Cognates Similar Spanish – English Words

Cognates
Similar Spanish – English Words
Cognates are words in two languages that share a similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation.
Almost 40 percent of all words in English have a related word in Spanish. For Spanish-speaking
English language learners, cognates are an obvious bridge to the English language.
The following is an alphabetical list of English and Spanish cognates. Please see
http://www.colorincolorado.org/introduction/cognates.php for suggestions on how to use cognates to
help students learn English.
A
B
English
Spanish
accident
accidental
accompany (to)
acrobatic
active
activities
admire (to)
admit (to)
adult
adventure
adopt (to)
adoption
African
agent
air
alarm
allergic
anaconda
animal
announce (to)
appear (to)
appetite
area
arithmetic
artist
association
astronomer
atmosphere
attention
August
autograph
automobile
accidente
accidental
acompañar
acrobático(a)
activo (a)
actividades
admirar
admitir
adulto
aventura
adoptar
adopción
africano
agente
aire
alarma
alérgico (a)
anaconda
animal
anunciar
aparecer
apetito
área
aritmética
artista
asociación
astrónomo
atmósfera
atención
agosto
autógrafo
automóvil
banana
banjo
bicycle
biography
blouse
brilliant
banana, plátano
banjo
bicicleta
biografía
blusa
brillante
C
English
Spanish
English
Spanish
cabin
cabina (de teléfono,
avión, etc.)
cable
cafetería
cámara
camuflaje
cañón
capitán
capturar
catástrofe
causa
celebrar
cemento
centro
cerámica
cereal
ceremonia
chimenea
chimpancé
cólera
círculo
circular
clase
costa
colonia
color
comité
común
completo(a)
completamente
compañía
concierto
confeti
confuso
confusión
constelación
construcción
contagioso(a)
continente
continue (to)
contract
contribution
coyote
crocodile
curious
curiosity
continuar
contrato
contribución
coyote
cocodrilo
curioso(a)
curiosidad
December
decide (to)
decoration
delicate
depend (to)
deport (to)
describe (to)
desert
destroy (to)
detain
determine (to)
diamond
dictator
different
dinosaur
direction
directions
directly
director
disappear (to)
disaster
discrimination
discuss (to)
disgrace
distance
distribute (to)
dollar
double
dragon
dynamite
dinosaur
diciembre
decidir
decoración, adorno
delicado(a)
depender
deportar
describir
desierto
destruir
detener
determinar
diamante
dictador
diferente
dinosaurio
dirección
direcciones
directamente
director
desaparecer
desastre
discriminación
discutir
desgracia
distancia
distribuir
dólar
doble
dragón
dinamita
dinosaurio
cable
cafeteria
camera
camouflage
canyon
captain
capture (to)
catastrophe
cause
celebrate (to)
cement
center
ceramic
cereal
ceremony
chimney
chimpanzee
cholera
circle
circular
class
coast
colony
color
committee
common
complete
completely
company
concert
confetti
confusing
confusion
constellation
construction
contagious
continent
D
page 1 of 3
www.ColorinColorado.org
Information, activities, and advice for educators of English language learners
Adapted from: Calderón, M., August, D., Durán, D., Madden, N., R. Slavin & M. Gil (2003). Spanish to English Transitional Reading: Teacher's Manual.
Baltimore, MD: The Success for All Foundation.
Cognates
Similar Spanish – English Words
E
F
G
H
English
Spanish
electric
elephant
enormous
energy
enter (to)
escape (to)
especially
examine (to)
exclaim (to)
explosion
exotic
extra
extraordinary
eléctrico(a)
elefante
enorme
energía
entrar
escapar
especialmente
examinar
exclamar
explosión
exótico(a)
extra
extraordinario(a)
family
famous
fascinate (to)
favorite
ferocious
finally
firm
flexible
flower
fortunately
fruit
funeral
furious
familia
famoso(a)
fascinar
favorito(a)
feroz
finalmente
firme
flexible
flor
afortunadamente
fruta
funeral
furioso(a)
galaxy
gallon
garden
gas
giraffe
golf
glorious
gorilla
group
guide
galaxia
galón
jardín
gas
jirafa
golf
glorioso(a)
gorila
grupo
guía
L
helicopter
hippopotamus
history
honor
hospital
hotel
hour
human
helicóptero
hipopótamo
historia
honor
hospital
hotel
hora
humano(a)
M
I
English
Spanish
English
Spanish
idea
identification
imagine (to)
immediately
immigrants
importance
important
impressed
impression
incredible
incurable
independence
information
insects
inseparable
insist (to)
inspection
intelligence
interesting
interrupt (to)
introduce (to)
introduction
invent (to)
investigate (to)
invitation
invite (to)
island
idea
identificación
imaginar
inmediatamente
inmigrantes
importancia
importante
impresionando(a)
impresión
increíble
incurable
independencia
información
insectos
inseparable
insistir
inspección
inteligencia
interesante
interrumpir
introducir
introducción
inventar
investigar
invitación
invitar
isla
medal
memory
metal
microscope
million
miniature
minute
minutes
moment
monument
much
music
medalla
memoria
metal
microscopio
millón
miniatura
minuto
minutos
momento
monumento
mucho
música
natural
necessity
nectar
nervous
natural
necesidad
néctar
nervioso(a)
obedience
object
observatory
occasion
ocean
October
office
operation
ordinary
obediencia
objeto
observatorio
ocasión
océano
octubre
oficina
operación
ordinario
leader
lemon
lens
leopard
lesson
lessons
line
lion
list
locate (to)
líder
limón
lente
leopardo
lección
lecciones
línea
león
lista
localizar
machine
magic
magician
magnificent
manner
map
March
march (to)
marionettes
máquina
magia
mago
magnífico(a)
manera
mapa
marzo
marchar, caminar
marionetas, títeres
palace
panic
paper
park
part
patience
penguin
perfect
perfume
permanent
photo
photograph
photographer
piano
pioneer
pirate
planet
planetarium
plans
plants
palacio
pánico
papel
parque
parte
paciencia
pingüino
perfecto (a)
perfume
permanente
foto
fotografía
fotógrafo(a)
piano
pionero
pirata
planeta
planetario
planes
plantas
N
O
P
page 2 of 3
www.ColorinColorado.org
Information, activities, and advice for educators of English language learners
Adapted from: Calderón, M., August, D., Durán, D., Madden, N., R. Slavin & M. Gil (2003). Spanish to English Transitional Reading: Teacher's Manual.
Baltimore, MD: The Success for All Foundation.
Cognates
Similar Spanish – English Words
R
English
Spanish
plates
police
practice
practice (to)
prepare (to)
present (to)
problem
professional
platos
policía
práctica
practicar
preparar
presentar
problema
profesional
radio
ranch
really
restaurant
retire (to)
reunion
rich
rock
route
radio
rancho
realmente
restaurante
retirar
reunión
rico(a)
roca
ruta
S
T
English
Spanish
secret
September
series
sofa
special
splendid
statistics
stomach
study (to)
surprise
secreto
septiembre
serie
sofá
especial
espléndido(a)
estadística
estómago
estudiar
sorpresa
telephone
telescope
television
terrible
tomato
totally
tourist
traffic
trap (to)
triple
trumpet
tube
teléfono
telescopio
televisión
terrible
tomate
totalmente
turista
tráfico
atrapar
triple
trompeta
tubo
U
V
English
Spanish\
uniform
uniforme
vegetables
version
visit (to)
volleyball
vote (to)
vegetales
versión
visitar
voleibol
votar
page 3 of 3
www.ColorinColorado.org
Information, activities, and advice for educators of English language learners
Adapted from: Calderón, M., August, D., Durán, D., Madden, N., R. Slavin & M. Gil (2003). Spanish to English Transitional Reading: Teacher's Manual.
Baltimore, MD: The Success for All Foundation.