Spanish cognates for English speakers
If you speak English, you already know far more Spanish vocabulary than it feels like. Shared Latin roots left reliable spelling bridges — Lingato Word Keys teaches those bridges with verified examples, audio, and short drills.
Patterns that unlock whole families
English -tion → Spanish -ción
information → información · nation → nación · education → educación
English -ty → Spanish -dad
university → universidad · curiosity → curiosidad · reality → realidad
English -ic → Spanish -ico
public → público · basic → básico · romantic → romántico
English -ism → Spanish -ismo
tourism → turismo · optimism → optimismo
Often identical on the page
Words such as hotel, animal, and general look the same — the work is pronunciation and usage.
Why cognates beat pure memorisation
- One rule generates many words instead of one flashcard at a time
- You attach new Spanish forms to English you already own
- False-friend traps keep the intuition honest
- Spoken practice on the new forms stops “paper only” vocabulary
For background, see cognates and false friends. Then practise the patterns in Word Keys and say the results with pronunciation flashcards. Speaking matters: the production effect and production-practice research both support saying new vocabulary out loud from the start.
FAQ
Are these patterns always safe?
They are highly productive, not universal. Word Keys pairs each rule with real verified words and separate false-friend practice.
Do I need to know grammar first?
No. Cognate keys are a vocabulary head start you can use from day one alongside flashcards and speaking practice.
What about Italian?
Many families have Italian cousins too — see Italian cognates for English speakers.