One of the best ways to learn Spanish is from English. If this language is your mother tongue or your second language, you should know that Spanish and English share hundreds of words whose spelling and pronunciation are very similar so you can recognize them almost immediately. This is because both languages share the root of Latin in much of their vocabulary.
In this post we want to share with you the most complete list of perfect or almost perfect cognates in both languages. A perfect cognate is one that is written exactly the same in both languages with a slight difference in graphic accent and have the same meaning. On the other hand, a near-perfect cognate is one that has a difference of up to 3 letters but can be recognized with certain patterns.
Now, there is a great variety of cognates but here we will focus on the most used ones in both languages.
Perfect cognates
Nº | SPANISH | ENGLISH |
1 | Actor | Actor |
2 | Admirable | Admirable |
3 | Agenda | Agenda |
4 | Alcohol | Alcohol |
5 | Altar | Altar |
6 | Animal | Animal |
7 | Área | Area |
8 | Artificial | Artificial |
9 | Auto | Auto |
10 | Balance | Balance |
11 | Bar | Bar |
12 | Base | Base |
13 | Brutal | Brutal |
14 | Cable | Cable |
15 | Canal | Canal |
16 | Cáncer | Cancer |
17 | Cánon | Canon |
18 | Capital | Capital |
19 | Carbón | Carbon |
20 | Cartón | Carton |
21 | Central | Central |
22 | Cerebral | Cerebral |
23 | Cheque | Cheque |
24 | Chocolate | Chocolate |
25 | Circular | Circular |
26 | Civil | Civil |
27 | Club | Club |
28 | Collar | Collar |
29 | Colonial | Colonial |
30 | Coma | Coma |
31 | Combustión | Combustion |
32 | Conclusión | Conclusion |
33 | Conductor | Conductor |
34 | Confusión | Confusion |
35 | Considerable | Considerable |
36 | Control | Control |
37 | Cordial | Cordial |
38 | Criminal | Criminal |
39 | Crisis | Crisis |
40 | Cultural | Cultural |
41 | Debate | Debate |
42 | Decisión | Decision |
43 | Diagonal | Diagonal |
44 | Dimensión | Dimension |
45 | Director | Director |
46 | Disco | Disco |
47 | División | Division |
48 | Doctor | Doctor |
49 | Drama | Drama |
50 | Durable | Durable |
51 | Editorial | Editorial |
52 | Electoral | Electoral |
53 | Elemental | Elemental |
54 | Enigma | Enigma |
55 | Error | Error |
56 | Excursión | Excursion |
57 | Experimental | Experimental |
58 | Explosión | Explosion |
59 | Expulsión | Expulsion |
60 | Extensión | Extension |
61 | Exterior | Exterior |
62 | Factor | Factor |
63 | Familiar | Familiar |
64 | Fatal | Fatal |
65 | Federal | Federal |
66 | Festival | Festival |
67 | Final | Final |
68 | Flexible | Flexible |
69 | Formal | Formal |
70 | Fórmula | Formula |
71 | Frontal | Frontal |
72 | Fundamental | Fundamental |
73 | Gala | Gala |
74 | Gas | Gas |
75 | General | General |
76 | Génesis | Genesis |
77 | Global | Global |
78 | Grave | Grave |
79 | Habitual | Habitual |
80 | Horizontal | Horizontal |
81 | Horror | Horror |
82 | Hospital | Hospital |
83 | Hotel | Hotel |
84 | Idea | Idea |
85 | Ideal | Ideal |
86 | Imperial | Imperial |
87 | Implacable | Implacable |
88 | Incursión | Incursion |
89 | Individual | Individual |
90 | Industrial | Industrial |
91 | Inevitable | Inevitable |
92 | Inferior | Inferior |
93 | Informal | Informal |
94 | Inseparable | Inseparable |
95 | Inspector | Inspector |
96 | Interminable | Interminable |
97 | Invasión | Invasion |
98 | Invisible | Invisible |
99 | Irregular | Irregular |
100 | Judicial | Judicial |
101 | Kilo | Kilo |
102 | Lateral | Lateral |
103 | Legal | Legal |
104 | Liberal | Liberal |
105 | Literal | Literal |
106 | Local | Local |
107 | Macho | Macho |
108 | Maestro | Maestro |
109 | Mango | Mango |
110 | Manía | Mania |
111 | Manual | Manual |
112 | Marginal | Marginal |
113 | Material | Material |
114 | Matrimonial | Matrimonial |
115 | Medieval | Medieval |
116 | Mediocre | Mediocre |
117 | Melón | Melon |
118 | Mental | Mental |
119 | Menú | Menu |
120 | Metal | Metal |
121 | Miserable | Miserable |
122 | Moral | Moral |
123 | Mortal | Mortal |
124 | Motel | Motel |
125 | Motor | Motor |
126 | Múltiple | Multiple |
127 | Municipal | Municipal |
128 | Musical | Musical |
129 | Natural | Natural |
130 | Noble | Noble |
131 | Normal | Normal |
132 | Nostalgia | Nostalgia |
133 | Ópera | Opera |
134 | Oral | Oral |
135 | Oriental | Oriental |
136 | Original | Original |
137 | Panorama | Panorama |
138 | Particular | Particular |
139 | Pasta | Pasta |
140 | Pastor | Pastor |
141 | Patio | Patio |
142 | Patrón | Patron |
143 | Peculiar | Peculiar |
144 | Penal | Penal |
145 | Perfume | Perfume |
146 | Personal | Personal |
147 | Piano | Piano |
148 | Plaza | Plaza |
149 | Plural | Plural |
150 | Popular | Popular |
151 | Pretensión | Pretension |
152 | Principal | Principal |
153 | Probable | Probable |
154 | Propaganda | Propaganda |
155 | Protector | Protector |
156 | Provincial | Provincial |
157 | Radical | Radical |
158 | Radio | Radio |
159 | Región | Region |
160 | Regional | Regional |
161 | Regular | Regular |
162 | Religión | Religion |
163 | Reunión | Reunion |
164 | Revisión | Revision |
165 | Ritual | Ritual |
166 | Rural | Rural |
167 | Secular | Secular |
168 | Sentimental | Sentimental |
169 | Serial | Serial |
170 | Sexual | Sexual |
171 | Similar | Similar |
172 | Simple | Simple |
173 | Singular | Singular |
174 | Social | Social |
175 | Solar | Solar |
176 | Solo | Solo |
177 | Subversión | Subversion |
178 | Superficial | Superficial |
179 | Superior | Superior |
180 | Taxi | Taxi |
181 | Televisión | Television |
182 | Terrible | Terrible |
183 | Terror | Terror |
184 | Total | Total |
185 | Transcendental | Transcendental |
186 | Triple | Triple |
187 | Tropical | Tropical |
188 | Unión | Union |
189 | Universal | Universal |
190 | Usual | Usual |
191 | Verbal | Verbal |
192 | Versión | Version |
193 | Vertical | Vertical |
194 | Violín | Violin |
195 | Visible | Visible |
196 | Visual | Visual |
197 | Vital | Vital |
198 | Vulgar | Vulgar |
199 | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
Near-perfect cognates
These cognates are divided into groups depending on the changes they undergo.
1. Cognates ending in ‘ción’ in Spanish and ‘tion’ in English.
Nº | SPANISH | ENGLISH |
1 | Abstracción | Abstraction |
2 | Acción | Action |
3 | Acusación | Accusation |
4 | Adaptación | Adaptation |
5 | Admiración | Admiration |
6 | Aplicación | Application |
7 | Apreciación | Appreciation |
8 | Asociación | Association |
9 | Aspiración | Aspiration |
10 | Atención | Attention |
11 | Atracción | Attraction |
12 | Autorización | Authorization |
13 | Celebración | Celebration |
14 | Circulación | Circulation |
15 | Civilización | Civilization |
16 | Clasificación | Classification |
17 | Colaboración | Collaboration |
18 | Colección | Collection |
19 | Combinación | Combination |
20 | Compensación | Compensation |
21 | Composición | Composition |
22 | Concentración | Concentration |
23 | Concepción | Conception |
24 | Condición | Condition |
25 | Conservación | Conservation |
26 | Consideración | Consideration |
27 | Constitución | Constitution |
28 | Construcción | Construction |
29 | Exposición | Exposition |
30 | Ficción | Fiction |
31 | Formación | Formation |
32 | Nación | Nation |
33 | Simplificación | Simplification |
2. Cognates ending in ‘ario’ in Spanish and ‘ary’ in English.
Nº | SPANISH | ENGLISH |
1 | Adversario | Adversary |
2 | Aniversario | Anniversary |
3 | Arbitrario | Arbitrary |
4 | Comentario | Commentary |
5 | Complementario | Complementary |
6 | Contrario | Contrary |
7 | Diario | Diary |
8 | Glosario | Glossary |
9 | Estuario | Estuary |
10 | Primario | Primary |
11 | Rosario | Rosary |
12 | Salario | Salary |
13 | Secretario | Secretary |
14 | Solitario | Solitary |
15 | Temporario | Temporary |
16 | Vocabulario | Vocabulary |
3. Cognates ending in ‘ico’ in Spanish and ‘ic’ in English.
Nº | SPANISH | ENGLISH |
1 | Académico | Academic |
2 | Alcohólico | Alcoholic |
3 | Artístico | Artistic |
4 | Auténtico | Authentic |
5 | Automático | Automatic |
6 | Básico | Basic |
7 | Característico | Characteristic |
8 | Clásico | Classic |
9 | Cómic | Comic |
10 | Democrático | Democratic |
11 | Dinámico | Dynamic |
12 | Diplomático | Diplomatic |
13 | Doméstico | Domestic |
14 | Dramático | Dramatic |
15 | Económico | Economic |
16 | Electrónico | Electronic |
17 | Erótico | Erotic |
18 | Fantástico | Fantastic |
19 | Genérico | Generic |
20 | Genético | Genetic |
21 | Geométrico | Geometric |
22 | Heroico | Heroic |
23 | Irónico | Ironic |
24 | Mágico | Magic |
25 | Médico | Medic |
26 | Mosaico | Mosaic |
27 | Orgánico | Organic |
28 | Pánico | Panic |
29 | Plástico | Plastic |
30 | Poético | Poetic |
31 | Público | Public |
32 | Romántico | Romantic |
33 | Sistemático | Systematic |
34 | Trágico | Tragic |
4. Cognates ending in ‘oso’ in Spanish and ‘ous’ in English.
Nº | SPANISH | ENGLISH |
1 | Curioso | Curious |
2 | Delicioso | Delicious |
3 | Glorioso | Glorious |
4 | Misterioso | Mysterious |
5 | Numeroso | Numerous |
6 | Precioso | Precious |
7 | Religioso | Religious |
8 | Tedioso | Tedious |
5. Cognates ending in ‘cto’ in Spanish and ‘ct’ in English.
Nº | SPANISH | ENGLISH |
1 | Abstracto | Abstract |
2 | Acto | Act |
3 | Artefacto | Artefact |
4 | Compacto | Compact |
5 | Conflicto | Conflict |
6 | Contacto | Contact |
7 | Correcto | Correct |
8 | Exacto | Exact |
9 | Excepto | Except |
10 | Insecto | Insect |
11 | Perfecto | Perfect |
12 | Producto | Product |
Here they are! Although there are more cognates, this is a good summary of the most used and useful ones in both languages. Also, by downloading our list with the first 999 words you need to learn in Spanish you will have a repertoire of vocabulary ready to use. If you know some others that are not included in this list you can add them and keep practicing.
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