Los Cognados y Cognados Falsos
Cognates and False Cognates
Nouns
Many Spanish nouns can easily be converted into English nouns.English nouns and Spanish nouns ending in ‘-or’ are very often identical.
#1. -or = -or English Spanishactor actorcolor colordoctor doctordirector director
Nouns
English nouns and Spanish nouns ending in ‘-al’ are often identical.
#2. -al = -al English Spanishanimal animalgeneral generalhospital hospitalmanual manualmoral moral
Nouns
Many English nouns ending with ‘-ist’, can be converted into Spanish nouns by changing to ‘-ista’.
#3. -ist → -ista
English Spanish
artist
list socialist tourist
artista
listasocialistaturista
Nouns
#4. -ism → -ismo
English Spanish
idealism realism mechanism optimism
organism
idealismorealismomechanismooptimismoorganismo
Nouns
#5. -nce → -ncia
English Spanish
abundance abundancia
arrogance
experience patience
intelligence
arrogancia
experienciapacienciainteligencia
Nouns
#6. -ty → -dad
English Spanish
activity actividad
curiosity electricity identity
university
curiosidadelectricidadidentidaduniversidad
Nouns
#7. -tion → -ción
English Spanish
association asociación
combination combinación
condition condición
exemption exempción
instruction instrución
Nouns
English nouns ending with ‘-y’ often correspond to Spanishnouns ending with ‘-ía’, ‘ia’, or ‘io’.
#8. -y → '-ía', '-ia', or '-io' English Spanishagency agenciaagony agoníabattery bateríafamily familiahistory historiasalary salariotestimony testimoniodictionary diccionario
Adjectives
Like nouns, many English adjectives can be converted into Spanish simply by changing the word ending. Here are some useful rules.
#1. -ive → ivoEnglish Spanishactive activodecisive decisivofestive festivoeffective efectivoindicative indicativo
Adjectives
#2. -al = -al
English Spanish
brutal brutal
usual usual
local local
criminal criminal
natural natural
Adjectives
#4. -ic → -ico
English Spanish
magnetic magnético
fantastic fantástico
electric eléctrico
artistic artístico
automatic automático
Adjectives
#5. -ble = -ble
English Spanish
admirable admirable
impossible imposible
terrible terrible
favorable favorable
notable notable
Adjectives
#6. -nt → -nte
English Spanish
ignorant ignorante
convenient conveniente
prudent prudente
important importante
triumphant triunfante
Adjectives
#7. -id → -ido
English Spanish
stupid estúpido
lucid lúcido
splendid espléndido
candid cándido
solid sólido
Adjectives
#8. -ile → -il
English Spanish
agile ágil
fragile frágil
mobile móvil
juvenile juvenil
automobile automóvil
Adjectives
#9. -ary → -ario
English Spanisharbitrary arbitrario
ordinary ordinario
imaginary imaginario
AdverbsIn English, "-ly" combines with many adjectives to form adverbs.In Spanish, "-mente" combines with (feminine) adjectives to form Spanish adverbs.
-ly → -mente English Spanishabsolutely absolutamente normally normalmentenaturally naturalmentefinally finalmentecorrectly correctamenteexactly exactamenteevidently evidentementedifficultly dificilmente
False CognatesMany words appears to be similar in English and Spanish, but do not have the same meaning. These are called “false cognates”. Below are a few examples of false cognates.
1.) embarazada – pregnant Does not mean “embarrassed”. embarrassed = avergonzado
2.) bizarro – brave; valiant Does not mean “strange” or “bizarre”
strange; bizarre = extraño; raro
3.) asistir – to attend Does not mean “to assist”to assist = ayudar (to help)
4.) éxito – success Does not mean “exit” exit = salida
5.) fábrica – factory Does not mean “fabric”
fabric = tejido