Hoy mi teacher me hizo algo que me dejó embarrased...

¡ AAAAAHHHHH !

Cognates are words which are similar in English and Spanish. Their similarity can be in their written form or their pronunciation. Recognizing these words in a text make things easier for the reader. Cognates can be names, dates, and information.

Cognates are words that share: Similar meaning Similar Spelling English and Spanish share about 30 to

40% of the words. Cognates are a bridge to learn Spanish!

ENGLISH SPANISH

INTITUIVE INTUITIVO

NEUROSIS NEUROSIS

PSYCHOLOGY PSICOLOGIA

Artificial Popular Chocolate Tropical Usual Animal Cereal Banana Soda Hotel

2. Complete the following box.

Computer Television Bank Bycicle              

Spanish words that end in -a, -o or -e very often have an equivalent in English. Simply drop or change the last vowel.

Airecausacostocreativocreditodieta

There are many Spanish cognates that end in -cion. The equivalent English word ends in -tion. Note that all of these words have the stress on the final syllable. Also, all of these words are feminine in gender.

Abreviaciónacciónaclamaciónadministraciónadmiraciónafirmación

Words that in in -dad are quite common in Spanish. They usually correspond to an English word that ends in -ty. All of these words are feminine in gender.

autoridad (authority)comunidaddificultadnecesidadprosperidadpublicidaduniversidad

English words that end in -ic usually have a Spanish cognate that simply add an -o.

Atlánticoautomáticodemocráticodidácticopatrióticorománticosarcástico

Like the previous category, English words that end in -ical have a Spanish cognate that ends in -ico.

clásicocómicoeléctricofísico

English words that end in -ent often have a cognate in Spanish that ends in -ente. These words are usually adjectives.

agenteclientediferenteequivalenteindiferenteinteligentepatente

Be careful with Spanish words that end in- mente (as opposed to just -ente). They usually have an English cognate that ends in -ly. These are adverbs.

afortunadamente (fortunately)correctamentedesafortunadamente (unfortunately)especialmenteexactamentefinalmente

Words that end in -ment in English have equivalents in Spanish that simply add an -o. These words are nouns.

argumentomonumentosacramentosuplemento

Words that end in -al in both English and Spanish are often cognates.

animalanualcapitalcentralcomercialespecialgeneralintelectual

English words that end in -ence or -ance often have a Spanish cognate that ends in -encia or -ancia.

Abundanciacircunstanciaconcienciadiferenciadistanciaexperiencia

-ant (or sometimes -ent)words in English sometimes end in -ante in Spanish.

abundanteconstanteeleganteestudianteimportanterestaurante

Some English words that end in -ous have a Spanish cognate that ends in -oso.

ambiciosocuriosodeliciosofamosogloriosogracioso

English words with the ending -y sometimes have an equivalent in Spanish with the ending -ia or -io.

Aristocraciademocraciafamiliahistoriamisterioremedio

English words that end in -or often have a Spanish cognate that is identical.

Actorcolordirectordoctor

English words that end in -ist often have a Spanish cognate.

artistafloristapianistaturistarecepcionista

False cognates are words whose written form or pronunciation is similar in English and Spanish, but can be different in meaning.

Embarazado Mapa Carpeta Chocolate Horno Pan idea Desierto Religión

teléfono Dinero

Embarazado Mapa☻ Carpeta Persona ☻ Horno Pan Idea ☻ Desierto Religión ☻

teléfono ☻ Dinero

Embarazado Embarrased

CARPET

HORN

PAN

Desierto

DINNER

3. Read the following text and underline /copy the cognates or transparent words.

4. Using your ideas, give a title to the text. Hola!Yo me llamo Susana y yo vivo en Madrid España. Yo

tengo 12 años y tengo dos mascotas; una tortuga y perico.

Cuando voy al colegio, le digo adiós a mi mama, y pongo mis notas, colores y otros útiles escolares en la mochila. En el colegio tengo muchos amigos y amigas. Mis amigos son curiosos, inteligentes y activos.

A mis amigos y a mí nos gusta jugar basquetbol y futbol. También nos gusta comer hamburguesas, y tomar jugo de melón.

Eso es todo por ahora, un abrazo!Susana.