Quick Tips to Learn Spanish Adjectives
Easy Vocabulary Builder with Words that are Similar in English
Aug 28, 2009
Many words are the same in English and Spanish, or at least similar enough to be instantly recognizable. It is easy to increase Spanish vocabulary by remembering the following tips. These Spanish adjectives change only slightly, and follow a general pattern which simply involves changing the English word ending.
Learn Spanish Quick Tips: Spanish Adjectives Ending in "BLE" are Similar in English
English adjectives ending in "-ble" are often similar or the same in Spanish. These are perfect as a Spanish vocabulary builder. Remember to always put the stress on the second to last syllable. For example, horrible in Spanish is pronounced horEEEblay, while "notable" is notAAAblay. Here are some more:
- Terrible – terrible
- Probable – probable
- Impossible – imposible
- Incredible – increíble
- Responsible – responsible
- Irreversible – irreversible
- Irritable – irritable
Adjectives in Spanish ending in "NTE" are Similar to English Words ending in "NT"
Learn Spanish quickly with the following tips. Again, remember the word stress on the second to last syllable:
- Patient – paciente (paciENte)
- Detergent – detergente
- Continent – continente
- Assistant – asistente
- Important – importante
- Excellent – excelente
- Expectant – expectante
Learn Spanish Quick Tips: Put an "O" on the End of English Words for the Spanish Adjective
There are many words in English ending in "-ic" which simply need an added "o" at the end to give the Spanish counterpart. Here, place the word stress on the accented letter, for example, on the á in fantástico.
- Fantastic – fantástico
- Exotic – exótico
- Dramatic – dramático
- Panic – pánico
- Hispanic – hispánico
- Electric – eléctrico
- Diabetic – diabético
As with the above, many English words ending in "-id" simply need an added "o". The same stress rule applies:
- Rapid – rápido
- Arid – árido
- Insipid – insípido
- Solid – sólido
- Valid – válido
Learn Spanish Quick Tips: Take an "E" off the English Word to get the Spanish Adjective
Taking an "e" off the end of the following English words ending in "-ile" gets the Spanish adjective.
- Hostile – hostil
- Tactile – táctil
- Fertile – fértil
- Virile – viril
- Juvenile – juvenil
Swapping "IVE" for "IVO": Quick Tips for Building Spanish Vocabulary
Many English words ending in "-ive" are similar in Spanish: just change the "-ive" for "-ivo".
- Positive – positivo
- Negative – negativo
- Exclusive – exclusivo
- Aggressive – agresivo
- Decisive – decisivo
- Offensive – ofensivo
Swapping "OUS" for "OSO": Easy Spanish Vocabulary Builder
Finally, English words that end with "-ous" are often similar in Spanish but with the ending changing to "-oso".
- Malicious – malicioso
- Ambitious – ambicioso
- Fabulous – fabuloso
- Viscous – viscoso
- Virtuous – virtuoso
- Nervous – nervioso
Learn Spanish Quick and Easy with These Spanish Vocabulary Builder Tips
The above should hopefully help to give a head start to anybody learning Spanish. Literally hundreds if not thousands of words are very similar, if not the same, in both English and Spanish. Learning the Spanish adjectives above should give a confidence boost to the learner as well as a huge boost to their Spanish vocabulary.
If trying to learn Spanish alone, or with a group, try thinking of some more adjectives in English that may apply to the general tips above. Interesting additional words will be found, as well as exceptions to the rule. Use an English-Spanish dictionary to search for the words: if they do not conform to the rules above, at least a new word has been found! Add it to an exceptions list.
This is a good project for a Spanish teacher to give to students in order to build vocabulary. Perhaps a study assignment could be set in the form of a competition, with a prize for the student who finds the most new adjectives with English similarities.
The above examples are also ideal for practicing Spanish pronunciation. The adjective lists can be used to learn the word stress forms of Spanish words. Word stress, stressing the correct syllable in any given word, is absolutely vital in Spanish conversation. If students can learn the correct pronunciation of these adjectives they will benefit greatly in a conversational situation. Try a rhyming game with the above examples; students will quickly pick up the rhythm of the words.
For some more Spanish learning resources take a look at Free Online Spanish Courses For Beginners.
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