CSET Spanish · Subtest I · Test Code 145

CSET Spanish Subtest I Vocabulary List (2026)

False cognates Academic terms Cohesive devices Updated 2026

A free, organized vocabulary reference for CSET Spanish Subtest I — covering the false cognates, academic terminology, cohesive devices, idioms, and regional terms that appear most consistently on the exam.

⚡ Key Takeaways

False cognates are high-yield — words like embarazado and éxito are tested repeatedly because they trick English speakers
Academic SLA terminology (Krashen's hypotheses, linguistics terms) appears in Domain 1 by name — know the Spanish equivalents too
Cohesive devices (sin embargo, por lo tanto) are essential for both reading comprehension and constructed-response writing
Regional variation terms (seseo, yeísmo, voseo) are tested as vocabulary, not just concepts
Use this list alongside the Study Guide and Practice Test — vocabulary alone is not sufficient prep

False Cognates (Falsos Cognados)

False cognates look like English words but mean something different. They are one of the most consistently tested vocabulary categories on CSET Spanish Subtest I — both in direct vocabulary questions and as traps embedded in reading passages.

Spanish Word	Looks Like	Actually Means	Correct Word for the English Meaning
embarazada	embarrassed	pregnant	avergonzada
sensible	sensible	sensitive	sensato/a
librería	library	bookstore	biblioteca
éxito	exit	success	salida
actualmente	actually	currently	en realidad / de hecho
asistir	to assist	to attend	ayudar
realizar	to realize	to carry out / accomplish	darse cuenta de
recordar	to record	to remember	grabar
introducir	to introduce (a person)	to insert / bring in	presentar
parientes	parents	relatives	padres
colegio	college	school (K–12)	universidad
carpeta	carpet	folder	alfombra
fábrica	fabric	factory	tela
lectura	lecture	reading	conferencia
molestar	to molest	to bother / annoy	abusar de
contestar	to contest	to answer	disputar
disgusto	disgust	annoyance / displeasure	asco
grosería	grocery	rude remark	tienda de comestibles
notorio	notorious	obvious / well-known	de mala fama
simpático	sympathetic	nice / friendly	compasivo

Exam tip: When a reading passage uses a word that looks like an obvious English cognate, slow down. The exam frequently tests whether you fall into the false-cognate trap rather than reading for actual meaning in context.

Academic & Second Language Acquisition (SLA) Terminology

Domain 1 of the exam tests linguistics and SLA theory by name. You need to recognize both the English term and how it might appear referenced in Spanish-language teaching contexts.

Term	Definition
adquisición	Acquisition — the subconscious process of internalizing language, as opposed to aprendizaje (conscious learning)
el filtro afectivo	The Affective Filter — Krashen's concept that anxiety and low motivation block language acquisition
la interlengua	Interlanguage — a learner's evolving, rule-governed approximation of the target language
la fosilización	Fossilization — when a learner's errors become permanent and stop improving despite continued exposure
el cambio de código	Code-switching — alternating between two languages within a conversation or utterance
el registro	Register — the level of formality in language use (formal vs. informal)
la fonología	Phonology — the study of sound systems in a language
la morfología	Morphology — the study of word formation and structure
la sintaxis	Syntax — the study of sentence structure and word order
la pragmática	Pragmatics — how context shapes meaning beyond literal interpretation
el dialecto	Dialect — a regional or social variety of a language, including vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation differences
el acento	Accent — pronunciation differences only (a narrower concept than dialect)
la comprensión auditiva	Listening comprehension
la comprensión lectora	Reading comprehension
la producción oral	Oral production / speaking output

Krashen's Five Hypotheses — Quick Reference

Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis — subconscious acquisition vs. conscious learning are distinct processes
Natural Order Hypothesis — grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable order
Monitor Hypothesis — learned knowledge acts as an editor, not a generator, of language
Input Hypothesis (i+1) — acquisition occurs with comprehensible input slightly above current level
Affective Filter Hypothesis — emotional state can block or allow input to be acquired

Cohesive Devices (Conectores)

Cohesive devices connect ideas logically. They are essential for reading comprehension (identifying relationships between sentences) and for constructed-response writing (organizing your own paragraphs).

Spanish	English	Function
sin embargo	however / nevertheless	Contrast
no obstante	however / nonetheless	Contrast (more formal)
por lo tanto	therefore	Consequence
por consiguiente	consequently	Consequence (formal)
además	furthermore / in addition	Addition
es decir	that is / in other words	Clarification
puesto que	since / given that	Cause
ya que	since / because	Cause
debido a que	due to the fact that	Cause (formal)
aunque	although / even though	Concession
a pesar de	despite / in spite of	Concession
en cambio	on the other hand	Contrast
por otro lado	on the other hand	Contrast / new point
en primer lugar	in the first place	Sequencing
en conclusión	in conclusion	Closing
cabe destacar que	it is worth noting that	Emphasis (formal writing)

For constructed-response writing

Using 3–4 different cohesive devices in a single written response demonstrates vocabulary range and organizational skill — both scored criteria. Avoid repeating pero (informal "but") in formal writing; use sin embargo or no obstante instead.

Grammar-Related Vocabulary

These terms relate directly to the grammar concepts most heavily tested on Subtest I.

Subjunctive Triggers (WEIRDO)

Category	Example Trigger Phrases
Wishes	querer que, esperar que, desear que
Emotion	alegrarse de que, temer que, sentir que
Impersonal expressions	es importante que, es necesario que, es posible que
Requests	pedir que, sugerir que, recomendar que
Doubt/Denial	dudar que, no creer que, negar que
Ojalá	ojalá que (expressing hope)

Common Ser/Estar Collocations

Spanish	Meaning	Why Ser or Estar
estar de acuerdo	to agree	Temporary state of agreement
estar harto/a de	to be fed up with	Temporary emotional state
ser propio de	to be characteristic of	Inherent characteristic
estar a punto de	to be about to	Temporary, immediate state
ser capaz de	to be capable of	Inherent quality/ability

Idiomatic Expressions

Idioms cannot be interpreted literally. Reading comprehension passages on the exam occasionally include idiomatic language to test whether candidates understand authentic, natural Spanish.

Expression	Literal Translation	Actual Meaning
costar un ojo de la cara	to cost an eye from the face	to be very expensive
tomar el pelo	to take the hair	to tease / to fool someone
estar hecho polvo	to be made of dust	to be exhausted
meter la pata	to put in the paw/leg	to make a mistake / blunder
no tener pelos en la lengua	to have no hairs on the tongue	to speak bluntly / frankly
dar en el clavo	to hit the nail	to be exactly right
ponerse las pilas	to put in the batteries	to get serious / focused
echar de menos	to throw of less	to miss (someone/something)

Regional Variation Terms

These terms describe dialectal features of Spanish and are tested directly as vocabulary — you need to know both the term and what it refers to.

Term	What It Means	Where It's Found
el seseo	Pronouncing c (before e/i) and z as /s/ rather than /θ/	Most of Latin America, Canary Islands
el yeísmo	Merging the sounds of ll and y into one sound	Most of the Spanish-speaking world
el voseo	Using vos instead of tú for informal "you"	Argentina, Uruguay, parts of Central America
la aspiración	Weakening or dropping the /s/ sound at the end of syllables	Caribbean Spanish, parts of southern Spain
la distinción	Pronouncing c (before e/i) and z as /θ/, distinct from /s/	Central and northern Spain

Formal vs. Informal Register

Constructed-response questions require formal written Spanish. Avoid these informal words and phrases in your written responses.

Avoid (Informal)	Use Instead (Formal)
o sea	es decir
un montón de	una gran cantidad de
pero (overused)	sin embargo / no obstante
cosas	aspectos / elementos / factores
bueno... / pues...	(omit filler words entirely)
muy muy	sumamente / extremadamente

How to Study This List

🎯

Start with false cognates

Highest test frequency. Master these 20 words before moving to other sections.

✍️

Write example sentences

For each new term, write one sentence using it correctly. Active production beats passive reading.

🔄

Self-test by covering definitions

Cover the right column and recall meanings from the Spanish term alone — this mimics the exam format.

📅

Spread across multiple sessions

Review one section per day rather than cramming the whole list at once. Spaced repetition improves retention.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to memorize all of these vocabulary words?

No. Focus first on the false cognates and academic/SLA terminology sections, since these appear most consistently on the exam. The cohesive devices and idioms sections build reading and writing fluency but are lower priority than the core grammar and linguistics vocabulary.

Are false cognates really tested on CSET Spanish Subtest I?

Yes. False cognates appear regularly in both multiple-choice vocabulary questions and as traps in reading comprehension passages. Words like embarazado, sensible, and éxito are commonly tested because they are easy to misinterpret if you rely on English intuition.

What is the difference between seseo and yeísmo?

Seseo is the pronunciation of c (before e/i) and z as /s/, standard across most of Latin America. Yeísmo is the merging of ll and y into a single sound, dominant in most of the Spanish-speaking world. Both are regional features tested in the Domain 1 sociolinguistics content.

How should I use this vocabulary list to study?

Work through one section per study session rather than trying to memorize everything at once. Write example sentences using each new word, then test yourself by covering the definitions and recalling them from the Spanish term alone. Revisit the false cognates and SLA terminology sections most frequently, since these are the highest-yield content.

Is this vocabulary list enough to pass on its own?

No single resource is sufficient alone. Use this vocabulary list alongside the full Study Guide and Practice Test to cover grammar, reading comprehension, and oral communication theory in addition to vocabulary.

Related guides:

📖 What Is CSET Spanish Subtest I?

📝 Exam Format & Registration Guide

📊 Passing Score Explained

📚 CSET Spanish Subtest I Study Guide

🎯 Free Practice Test — 100 Questions

❓ CSET Spanish Subtest I FAQ

🗓️ Test Dates & Score Release Schedule

💪 How Hard Is CSET Spanish Subtest I?

📅 30-Day CSET Spanish Study Plan

✍️ Constructed Response Guide

🔁 Retake Policy & Tips

📐 Grammar Cheat Sheet

This page is for informational purposes. Always verify current exam details at ctcexams.nesinc.com.