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