You Already Know Thousands of Spanish Words
Unlock your hidden Spanish vocabulary through cognates - words that share the same Latin roots
What Are Cognates?
Cognates are words in different languages that share the same origin and have similar meanings and spellings. Spanish and English share thousands of cognates because both languages borrowed heavily from Latin.
The patterns are highly predictable. Once you learn the rules, you can instantly recognise and use thousands of Spanish words without memorisation.
All Cognate Patterns at a Glance
Click any pattern to see examples with audio pronunciation.
Tips for Using Cognates
Start with what you know
When speaking, think of the English word first, then apply the pattern transformation.
Watch for false friends
"Embarazada" means "pregnant" not "embarrassed". "Actual" means "current" not "actual".
Mind the gender
Most -ción and -dad words are feminine (la). Most -ismo words are masculine (el).
Practice pronunciation
Spelling is similar but pronunciation differs. Use the audio buttons to hear correct Spanish.
Combine patterns
"Internationally" becomes "internacionalmente" using both the -al and -ly patterns.