Health and Lifestyle
Covers diet, exercise, wellbeing, and unhealthy habits — appears frequently in reading and writing exams.
Food and Drink
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|
| la fruta | fruit | las verduras | vegetables |
| la carne | meat | el pescado | fish |
| el pollo | chicken | el arroz | rice |
| la pasta | pasta | el pan | bread |
| el queso | cheese | los huevos | eggs |
| los caramelos / los dulces | sweets | las patatas fritas | chips/crisps |
| la comida basura | junk food | la comida ecológica/bio | organic food |
| el agua (mineral) | (mineral) water | el zumo de fruta | fruit juice |
| un refresco | a fizzy drink | la leche | milk |
Healthy Lifestyle
| Spanish | English |
|---|
| comer sano / de forma equilibrada | to eat healthily / a balanced diet |
| beber mucha agua | to drink lots of water |
| hacer ejercicio / deporte | to exercise / do sport |
| acostarse temprano | to go to bed early |
| dormir ocho horas | to sleep eight hours |
| relajarse / descansar | to relax / rest |
| mantenerse en forma | to keep fit |
| evitar el estrés | to avoid stress |
Unhealthy Habits
| Spanish | English |
|---|
| fumar / el tabaco | to smoke / tobacco |
| beber alcohol | to drink alcohol |
| drogarse / tomar drogas | to take drugs |
| comer demasiada grasa / azúcar | to eat too much fat / sugar |
| picar entre comidas | to snack between meals |
| llevar una vida sedentaria | to lead a sedentary life |
| ser adicto/a (a) | to be addicted (to) |
| saltarse comidas | to skip meals |
| la comida rápida | fast food |
Body and Illness
| Spanish | English |
|---|
| me duele la cabeza / el estómago / la garganta | I have a headache / stomach ache / sore throat |
| tener fiebre | to have a temperature |
| toser / estornudar | to cough / sneeze |
| estar resfriado/a | to have a cold |
| sentirse mal / enfermo/a | to feel ill / sick |
| estar estresado/a / deprimido/a / cansado/a | to be stressed / depressed / tired |
| una cita con el médico | a doctor's appointment |
| una receta | a prescription |
| un medicamento / una pastilla | a medicine / a tablet |
| el bienestar (mental) | (mental) wellbeing |
Model Responses
- Para mantenerme en forma, hago deporte tres veces por semana e intento comer cinco porciones de fruta y verdura al día. — To keep fit, I do sport three times a week and try to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
- Bebo mucha agua y evito los refrescos. — I drink a lot of water and avoid fizzy drinks.
- El problema es que muchos jóvenes comen demasiada comida basura y no hacen suficiente ejercicio. — The problem is that many young people eat too much junk food and don't do enough exercise.
- Se debería prohibir la publicidad de comida basura dirigida a niños. — Junk food advertising aimed at children should be banned.
- El bienestar mental es tan importante como la salud física. Los jóvenes sufren mucha presión por los exámenes y las redes sociales. — Mental wellbeing is as important as physical health. Young people suffer a lot of pressure from exams and social media.
Exam Tips
- In writing, use modal verbs: se debería (one should), habría que (it would be necessary), hay que (you must).
- Doler works like gustar: me duele la cabeza (singular), me duelen los pies (plural).
- In role play, you may visit a pharmacy or doctor — practise describing symptoms.
- Link health to other topics: technology (screen time), school (exam stress), environment (pollution).