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Spanish Cognate Rule 1

Words that end in ouschange to oso

Spanish words that end in -oso tend to be adjectives. In English we can often change a

noun into its corresponding adjective by adding -ous e.g advantage/advantageous,harmony/harmonious, space/spacious. You can often also do this in Spanish with -oso e.g

peligro (danger)/peligroso (dangerous), lujo (luxury)/lujoso (luxurious).

Examples

English Spanish

Curious CuriosoDelicious DeliciosoGlorious GloriosoMysterious MisteriosoNumerous Numeroso

Precious PreciosoReligious ReligiosoTedious Tedioso

Spanish Cognate Rule 2Words that end in alare usual ly the same in English

Examples

English Spanish

Hospital HospitalMedical MedicalAnimal AnimalCasual CasualDigital DigitalFinal FinalIdeal IdealTropical Tropical

Spanish Cognate Rule 3

Words that end in

ctchange to

cto

Examples

English Spanish

Act ActoExact ExactoCorrect CorrectoInsect InsectoDialect DialectoPerfect PerfectoProduct Producto

Conflict Conflicto

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Spanish Cognate Rule 4Words that end in ancechange to ancia

Examples

English SpanishAmbulance AmbulanciaFrance FranciaDistance DistanciaSubstance SubstanciaTolerance ToleranciaElegance EleganciaImportance ImportanciaAbundance Abundancia

Spanish Cognate Rule 5

Words that end in icchange to ico

These words are usually adjectives and have the stress (and therefore an accent) on the

last syllable before the -ico

Examples

English Spanish

Alcoholic AlcohlicoBasic BsicoFantastic FantsticoGeneric GenricoMedic MdicoOrganic OrgnicoPanic PnicoRomantic Romntico

Spanish Cognate Rule 6

Words that end in arare usual ly the same in English

Examples

English Spanish

Familiar FamiliarLunar LunarMuscular MuscularRegular RegularSolar SolarVulgar Vulgar

Similar SimilarPopular Popular

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Spanish Cognate Rule 7Words that end in arychange to ario

Examples

English Spanish

Canary CanarioDiary DiarioGlossary GlossarioEstuary EstuarioPrimary PrimarioSalary SalarioVocabulary VocabularioTemporary Temporario

Spanish Cognate Rule 8Words that end in

antchange to

ante

Examples

English Spanish

Abundant AbundanteDistant DistanteElegant EleganteImportant ImportanteMutant MutanteVacant Vacante

Tolerant ToleranteInstant Instante

Spanish Cognate Rule 9

Words that end in bleare usual ly the same in English

Examples

English Spanish

Audible Audible

Cabble CabbleTerrible TerribleDestructible DestructibleHorrible HorribleFlexible FlexibleImpossible ImposibleVisible Visible

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Spanish Cognate Rule 10

Words that end in encechange to encia

Examples

English SpanishCoincidence CoincidenciaCompetence CompetenciaDifference DiferenciaExcellence ExcelenciaFrequence FrecuenciaIntelligence InteligenciaPresence PresenciaViolence Violencia

Spanish Cognate Rule 11Words that end in idchange to ido

Note: many words following this rule have an accent on the first noun.

Examples

English Spanish

Acid cidoFluid FluidoRapid RpidoSolid Slido

Valid VlidoStupid EstpidoLiquid LquidoVivid Vvido

Spanish Cognate Rule 12Words that end in mentchange to mento

Examples

English Spanish

Argument ArgumentoCement CementoDepartment DepartmentoDocument DocumentoElement ElementoLigament LigamentoMoment MomentoPigment Pigmento