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What are cognates?

Language learners turn to words similar to those of their mother tongue. That way, they can expand their vocabulary and improve their fluency by remembering them quickly in conversation. These similar words are called cognates.

Theoretically, a cognate is a term derived from Latin which literally means “inbred or with the same ancestor.” It means that a cognate is a word in one language that is similar in spelling, pronunciation, and meaning to a word in another language.

Cognates arise from the influence of languages through linguistic borrowings positioned and adapted to the language that receives them over time.

Types of cognates

True cognates

True cognates, also known as perfect cognates, are spelled the same, but pronounced differently depending on the language.

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Actor – actor

Admirable – admirable

Agenda – agenda

Alcohol –  alcohol

Altar – altar

Near-perfect cognates

Near-perfect cognates are words that look alike in both languages and mean the same thing, but require a simple formula to convert them, in this case from English to Spanish.

AR/IR

English words that can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending with “ar” or “ir“:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Abandon – abandonar

Adapt –  adaptar

Adjust –  ajustar

Admit – admitir

Adopt – adoptar

ATE – AR

English words that can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending “ate” with “ar“:

ESPAÑOL – SPANISH

Abbreviate – abreviar

Abdicate – abdicar

Accelerate – acelerar

Accentuate – acentuar

Activate – activar

ARY – ARIO

English nouns ending “ary” can be converted to Spanish by replacing it with a “ario“:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Adversary – adversario

Anniversary – aniversario

Arbitrary – arbitrario

Commentary – comentario

Complementary – complementario

CT – CTO

English words that can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending “ct” with with “cto“:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Abstract – abstracto

Act – acto

Artefact – artefacto

Compact – compacto

Conflict – conflicto

IC – ICO

English words ending in “ic” can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending with “ico“:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Academic – académico

Alcoholic – alcohólico

Artistic – artístico

Authentic – auténtico

LY – MENTE

English words ending in “ly” can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending with “mente”:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Absolutely – absolutamente

Acceptably – aceptablemente

Apparently – aparentemente

Approximately – aproximadamente

Basically – básicamente

NT- NTE

English words ending “nt” can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending with “nte”:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Abundant – abundante

Accident – accidente

Adjacent – adyacente

Agent – agente

Arrogant – arrogante

OUS – OSO

English words ending “ous” can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending with “oso“:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Advantageous – ventajoso

Ambitious – ambicioso

Capricious – caprichoso

Contagious – contagioso

Curious – curioso

SION – SIÓN

English words ending “sion” can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending with “sión“:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Abrasion – abrasión

Admission – admisión

Aggression – agresión

Aversion – aversión

Cohesion – cohesión

TION – CIÓN

English words ending “tion” can be converted to Spanish by replacing the ending with “ción“:

ENGLISH – SPANISH

Circulation – circulación

Civilization – civilización

Classification – clasificación

Collaboration – colaboración

Collection – colección

False cognates

False cognates, commonly known as false friends, are spelled the same or similar, but have a completely different meaning.

For example, if someone wants to say:

“I’m embarrassed to give a presentation in front of the whole class”, but if they use the word “embarazada“, they will be saying “I’m pregnant to give a presentation in front of the whole class”.

This is a very common mistake and someone will probably end up laughing their head off.

This is a clear example of how a false cognate or a false friend can misrepresent what we are saying, potentially causing great confusion (accompanied by laughter).

Here are some examples:

Learn more about cognates with this guide!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are false friends in language learning?

False friends are words that look or sound similar in two different languages but have completely different meanings. They can cause confusion and misunderstandings.

Are all English words with similar Spanish words cognates?

No, while many English and Spanish words may appear to have similar spellings, they might be false cognates, having completely different meanings.

How do languages evolve to have cognates?

Languages evolved over time, often borrowing words from other languages, and sometimes these borrowed words become cognates.

Is there a huge advantage in learning cognates when studying a new language?

Yes, learning cognates can give you a significant advantage in vocabulary acquisition and overall understanding of a new language.

What does “en realidad” mean in the context of false cognates?

“En realidad” is a Spanish phrase that means “actually” in English. It serves as an example of words that may appear similar but are not perfect cognates.

Do similar pronunciations always mean the words have similar meanings?

No, similar pronunciations don’t guarantee similar meanings. Many words sound similar but have different etymologies and meanings.

How can I guess the Spanish meaning of an English word?

It’s not advisable to guess as you might encounter a false friend. However, understanding common etymological origins can sometimes help.

Is it common to be confused by false cognates when speaking a foreign language?

Yes, it’s a common issue. False cognates can often lead to misunderstandings when learning or speaking a foreign language.

Are there perfect cognates between English and other languages besides Spanish?

Yes, perfect cognates can also exist between English and other languages like French, Portuguese, and even languages that have borrowed heavily from Latin or Greek.

Is the pronunciation of English and Spanish cognates very different?

The pronunciation may vary but often retains similarity, enabling the language learner to recognize the word.

How many types of cognates are there?

The article outlines several types of cognates, including true cognates, near-perfect cognates, and false cognates.

Can I find true cognates in languages other than Spanish?

Yes, true cognates are not unique to the relationship between English and Spanish; they can be found when any two languages have a common root or have borrowed from each other.