If you’re learning English, here’s a little secret: you already know a lot of English words! These are called cognates—words that are very similar in English and other languages. By recognising them, you can improve your vocabulary quickly and make your learning much easier. This is an extremely efficient method for improving your vocabulary and fluency.
What Are Cognates?
Cognates are words that look and sound similar in two languages because they come from the same root. For example, the word “animal” is exactly the same in both English and Spanish, with the same meaning. You can find thousands of words like this, which will help you learn English faster.
Here are a few you might already know:
- Animal – Animal
- Doctor – Doctor
- Family – Familia
- Idea – Idea
- Possible – Posible
These words are almost identical, so you can start using them confidently in your English conversations straight away.
Words Ending in ‘-tion’
Words ending in ‘-tion’ are another group you should pay attention to. They come from Latin, so they are similar across all Romance languages (like Spanish, French, and Italian). In Spanish, these words usually end in ‘-ción’, but in English, they end in ‘-tion’. You’ll find that hundreds of words follow this pattern!
Here are some examples across different languages:
- Education – Educación (Spanish), Éducation (French), Educazione (Italian)
- Information – Información (Spanish), Information (French), Informazione (Italian)
- Communication – Comunicación (Spanish), Communication (French), Comunicazione (Italian)
If you see an English word ending in ‘-tion’, there’s a good chance you already know it! This is a quick and easy way to expand your vocabulary.
Cognates aren’t just found between English and Romance languages. You can also find similar words in languages like Hindi, Arabic, and Japanese. For example, the English word “pajamas” comes from the Hindi word “pajama” (पजामा), meaning loose-fitting trousers. In Arabic, “sugar” is “sukkar” (سُكّر), which is quite similar to the English version. Even in Japanese, the word “sarada” (サラダ) means “salad”, showing how languages can share certain vocabulary across cultures.
Beware of False Friends
While many words are similar in both English and other languages, there are a few tricky ones called false friends. These are words that look alike but have different meanings. It’s important to watch out for these, so you don’t get confused.
Here are a few common examples from Spanish:
- Embarazada means pregnant, not embarrassed.
- Asistir means to attend, not to assist.
- Ropa means clothing, not rope.
If you’re ever unsure, it’s always a good idea to check with your English teacher or use a dictionary to make sure you’re using the right word.
How Cognates Can Help You Learn English Faster
As you practise English, keep an eye out for cognates. These are words that look similar to the ones you know in Spanish. You’ll be surprised at how many you already understand! Make a list of common English-Spanish cognates and use them in sentences or flashcards to help you remember them. This will make learning faster and help you feel more confident when speaking.
Here are a few more useful examples:
- Hospital – Hospital
- Professor – Profesor
- Curious – Curioso
- Natural – Natural
- Perfect – Perfecto
And it’s not just common words which form cognates. If you speak Spanish, even these advanced words are already in your English vocabulary:
- Adept – Adepto (skilled or proficient)
- Carnivore – Carnívoro (meat-eating animal)
- Decrepit – Decrépito (worn out, especially with age)
- Erroneous – Erróneo (incorrect or mistaken)
- Facetious – Faccioso (joking inappropriately)
- Inclement – Inclemente (harsh, particularly weather)
- Juxtapose – Yuxtaponer (to place side by side for comparison)
- Mundane – Mundano (ordinary, of this world)
- Ostentatious – Ostentoso (showy, intended to attract notice)
- Pulchritude – Pulcritud (physical beauty, often used in an exaggerated way)
Using cognates is a great way to learn English quickly. Whether you’re studying with an online English teacher or practising on your own, these words will give you a head start and make learning English feel much easier.
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