Matching images to words tests your ability to connect everyday Spanish vocabulary with signs, household items, and activity illustrations. For this question type, read each Spanish word or phrase and enter the matching picture’s letter or number as instructed.
Decoding Clues and Matching Strategy
Visual matching questions test vocabulary recognition rather than spelling. First scan all the images. Then match the words you're sure of using the clues below, and only compare the leftover words against the remaining pictures:
- Spot cognates: words resembling English, such as el hospital or el teléfono.
- Split compound nouns: lavavajillas joins lava (washes) and vajillas (dishes) to mean dishwasher.
- Decode de phrases: el secador de pelo combines dryer with hair (pelo) to mean hairdryer.
- Use the noun's meaning first. Articles show grammatical gender and number: el lavavajillas means one dishwasher despite its final -s.
- Check adjective agreement: colour words distinguish similar items, such as las cortinas rojas (red curtains).
Complete the matches you know first. Cross off used options when each may be used once.
Public Signs, Stations, and Town Places
Pictures may show signs, transport hubs, or street directions. Look out for arrows, symbols, and crossed-out prohibition notices.
| Spanish sign / place | English meaning or visual clue |
|---|---|
| el semáforo | traffic lights |
| el cruce peatonal / el paso de peatones | pedestrian crossing (zebra stripes) |
| la escuela | school (warning sign) |
| el aparcamiento | car park (letter 'P' sign) |
| la rotonda | roundabout |
| a la derecha / gira a la derecha | to the right / turn right |
| a la izquierda / gira a la izquierda | to the left / turn left |
| la estación de tren | train station |
| la estación de autobuses | bus station |
| el aeropuerto | airport |
| los pasajeros | passengers |
| el equipaje | luggage |
| el puente | bridge |
| prohibido / está prohibido... | forbidden (e.g. prohibido fumar) |
House, Home, and Everyday Objects
Pictures may show household appliances and fittings. Focus on the core function or distinguishing feature of each item.
| Spanish word | English meaning |
|---|---|
| el frigorífico | fridge |
| el lavavajillas | dishwasher |
| la cocina de gas | gas cooker / hob |
| el secador de pelo | hairdryer |
| la cama | bed |
| la ducha | shower |
| las escaleras | stairs |
| las cortinas rojas | red curtains |
Leisure Activities, Sports, and Action Verbs
Action phrases describe an entire activity rather than just an object. The opening verb signals which picture to select:
- Jugar al...: used for sports and games. Jugar is followed by a + sport; a + el contracts to al before masculine sports (jugar al fútbol, jugar al tenis, jugar al ajedrez for chess).
- Tocar...: used for playing musical instruments (tocar la guitarra, tocar la batería for drums, tocar el piano).
- Hacer...: used for chores and individual sports (hacer los deberes, hacer natación).
- Other activities: quedar con amigos (meeting friends), usar las redes sociales (using social media), leer un libro (reading a book).
Key terms
- El semáforo
- Traffic lights; a standard street sign visual in town topics.
- El cruce peatonal
- Pedestrian crossing; shown with zebra stripes or a walking figure.
- A la derecha
- To the right; indicates a right-turn arrow on road signs.
- A la izquierda
- To the left; indicates a left-turn arrow on road signs.
- Jugar al
- To play a game or sport, combining preposition a and article el before masculine nouns.
- Tocar
- To play a musical instrument, as in tocar la batería or tocar el piano.
- Prohibido
- Forbidden or prohibited; often paired with a crossed-out symbol, as in prohibido fumar.
Check yourself
What does the town sign 'el cruce peatonal' show?
A pedestrian crossing.
Which Spanish verb is used for an image showing someone playing the flute or drums?
Tocar (e.g. tocar la flauta, tocar la batería).
Why does 'jugar a el tenis' become 'jugar al tenis'?
The preposition a and the masculine article el contract to form al.
What public travel location is represented by 'la estación de autobuses'?
Bus station.