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Lesson 73B1

Environment & Nature

Environment & Nature

Talking about environmental issues is a natural home for the subjunctive triggers you've built up — opinions, doubts, and necessity all come up constantly in this kind of discussion.

Grammar Comparison

Grammar Comparison

Necessity phrases about the environment lean on the subjunctive

Spanish

es urgente que actuemos (it's urgent that we act) — an impersonal necessity expression, same pattern as es necesario que

English

it's urgent that we act — one of English's own surviving subjunctive spots

Discussions of environmental necessity reuse the impersonal expression + subjunctive pattern from your earlier lesson — es urgente que, es esencial que — since these are all statements about what should happen, not what is happening. This is a good vocabulary set to practice that grammar point in a realistic context.

Environmental nouns split unpredictably by gender, as always

Spanish

el medio ambiente (the environment, masc.) but la naturaleza (nature, fem.)

English

the environment, nature — no article to predict from

As with household vocabulary earlier, don't expect these nouns' genders to follow any real-world logic — just learn each one with its article from the start, the same approach that's served you throughout this course.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

el medio ambienteel MEH-dee-oh am-bee-EN-teh
English
the environment
la naturalezalah nah-too-rah-LEH-sah
English
nature
el cambio climáticoel KAHM-bee-oh klee-MAH-tee-koh
English
climate change
reciclarreh-see-KLAHR
English
to recycle
contaminarkohn-tah-mee-NAHR
English
to pollute
el bosqueel BOHS-keh
English
the forest
el ríoel REE-oh
English
the river
es urgente que actuemoses oor-HEN-teh keh ahk-TWEH-mohs
English
it's urgent that we act
sosteniblesohs-teh-NEE-bleh
English
sustainable
protegerproh-teh-HEHR
English
to protect