The Socialists Shaking Up US Politics

Key vocabulary

• socialistaadj./m./f.

  socialist (adj./n.)

  “Los Socialistas Democráticos de América están ganando elecciones.”— The Democratic Socialists of America are winning elections.

  Pattern partido socialista socialist party

  Compare izquierdista left-wing

  plural socialistas

  💡 From social (social) + ista (ist), an internationally common root

• primariaf.

  primary election

  “Ganó las primarias para la alcaldía de Nueva York.”— He won the primaries for mayor of New York.

  Pattern elecciones primarias primaries

  Compare elección interna internal election

  plural primarias

  💡 Originally meaning 'primary', in political contexts it refers to party primaries

• alcaldíaf.

  mayor's office; city hall

  “Zohan Mamdani ganó la alcaldía de Nueva York.”— Zohan Mamdani won the mayorship of New York.

  Pattern alcaldía de Madrid Madrid city government

  Compare ayuntamiento city hall

  plural alcaldías

  💡 From alcalde (mayor) + ía (position suffix)

• sorpresaf.

  surprise

  “Fue una gran sorpresa para todos.”— It was a big surprise for everyone.

  Pattern gran sorpresa huge surprise

  Compare asombro astonishment

  plural sorpresas

  💡 From sorprender (to surprise), note the double r

• precedentem.

  precedent

  “Este avance no tiene precedentes en la historia.”— This advance has no precedent in history.

  Pattern sin precedentes unprecedented

  Compare antecedente precedent

  plural precedentes

  💡 pre- (before) + ceder (to go) + -ente, something that goes before

• agendaf.

  agenda

  “Tienen una agenda claramente izquierdista.”— They have a clearly leftist agenda.

  Pattern agenda política political agenda

  Compare programa platform

  plural agendas

  💡 Latin originally meaning 'things to be done', in political contexts it refers to policy proposals

• izquierdistaadj.

  leftist

  “Tienen una agenda claramente izquierdista.”— They have a clearly leftist agenda.

  Pattern política izquierdista left-wing policy

  Compare progresista progressive

  plural izquierdistas

  💡 From izquierda (left), -ista indicates inclination

• radicaladj.

  radical

  “Quieren un cambio radical en política exterior.”— They want a radical change in foreign policy.

  Pattern cambio radical radical change

  Compare extremo extreme

  plural radicales

  💡 From Latin radix (root), changing from the root means thorough

• corresponsalm./f.

  correspondent

  “Andrés Gil es corresponsal de elDiario.es en Washington.”— Andrés Gil is a correspondent for elDiario.es in Washington.

  Pattern corresponsal de guerra war correspondent

  Compare reportero reporter

  plural corresponsales

  💡 cor- (together) + responder (to respond), one who sends reports back together

• diferenciaf.

  difference

  “¿Qué les diferencia de los republicanos?”— What differentiates them from the Republicans?

  Pattern la diferencia entre A y B the difference between A and B

  Compare distinción distinction

  plural diferencias

  💡 From diferir (to differ), note the same origin as English difference

• vencerv.

  to defeat

  “No ha podido vencer a Donald Trump.”— He has not been able to defeat Donald Trump.

  Pattern vencer al rival defeat the rival

  Compare ganar to win

  yo venzo, tú vences, él vence

  💡 Note that c becomes z before a/o, e.g. venzo

• genocidiom.

  genocide

  “Hablan del genocidio en Gaza.”— They speak of the genocide in Gaza.

  Pattern genocidio en Gaza genocide in Gaza

  Compare exterminio extermination

  plural genocidios

  💡 geno- (race) + cidio (killing), an international legal term

Grammar spotlight

Sentence patterns to steal

• En Estados Unidos está pasando algo que sorprende a muchos.

  In the United States, something is happening that surprises many people.

  En + place + está pasando algo que + verbBoth the place and the verb can be replaced, e.g. En España está pasando algo que preocupa a todos.

• Este avance no tiene precedentes en la historia política moderna del país.

  This development is unprecedented in the country's modern political history.

  Este/Esta + noun + no tiene precedentes en + fieldThe noun and the field can be replaced, e.g. Este cambio no tiene precedentes en la historia.

• Tienen una agenda claramente izquierdista y quieren un cambio radical.

  They have a clearly leftist agenda and want radical change.

  Tienen + noun + y quieren + nounYou can replace this with other political or social positions, e.g. Tienen un plan claro y quieren un cambio total.

• Nos cuenta cuáles son sus ideas y qué les diferencia de los republicanos.

  He tells us what their ideas are and what sets them apart from Republicans.

  Nos cuenta cuáles son + noun + y qué + verb + de + objectYou can use this for other explanatory contexts, e.g. Nos explica cuáles son sus planes.