This document provides Spanish vocabulary related to computers and information technology. It discusses the WannaCry virus attack and how IT is now essential rather than just the future. It then lists common hardware components like monitors, towers, keyboards and printers. For software, it covers operating systems, word processors, databases, spreadsheets, graphics editors and more. Learning this vocabulary can help if living in a Spanish speaking country, and the document reminds the reader to update their operating system and install antivirus software.

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IT vocabulary in Spanish
This month, the whole world was witness to the largest cyber-attack we’ve ever
known since the invention of Internet. The world of la informática (computer science,
IT) has been in the spotlight since then.
The WannaCry virus, was spread across all continents. Not much is known about the
hackers who create it but the effects are known by everybody: kidnapped
computers with their files encrypted and a ransom demand of $300 worth of bitcoins.
La informática is not the future anymore, but the present, and we want to help our
students on www.spanishviaskype.com learn some basic vocabulary.
Even though we try not to use foreignisms when we speak Spanish during our classes,
it’s sometimes difficult to find a proper translation to some
concepts. Hardware and software are good examples. “Periférico” y “aplicaciones o
programas” are good tries, but are not exactly the same. Regarding the hardware,
we should get familiar with:
• El monitor y la pantalla: the monitor and the screen.
• La torre: the computer tower.
• El teclado: the keyboard.
• El ratón: the mouse.
• La impresora: the printer.
• El escáner: the scanner.
• El puerto USB: the USB port.
• La fuente de alimentación: the power supply.
• El disco duro: the hard disk drive.
In relation to the software, we can find an endless list of programs and applications.
These are the most used types
• El sistema operativo: the operating system.
• El procesador de textos: the word processor.
• La base de datos: the datebase.
• La hoja de cálculo: the spreadsheet.
• El editor de imágenes: the graphics editor.
• El cliente de correo electrónico: the email client.
• El reproductor de vídeo y audio: the audio and video
• El navegador web: the web browser.
• El explorador/administrador de archivos: the file browser/manager
Evidently, if you learn this vocabulary, you won’t be free of hackers and other
cybercriminals, but it will help you if you live in a Spanish speaker country.
Oh, I forgot this: actualiza (update) your sistema operativo and install a
good antivirus; we don’t want a virus to stop you studing Spanish.