A2 · ElementaryAdapted from Expansión

Housing in Spain: Promises and Problems

La vivienda en España: promesas y problemas

Oct 6, 20261 min readGraded Spanish · word-by-word audio

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Cuando Sánchez llegó al gobierno, el mercado de la vivienda en España funcionaba mejor que ahora. La crisis había terminado y se construían casas al ritmo necesario. Los bancos empezaron a dar préstamos otra vez.

En la legislatura actual, el gobierno creó un Ministerio de Vivienda. La ministra Isabel Rodríguez no tenía experiencia en el sector. El gobierno publicó un índice de precios del alquiler. Esta medida solo se aplicó en algunas comunidades.

El gobierno prometió muchas viviendas públicas, pero no cumplió. Prometió 184.000 viviendas y luego 75.000 más. Al final, solo entregó diez mil. La gente está muy decepcionada con estas promesas incumplidas.

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Watch out, English speaker

English speakers often default to the preterite (e.g., 'funcionó') for any past action, but the imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual past states. In this sentence, 'funcionaba' describes the housing market's condition at that time, not a completed event. Using the preterite would wrongly suggest the market functioned only at a single moment. English has no direct equivalent of the Spanish imperfect, so learners may translate 'funcionaba' as 'was functioning' or 'used to function.' While sometimes correct, the imperfect often simply sets the scene. Overusing 'used to' can sound unnatural when the context is a continuous state rather than a repeated action. Spanish uses the imperfect for background descriptions (weather, time, age, ongoing situations), whereas English often uses simple past. For example, 'Cuando llegó, el mercado funcionaba' translates naturally as 'When he arrived, the market was working,' not 'used to work.' Learners should avoid forcing 'used to' into every imperfect verb.

Key vocabulary

viviendaf.
housing, dwelling
“El gobierno prometió muchas viviendas públicas.”— The government promised many public housing units.
Pattern vivienda pública public housing
Compare casa f. house
Plural: viviendas
💡 From the verb vivir (to live), adding -enda indicates "something that should be lived in".
mercadom.
market
“El mercado de la vivienda en España funcionaba mejor.”— The housing market in Spain was working better.
Pattern mercado inmobiliario real estate market
Compare comercio m. trade
Plural: mercados
💡 From Latin mercatus, related to "commerce".
crisisf.
crisis
“La crisis había terminado.”— The crisis had ended.
Pattern crisis económica economic crisis
Compare problema m. problem
Plural: crisis (unchanged)
💡 From Latin, spelling unchanged, pay attention to the stress.
préstamom.
loan
“Los bancos empezaron a dar préstamos.”— Banks started giving loans.
Pattern pedir un préstamo to apply for a loan
Compare crédito m. credit
Plural: préstamos
💡 From the verb prestar (to lend), adding -amo forms a noun.
aprobarv.
to pass (a law); to approve
“Aprobó la Ley por el Derecho a la Vivienda.”— He passed the Housing Rights Law.
Pattern aprobar una ley to pass a law
Compare pasar v. to pass
Present indicative: apruebo, apruebas, aprueba...
💡 a- + probar (to prove), meaning "to prove feasible".
alquilerm.
rent; renting
“El gobierno publicó un índice de precios del alquiler.”— The government published a rent price index.
Pattern precio del alquiler rental price
Compare renta f. rent
Plural: alquileres
💡 From the verb alquilar (to rent out), adding -er forms a noun.
prometerv.
to promise
“El gobierno prometió muchas viviendas públicas.”— The government promised many public housing units.
Pattern prometer algo a alguien to promise something to someone
Compare jurar v. to swear
Present indicative: prometo, prometes, promete...
💡 From Latin promittere, pro- (forward) + mittere (to send).
cumplirv.
to fulfill, to keep (a promise)
“El gobierno prometió muchas viviendas, pero no cumplió.”— The government promised many homes, but did not deliver.
Pattern cumplir una promesa to keep a promise
Compare realizar v. to fulfill
Present indicative: cumplo, cumples, cumple...
💡 From Latin complere (to fill up), extended to mean "to complete".
decepcionadoadj.
disappointed
“La gente está muy decepcionada con estas promesas incumplidas.”— People are very disappointed with these broken promises.
Pattern estar decepcionado con to be disappointed with
Compare desilusionado adj. disappointed
Feminine: decepcionada; plural: decepcionados
💡 From the verb decepcionar (to disappoint), adding -ado forms an adjective.

Grammar spotlight

Pretérito Imperfecto

The pretérito imperfecto is used to describe past states, habitual actions, or actions that were in progress. It does not emphasize the completion of an action but rather the background or continuity in the past.

“Cuando Sánchez llegó al gobierno, el mercado de la vivienda en España funcionaba mejor que ahora.”— When Sánchez came to power, the housing market in Spain was working better than now.

⚠️ Do not confuse the pretérito imperfecto with the pretérito indefinido: the pretérito indefinido expresses completed actions, while the pretérito imperfecto expresses past habits or states.

Sentence patterns to steal

Cuando Sánchez llegó al gobierno, el mercado de la vivienda en España funcionaba mejor que ahora.
When Sánchez came to power, the housing market in Spain was working better than now.
Cuando + subject + verb (pretérito indefinido), subject + verb (pretérito imperfecto) + comparative + que + present tenseYou can replace the time, person, and comparison, e.g., Cuando llegué a casa, la comida estaba mejor que ahora.
El gobierno prometió muchas viviendas públicas, pero no cumplió.
The government promised many public housing units, but it did not deliver.
Subject + prometer + object, pero + no + cumplirYou can replace the promise and the unfulfilled action, e.g., Él prometió ayudarme, pero no cumplió.
La gente está muy decepcionada con estas promesas incumplidas.
People are very disappointed with these unfulfilled promises.
Subject + estar + adjective + con + noun phraseYou can replace the subject, adjective, and noun phrase, e.g., Estoy contento con mi nuevo trabajo.

Spain's Housing Problem

Spain's housing problem has long been a hot social issue, especially as young people struggle to afford rent and housing prices. The government has introduced measures such as rent control, but with limited effect, even leading to a reduction in rental supply. The right to housing is enshrined in the Spanish Constitution, but achieving it is fraught with difficulties.

Source: Based on the Spanish Constitution and news reports

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