Cognates/ los cognados

What are cognates? English and Spanish are closely related (both have Latin roots), some words in Spanish are similar in form and meaning to a word in English. These words are called cognates. Spanish-speakers can use their knowledge of their first language to help them learn many words in English, particularly words commonly used in school. Other languages with European roots also have English cognates.

Words that are spelled very similarly: These often vary in predictable ways. For example: declaration/declaración contamination/contaminación What part of the word changes each time?

Words that are spelled exactly the same in both languages: Spanish cognates that are spelled the same way and have the same meaning (e.g., hotel).

Words that are less similar but share the same root: e.g., sport/deporte

Words that sound alike even though the spellings vary: e.g., pleasure/placer

TYPES OF COGNATES Words spelled exactly the same Words spelled similarly Words that are less similar but with same root Words spelled differently but with same sound animal atlas colonial decimal metal hospital declaration/ declaración contamination/ contaminación corrosion/ corrosión diary/diaro dinosaur/ dinosaurio sport/ deporte dozen/docena past/pasado family/familia pleasure/ placer peace/paz equal/iqual initials/iniciales

BEWARE! Multiple-Meaning Words False Cognates letter/letracoma/coma

False cognates: Some words may look and sound like cognates but aren’t. For example, the Spanish word sopa looks and sounds similar to the English word soap, but they mean something very different: the Spanish word sopa is something you eat; the English word soap is something used to wash things. English soap and Spanish sopa are false cognates.