Portuguese/English Cognates Build Vocabulary
Learn Portuguese with Look-Alike Verbs, Adjectives, Concept Words
Jul 22, 2009
A cognate is a word that can be found in two or more different languages with similar, though not always exact, spellings and the same meaning. These words are similar often because they have the same root or origin. There are many Portuguese/English cognates. Becoming aware of these cognates can help the beginning Portuguese language student to increase vocabulary quickly.
The following Portuguese/English cognates are grouped into three main categories to help the Portuguese language student more quickly learn them in a useful context: verbs, adjectives and adverbs, and concept words,
Verbs That are Portuguese/English Cognates
Verbs are an important element of any language to learn. With these cognates the Portuguese language students can learn many new and useful verbs quickly.
- cancelar – to cancel
- competir – to compete
- confirmar – to confirm
- dançar – to dance
- delarar – to declare (as at customs)
- eliminar – to eliminate / delete
- importer – to import
- investor – to invest
- necessitar – (necessity) to need
- partir – (to part; to leave) to depart
- prósperar – to prosper
- recomendar – to recommend
- reparar – to repair
- reservar – to reserve
- terminar – to terminate / to end / to finish
- usar – to use
- validar – to validate
- visitar – to visit
- vomitar – to vomit
Useful Portuguese Adjectives and Adverbs That Have English Cognates
Adjectives describes nouns (people, places, things, ideas). Adverbs modify verbs (action words). There are many adjectives and adverbs that are common to Portuguese and English. This list represents a significant start at vocabulary building, but it is only a beginning.
- agressivo(a) – aggressive
- aproximadamente – approximately
- bronze – bronze (bronzeado – suntan)
- ceramica – ceramic
- clássico – classical
- confortável – comfortable / cozy
- delicioso – delicious
- directo – direct
- embaraçoso – embarrassing
- femino - feminine
- masculino - masculine
- generouso(a) – generous
- genuíno – genuine
- horrível – horrible
- humilhante – humiliating/embarrassing
- imediatamente – immediately
- imobilizado – immobilized/stuck
- importado – imported
- importante – important
- impossivel – impossible
- icreditável – incredible
- incluido – included
- independente – independent
- inocente – innocent
- instante – instant
- inteligente – intelligent
- interresante – interesting
- justo – just/fair
- local – local
- macho – macho
- magnifico(a) – magnificent/great
- máximo – maximum
- minimo – minimum
- médio – medium
- moderno – modern
- nebuloso – (nebulous) cloudy
- necessário – necessary
- nervoso(a) – nervous
- normal – normal
- novo – (novel) new
- ocupado – occupied
- perfeito – perfect
- possivel – possible
- práctico(a) – practical
- principal – (the principal one) main
- privado – private
- proibido – prohibited/forbidden
- público - public
- romântico(a) – romantic
- similar – similar
- simples – simple/plain
- terrível – terrible
- urgente – urgent
- válido – valid
Portuguese/English Cognates for Concept Words
These are words that not specifically the names of people, places, or things. Rather, these words describe concepts or big ideas. As such, they are key to increasing the understanding of a new language.
- anjo - angel
- demônio - demon/devil
- abstrato – abstract
- acidente – accident
- aniversário – anniversary (birthday, also)
- arte – art
- concerto – concert
- congestionamento – congestion (as in traffic)
- corrucpção – corruption
- crédito – credit
- desconto – discount
- emergência – emergency
- gramática – grammar
- igual – equal
- informação – information
- instrução – instruction/education
- música – music
- nacionalidade – nationality
- natureza – nature
- nome – name
- percento – percent
- poluiçã – pollution
- população – population
- problema – problem/trouble
- profissão – profession/occupation
- projeto – project
- pronúncia – pronunciation
- qualidade – quality
- reemboiso – reimbursement/refund
- reserve – reservation
- respeito – respect
- serviço – service
- sexo – sex
- silêncio – silence
- suprosa – surpise(n)
- taxa – tax
- temperature – temperature
- tempestada – tempest/storm
- total – total
- validade - validity
- velocidade – velocity/speed
- violênncia – violence
- visita – visit(n)
- visita guida – guided tour
- vista – vista/view
- voz – voice
- zero – zero
These concept words describe areas of study or social constructs.
- democracia - democracy
- economia – economy
- educação – education
- história – history
- racismo – racism
- religião – religion
- turismo – tourism
These concept words have to do with time and location.
- munitos – minutes
- momento – moment
- período – period (of time)
- noitenight
- dia - day
- futuro - future
- passado – the past
- directçao – direction
- centro – center
- norte - north
- sul – south
- oeste – west
- leste – east
A Note: Remember that even though a Portuguese word may look similar to its English counterpart, it generally won’t sound the same. It is a good idea to hear a native Portuguese speaker say the words.
Learning cognates is a good way to build vocabulary in a new language. For even more Portuguese/English cognates go to Learn Portuguese Vocabulary Quickly.
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