Sign In What are cognates and why use them in teaching English to Spanish Speakers?
Cognates are words in different languages that have a similar form and meaning because they share a common origin. These words may have evolved differently over time in each language, but their similarities make them recognizable to speakers of both languages. Cognates can be particularly useful when teaching English to Spanish speakers for several reasons:
Vocabulary Expansion: Cognates allow Spanish-speaking learners to quickly expand their English vocabulary. Since many English words have Latin or Greek roots, which are also present in Spanish, learners can easily recognize and understand the meaning of these words without having to memorize them individually.
Comprehension: By recognizing cognates, Spanish-speaking learners can understand written and spoken English more easily. When they encounter cognates in English texts or conversations, they can make educated guesses about the meaning of unfamiliar words based on their knowledge of Spanish.
Confidence Boost: Cognates provide a sense of familiarity and confidence to Spanish-speaking learners as they begin to explore and communicate in English. Recognizing similar words in both languages can make the learning process less daunting and motivate learners to continue expanding their language skills.
Reading and Writing Skills: Cognates can help Spanish speaking learners improve their reading and writing skills in English. By identifying cognates, learners can decipher the meaning of new words in English texts, allowing them to comprehend the content more effectively. Similarly, they can use cognates when writing in English to express ideas with words that are similar to those they already know in Spanish.
Pronunciation and Spelling: Cognates often have similar spelling patterns and pronunciations in both languages. By focusing on cognates, Spanish speaking learners can improve their English pronunciation and spelling skills more efficiently, as they can transfer the knowledge of corresponding sounds and spelling rules from Spanish.
It’s important to note that while cognates can be helpful, not all words that look or sound similar in Spanish and English are true cognates. Some words may have similar forms but have different meanings, so learners should be aware of false cognates (known as “false friends”) and learn to distinguish between them.
Here’s a list of English Spanish cognates that could be taught in an ESL class for Beginners:
Perfect Cognates
Actor Actor
Admirable Admirable
Agenda Agenda
Alcohol Alcohol
Altar Altar
Animal Animal
Area Area
Artificial Artificial
Auto Auto
Balance Balance
Bar Bar
Base Base
Brutal Brutal
Cable Cable
Canal Canal
Cáncer Cancer
Canon Canon
Capital Capital
Carbón Carbon
Cartón Carton
Central Central
Cerebral Cerebral
Cheque Cheque
Chocolate Chocolate
Circular Circular
Civil Civil
Club Club
Collar Collar
Colonial Colonial
Coma Coma
Combustión Combustion
Conclusión Conclusion
Conductor Conductor
Confusión Confusion
Considerable Considerable
Control Control
Cordial Cordial
Criminal Criminal
Crisis Crisis
Cultural Cultural
Debate Debate
Decisión Decision
Diagonal Diagonal
Dimensión Dimension
Director Director
Disco Disco
División Division
Doctor Doctor
Drama Drama
Durable Durable
Editorial Editorial
Electoral Electoral
Elemental Elemental
Enigma Enigma
Error Error
Excursión Excursion
Experimental Experimental
Explosión Explosion
Expulsión Expulsion
Extensión Extension
Exterior Exterior
Factor Factor
Familiar Familiar
Fatal Fatal
Federal Federal
Festival Festival
Final Final
Flexible Flexible
Formal Formal
Fórmula Formula
Frontal Frontal
Fundamental Fundamental
Gala Gala
Gas Gas
General General
Génesis Genesis
Global Global
Grave Grave
Habitual Habitual
Hobby Hobby
Horizontal Horizontal
Horror Horror
Hospital Hospital
Hotel Hotel
Idea Idea
Ideal Ideal
Imperial Imperial
Implacable Implacable
Incursión Incursion
Individual Individual
Industrial Industrial
Inevitable Inevitable
Inferior Inferior
Informal Informal
Inseparable Inseparable
Inspector Inspector
Interminable Interminable
Invasión Invasion
Invisible Invisible
Irregular Irregular
Judicial Judicial
Kilo Kilo
Lateral Lateral
Legal Legal
Liberal Liberal
Literal Literal
Local Local
Macho Macho
Maestro Maestro
Mango Mango
Manía Mania
Manual Manual
Marginal Marginal
Material Material
Matrimonial Matrimonial
Medieval Medieval
Mediocre Mediocre
Melón Melon
Mental Mental
Menú Menu
Metal Metal
Miserable Miserable
Moral Moral
Mortal Mortal
Motel Motel
Motor Motor
Múltiple Multiple
Municipal Municipal
Musical Musical
Natural Natural
Noble Noble
Normal Normal
Nostalgia Nostalgia
Ópera Ópera
Oral Oral
Oriental Oriental
Original Original
Panorama Panorama
Particular Particular
Pasta Pasta
Pastor Pastor
Patio Patio
Patrón Patron
Peculiar Peculiar
Penal Penal
Perfume Perfume
Personal Personal
Peseta Peseta
Piano Piano
Plaza Plaza
Plural Plural
Popular Popular
Pretensión Pretension
Principal Principal
Probable Probable
Propaganda Propaganda
Protector Protector
Provincial Provincial
Radical Radical
Radio Radio
Región Region
Regional Regional
Regular Regular
Religión R eligion
Reunión Reunion
Revisión Revision
Ritual Ritual
Rural Rural
Secular Secular
Sentimental Sentimental
Serial Serial
Sexual Sexual
Similar Similar
Simple Simple
Singular Singular
Social Social
Solar Solar
Solo Solo
Subversión Subversion
Superficial Superficial
Superior Superior
Taxi Taxi
Televisión Television
Terrible Terrible
Terror Terror
Total Total
transcendental Transcendental
Triple Triple
Tropical Tropical
Unión Union
Universal Universal
Usual Usual
Verbal Verbal
Versión Version
Vertical Vertical
Violín Violin
Visible Visible
Visual Visual
Vital Vital
Vulgar Vulgar
Vulnerable Vulnerable
Near perfect Cognates
Here the near perfect cognates are divided into separate lists based on their behavior:
The following near perfect cognates follow the rule for nouns ending ‘tion’ in English can be converted to Spanish by replacing with a ‘ción’.
Abstracción
Abstraction
Acción Action
Acusación Accusation
Adaptación Adaptation
Admiración Admiration
Aplicación Application
Apreciación Appreciation
Asociación Association
Aspiración Aspiration
Atención Attention
Atracción Attraction
Autorización Authorization
Celebración Celebration
Circulación Circulation
Civilización Civilization
Clasificación Classification
Colaboración Collaboration
Colección Collection
Combinación Combination
Compensación Compensation
Composición Composition
Concentración Concentration
Concepción Conception
Condición Condition
Conservación Conservation
Consideración Consideration
Constitución Constitution
Construcción Construction
Exposición Exposition
Ficción Fiction
Formación Formation
Nación Nation
Simplificación Simplification
The following near perfect cognates follow the rule for English nouns ending ‘ary’ can be converted to Spanish by replacing with a ‘ario’.
Adversario Adversary
Aniversario Anniversary
Arbitrario Arbitrary
Comentario Commentary
Complementario Complementary
Contrario Contrary
Diario Diary
Glosario Glossary
Estuario Estuary
Primario Primary
Rosario Rosary
Salario Salary
Secretario Secretary
Solitario Solitary
Vocabulario Vocabulary
Temporario Temporary
The following near perfect cognates follow the rule for English adjectives ending ‘ic’ can be converted to Spanish by replacing with a ‘ico’.
Académico Academic
Alcohólico Alcoholic
Artístico Artistic
Auténtico Authentic
Automático Automatic
Básico Basic
Característico Characteristic
Clásico Classic
Cómico Comic
Democrático Democratic
Dinámico Dynamic
Diplomático Diplomatic
Doméstico Domestic
Dramático Dramatic
Económico Economic
Electrónico Electronic
Erótico Erotic
Exótico Exotic
Fantástico Fantastic
Genérico Generic
Genético Genetic
Geométrico Geometric
Heroico Heroic
Irónico Ironic
Mágico Magic
Médico Medic
Mosaico Mosaic
Orgánico Organic
Pánico Panic
Plástico Plastic
Poético Poetic
Público Public
Romántico Romantic
Sistemático Systematic
Trágico Tragic
The following near perfect cognates follow the rule for English adjectives ending ‘ous’ can be converted to Spanish by replacing with a ‘oso’.
Curioso Curious
Delicioso Delicious
Glorioso Glorious
Misterioso Mysterious
Numeroso Numerous
Precioso Precious
Religioso Religious
Tedioso Tedious
The following near perfect cognates follow the rule for nouns ending ‘ct’ in English can be converted to Spanish by replacing with a ‘cto’.
Abstracto Abstract
Acto Act
Artefacto Artefact
Compacto Compact
Conflicto Conflict
Contacto Contact
Correcto Correct
Exacto Exact
Excepto Except
Insecto Insect
Perfecto Perfect
Producto Product
A
absolutely absolutamente
accident accidente
accidental accidental
accompany (to) acompañar
acrobatic acrobático(a)
active activo (a)
activities actividades
activity actividad
actor actor/actriz
admire (to) admirar
admit (to) admitir
adopt (to) adoptar
adoption adopción
adult adulto
adventure aventura
advertisement anuncio
african africano
agent agente
air aire
airplane avión
airport aeropuerto
alarm alarma
album álbum
alcohol alcohol
allergic alérgico
ambulance ambulancia
anaconda anaconda
animal animal
announce (to) anunciar
apartment apartamento
appear (to) aparecer
appetite apetito
apple manzana
area área
arithmetic aritmética
art arte
artist artista
association asociación
astronomer astrónomo
atmosphere atmósfera
attention atención
audience audiencia
august agosto
autograph autógrafo
automatic automático/a
automobile automóvil
airplane avión
B
baby bebé
background fondo
baggage equipaje
balance balance
banana banana
banjo banjo
bank banco
bar bar
base base
baseball béisbol
basket canasta
bath baño
bathroom baño
beach playa
beauty belleza
beer cerveza
bicycle bicicleta
big grande
bike bicicleta
bill factura
biography biografía
biology biología
bird pájaro
birthday cumpleaños
black negro/a
block bloque
blouse blusa
blue azul
board tablero
boat barco
body cuerpo
book libro
boss jefe/a
box caja
boy niño
brain cerebro
break romper
breakfast desayuno
bridge puente
brilliant brillante
brochure folleto
brother hermano
brown marrón
bus autobús
business negocio
button botón
C
cabin cabina (de teléfono,
cable cable
café café
cafeteria cafetería
calendar calendario
camera cámara
camouflage camuflaje
camp campamento
campaign campaña
campus campus
canyon cañón
capital capital
captain capitán
capture (to) capturar
car coche, carro
career carrera
cartoon dibujo animado
cash efectivo
casual casual
cat gato
catalog catálogo
catastrophe catástrofe
cause causa
celebrate (to) celebrar
cement cemento
center centro
century siglo
ceramic cerámica
cereal cereal
ceremony ceremonia
chair silla
change cambio
character personaje
chart gráfico
cheese queso
chef chef
chemistry química
chess ajedrez
chicken pollo
chimney chimenea
chimpanzee chimpancé
chocolate chocolate
cholera cólera
church iglesia
cinema cine
circle círculo
circular circular
city ciudad
class clase
classic clásico/a
clean limpio/a
clear claro/a
client cliente
climate clima
clinic clínica
clock reloj
close cerrar
club club
coast costa
coffee café
colony colonia
color color
committee comité
common común
compact compacto
company compañía
complete completo(a)
completely completamente
complex complejo
concert concierto
confetti confeti
confusing confuso
confusion confusión
constellation constelación
construction construcción
contagious contagioso(a)
continent continente
continue (to) continuar
contract contrato
contribution contribución
control control
cost costo
coyote coyote
crime crimen
crocodile cocodrilo
cultural cultural
curious curioso(a)
D
data datos
day día
debate debate
decade década
december diciembre
decibel decibelio
decide (to) decidir
decision decisión
decoration decoración
deficit déficit
delegation delegación
delicate delicado(a)
democracy democracia
demonstration demostración
dentist dentista
depend (to) depender
dependent dependiente
deport (to) deportar
describe (to) describir
desert desierto
design diseño
desire deseo
destroy (to) destruir
detain (to) detener
extraordinary extraordinario(a)
detective detective
determine (to) determinar
development desarrollo
diagram diagrama
diamond diamante
dictator dictador
dictionary diccionario
different diferente
digital digital
dinosaur dinosaurio
direct directo
direction dirección
directions direcciones
directly directamente
director director
disappear (to) desaparecer
disaster desastre
discovery descubrimiento
discrimination discriminación
discuss (to) discutir
disgrace desgracia
disk disco
distance distancia
distribute (to) distribuir
doctor doctor
dollar dólar
double doble
dragon dragón
drama drama
due debido
duration duración
dynamic dinámico
dynamite dinamita
E
ecology ecología
economy economía
editor editor
education educación
efficiency eficiencia
elastic elástico
electric eléctrico
elephant elefante
elevator elevador
emergency emergencia
emission emisión
emotional emocional
empire imperio
employee empleado
energy energía
engineer ingeniero
enormous enorme
enter (to) entrar
envelope sobre
environment medio ambiente
episode episodio
equal igual
equation ecuación
error error
escape (to) escapar
especially especialmente
essential esencial
event evento
evidence evidencia
evolution evolución
exact exacto
examine (to) examinar
example ejemplo
excellent excelente
exclaim exclamar
exotic exótico
expansion expansión
experience experiencia
experiment experimento
explore explorar
explosion explosión
export exportación
expression expresión
extra extra
extreme extremo
F
fabric tela
fact hecho
factory fábrica
family familia
famous famoso
fan ventilador
fantastic fantástico
fascinate (to) fascinar
fashion moda
fatal fatal
favorite favorito
federal federal
ferocious feroz
festival festival
fiction ficción
figure figura
film película
final final
finally finalmente
firm firme
fitness aptitud
flavor sabor
flexible flexible
flower flor
focus enfoque
force fuerza
form forma
formal formal
formula fórmula
fortunately afortunadamente
forum foro
forward adelante
frame marco
free libre
frequency frecuencia
fresh fresco
friendship amistad
front frente
fruit fruta
fuel combustible
full lleno
function función
funeral funeral
funny divertido
furious furioso(a)
future futuro
G
galaxy galaxia
gallery galería
gallon galón
garage garaje
garden jardín
gas gas
gender género
general general
generation generación
genetic genético
genuine genuino
geography geografía
gesture gesto
giant gigante
giraffe jirafa
global global
glorious glorioso(a)
goal gol
gold oro
golf golf
gorilla gorila
government gobierno
gradual gradual
grammar gramática
grand grande
gravity gravedad
group grupo
group grupo
guide guía
guitar guitarra
H
habit hábito
habitat hábitat
handle manija
happy feliz
harmony armonía
hazard peligro
health salud
heart corazón
helicopter helicóptero
help ayuda
hero héroe
hippopotamus hipopótamo
historic histórico
history historia
holiday vacaciones
honey miel
honor honor
hope esperanza
horizon horizonte
hospital hospital
host anfitrión
hotel hotel
hour hora
house casa
huge enorme
human humano
humor humor
hypothesis hipótesis
I
idea idea
identical idéntico
identification identificación
illegal ilegal
imagine (to) imaginar
immediately inmediatamente
immigrants inmigrantes
impact impacto
import importar
importance importancia
important importante
impossible imposible
impressed impresionando(a)
impression impresión
inclusion inclusión
incredible increíble
incurable incurable
independence independencia
index índice
individual individual
information información
information información
innovation innovación
insects insectos
inseparable inseparable
insist (to) insistir
inspection inspección
instant instante
intelligence inteligencia
intelligent inteligente
interesting interesante
international internacional
internet internet
interrupt (to) interrumpir
introduction introducción
introduce (to) introducir
invent (to) inventar
investigate (to) investigar
investigation investigación
invitation invitación
invite (to) invitar
island isla
isolate aislar
issue problema
J
jacket chaqueta
jam mermelada
jazz jazz
jealous celoso
jet jet
job trabajo
journal diario
journey viaje
joy alegría
judge juez
juice jugo
junior júnior
L
language lenguaje
leader líder
lemon limón
lens lente
leopard leopardo
lesson lección
lessons lecciones
line línea
lion león
list lista
locate (to) localizar
M
machine máquina
magic magia
magician mago
magnificent magnífico(a)
manner manera
manual manual
map mapa
march (to) marchar, caminar
march marzo
marionettes marionetas, títeres
material material
maximum máximo
medal medalla
medical medico
medicine medicina
memory memoria
memory memoria
menu menú
metal metal
method método
microscope microscopio
million millón
miniature miniatura
minimum mínimo
minute minuto
minute minute
minutes minutos
moment momento
monument monumento
moutain montana
much mucho
music música
music música
N
natural natural
nature naturaleza
necessary necesario
necessity necesidad
nectar néctar
nervous nervioso(a)
no no
normal normal
north norte
notice noticia
number número
O
obedience obediencia
object objeto
observatory observatorio
occasion ocasión
ocean océano
october octubre
office oficina
operation operación
opinion opinion
or o
ordinary ordinario
original original
P
palace palacio
panic pánico
paper papel
pardon perdón
park parque
part parte
past pasado
patience paciencia
penguin pingüino
perfect perfecto
perfume perfume
period período
permanent permanente
person persona
phone teléfono
photo foto
photograph fotografía
photographer fotógrafo(a)
physical físico
piano piano
pioneer pionero
pirate pirata
planet planeta
planetarium planetario
plans planes
plants plantas
plates platos
police policía
popular popular
position posición
possible posible
practice (to) practicar
practice práctica
prepare (to) preparar
present presente
present (to) presentar
price precio
problem problema
professional profesional
program programa
project proyecto
quality calidad
R
radio radio
ranch rancho
real real
really realmente
regular regular
repeat repetir
restaurant restaurante
restaurant restaurante
retire (to) retirar
return retorno
reunion reunión
rich rico(a)
rock roca
route ruta
S
science ciencia
second segundo
secret secreto
section sección
september septiembre
series serie
service servicio
simple simple
situation situación
social social
sofa sofá
solar solar
space espacio
special especial
sport deporte
standard estándar
state estado
station estación
statistics estadística
stomach estómago
story historia
student estudiante
study (to) estudiar
surprise sorpresa
system sistema
T
Tarantula tarantula
taxi taxi
tea té
telephone teléfono
telescope telescopio
television televisión
terminal terminal
terrible terrible
theater teatro
time tiempo
tomato tomate
total total
totally totalmente
tourist turista
tradition tradición
traffic tráfico
train tren
transport transporte
trap (to) atrapar
triple triple
trumpet trompeta
tube tubo
U
uniform uniforme
universal universal
university universidad
urban urbano
urgent urgent
use uso
use usar
V
vacation vacación
value valor
vegetables vegetales
vegetal vegetal
version versión
video video
village villa
vision visión
visit (to) visitar
visit vistar
vocabulary vocabulario
volleyball voleibol
vote (to) votar
W
weekend fin de semana
world mundo
zone zona
