Spanish may seem quite different from English and that could be very intimidating for people learning the language of Cervantes. However, if you are an English speaker, there are many words in Spanish that you already know! In this lesson, we will discover 100 words that are identical in Spanish and English.
In English, many words ending in ‘or’ are exactly the same in Spanish. Let’s start with the first one:
Con el actor Fred Savage.
With the actor Fred Savage.
Caption 8, Carlos comenta - Los Años Maravillosos - La década de los 80 y música
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In the example above, the spelling of the word “actor” is the same in English and Spanish. While the pronunciation is different, it is worth noting that the stress of the Spanish word goes on the last syllable while its English equivalent has the stress on the second-to-last syllable. Let’s see some words that follow the same pattern:
2. Color
3. Director
4. Editor
5. Error
6. Exterior
7. Favor
Para mí como un honor y también un... un reto poder hacer...
For me, like an honor and also a... a challenge to be able to make...
Caption 55, Leonardo Rodriguez Sirtori - Una vida como pintor
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9. Horror
10. Humor
11. Inferior
12. Instructor
Y ¿prefieren habitación exterior o interior?
And do you prefer an interior room or an exterior room?
Caption 15, Raquel - Reservación de Hotel
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14. Motor
15. Rumor
16. Sector
17. Superior
18. Tenor
19. Tractor
20. Tumor
21. Tutor
We know that some words like color and favor are spelled differently in some English speaking countries (colour, favour) but if you remove the ‘u’ you will find the same words in Spanish.
Now, let’s see some words that end in ‘al,’ which share the same spelling in both English and Spanish:
El estanque artificial es la primera imagen.
The artificial pond is the first image.
Caption 46, Marisa en Madrid - Parque de El Retiro
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23. Animal
24. Brutal
25. Capital
26. Central
27. Cereal
Esta ciudad se caracteriza por su arquitectura colonial.
This city is characterized by its colonial architecture.
Caption 7, Mérida y sus alrededores - Ciudad de Mérida
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29. Continental
30. Criminal
Luego tenemos proyectos de cooperación cultural.
Then we have cultural cooperation projects.
Caption 54, En el hub - Madrid
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32. Decimal
33. Dental
34. Editorial
35. Electoral
36. Elemental
37. Experimental
Y una crema hidratante facial es netamente para tu rostro.
And a moisturizing facial lotion is purely for your face.
Caption 34, Los médicos explican - Consejos para la piel
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39. Fatal
40. Federal
41. Festival
42. Final
43. Formal
44. Fundamental
45. Funeral
46. General
47. Gradual
48. Horizontal
El hospital da hacia el mar.
The hospital faces the sea.
Caption 20, Lecciones con Carolina - Verbo - dar
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50. Ideal
51. Imperial
52. Industrial
53. Informal
54. Instrumental
55. Legal
56. Liberal
57. Literal
58. Local
59. Manual
Todo este material servirá para decorar los puestos y las calles de Olivares.
All this material will serve to decorate the stands and streets of Olivares.
Caption 72, Europa Abierta - Taller de escenografía en Olivares
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61. Mental
62. Metal
63. Monumental
64. Moral
65. Mortal
66. Musical
67. Natural
68. Neutral
Yo tengo una familia que es una familia normal.
I have a family that is a normal family.
Caption 1, El Aula Azul - Mi familia
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70. Oral
71. Original
72. Personal
73. Plural
74. Radical
75. Regional
76. Rival
77. Rural
78. Social
79. Superficial
Llegaréis a la terminal nueva.
You will arrive at the new terminal.
Caption 23, Blanca - Cómo moverse en Barcelona
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81. Total
82. Tropical
83. Universal
84. Vertical
85. Visual
86. Viral
87. Vital
Finally, there are many English words that end in ‘ble’ that are identical in Spanish. Let’s see some of them:
88. Adorable
89. Deplorable
90. Flexible
91. Honorable
92. Invisible
93. Irresistible
94. Miserable
Porque él también es muy sociable, le encanta estar con la gente...
Because he also is very sociable, he loves to be with people...
Caption 11, El Aula Azul - Mis Amigos
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96. Tangible
97. Terrible
98. Variable
99. Visible
100. Vulnerable
In English, most of these words are stressed on the third-to-last syllable. On the contrary, in Spanish these words are stressed on the second-to-last syllable.
That's it for this lesson. Isn’t it nice to see that you already know so many Spanish words without even trying? In fact, there are many more words ending in ‘or,’ ‘al’ and ‘ble’ that have the same meaning and spelling in English and Spanish. Can you find more words to add to these 100? Give it a try and don’t forget to send us your feedback and suggestions.
Have you ever been hit by a rock or elbowed in a crowd? In Spanish, there's a specific suffix that perfectly captures these painful experiences. While the suffix -azo serves various purposes in Spanish (including forming augmentatives and expressing sudden actions), in this lesson we'll focus specifically on how it's used to describe painful impacts and blows.
The suffix -azo in Spanish creates nouns that express sudden, forceful impacts or blows delivered by the object indicated in the root word. These derivations are incredibly productive in Spanish and very useful for describing everything from minor bumps to significant injuries.
Let's see it in action:
Además, si estás enamorado y no te dan bolilla... es como un piedrazo en la cabeza.
Besides, if you're in love and the other one doesn't give you a second thought... it's like getting hit on the head with a rock.
Captions 29-30, Verano Eterno Fiesta Grande - Part 6
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A piedrazo (from piedra - "stone") literally means "a blow delivered by a stone" - definitely something painful! By this same pattern, we can form many other impact-related words:
Bala (bullet) → Balazo (gunshot wound)
Codo (elbow) → Codazo (blow with an elbow; nudge)
Puño (fist) → Puñetazo (punch)
Cabeza (head) → Cabezazo (headbutt)
Rodilla (knee) → Rodillazo (knee strike)
Martillo (hammer) → Martillazo (hammer blow)
yo digo que es como un puñetazo en el estómago porque es vacío.
I say it's like a punch in the stomach because it's empty.
Captions 33-34, Festivaliando Mono Núñez - Part 8
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Many -azo words are derived from body parts and describe physical impacts:
Manazo (from mano - "hand"): a slap or hard blow with the hand
Espaldarazo (from espalda - "back"): a blow on the back, though it's also used figuratively to mean "support" or "endorsement"
Testarazo (from testa - "head"): a blow given with or to the head
Zarpazo (from zarpa - "claw"): a swipe or blow with claws
Objects used to strike or hit also form common -azo words:
Bastonazo (from bastón - "cane/walking stick"): a blow with a cane
Escobazo (from escoba - "broom"): a hit with a broom
Palazo (from pala - "shovel"): a blow with a shovel
Zapatazo (from zapato - "shoe"): a blow delivered with a shoe
The -azo suffix gives Spanish a powerful way to express impacts and painful blows in a single, expressive word. While we've focused on the physical pain aspect, this versatile suffix can also express sudden events, loud noises, and even unexpected successes or failures.
Next time you bump your elbow or get nudged in a crowd, you'll know exactly how to describe that painful experience in Spanish—with the perfect -azo word!
Have you encountered any interesting -azo words in your Spanish learning journey? Can you think of other objects that could form painful words with -azo? Think about it and don't forget to send us your comments and questions!
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