Spanish · C1 · Everyday language
Capturing developments in a compact description in Spanish
This guide focuses on describing ongoing social developments and trends using sophisticated Spanish structures. At a C1 level, we move beyond simple adjectives to describe continuous actions and evolving situations with precision.
What you'll learn
- Express ongoing trends using adjectives ending in -nte.
- Utilize relative clauses to describe active states where English uses present participles.
- Master the use of 'cada vez más' to indicate intensification.
- Incorporate formal vocabulary to describe social dynamics.
Spanish phrases for capturing developments in a compact description
El coste del transporte, en constante aumento, me preocupa.
The steadily rising cost of transport worries me.
Uses 'en constante aumento' to capture the English 'steadily rising' nuance.
Las familias que residen lejos de la ciudad se enfrentan a dificultades añadidas.
Families living far from town face additional difficulties.
Spanish uses a relative clause ('que residen') where English uses a present participle ('living').
La creciente demanda de vivienda asequible merece mayor atención.
The growing demand for affordable housing deserves more attention.
'Creciente' is the standard adjective for 'growing' in social contexts.
Quienes trabajan en horarios irregulares requieren servicios más flexibles.
People working irregular hours need more flexible services.
'Quienes' is an elegant way to start a description of a specific group of people.
El debate, cada vez más enconado, está desvirtuando los problemas prácticos.
The increasingly heated debate is obscuring the practical issues.
'Cada vez más' + adjective perfectly translates 'increasingly'.
El número de jóvenes que solicitan asesoramiento resulta significativo.
The number of young people seeking advice seems significant.
'Solicitan' is more formal and precise for professional advice than 'buscan'.
La brecha, cada vez mayor, entre estas áreas no es inevitable.
The widening gap between these areas isn't inevitable.
'Brecha' is the standard term for a socio-economic 'gap'.
Un enfoque centrado exclusivamente en el crecimiento obvia las consecuencias humanas.
An approach focusing solely on growth misses the human consequences.
'Obvia' (from obviar) is a sophisticated verb meaning to overlook or disregard.
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Asequible
Affordable / Accessible
Commonly used for housing (vivienda) or prices.
Enconado
Heated / Bitter
Used to describe arguments or debates that have become very intense.
Brecha
Gap / Breach
Refers to disparity, such as the 'brecha salarial' (wage gap).
Creciente
Growing / Increasing
The active adjective form of the verb 'crecer'.
Present Participles vs. Relative Clauses
In English, the '-ing' form (Present Participle) often acts as an adjective (e.g., 'the living families'). In Spanish, this is generally ungrammatical. Instead, Spanish uses a relative clause or an adjective ending in -nte.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Clause | que + conjugated verb | Las personas que trabajan (People working...) |
| Active Adjective | Verb stem + -nte | La demanda creciente (The growing demand) |
Describing Intensification
To describe a trend that is becoming more intense (increasingly / widening), Spanish relies on the construction 'cada vez más' followed by an adjective or adverb.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Increasingly | Cada vez más + Adj | Cada vez más difícil (Increasingly difficult) |
| Widening/Greater | Cada vez mayor | Una brecha cada vez mayor (A widening gap) |
More examples
La población que envejece requiere cuidados específicos.
The aging population requires specific care.
Note the use of 'que envejece' rather than an adjective.
Es una tendencia preocupante en el mercado laboral.
It is a worrying trend in the labor market.
'Preocupante' is the active adjective for 'worrying'.