Spanish speakers of English and vice versa have a huge advantage over learners of other languages because many Spanish and English words share the same latin roots. In a short 10 minute lesson a Spanish student can learn over XXX number of words in English.
English and Spanish, both Indo-European languages, share a rich history of linguistic borrowing, especially through Latin—the common ancestor of Romance languages like Spanish and the source of many English words via Norman French. This results in systematic correspondences in vocabulary, where suffixes, prefixes, and even roots align predictably. These patterns make it easier for learners to recognize cognates (words with shared origins) and expand their vocabulary efficiently.This page explores key suffix patterns, focusing on your examples of English “-ity” and Spanish “-idad” and English “-tion” and Spanish “-ción”. Additional common patterns are included for completeness. Each section features a table of paired examples to illustrate the connections.1. English “-ity” and Spanish “-idad”Pattern Overview
- English Suffix: “-ity” forms abstract nouns from adjectives, indicating quality, state, or condition (e.g., “pure” → “purity”).
- Spanish Suffix: “-idad” does the same, directly from Latin “-itas.”
- Pronunciation Tip: English “-ity” is /ɪti/; Spanish “-idad” is /iˈðað/.
| English Word | Spanish Word |
|---|---|
| Ability | Habilidad |
| Activity | Actividad |
| Authority | Autoridad |
| Celebrity | Celebridad |
| Community | Comunidad |
| Curiosity | Curiosidad |
| Diversity | Diversidad |
| Necessity | Necesidad |
| Opportunity | Oportunidad |
| Personality | Personalidad |
| Quality | Calidad |
| Reality | Realidad |
| Security | Seguridad |
| University | Universidad |
2. English “-tion” and Spanish “-ción”Pattern Overview
- English Suffix: “-tion” (also “-sion”) forms nouns from verbs, indicating action or result (e.g., “act” → “action”).
- Spanish Suffix: “-ción” (pronounced /θjon/ in Spain, /sjon/ in Latin America).
- Pronunciation Tip: English /ʃən/; Spanish varies by dialect but ends in “-on.”
| English Word | Spanish Word |
|---|---|
| Action | Acción |
| Attention | Atención |
| Collection | Colección |
| Communication | Comunicación |
| Connection | Conexión |
| Creation | Creación |
| Decision | Decisión |
| Direction | Dirección |
| Education | Educación |
| Election | Elección |
| Information | Información |
| Nation | Nación |
| Operation | Operación |
| Relation | Relación |
| Solution | Solución |
3. Other Common Suffix Patternsa. English “-ous” and Spanish “-oso/-osa”Abstract quality adjectives from Latin “-osus.”
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Famous | Famoso |
| Dangerous | Peligroso |
| Curious | Curioso |
| Generous | Generoso |
| Religious | Religioso |
b. English “-al” and Spanish “-al/-al”Relational adjectives.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Animal | Animal |
| Central | Central |
| Final | Final |
| Normal | Normal |
| Personal | Personal |
c. English “-able/-ible” and Spanish “-able/-ible”Capable of (nearly identical!).
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Acceptable | Aceptable |
| Possible | Posible |
| Terrible | Terrible |
| Visible | Visible |
| Flexible | Flexible |
| Sensible | Sensible |
| Responsible | Responsable |
| Incredible | Increíble |
d. English “-ence/-ance” and Spanish “-encia/-ancia”State or quality nouns.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Difference | Diferencia |
| Importance | Importancia |
| Intelligence | Inteligencia |
| Preference | Preferencia |
e. English “-ic” and Spanish “-ico/-ica”Adjectives indicating relation or quality.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Basic | Básico |
| Public | Público |
| Logic | Lógico |
| Electric | Eléctrico |
| Dramatic | Dramático |
f. English “-ary” and Spanish “-ario/-aria”Nouns/adjectives indicating relation or place.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Dictionary | Diccionario |
| Military | Militar |
| Visionary | Visionario |
g. English “-ive” and Spanish “-ivo/-iva”Adjectives indicating tendency or quality.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Active | Activo |
| Creative | Creativo |
| Positive | Positivo |
| Native | Nativo |
| Relative | Relativo |
h. English “-er/-or” and Spanish “-dor/-or”Agent nouns (person who performs action).
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Actor | Actor |
| Doctor | Doctor |
| Director | Director |
| Creator | Creador |
i. English “-ism” and Spanish “-ismo”Nouns indicating belief, practice, or system.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Realism | Realismo |
| Tourism | Turismo |
| Capitalism | Capitalismo |
| Optimism | Optimismo |
By mastering these patterns, you’ll recognize thousands of words instantly.