el barrio.Putting up with another religion is practised in this district.
la leyenda popularthe tale handed downPhraseB2
La leyenda popular explica el nombre del pueblo.The tale handed down explains the name of the village.
la tradición oralwhat is handed down by word of mouthPhraseB2
La tradición oral se perdió en dos generaciones.What is handed down by word of mouth was lost in two generations.
el calendario litúrgicothe church calendarPhraseB2
El calendario litúrgico marca los festivos.The church calendar sets the public holidays.
el patrimonio religiosothe religious heritagePhraseB2
El patrimonio religioso necesita restauración.The religious heritage needs restoring.
la enseñanza religiosareligious teaching in schoolPhraseB2
La enseñanza religiosa es optativa.Religious teaching in school is optional.
la asignatura alternativathe subject taken insteadPhraseB2
La asignatura alternativa es de valores.The subject taken instead is about values.
el diálogo interreligiosothe talking between faithsPhraseB2
El diálogo interreligioso empezó en el barrio.The talking between faiths started in this district.
el respeto a lo ajenorespect for what belongs to othersPhraseB2
El respeto a lo ajeno se aprende en la calle.Respect for what belongs to others is learnt in the street.
Noun (f) (17)
Grammar for these: Masculine or feminine · The plural
la creenciathe belief heldNoun (f)B2
La creencia se hereda muchas veces.The belief held is often inherited.
la fefaith, belief in the religious senseNoun (f)B2
La fe no se discute con datos.Faith is not argued about with figures.
la religiónthe religionNoun (f)B2
La religión aparece en el calendario.The religion shows up in the calendar.
la parroquiathe parishNoun (f)B2
La parroquia organiza el comedor social.The parish runs the soup kitchen.
la misathe massNoun (f)B2
La misa dura cuarenta minutos.The mass lasts forty minutes.
la peregrinaciónthe pilgrimage on footNoun (f)B2
La peregrinación dura un mes a pie.The pilgrimage on foot takes a month.
la romeríathe one-day pilgrimage with a picnicNoun (f)B2
La romería junta al pueblo entero.The one-day pilgrimage brings the whole village together.
la cofradíathe brotherhoodNoun (f)B2
La cofradía tiene cuatrocientos años.The brotherhood is four hundred years old.
la ermitathe small chapel out in the countryNoun (f)B2
La ermita está en lo alto del monte.The small chapel out in the country stands on top of the hill.
la espiritualidadspiritualityNoun (f)B2
La espiritualidad no siempre es religiosa.Spirituality is not always religious.
la meditaciónmeditationNoun (f)B2
La meditación es de diez minutos.Meditation lasts ten minutes.
la laicidadthe keeping apart of state and churchNoun (f)B2
La laicidad protege también a los creyentes.The keeping apart of state and church protects believers too.
la sectathe sectNoun (f)B2
La secta aislaba a sus miembros.The sect cut its members off.
la supersticiónsuperstitionNoun (f)B2
La superstición sobrevive a la fe.Superstition outlives faith.
la providenciaprovidenceNoun (f)B2
No cree en la providencia.He does not believe in providence.
la cuaresmaLentNoun (f)B2
La cuaresma dura cuarenta días.Lent lasts forty days.
la procesiónthe processionNoun (f)B2
La procesión recorre el casco viejo.The procession goes through the old town.
Noun (m) (17)
Grammar for these: Masculine or feminine · The plural
el cultothe act of worshipNoun (m)B2
El culto es los domingos por la mañana.The act of worship is on Sunday mornings.
el templothe house of worshipNoun (m)B2
El templo está abierto todo el día.The house of worship is open all day.
el párrocothe parish priestNoun (m)B2
El párroco lleva veinte años aquí.The parish priest has been here twenty years.
el rezothe prayer saidNoun (m)B2
El rezo se repite tres veces al día.The prayer said is repeated three times a day.
el ayunothe fast keptNoun (m)B2
El ayuno acaba al ponerse el sol.The fast kept ends at sunset.
el peregrinothe pilgrimNoun (m)B2
La peregrina llegó con una mochila pequeña.The pilgrim arrived with a small rucksack.
el ritothe rite of worshipNoun (m)B2
El rito se repite sin cambios.The rite of worship is repeated without change.
el sacramentothe sacramentNoun (m)B2
El sacramento se recibe una vez.The sacrament is received once.
el funeralthe funeral serviceNoun (m)B2
El funeral fue civil.The funeral service was a civil one.
el lutothe period of mourningNoun (m)B2
El luto duraba un año entero.The period of mourning used to last a whole year.
el creyentethe believerNoun (m)B2
La creyente no va nunca a misa.The believer never goes to mass.
el practicantethe believer who takes partNoun (m)B2
Es creyente pero no practicante.He believes but is not a believer who takes part.
el ateothe atheistNoun (m)B2
Se declaró ateo desde joven.He declared himself an atheist while still young.
el agnósticothe agnosticNoun (m)B2
La agnóstica prefiere no decidir.The agnostic would rather not decide.
el fundamentalismofundamentalismNoun (m)B2
El fundamentalismo no es propio de una sola fe.Fundamentalism belongs to no one faith.
el amuletothe charm carriedNoun (m)B2
Lleva un amuleto en el bolsillo.She carries a charm in her pocket.
el milagrothe miracleNoun (m)B2
El milagro se cuenta desde el siglo quince.The miracle has been told since the fifteenth century.
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This list belongs to Society, politics and media — 23 lists and 1 150 words that can also be practised as a whole.