Surprising Spanish Cognates To Speed Up Your Vocabulary Acquisition
Have you ever found yourself staring at a Spanish word, feeling like it looks strangely familiar? You might be looking at a cognate — a word that has a common origin with a similar English word. While some cognates are obvious (like the English word “office” and the Spanish word “oficina”), many more cognates have surprisingly subtle connections. Understanding these etymological connections can significantly boost your Spanish vocabulary acquisition.
In fact, recognizing cognates between English and Spanish is like uncovering a hidden treasure trove of vocabulary that’s been right in front of you all along. And once you start forming deeper connections between Spanish and English, you can transform your language learning experience, making it not only significantly more efficient, but more engaging as well.
Whether you’re just starting out with Spanish as a beginner, or you’re an advanced learner hoping to broaden your vocabulary, the world of cognates can open up more opportunities for fluency and deepen your appreciation for both languages.
The Historical Connection
You may know that Spanish is a Romance language, and English is a Germanic language. But despite belonging to these different language families, Spanish and English share deep linguistic roots: both languages were shaped by Latin, the language of the ancient Roman Empire. This common Latin influence is the primary reason for the remarkable number of cognates between Spanish and English
The Roman influence on Spanish is quite direct. In fact, the term “Romance language” comes from the word “romanicus”, which is a Latin word meaning “of Roman origin”. Beginning in 218 BC, the Romans conquered and ruled over the Iberian peninsula for roughly 600 years. During this time, Latin gradually replaced local languages and would eventually evolve into the Spanish we know today. This is why Spanish, along with other Romance languages like French and Italian, is considered a direct descendant of Latin.
On the other hand, English has a more complex history with Latin. The Romans began conquering Britain in 43 AD and ruled for nearly four centuries, but their linguistic influence was more limited. Old English, a Germanic language, became dominant after the Anglo-Saxons invasions in the 5th century. However, Latin continued to maintain its status as the language of learning and religion. Many Latin words entered English through scholarly and religious texts, so many English words with Latin roots tend to be longer and more academic.
Albeit through different historical paths, this shared Latin influence has resulted in numerous cognates between Spanish and English. Understanding this historical connection not only explains the existence of cognates but also provides a fascinating look at the evolution of both languages.
Some not-so-obvious cognates
You're probably already familiar with some common Spanish-English cognates, like "familia" and "family", or "agua" and "aqua". These easily recognizable pairs often give early Spanish learners a head start by providing “free vocabulary” that demand little effort to remember.
However, the world of Spanish-English cognates extends far beyond these obvious examples. Many Spanish words have English counterparts that, while not exactly identical, share both similar sounds and meanings due to their common Latin roots.
Consider the Spanish word "duro," which translates to "hard" in English. At first glance, these words seem unrelated. However, "duro" is etymologically connected to the English word "durable." Both come from the Latin word "durus," meaning “hard” or “lasting”. Understanding this connection can help you remember the meaning of "duro" and its various uses in Spanish, such as in phrases like "trabajar duro" (meaning “to work hard”) or "tiempos duros" (meaning “hard times”).
Let's explore some less obvious cognates that can expand your Spanish vocabulary in surprising ways:
Lumbre - fire or light
The Spanish word “lumbre” is related to the English word “luminous”. Both words are derived from the Latin word “lumen”, which means “light”. While “lumbre” is often used to refer to fire, understanding its connection to light can help you remember its meaning. You’ll find this word in phrases like “hacer lumbre” (meaning “to make a fire”) or “¿tienes lumbre?” (meaning “do you have a light?”).
Indignación - indignation
This noun showcases how prefixes and suffixes often correspond between Spanish and English. Both "indignación" and "indignation" come from the Latin word "indignatio." The prefix "in-" in both languages means "not" or "without," while the suffixes "-ción" and "-tion" denote a state or condition. You might hear this word used in phrases like "expresar indignación" (meaning “to express indignation”) in Spanish news or literature.
Circunspecto - circumspect
This adjective, meaning cautious or reserved, relates to the English word "circumspect", and it is another example of corresponding prefixes and suffixes between Spanish and English. Both words are derived from the Latin word “circumspectus” meaning to consider something carefully. The prefix in the Spanish word “circun-” corresponds to the English prefix “circum-”. In both prefixes, the meaning is “around”. You might describe a careful person as “una persona circunspecta” (meaning “a circumspect person”)
Siniestro - sinister or left
This Spanish adjective might surprise you with its connection to the English word "sinister." Both derive from the Latin "sinister," which originally meant "left" or "on the left side." In Spanish, "siniestro" retained both meanings; it can refer to the left side or to something evil or ominous. You might hear "a diestro y siniestro" (meaning “left and right” or, alternatively, “on all sides”) or "un presagio siniestro" (meaning “a sinister omen”). The connection becomes clearer when you consider that in many ancient cultures, the left side was associated with bad luck or evil. This linguistic link offers a fascinating glimpse into historical superstitions and their impact on language.
Labrar - to work (land) or to till
While “labrar” is a verb, its connection to English is through a noun. It’s related to “labor” in English. Both words are related to the Latin word “laborare”, meaning “to work”. In Spanish, “labrar” often refers specifically to “working the land”, a phrase which can help you remember its agricultural connotations. You might hear phrases like “labrar la tierra” (meaning “to work the land”) or “labrarse un futuro" (meaning “to forge a future for oneself”). The English word "laboratory" also shares this Latin root, originally meaning a workroom.
Tinieblas - darkness
This poetic Spanish word for darkness is a cognate with the more obscure English word “tenebrous”, which means “full of darkness” or “gloomy”. Both words are derived from the latin word “tenebrae”, which also means “darkness”. You might hear this word used in phrases like “en tinieblas” (meaning “in the dark”) or “príncipe de las tinieblas” (meaning “prince of darkness”).
Tips for Recognizing and Using Cognates
Look for patterns
The words I shared above weren't just random examples; there are actually tell-tale signs you can look for to predict if an English word will also have a cognate in
Spanish. Here are several examples to get started with:
| English pattern | Spanish pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -tion | -ción | communication → comunicación |
| -ity | -idad | diversity → diversidad |
| -ic | -ico/-ica | electric → eléctrico |
| -ous | -oso/-osa | curious → curioso |
| -al | -al | animal → animal (they're the same!) |
| -logy | -logía | psychology → psicología |
| -graph | -grafía | choreography → coreografía |
| -ize | -izar | personalize → personalizar |
You'll also notice patterns in other ways:
- Some grammar points will feel similar (adding -ando to a Spanish verb is similar to adding -ing to an English verb; Spanish also literally says "going to" (ir a) to talk abou things you'll do in the future)
- Many phrases are shared between the languages (judging by → a juzgar por)
- Many cultural conceptions of how the world works are similar (for example, something far in the future is "long term" in English and "a largo plazo" in Spanish — but in Mandadrin, the future is "down!")
Look for English words derived from Latin
Many English words have Spanish counterparts, but given the historical context we discussed above, you’ll may find that the words shared between English and Spanish tend to be more advanced, technical, or literary in nature. The Latin words that entered English tended to come through scholarly and religious texts, so you might have to dig a little bit to find the English counterpart to a Spanish word.
For example, while the common word “dark” doesn’t have a Spanish counterpart (“dark” is Germanic in etymology), the Spanish word for “dark” (tinieblas) does exist in English — it’s “tenebrous”, as we discussed above. There’s a connection there, after all, but you have to look at more advanced English words to find it.
Beware of False Friends
Be aware of false friends: not all similar-looking words have the same meaning. These false cognates can sound so similar, but have entirely different meaning. For example, "embarazada" in Spanish means "pregnant," not "embarrassed."
The Advantages of Etymology For Spanish Vocabulary
Exploring the world of Spanish-English cognates can be a fascinating journey that not only accelerates your Spanish learning but also deepens your understanding of the history between the two languages. By leveraging these linguistic connections, you can also use cognates as a memory aid. When you encounter a new Spanish word, try to think of any English words that sound similar. There's a good chance they might be related!