02/23/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/23/2023 07:06
Did you know that English and Spanish share 10,000 to 15,000 cognates? That means that you already know the meaning of around 10,000 to 15,000 words in Spanish! Qué fascinante! (You might recognize the Spanish word fascinante, which means "fascinating" in English!)
But… what is a cognate anyway? And how can cognates help you communicate in Spanish? Read on for tips for using cognates to boost your vocabulary!
A cognate is a word that looks similar in two languages and has similar meanings in both. And when it comes to learning a new language, a cognate is your best friend! Even if you've never officially learned the cognate in your new language, you can make a good guess about what it means. It's like getting vocabulary for free!
Languages might share cognates because they both evolved from a common language or because one language borrowed a word from another language:
As a result, you'll find many cognates in English and Spanish!
Sometimes words might look similar by accident… and they could have really different meanings! For example, the Spanish word embarazada may look a lot like the English word "embarrassed," but it actually means "pregnant"! Look out for these "false cognates" or "false friends."
Since cognates have similar meanings and are pronounced similarly, English speakers might be able to guess the meanings of these Spanish words-even if you've never learned them before! (Check the end of the post for their translations.)
aventura | febrero | magnífico | secreto |
brillante | grupo | natural | temperatura |
cámara | historia | oficina | trompeta |
elefante | limón | restaurante | vegetales |
Cognates make it easier for you to use Spanish! They can help you feel more comfortable and confident whether you're a new learner starting out or an advanced learner looking to level up your skills.
Here's how you can use cognates to increase your Spanish vocabulary:
Música y amistad, la mejor combinación pic.twitter.com/BBy8cGJfSs
- Shakira (@shakira) January 31, 2023Keep an eye out for new cognates when you practice Spanish! For more tips about learning Spanish, read our posts, or send your own question to [email protected].
Spanish | English |
aventura | adventure |
brillante | brilliant |
cámara | camera |
desierto | desert |
elefante | elephant |
febrero | February |
grupo | group |
historia | history |
idea | idea |
limón | lemon (and lime!) |
magnífico | magnific |
natural | natural |
oficina | office |
parque | park |
restaurante | restaurant |
secreto | secret |
temperatura | temperature |
trompeta | trumpet |
uniforme | uniform |
vegetales | vegetables |