20 most Popular Cognates from Spanish You Already Know in English

Many people who are studying Spanish know that the language has a lot of words in common with English. In fact, one of the most common arguments to study Spanish is because it is similar to English. Some say that 50% of English vocabulary has its origins from Latin roots and Spanish, therefore, can help you remember these words without having studied Latin.

The Latin roots of these words provide interesting insights into the origins of our modern language. It’s fascinating to see how so many different words can be traced back to a common ancestor. Let’s take a look at 20 of the most popular cognates from Spanish that you already know in English.

“llama”

The first cognate on our list is “llama.” This word means “flame” in Spanish and is pronounced like “ya-ma.” It is interesting to note that this word comes from the Latin root “illo,” which means “fire.”

“bravo”

The second cognate on our list is “bravo.” This word means “brave” in Spanish and is pronounced like “bra-vo.” This is an interesting fact because it comes from the Latin root “vallum,” which means “wall.”

“libro”

The third cognate is “libro.” This word means “book” in Spanish and is pronounced like “lee-broh.” The Latin prefix “liber” has given us the English term “free,” according to the Online Etymology Dictionary.

“amigo”

“Amigo,” the fourth cognate on our list, is a term that’s used to describe pals. This word means “friend” in Spanish and is pronounced like “ah-mee-go.” It’s worth noting that the Latin root “amicus” means “friend” and gives this term its origin.

“mesa”

The fifth cognate is “mesa.” This word means “table” in Spanish and is pronounced like “meh-sa.” The Latin word for “table” is “mensa,” which gives us this term.

“noche”

The sixth cognate on our list is “noche.” This word means “night” in Spanish and is pronounced like “no-cheh.” The root of this term, nox, derives from the Latin word for “night.”

“problema”

The seventh cognate on our list is “problema.” This word means “problem” in Spanish and is pronounced like “proh-bleh-mah.” It’s worth noting that this term derives from the Latin root “prolaema,” which means “blame.”

“pueblo”

The eighth pair is “pueblo.” This term, which translates to “town” in Spanish and is pronounced like “pweh-bloh,” refers to a town. This is where the word “people” comes from, according to Latin roots.

“embarazada”

The ninth cognate is “embarazada.” This term denotes “pregnant” in Spanish and is pronounced as “ehm-bah-rah-zah-dah.” This term originates from the Latin root “praegnans,” which means “with child.”

“telegrama”

The tenth cognate on our list is “telegrama,” which means “telegram” in Spanish and has a pronunciation similar to “tel-eh-grah-mah.”It’s worth noting that the Latin root “telegrafo” means “telegraph.”

“estrella”

The eleventh cognate is “estrella.” This term means “star” in Spanish. This term derives from the Latin root “sterilis,” which means “unfruitful.”

“fiesta”

The twelfth cognate is “fiesta,” which means “party” in Spanish and is pronounced like “fee-ehs-tah.” The Latin root “festum” denotes a feast.

“hasta”

The thirteenth cognate on our list is “hasta.” This term means “until” in Spanish and is pronounced like “ahs-tah.” The Latin prefix “ad” means “to.”

“dolor”

The fourteenth cognate on our list is “dolor.” This word means “pain” in Spanish and it is pronounced like “doh-lore.” It’s worth noting that this term has a Latin origin, stemming from the word “dolere,” meaning “to feel pain.”

“alma”

The fifteenth cognate on our list is “alma.” This term means “soul” in Spanish and is pronounced like “ahl-mah.” The Latin root anima, which means “breath,” has given this word its origin.

“radio”

The sixteenth cognate on our list is “radio.” It means “radio” in Spanish and it’s pronounced like “rah-dee-ohh.” According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the Latin root radiare means “to radiate.”

“largo”

The seventeenth cognate on our list is “largo.” This term refers to a certain type of fabric and a long-distance when used as an adjective or adverb respectively. It can also mean “late” in Spanish, pronounced like “lahr-goh.” It is interesting to note that the Latin word for “length” is “latus,” which has given us this term.

“director”

The eighteenth cognate on our list is “director.” This word means “director” in Spanish and is pronounced like “dee-rehk-tor.” The Latin root “directum” means “to straighten out.”

“solo”

The nineteenth cognate on our list is “solo.” This word means “alone” in Spanish and it is pronounced like soh-loh. The Latin root “solus” means “only.”

“fonte”

The twentieth cognate on our list is “fonte.” This term means “fountain” in Spanish and it’s pronounced like fohn-teh. The Latin root “fontis” denotes a fountain or source.

Although the words we mentioned may seem daunting at first, they’re really just a series of short and long vowels with various endings attached to them that designate the word’s role within an expression or sentence.

After reading this article, you should now know 20 popular cognates from Spanish that you already know in English. Remember, cognates are words that have the same root and meaning in both languages. So, if you’re ever stuck on a Spanish word, don’t be afraid to use an English cognate as a substitute! You’ll be surprised at how many of these words you already know.

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