Cognates and False Cognates: American English and Mexican Spanish
This course is for high beginner to low intermediate English learners in Mexico. It helps you understand cognates and false cognates between American English and Mexican Spanish. The course has four parts: an introduction, examples of cognates, examples of false cognates, and a quiz.
What are cognates?
Cognates are words in English and Spanish that look or sound similar and have the same meaning. They make learning English easier because you already know the Spanish word. For example, the English word "family" and the Spanish word "familia" are cognates.
Darwin
Hello everyone, I'm Darwin. Today I'm hoping to learn about a fascinating aspect of language learning: how words that look or sound similar across English and Spanish can be both helpful and tricky. I've invited Aristotle to help explain these concepts to me.
Aristotle
I'm happy to be here, Darwin. I'm Aristotle, and I've been studying a comprehensive guide on 'Word Bridges Between Languages.' This material explores cognates and false cognates, and I'll try to explain these concepts in simple terms.
Darwin
That sounds intriguing! So, what exactly are cognates? Are they just words that happen to look alike?
Aristotle
Great question! According to the guide, cognates are words that look or sound similar in two languages and have the same or very similar meaning. Think of them as 'friendly bridges' between languages. For example, 'music' in English and 'música' in Spanish are cognates. They share common roots, often from Latin or Greek.
Darwin
Ah, so like 'television' and 'televisión,' or 'restaurant' and 'restaurante'? That makes sense. How do these 'friendly bridges' help someone learn a new language faster?
Aristotle
Precisely! The guide emphasizes that cognates give you a head start. When you recognize one, you can instantly understand new English words without memorization, build vocabulary more quickly, and feel more confident. It's like finding a familiar landmark in a new city – it helps you orient yourself.
Darwin
That's a great analogy. So, if I see a word like 'universidad' in Spanish, I can guess it means 'university' in English, and I'd probably be right. But I've also heard about 'false friends.' Are those the tricky ones?
Aristotle
You're absolutely right, Darwin. The guide calls them 'false cognates' or 'false friends.' These are words that look or sound similar but have completely different meanings. They can lead to funny, or even embarrassing, misunderstandings.
Darwin
Can you give me an example of a false cognate? I'm trying to imagine how that could cause a problem.
Aristotle
Certainly! A classic example is 'embarazada' in Spanish. It looks like 'embarrassed' in English, but it actually means 'pregnant.' Imagine telling someone 'I am embarazada' when you just meant you felt awkward!
Darwin
Oh, wow! That would definitely be an embarrassing misunderstanding! So, 'embarazada' means pregnant, not embarrassed. What about 'librería'?
Aristotle
Another excellent example from the guide! 'Librería' in Spanish means 'bookstore,' a place to buy books. But it looks very similar to 'library' in English, which is a place to borrow books. Confusing, right?
Darwin
Very confusing! So, if I went to a 'librería' looking to borrow a book, I'd be in the wrong place. And 'éxito' doesn't mean 'exit,' it means 'success.' I'm starting to see how important it is to distinguish between these.
Aristotle
You've got it. The guide stresses that learning to spot these false friends is just as crucial as recognizing true cognates. They might look familiar, but they can lead you down the wrong path if you're not careful. It's like a road sign that looks familiar but points in the opposite direction.
Darwin
So, to summarize, cognates are like helpful twins that share meaning, making language learning easier. But false cognates are like tricky twins that look alike but have completely different meanings, and I need to be careful not to mix them up. Is that a good way to think about it?
Aristotle
That's an excellent summary, Darwin! You've grasped the core distinction perfectly. By understanding both, you can leverage your existing language knowledge more effectively and avoid common pitfalls, making your language journey much smoother.
Darwin
I think I could explain this to someone else now! The key is to recognize the 'friendly bridges' that help you, but also to watch out for the 'false friends' that can trick you. Thank you for explaining this so clearly, Aristotle.
Aristotle
You've truly understood it, Darwin. That's the power of the Feynman technique – if you can explain a complex concept simply, you've mastered it. I'm glad I could help make this topic more accessible.
Download this .pdf FREE
¡Gracias por disfrutar esta lección de 5-Minute English! Estas microlecciones te ofrecen aprendizajes rápidos y útiles. Si te gustan, apóyame con un café. Tu ayuda mantiene la web en marcha y estas lecciones gratuitas para todos. ¡Cada poquito cuenta!