Recognising cognates
Type the missing word in each sentence. You hear each sentence read by a native voice.
La es importante.
The information is important.
The rule
Thousands of Spanish and English words come from the same Latin or Greek roots. Words that look alike in both languages are called cognates. The endings shift in regular ways, so a handful of rules unlocks far more words than a list ever could. Learn the rules and you can read Spanish words you have never studied. A small set of lookalikes mean something else, and the last section names them.
The pattern
Change the English ending and you usually have the Spanish word.
| English ending | Spanish ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -tion | -ción | information becomes información |
| -sion | -sión | decision becomes decisión |
| -ity | -idad | university becomes universidad |
| -ly | -mente | normally becomes normalmente |
| -ous | -oso | famous becomes famoso |
| -ive | -ivo | active becomes activo |
| -ble | -ble | possible becomes posible |
| -ant | -ante | important becomes importante |
| -ent | -ente | president becomes presidente |
| -ist | -ista | artist becomes artista |
| -ism | -ismo | tourism becomes turismo |
| -al | -al | normal becomes normal |
The accent is part of the word, not decoration. Write ción and sión with it: nación, decisión. In the plural the mark drops, because the stress no longer needs it: naciones, decisiones.
The rule guesses, and the guess is usually right. When it is not, the word is one of the lookalikes below.
Examples
- La educación es importanteEducation is important
- Tomé una decisiónI made a decision
- La universidad está en el centroThe university is in the centre
- Naturalmente, tiene razónNaturally, she is right
- Es un hombre famosoHe is a famous man
- Es una persona muy activaShe is a very active person
- Es posible hacerlo hoyIt is possible to do it today
- Es un detalle importanteIt is an important detail
- El presidente habla mañanaThe president speaks tomorrow
- El artista vive en MadridThe artist lives in Madrid
- El turismo creció este añoTourism grew this year
Watch out
- Embarazada means embarrassed. Embarazada means pregnant."Embarrassed" is avergonzado/a.
- Actual means actual. Actual means current."Actual" is real or verdadero.
- Realizar means to realise. Realizar means to carry out."To realise" is darse cuenta.
- Éxito means exit. Éxito means success.An exit is una salida.
- Sensible means sensible. Sensible means sensitive."Sensible" is sensato/a.
- Librería means library. Librería means bookshop.A library is una biblioteca.
- Constipado means constipated. Constipado means having a cold."Constipated" is estreñido/a.
- Carpeta means carpet. Carpeta means folder.A carpet is una alfombra.
- Asistir means to assist. Asistir means to attend."To assist" is ayudar.
- Largo means large. Largo means long."Large" is grande.
- Pretender means to pretend. Pretender means to intend or to try."To pretend" is fingir.
- Ropa means rope. Ropa means clothes.A rope is una cuerda.