Vocabulary: at the park
In the summer, we like to hang out at the park, where the refreshing shade of trees keeps us cool on mild afternoons… and in Spain you’ll see plenty of parks! Since we know that sooner or later you’ll end up spending a lot of time at one of these places relaxing or studying, we’ve decided to give you a Spanish vocabulary list of things that you’ll find there.
- Columpio: Swing, you know, a small seat attached to a pair of hanging chains on which kids swing back and forth, sometimes at dizzying speeds.
- Balancín: Seasaw or teeter totter, a metal plank held up in the middle upon which a kid seated on either end alternates moving up and down.
- Tobogán: Slide, a slippery graded surface over which children slide down at great speeds. This is something of a false friend of the English word “tobbogan”, meaning a type of sled.
- Fuente: Fountain, this structure could be anything from a block of cement to a sculpture that sprays water. Before drinking from a water fountain, make sure the water is potable.
- Banco: Bench, a metal or wooden seat that may be more or less decorated where you can sit and rest or chat, etc.
- Estanque: Pond, this may or may not accompany a fountain. A well maintained pond may even contain fish.
- Césped: Lawn, an extension of grass which you may or may not lay down on to rest, depending on how strict the local authorities are.
- Quiosco (or kiosco): Kiosk, many old parks have quioscos in which musicians perform for park-goers. There’s also another type of quiosco, which is like a newspaper stand where newspapers, magazines, and candy are sold.
We hope this vocab list helps you have a pleasant and relaxing afternoon at the park, a great place to forget about your worries and disconnect for a while!