Family conflicts – Los conflictos familiares
The key topics and activities covered in this section are:
- Arguments – Las discusiones
- Activity: Negative relationships 1 – Las relaciones negativas 1
- Activity: Negative relationships 2 – Las relaciones negativas 2
- Activity: Adverbs – Los adverbios
- Activity: Arguments with parents – Las discusiones con los padres 1
- Activity: Arguments with parents 2 – Las discusiones con los padres 2
Overview
Although we may get on well with our families, there can be arguments from time to time. What do you tend to argue about with your parents, brothers and sisters? To introduce family conflicts, you may want to start by saying that you don’t get on well with someone in particular and then give reasons why.
For more on this topic, have a look at our National 5 Spanish Study Guide, pp. 12–15.
Related Videos
Watch the clip for more on relationships with parents.
For more, watch the clip 'Conflictos de la Familia'.
Quizzes
Click a link below to take a topic quiz:
Thoughts
Listening Activity: Negative relationships 1 – Las relaciones negativas 1
Audio file:
| 1. Tengo una mala relación con mi hermana | I have a bad relationship with mi sister. |
| 2. Tengo una mala relación con mi abuela | I have a bad relationship with my grandmother. |
| 3. Me llevo mal con mi tío | I get on badly with my uncle. |
| 4. No me entiendo bien con mi hermano | I don’t get on well with my brother. |
| 5. Discuto a menudo con mis padres | I often argue with my parents. |
| 6. De vez en cuando, hay tensión con mis padres | From time to time there are tensions with my parents. |
Activity: Adverbs – Los adverbios
1. Siempre – always
2. A menudo – often
3. A veces – sometimes
4. De vez en cuando – from time to time
5. Raramente – rarely
6. Nunca – never
Activity: Negative relationships 2 – Las relaciones negativas 2
| Discuto con mis padres/padre/madre/hermano/hermana porque… | I argue with my dad/ my mum/ my brother/ my sister because… |
| 1. mi padre/mi madre/mi hermano/mi hermana es (+ negative adjective) | my dad/ my mum/ my brother/ my sister is + negative adjective |
| 2. mis padres son (+ adjective – don’t forget agreement) | my parents are… |
| 3. (él/ella) es (+ negative adjective) | he/ she is … |
| 4. (ellos) son (+ negative adjective – don’t forget agreement) | they are… |
| 5. (él/ella) coge mi ropa sin pedirme permiso | he/ she takes my clothes without asking permission |
| 6. (él/ella) miente todo el tiempo | he/ she lies all the time |
| 7. mis padres quieren ver programas diferentes en la tele | my parents want to watch different programmes on TV |
| 8. (él/ella) pone la música muy alta cuando hago los deberes | he/ she listens to music too loudly when I am doing my homework |
| 9. (él/ella) actúa de forma distinta delante de mis padres | he/ she changes his/her behaviour in front of my parents |
| 10. mi padre se burla de mí delante de mis amigos | my dad makes fun of me in front of my friends |
| 11. mis hermanos me irritan todo el tiempo | my brothers tease me all the time |
| 12. mi hermana usa mi maquillaje/mi ordenador sin pedirme permiso | my sister uses my makeup/ my computer without asking me for permission |
ANSWERS to Activity: Arguments with parents – Las discusiones con los padres 1
| Daniel | Paula | |
|---|---|---|
| Who does he/ she argue with? | His dad | Her mum |
| Why? | · His dad is always on his back
· His dad thinks he is always on his mobile phone · His dad doesn’t like his girlfriend · His dad thinks he is too young to have a girlfriend · His dad thinks he should spend more time studying · His dad interferes with his things · His dad doesn’t respect his private life |
· Her mum criticises her all the time
· Her mum tells her off for not doing the dishes or the hovering · Her brother does nothing · Her friends get £20 each week without helping at home · She would get no pocket money if she didn’t do the housework · She only gets £10 per week which is not enough for her |
Exercise 1 (p13)
Read the following sentences and work out what they mean. Try to find links between English and Spanish vocabulary to help you work out what the words mean before checking in the dictionary.
Listen to phrases online to help you with pronunciation.
I argue with my parents because of…
…my studies. They think I don’t study enough. They are not happy with my marks at school.
…going out. They don’t let me go out with my friends during the week. They don’t give me enough freedom.
…my friends. They don’t like my friends. They think I spend too much time with my friends.
…my boyfriend/girlfriend. They don’t like my boyfriend/girlfriend. They believe I am too young to have a boyfriend/girlfriend.
…money. They don’t give me enough money. They think I waste my money. They won’t let me find a part-time job to earn some money.
…housework. They think that I do nothing at home and that I am too lazy. I believe that I help a lot at home but they don’t agree. I have to do a lot of housework but my brother does nothing.
…my private life. They interfere with my things. They don’t respect my private life. They always want to know what is happening in my life which annoys me. They ask too many questions about my friends/ my boyfriend/ my girlfriend/ my studies.
…my behaviour. They think that I am disobedient. They are not happy about my behaviour at home/school.
…my hobbies. They think I spend too much time watching TV/listening to music/playing on the computer. They say that I spend too much time on the internet/on my mobile phone/on Facebook.