Spanish Citizenship Test (CCSE) flashcards
50 flashcards with the answer and a short explanation on the back, grouped by official topic. Read the question, decide your answer, then open the card to check. Works without JavaScript and prints cleanly.
How to use these flashcards
Cover the answer, say it out loud, then open the card. Cards you get right twice in a row are the ones to stop reviewing; cards you miss go back to the start of the pile. The Spanish Citizenship Test (CCSE) asks 25 questions and the pass mark is 15 of 25 correct, so aim to know every card here, not just three quarters of them. Studying by topic is quickest: start with the largest topic below.
The real test is in Spanish. These cards are in English to help you learn the content; practise the official wording with the official material linked on the country page.
Jump to topic: Government, legislation and civic participationFundamental rights and dutiesTerritorial organisation and geographyCulture and historySpanish society
Government, legislation and civic participation 17 cards
In which year was the current Spanish Constitution approved?
It was approved by referendum on 6 December 1978.
What is Spain’s form of government?
Article 1 of the Constitution defines Spain as a parliamentary monarchy.
Who is Spain’s head of state?
The King is the head of state and symbol of its unity.
Who leads Spain’s government?
The President of the Government is chosen by the Congress of Deputies.
Which two chambers make up the Cortes Generales?
The Cortes Generales represent the Spanish people and make laws.
For how many years is the Congress of Deputies elected?
Article 68.4 of the Constitution states that the Congress is elected for four years.
How many deputies sit in the Congress of Deputies?
The Constitution allows 300 to 400 deputies, and the electoral law (LOREG, art. 162) fixes the number at 350.
How many senators does each peninsular province elect by universal suffrage?
Article 69.2 provides that four senators are elected by universal suffrage in each province.
How many senators do the cities of Ceuta and Melilla each elect?
Article 69.4 states that Ceuta and Melilla each elect two senators.
Who proposes the candidate for President of the Government to the Congress?
Under Article 99.1, after consulting the parliamentary groups, the King proposes a candidate for the Presidency of the Government.
What majority must a candidate for President of the Government win in the first investiture vote in Congress?
Article 99.3 requires an absolute majority in the first vote; if that fails, a simple majority is enough in a vote 48 hours later.
Which chamber can bring down the Government by passing a motion of censure?
Article 113.1 states that the Congress of Deputies may hold the Government politically responsible by passing a motion of censure by absolute majority.
How many certified signatures are needed, at a minimum, for a popular legislative initiative?
Article 87.3 requires no fewer than 500,000 certified signatures for a citizens' legislative initiative.
How many members does the Constitutional Court have?
Article 159.1 states that the Constitutional Court has 12 members appointed by the King.
For how long are members of the Constitutional Court appointed?
Article 159.3 states that members are appointed for nine years, and one third of the Court is renewed every three years.
According to the Constitution, in whose name is justice administered?
Article 117.1 says justice comes from the people and is administered in the name of the King by judges and magistrates.
Which institution is the high commissioner of the Cortes Generales for defending citizens’ fundamental rights?
Article 54 sets up the Defensor del Pueblo as the high commissioner of the Cortes Generales to defend the rights in Title I.
Fundamental rights and duties 9 cards
What is the official language of the Spanish State?
All Spaniards have the duty to know Castilian and the right to use it.
Which of these is a co-official language in some autonomous communities?
Catalan, Galician and Basque are co-official in their communities.
From what age can Spanish citizens vote?
The age of majority and of voting in Spain is 18.
At what age do Spaniards legally become adults?
Article 12 of the Constitution states that Spaniards come of age at eighteen.
Which article of the Constitution says Spaniards are equal before the law, without discrimination on grounds such as birth, race, sex or religion?
Article 14 sets out equality before the law and bans discrimination for any personal or social condition or circumstance.
What does the Constitution say about basic education?
Article 27.4 states that basic education is compulsory and free.
According to Article 30, what do Spaniards have with respect to defending Spain?
Article 30.1 states that Spaniards have the right and the duty to defend Spain.
According to the Constitution, on what basis must everyone contribute to public spending?
Article 31.1 states that everyone shall contribute to public expenditure according to their economic capacity, through a fair tax system.
Does the right of peaceful, unarmed assembly need prior authorisation?
Article 21.1 recognises the right of peaceful assembly without arms and says it does not require prior authorisation.
Territorial organisation and geography 8 cards
How many autonomous communities does Spain have?
There are also two autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla. Spain has 50 provinces.
What is the capital of Spain?
Madrid is the seat of the government, the Cortes and the royal family.
What is the highest mountain in Spain?
Teide, on Tenerife, is 3,715 m high. Mulhacén is the highest on the mainland.
Into which units is the Spanish State organised territorially?
Article 137 says the State is organised territorially into municipalities, provinces and the autonomous communities.
Which two cities in North Africa are Spanish autonomous cities?
Ceuta and Melilla are Spain's two autonomous cities, on the North African coast.
How many provinces does Spain have?
Spain is divided into 50 provinces, which together with Ceuta and Melilla make up 52 electoral districts.
What is the highest peak on the Iberian Peninsula?
Mulhacén (3,479 m), in the Sierra Nevada near Granada, is the highest point on the Iberian Peninsula.
Which is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula, shared by Spain and Portugal?
The Tajo, about 1,000 km long, is the longest river on the peninsula and forms part of the border with Portugal.
Culture and history 8 cards
Who wrote Don Quixote?
The first part was published in 1605.
What are the colours of the Spanish flag?
The flag has three horizontal stripes: red, yellow (twice as wide) and red.
On what date did Spaniards approve the current Constitution in a referendum?
The Constitution was approved in a referendum on 6 December 1978 and came into force on 29 December 1978, when it was published in the BOE.
Which king sanctioned the 1978 Constitution?
King Juan Carlos I sanctioned the Constitution on 27 December 1978.
Which artist painted ‘Guernica’?
Pablo Picasso painted Guernica in 1937, and it now hangs in the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid.
Where was Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ first shown to the public?
Guernica was made for the Spanish Republic's pavilion at the 1937 Paris International Exhibition.
Where is the Premio Cervantes, the most important literary prize in the Spanish language, presented each year?
The Premio Cervantes is presented on 23 April, the anniversary of Cervantes' death, in the main hall of the University of Alcalá de Henares.
In which autonomous community is the Altamira cave, famous for its Palaeolithic paintings?
The Altamira cave, with its prehistoric rock paintings, is in Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Spanish society 8 cards
Which date is Spain’s national holiday (Fiesta Nacional)?
Constitution Day, 6 December, is also a public holiday.
What is the currency of Spain?
The euro replaced the peseta in 2002.
What is the free, single emergency telephone number in Spain?
112 is the free single emergency number in Spain and the rest of the EU, and it handles police, ambulance and fire emergencies.
Which national public holiday on 6 December commemorates the 1978 referendum?
Constitution Day is celebrated every 6 December, the anniversary of the 1978 referendum that approved the Constitution.
Between which ages is schooling compulsory in Spain?
Basic education in Spain is compulsory and free and lasts ten years, normally from age 6 to 16 (primary school plus ESO).
In what year did Spain join the European Communities (now the European Union)?
Spain joined the European Communities on 1 January 1986, together with Portugal.
Which elections may some foreign residents vote in, under the conditions set by the Constitution?
Article 13.2 allows foreigners to vote and stand in municipal elections when a treaty or law grants this on a reciprocal basis.
What does the Constitution say about men and women entering into marriage?
Article 32.1 states that men and women have the right to marry with full legal equality.
Know them all?
Take a timed mock exam in the real Spanish Citizenship Test (CCSE) format and see your score.