Decirlo de otra manera
Nothing is a perfect synonym. Each of these pairs shares a meaning but differs in register, region or shade, and knowing which to reach for is most of what separates B1 from A2. The note under each word says what actually changes.
Adjetivos que se repiten demasiado
bonito
pretty, nice
Qué lindo tu departamento. · What a lovely flat you have.
Lindo is the Latin American default; bonito is more peninsular. Hermoso and precioso are stronger; bello is literary.
bueno
good
Rico is for food and only for food: una comida rica, never una película rica.
malo
bad
Fatal is an adverb as well: me fue fatal, it went terribly.
grande
big
Amplio is for space with room in it: un cuarto amplio, not un perro amplio.
pequeño
small
Chico is far more common in Latin America than pequeño in speech.
rápido
fast
Al toque is Peruvian and means right away rather than fast.
cansado
tired
Estoy muerto is normal exaggeration, not alarming. Hecho polvo is Spain.
contento
happy
Feliz is deeper and lasts longer; contento is about right now.
Verbos que se repiten demasiado
decir
to say
Contar is to tell a story; señalar is to point out in a formal report.
ver
to see
Ver happens to you, mirar is deliberate. Fíjate en esto: look closely at this.
hacer
to do, to make
Realizar and llevar a cabo are formal: se realizó una reunión.
empezar
to start
Arrancar is for engines and, informally, for anything getting going.
terminar
to finish
Acabar is the everyday one; concluir belongs to a report.
querer
to want
Apetecer works like gustar and is mostly peninsular: ¿te apetece un café?
pensar
to think
Creer is what you believe; opinar is what you hold as an opinion.
comprar
to buy
Conseguir is to get hold of, which may or may not involve paying.
Sustantivos de todos los días
el trabajo
the job
La chamba is Peru and Mexico; el curro is Spain. Both informal.
el dinero
the money
La plata across South America; la lana in Mexico; el efectivo is specifically cash.
el amigo
the friend
Pata is Peru, parce Colombia, pana Venezuela. Compañero is neutral and works anywhere.
la casa
the house
Hogar is the home as a feeling; vivienda is the word in official documents.
el problema
the problem
Un lío is informal and often a mess of your own making.
el chico
the boy
Chibolo is Peruvian and only for children or teenagers.
Conectores que suenan mejor
pero
but
Sin embargo starts a new sentence; pero joins two clauses. No obstante is formal.
porque
because
Ya que and puesto que usually come first in the sentence; porque does not.
también
also
Además adds weight, not just another item: y además es más barato.
entonces
so, then
Así que is speech; por lo tanto is writing.
muy
very
Re is Argentine and very informal: está re bueno. Bastante is softer than muy.