The world is turning into a global village. As distances get shorter, the need to learn languages increases. Spanish and English both have their evolutions. Spanish has seen a linguistic journey with English, a language understood in 186 countries.
We can see many Spanish words spoken and understood by English speakers and vice versa.
Here in this article, we will learn what loan words Spanish has taken which have changed the shape of the Spanish language. We will discuss the Cognates and False Friends between the two languages.
Shared Words Between English and Spanish (Cognates)
You might think that English and Spanish are not similar at all, as they sound different and belong to two different language families. English is a Germanic language, and Spanish is a Romance language, but they are actually more similar than you would expect. Did you know that approximately 30% of English vocabulary comes from French, and another 30% comes directly from Latin? Combined, this means that roughly 60% of English vocabulary is Romance-based.
Here are some shared words (also known as cognates) between English and Spanish. Cognates are words that share similar meanings and look similar. However, they may sound somewhat different, so we recommend you click and listen carefully to the Spanish pronunciation. Note that many English words that end in -tion correspond to Spanish words ending in -ción.
| Spanish | English |
| Animal | Animal |
| Hotel | Hotel |
| Doctor | Doctor |
| Natural | Natural |
| Idea | Idea |
| Color | Color |
| Favor | Favor |
| Actor | Actor |
| Hospital | Hospital |
| Familia | Family |
| Clase | Class |
| Música | Music |
| Persona | Person |
| Momento | Moment |
| Diferencia | Difference |
| Decisión | Decision |
| Nación | Nation |
| Atención | Attention |
| Importante | Important |
| Acción | Action |
| Celebración | Celebration |
| Posición | Position |
| Dirección | Direction |
| Tradición | Tradition |
| Emoción | Emotion |
| Condición | Condition |
| Educación | Education |
| Información | Information |
| Operación | Operation |
| Invitación | Invitation |
| Expresión | Expression |
| Cultura | Culture |
| Naturaleza | Nature |
| Población | Population |
| Constitución | Constitution |
| Revolución | Revolution |
| Comunicación | Communication |
| Definición | Definition |
| Situación | Situation |
| Colaboración | Collaboration |
| Organización | Organization |
| Civilización | Civilization |
| Explicación | Explanation |
| Traducción | Translation |
| Vacación | Vacation |
False Friends Between English and Spanish Words
With 60% of English vocabulary rooted in Romance languages, many Spanish words already feel familiar to English speakers, even for beginners. But be careful about false cognates! These “false friends” are words that might trick you because they look similar but have completely different meanings. A typical example is the sentence:
What would you guess it means? Embarazada sounds a bit like “embarrassed”, so you may think it means “I am embarrassed”. However, it actually means something very different: “ I am pregnant”.
| Spanish Word (Meaning) | English False Cognate (Meaning) |
| Embarazada (pregnant) | Embarrassed (avergonzado/a) |
| Actualmente (currently / actually) | Actually (realmente / en realidad) |
| Ropa (clothing) | Rope (cuerda) |
| Sensible (sensitive) | Sensible (practical) |
| Asistir (attend) | Assist (ayudar) |
| Éxito (success) | Exit (salida) |
| Introducir (insert) | Introduce (presentar) |
| Fábrica (factory) | Fabric (tela) |
| Librería (bookstore) | Library (biblioteca) |
| Largo (long) | Large (grande) |
| Enviar (send) | Envy (envidia) |
It is impossible to know if a cognate is real or false just by looking at it. There is no better way to learn false friends than with practice and exposure to real language in context. And this is where Jolii comes into play.
With the Jolii app, you can import any video you like, and its AI-powered copilot analyzes it in real time and creates custom-made exercises for you to practice Spanish. This way, you can learn to distinguish cognates and false cognates using real content. Download Jolii today and give it a try!
Spanish Words Used in English
Even if you’re just starting to learn Spanish, you’ll be surprised by how many words you already know! Imagine this: you’re likely familiar with food-related words like tortilla, paella, taco, tapas, chorizo, and burrito. But it doesn’t stop there—there are also globally recognized words like fiesta, siesta, amigo, salsa, gracias, hasta la vista, mañana, and the list goes on!
This familiarity isn’t surprising when you consider the influence of Spanish in the United States and Latin America. Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the U.S., with millions of native and non-native speakers. When cultures meet, they influence each other, so here are common Spanish words that are used daily in English.
Common Spanish Words You May Already Know
| Category | Examples |
| Food | Taco, Burrito, Salsa, Tortilla, Nachos, Enchilada, Guacamole, Quesadilla |
| Nature | Canyon, Plaza, Mesa, Sierra, Arroyo, Oasis, Valle |
| Everyday Terms | Patio, Rodeo, Fiesta, Siesta, Lasso, Hombre, Niño |
| Music/Dance | Salsa, Tango, Flamenco, Mariachi, Rumba, Merengue |
| Travel | Pueblo, Rancho, Camino, Hacienda, Vista, Playa |
| Cultural Terms | Corrida, Sombrero, Charro, Serenata, Quinceañera, Día de los Muertos |
English Words Borrowed by Spanish
Unlike other languages like German or French, the Spanish language has not imported as many English words, and most concepts are still translated into Spanish. For instance, even the words related to technology have their own Spanish terms, and some words are translated literally such as mouse (ratón) or hot dog (perrito caliente)
Here’s a list of words you might expect to be borrowed from English but are commonly translated into Spanish instead:
| Common Spanish Translation | English Word |
| Ordenador / Computadora | Computer |
| Portátil | Laptop |
| Correo electrónico | |
| Teléfono inteligente | Smartphone |
| Trabajo | Job |
| Mercadotecnia | Marketing |
| Negocio | Business |
| Redes Sociales | Social Networks |
| Disco duro | Hard Drive |
| Contraseña | Password |
| Enlace | Link |
| Altavoz | Speaker |
| Compras | Shopping |
| Equipo | Team |
| Espectáculo | Show |
| Perrito Caliente | Hot Dog |
The Evolution of Spanglish: The Blend of Two Languages
As the name suggests, Spanglish is a hybrid of Spanish and English. It is a term used to describe the practice of alternating between the two languages when speaking, which is common among Spanish-speaking communities in the US and other regions where English and Spanish coexist, such as parts of Latin America or even Gibraltar. Spanglish is not an official language and doesn’t have fixed rules. Sometimes, words are borrowed from English into Spanish as they are, while other times they are “Spanishized”.
Here are a few example sentences in Spanglish.
| Spanglish Sentence | English Translation |
| I love la música de este artista. | I love the music of this artist. |
| I’m so hungry, necesito comida. | I’m so hungry, I need food. |
| The weather hoy is muy nice. | The weather today is very nice. |
| Can you ayudarme con esto? | Can you help me with this? |
| I really like viajar en verano. | I really like to travel in summer. |
| No vamos a salir because it’s raining. | We’re not going out because it’s raining. |
| Ya terminé mi homework. | I already finished my homework. |
| Voy a chequear mi email. | I’m going to check my email. |
| Estuvimos hangeando en el mall, | We were hanging out at the mall. |
| Estábamos chateando. | We were chatting. |
How to Navigate Both English Words and Spanish Words as a Learner
Navigating English and Spanish words as a learner requires you to use effective transitions between the two so you do not mix up both languages. Though both have a good shared vocabulary, they still hold definite individual identities.
You need to understand that there are borrowed words in both languages, so it is best to recognize them first. Here, we have found a couple of practical strategies to ease the navigation between English and Spanish.
Strategies to Navigate Between English and Spanish
You will make mistakes. Embrace them and think they are good learning opportunities for you.
- Keep a notebook where you will add the cognates and false friends for your help. The list will help you remember, and by looking at it repeatedly, your mind will store it as a picture memory.
- Use an immersive environment where you can use Netflix videos to navigate both languages simultaneously. You can easily switch subtitles to understand the language used when watching videos.
- We have an effective app, Jolii, to help you navigate languages easily. Jolii incorporates the video immersion technique into its interface. You can use any video from Netflix, YouTube, or any other video and start learning Spanish. It also curates lessons based on what you are learning.
How Jolii Bridges the Gap Between English and Spanish
Jolii can aid you in learning the differences between borrowed words, so it is easy to learn which words can serve the same purpose in both languages.
Download Jolii today to practice learning the differences and similarities (cognates and false friends) in English and Spanish.
Conclusion
English and Spanish are similar yet different. It is because they share the same ancestral language, but they belong to different branches of the same language family. Since the differences are so strong, they both are distinct languages that have evolved uniquely into their current forms.
Despite these differences, English and Spanish share some common words that mean the same in both languages, which shows the influence of globalization. For a more immersive experience, the Jolii app can help by importing videos and turning them into language lessons, allowing you to learn Spanish at a better pace.
FAQs
Q: Why do Spanish speakers use so many English words?
A: Spanish speakers use many English words as a result of globalization. Many Spanish speakers use English words to sound more professional or trendy.
Q: Can I use English words in Spanish sentences?
A: You can use English words in Spanish sentences. There is no harm in that, but this influence over the languages is taking the essence of the Spanish away from the language. Languages change and they are becoming global.
Q: Are English and Spanish related linguistically?
A: English and Spanish are related to each other because they share a common ancestral language. But they are different too, as they belong to different branches of the same Indo-European ancestral language. English is Germanic and Spanish is Romance. Still, they have influenced each other linguistically due to their historical and cultural contacts.
