¡Hola! Welcome back.
In our last lesson, we finished our module on adjectives and adverbs by learning the very useful pattern of converting Spanish adverbs ending in -mente to English adverbs ending in -ly.
Today, we begin a new module that focuses on verbs. Verbs are action words, and recognizing them is essential for understanding sentences. Over the next few lessons, we'll explore some common patterns that connect Spanish and English verbs. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize common verb cognates by simply dropping the Spanish infinitive ending (for example, converting decidir to decide). This is one of the most direct and powerful cognate patterns you will learn.
The Main Pattern: Dropping the Infinitive Ending
In Spanish, all verbs in their basic form (the infinitive) end in -ar, -er, or -ir. A large number of these verbs have a direct cognate in English. The pattern is often very simple:
Rule: Remove the -ar, -er, or -ir ending from the Spanish verb to find the English verb stem.
Let's explore this with a detailed resource. The following document lists many cognate rules. We will focus on two specific rules that show this pattern in action.
Spanish Cognates: Rules aCCORDING TO Word-Ending
The document 'Spanish Cognates: Rules aCCORDING TO Word-Ending' from NYU Steinhardt provides excellent lists of examples for the patterns we are studying today.
Please find and read two specific sections in this document: Regla 3: A las siguientes palabras en inglés, en español se le añade “ar” o “ir”. Look at the list of verbs like abandonar, admitir, and controlar and their English equivalents. Regla 9: Palabras en inglés que terminan en “e” en español se quita la “e” y se añade “ar” o “ir”. Notice how verbs like decidir, describir, and usar become English verbs that end with a silent '-e'. Focus on how the English word is the core part, or stem, of the Spanish verb.
Let's break down what you saw in that document.
1. Verbs without a final '-e'
As you saw in "Regla 3," many Spanish verbs are formed by simply adding -ar or -ir to the English verb. Looking at it from your perspective as a Spanish speaker, you can just remove the ending.
| Spanish Verb (-ar/-ir) | English Verb |
|---|---|
controlar |
control |
insistir |
insist |
adoptar |
adopt |
admitir |
admit |
existir |
exist |
2. Verbs with a final silent '-e'
As you saw in "Regla 9," it is very common for the English verb to end in an -e that is not pronounced. This is especially true for verbs that end in -ir or -ar in Spanish.
| Spanish Verb (-ar/-ir) | English Verb (-e) |
|---|---|
decidir |
decide |
describir |
describe |
usar |
use |
invitar |
invite |
preparar |
prepare |
This silent -e at the end of English words is very common and often changes the pronunciation of the vowel before it. For example, in admit, the i is short (/ɪ/). In invite, the i becomes long (/aɪ/) because of the final -e.
Pronunciation and Stress Shift
Recognizing the word is the first step, but pronunciation is just as important. Even when the spelling is very similar, the pronunciation and the word stress can be different.
The table below provides excellent examples of verb cognates, along with their English pronunciation. The stressed syllable is in bold.
Let's analyze a few examples from the table:
- Aceptar / Accept: In Spanish, the stress is on the last syllable:
a-cep-**tar**. In English, the stress is also on the last syllable:ak-**sept**. The sound of the vowels changes, but the stress pattern is similar here. - Adoptar / Adopt: In Spanish, the stress is
a-dop-**tar**. In English, the stress shifts to the first syllable:a-**dopt**. - Decidir / Decide: In Spanish,
de-ci-**dir**. In English,dee-**side**. The stress remains on the final syllable, but the sound is completely different.
This shows why listening to English is so important. The letters may look familiar, but the sounds and rhythm are unique to the language.
Test your understanding!
Based on the pattern of dropping the infinitive ending, what are the likely English cognates for these Spanish verbs?
examinardividirrepresentarunir
Show answer
- examine
- divide
- represent
- unite (This is a slightly less obvious one, but follows the pattern of
unir->unite)
Watching the Pattern in Context
Now, let's watch a very short video clip that points out this exact pattern with a few different verbs. Hearing a teacher explain it can help reinforce the connection.
Spanish Cognates: 30 Words That Are the Same in Spanish & English
The video 'Spanish Cognates: 30 Words That Are the Same in Spanish & English' from Spring Spanish gives a quick example of this verb pattern in action.
Watch the short clip from 05:44 to 06:04. The speaker highlights the direct relationship between verbs like dedicar and dedicate.
The examples in the video (dedicate/dedicar, communicate/comunicar, create/crear) are perfect illustrations of how powerful this cognate rule is.
Practice Finding More Verbs
To practice this skill, you can use a cognate list as a reference. The document below contains a long list of cognates.
The 'Cognate-List.pdf' from Colorín Colorado is a useful resource for finding more examples.
You do not need to read the entire document. Instead, scan the list and try to find at least 5-10 more verbs that follow the pattern we learned today (e.g., accompany (to) - acompañar). This will help train your eyes to spot them quickly.
Conclusion
Excellent work today! You have learned one of the most direct and common patterns for identifying English verbs from your knowledge of Spanish.
Key Takeaways:
- The Main Pattern: Many English verbs can be found by removing the
-ar,-er, or-irending from the Spanish infinitive. - Common Variation: The resulting English verb often ends in a silent
-e(e.g.,decidir->decide). - Pronunciation is Key: The spelling might be similar, but always pay attention to English pronunciation and stress patterns, as they frequently differ from Spanish.
In our next lesson, we will continue exploring verb cognates by looking at another common pattern: converting Spanish verbs that end in -izar to English verbs that end in -ize, such as organizar becoming organize.