English Vocabulary and Grammar Guide

Behind Bars: Legal and Crime Vocabulary

Spanish - English

• Entre rejas - Behind bars
• Prihibido - Forbidden
• Cumplir - Enforce/comply
• Celda - Cell
• Robo - Theft/robbery
• Obedecer - Comply
• Delincuente - Offender
• Multar - Fined
• Hurto - Shoplifting
• Acusar de - Charged with
• Culpable - Guilty
• Juzgado - Court
• Enderezar el rumbo - Go straight
• Juicio - Trial
• Condenar - Convict
• Desobedecer - Defy
• Meterse en un lio - Get into trouble
• Levantar el castigo - Let you off the hook
• Robo/estafa - Daily robbery
• Con las manos en la masa - Caught red-handed
• Borrar sus huellas - Cover their tracks
• Tomar medidas - Crack down on
• De hecho y derecho - Above board
• Vista gorda - Turn a blind eye
• Dejar las cosas claras - Lay down the law
• Enmendar la conducta - Mend his ways
• A la fuga - On the run

Modal Verbs

Permission

• Can (informal)
• May/could (formal)

Ability

• Can (present ability)
• Could (past ability)
• Be able to (all tenses)

Possibility

• May/can (It's cloudy, it can rain)
• Might/could (It's sunny, but it could rain tomorrow)

Obligation

• Must (seguro): Tiendas cerradas
• Must + infinitive: You must study harder
• Have/has to + infinitive: You have to wear a helmet when riding
• Need to + infinitive: You need to improve your marks

Prohibition

• Mustn't: No puedes fumar aquí (You mustn't smoke here)
• Can't: Tu puedes ir fuera (You can't go outside)

Lack of Necessity

• Don't/doesn't have to
• Don't/doesn't need to

Advice

• Should = ought to + infinitive: You should do more sport

Passive Voice

Present Simple

• Arranges - Is arranged

Present Continuous

• Is arranging - Is being arranged

Past Simple

• Arranged - Was arranged

Past Continuous

• Was arranging - Was being arranged

Present Perfect Simple

• Has arranged - Has been arranged

Future Simple

• Will arrange - Will be arranged

Future Perfect Simple

• Will have arranged - Will have been arranged

Modals

• Must arrange - Must be arranged

Have to

• Has to arrange - Has to be arranged

Be going to

• Is going to arrange - Is going to be arranged

Work and Employment Vocabulary

Spanish - English

• Puesto trabajo - Position/job
• Título - Qualifications
• Campos - Fields
• Turnos - Shifts
• Salario - Wages
• Ventajas - Perks
• Plazos - Deadlines

Personal Pronouns