Cognates and False Cognates Examples: English and Romance Languages
Adros VerseEnglish belongs to a family of languages called Germanic languages. Other examples of Germanic languages include: German, Dutch, Afrikaans, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian. On the other hand, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French. Catalan, and Romanian fall under Romance languages.
Despite belonging to two distinct language groups, English shares a substantial amount of vocabulary with Romance languages, unlike other Germanic languages. The main reason is attributed to the Norman Conquest of England in the eleventh century, as a result of which, the English language borrowed a lot of French words.
French is a Romance language and shares Latin roots, and thus a lot of vocabulary, with other Romance languages like Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. You can recognize the link here between these languages and English via the French language. As a result, Romance languages are considered among the easiest languages to learn for English speakers.
English Cognates
History aside, we can use this link to our advantage. Many Romance language words are cognates of English words. English cognates refer to words which are descended directly from the common language of their ancestors.
Many words that begin with “h” in Spanish correspond to words that begin with “f” in Portuguese, Italian, and French, which is the original spelling in the Latin source. Here are some examples:
EN | SP | PT | IT | FR | Latin |
falcon | halcĂłn | falcĂŁo | falcone | faucon | falco |
fig | higo | figo | fico | figue | ficus |
smoke/fume | humo | fumaça | fumo | fumée | fumus |
Here is a list of some parallels between English and words in the four Romance languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French.
EN | SP | PT | IT | FR | Examples | |
‑ile | ‑il | ‑il | ‑ile | ‑ile | SP | ágil, frágil |
PT | ágil, frágil | |||||
IT | agile, fragile | |||||
FR | agile, fragile | |||||
‑or | ‑or | ‑or | ‑ore | ‑eur ‑eure | SP | interior, favor |
PT | interior, favor | |||||
IT | interiore, favore | |||||
FR | intérieur, faveur | |||||
‑ble | ‑ble | ‑vel | ‑bile | ‑ble | SP | notable, posible |
PT | notável, possĂvel | |||||
IT | notabile, possibile | |||||
FR | notable, possible | |||||
‑al | ‑al | ‑al | ‑ale | ‑al ‑ale | SP | animal, canal |
PT | animal, canal | |||||
IT | animale, canale | |||||
FR | animal, canal | |||||
‑ic | ‑ico ‑ica | ‑ico ‑ica | ‑ico ‑ica | ‑ique | SP | público, romántico |
PT | público, romântico | |||||
IT | pubblico, romantico | |||||
FR | publique, romantique | |||||
‑ant | ‑ante | ‑ante | ‑ante | ‑ant ‑ante | SP | elegante, importante |
PT | elegante, importante | |||||
IT | elegante, importante | |||||
FR | élégant, important | |||||
‑ent | ‑ente | ‑ente | ‑ente | ‑ent ‑ente | SP | inteligente, diferente |
PT | inteligente, diferente | |||||
IT | intelligente, differente | |||||
FR | intelligent, différent | |||||
‑ment | ‑mento | ‑mento | ‑mento | ‑ment | SP | documento, elemento |
PT | documento, elemento | |||||
IT | documento, elemento | |||||
FR | document, élément | |||||
‑ist | ‑ista | ‑ista | ‑ista | ‑iste | SP | artista, dentista, turista |
PT | artista, dentista, turista | |||||
IT | artista, dentista, turista | |||||
FR | artiste, dentiste, touriste | |||||
‑am | ‑ama | ‑ama | ‑amma | ‑amme | SP | diagrama, programa |
PT | diagrama, programa | |||||
IT | diagramma, programma | |||||
FR | diagramme, programme | |||||
‑em | ‑ema | ‑ema | ‑ema | ‑ème | SP | problema, sistema |
PT | problema, sistema | |||||
IT | problema, sistema | |||||
FR | problème, système | |||||
‑ous | ‑oso ‑osa | ‑oso ‑osa | ‑oso ‑osa | ‑eux ‑euse | SP | curioso, famoso |
PT | curioso, famoso | |||||
IT | curioso, famoso | |||||
FR | curieux, fameux | |||||
‑ry | ‑rio ‑ria | ‑rio ‑ria | ‑rio ‑ria | ‑aire | SP | contrario, imaginario |
PT | contrário, imaginario | |||||
IT | contrario, immaginario | |||||
FR | contraire, imaginaire | |||||
‑tion | ‑ción | ‑ção | ‑zione | ‑tion | SP | condición, nación |
PT | condição, nação | |||||
IT | condizione, nazione | |||||
FR | condition, nation | |||||
‑tional | ‑cional | ‑cional | ‑zionale | ‑tionnel ‑tionnelle | SP | condicional, racional |
PT | condicional, racional | |||||
IT | condizionale, razionale | |||||
FR | conditionnel, rationnel | |||||
‑tial | ‑cial | ‑cial | ‑ziale | ‑tiel ‑tielle | SP | esencial, parcial |
PT | essencial, parcial | |||||
IT | essenziale, parziale | |||||
FR | essentiel, partiel | |||||
‑ty | ‑dad | ‑dade | ‑tà | ‑té | SP | autoridad, unidad |
PT | autoridade, unidade | |||||
IT | autoritĂ , unitĂ | |||||
FR | autorité, unité | |||||
‑ly | ‑mente | ‑mente | ‑mente | ‑ment | SP | totalmente, normalmente |
PT | totalmente, normalmente | |||||
IT | totalmente, normalmente | |||||
FR | totalement, normalement | |||||
‑sion | ‑sión | ‑são | ‑sione | ‑sion | SP | decisión, conversión |
PT | decisĂŁo, conversĂŁo | |||||
IT | decisione, conversione | |||||
FR | décision, conversion | |||||
‑ism | ‑ismo | ‑ismo | ‑ismo | ‑isme | SP | comunismo, organismo |
PT | comunismo, organismo | |||||
IT | comunismo, organismo | |||||
FR | communisme, organisme | |||||
‑id | ‑ido ‑ida | ‑ido ‑ida | ‑ido ‑ida | ‑ide | SP | fluido, sólido |
PT | fluido, sĂłlido | |||||
IT | fluido, solido | |||||
FR | fluide, solide | |||||
‑ive | ‑ivo ‑iva | ‑ivo ‑iva | ‑ivo ‑iva | ‑if ‑ive | SP | activo, negativo |
PT | ativo, negativo | |||||
IT | attivo, negativo | |||||
FR | actif, négatif |
False Cognates
Although cognates will often have the same meaning as in English, it is important to note that this is not always the case, as languages have evolved separately. Remember that false cognates are words in any two different languages that appear similar in spelling or pronunciation, but have very distinct meanings. They can present significant challenges for language learners because their appearance could lead to misconceptions in comprehension or usage errors.
Common False Cognates: English vs. Spanish
You may guess that the Spanish word “embarazada” means “embarrassed.” Your guess would be wrong. To say that you are embarrassed in Spanish, you should use the adjective “avergonzado” for masculine or “avergonzada” for feminine. The Spanish word “embarazada” in fact means “pregnant.” Here are more examples of Spanish false cognates:
- Éxito
The Spanish word “Ă©xito” means “success,” whereas to say “exit” in Spanish we use “salida.”
- Largo
The Spanish word “largo” means “long,” whereas to say “large” in Spanish we use “grande.”
- Recordar
The Spanish verb “recordar” means “to remind or remember.” To say “to record” in Spanish, we use the verb “grabar.”
- Actual
The Spanish word “actual” means “current,” whereas to say “actual” in Spanish we use “real.”
- Red
The Spanish word “red” means “network,” e.g., “redes sociales” (social media), whereas the word for the color “red” in Spanish is “rojo.”
Common False Cognates: English vs. Portuguese
The Portuguese word “parentes” may appear to mean “parents,” but, in reality, it means “relatives.” The word for “parents” in Portuguese is “pais.” Here are more examples:
- ĂŠxito
The Portuguese word “ĂŞxito” means “success,” whereas to say “exit” in Portuguese we use “saĂda.”
- Fábrica
The Portuguese word “fábrica” means “factory,” whereas to say “fabric” in Portuguese we use “tecido.”
- Realizar
The Portuguese verb “recordar” means “to accomplish.” To say “to realize” in Portuguese, we use the verb “perceber.”
- Atual
The Portuguese word “atual” means “current,” whereas to say “actual” in Portuguese we use “real.”
- Data
The Portuguese word “data” means “date,” e.g., “data do evento” (date of the event), whereas the word for “data” in Portuguese is “dados.”
Common False Cognates: English vs. Italian
The Italian word “camera” means room, not the device you use to take photos. That would be “macchina fotografica.” Similarly, the word “fabbrica” in Italian means “factory” and not “fabric.” Here are more examples of Italian false cognates:
- Confrontare
The Italian verb “confrontare” means “to compare.” To say “to confront” in Italian, we use the verb “affrontare.”
- Eventualmente
The Italian word “eventualmente” means “possibly,” whereas to say “eventually” in Italian we use “infine.”
- Grosso
The Italian word “grosso” means “big,” whereas to say “gross” in Italian we use “schifoso.”
- Libreria
The Italian word “libreria” means “bookstore,” whereas to say “library” in Italian we use “biblioteca.”
- Ricordare
The Italian verb “ricordare” means “to remind or remember,” whereas to say “to record” in Italian we use the verb “registrare.”
Common False Cognates: English vs. French
The French word “déception” means disappointment or disillusion, not “deception” as you may have guessed. That would be “tromperie.” Similarly, the word “location” in French means “rental” and not “location.” Here are more examples of French false cognates:
- Attendre
The French verb “attendre” means “to wait.” To say “to attend” in French, e.g., a meeting, conference, etc., we use the verb “assister Ă .”
- Librairie
The French word “librairie” means “bookstore,” whereas to say “library” in French we use “bibliothèque.”
- Monnaie
The French word “monnaie” means “money change,” whereas to say “money” in French we use “argent.”
- Prune
The French word “prune” means “plum,” whereas to say “prune” in French we use “pruneau.”
- Raisin
The French word “raisin” means “grape,” whereas to say “raisin” in French we use “raisin sec.”
Common False Cognates: Spanish vs. Portuguese
False cognates not only exist between English and Romance language, but they also exist between Romance languages themselves. Here are some examples of false friends between Spanish and Portuguese:
- Embarazada vs. Embaraçada
Portuguese: “Embaraçada” means embarrassed or entangled.
Spanish: “Embarazada” means pregnant.
- Pasta vs. Pasta
Portuguese: “Pasta” means folder or briefcase.
Spanish: “Pasta” typically means pasta (the food) or dough.
- Gracioso vs. Gracioso
Portuguese: “Gracioso” means cute or graceful.
Spanish: “Gracioso” means funny or amusing.
- Esquisito vs. Exquisito
Portuguese: “Esquisito” means weird or strange.
Spanish: “Exquisito” means exquisite or delicious.
- Estofado vs. Estofado
Portuguese: “Estofado” means upholstered.
Spanish: “Estofado” means stew (the food).