Spanish Nouns That You Already Know
This page contains words that are written the same in English and Spanish. Keep in mind that the pronounciation is almost always different.
Places
Many place names are the same in Spanish, including:
Albania, Andorra, Angola, Arabia, Argentina, Aries, Armenia, Asia, Asturias, Australasia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bolivia, Bonn, Bosnia, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cairo, California, Caracas, Chad, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Esperanto, Galicia, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Iberia, Ibiza, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Job, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Lima, Lucifer, Madagascar, Madrid, Malawi, Managua, Mauritania, Mongolia, Montevideo, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Paraguay, Persia, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Quito, Rwanda, Samoa, San Salvador, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Talmud, Togo, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, Venus, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia
Most smaller cities keep their English names in Spanish. Some of the biggest, such as New York, have a Spanish name (Nueva York).
Acronyms
Many English acronyms, especially technical ones, exist in Spanish, including:
CD-ROM, FTP, GIF, HTML, HTTP
Note that in Spanish they are just names, and don't stand for anything.
Things
abdomen n. , abdomen
abductor n. abductor
abracadabra n. abracadabra
accidental n. accidental
actor n. actor, performer, plaintiff
adobe n. adobe, sun-dried, brick, shackles, irons, big foot
aerosol n. aerosol
agenda n. appointment or memoranda book, agenda
albino n. albino, half-breed, half-caste, light-skinned Black
alcohol n. alcohol, spirits, kohl, galena
ale n. ale
alfalfa n. alfalfa
alga n. alga, seaweed
alias n. alias, assumed name
aloe n. aloe, aloes
aloe vera n. aloe vera
altar n. altar, fire, flue or furnace bridge
amateur n. amateur
amnesia n. amnesia
anaconda n. anaconda
animal n. animal, idiot, fool, brute, beast
anorexia n. anorexia
apartheid n. apartheid
arena n. sand, filings, dust, ring, bullring, arena, battlefield
areola n. , areola
armada n. armada, (naval) fleet, squadron, lasso
armadillo n. armadillo
aroma n. aroma, scent, bouquet, huisache flower
arsenal n. navy yard, shipyard, arsenal, storehouse
audiocassette n. audiocassette
auditor n. adviser, counselor, auditor
aura n. aura, gentle breeze, popularity, acceptance, turkey buzzard
auto n. judicial decree or ruling, short play, car, auto
babel n. , babel, confusion, bedlam
balance n. rocking, swaying, balance, balance sheet, roll, vacillation, wavering, result, deal, transaction, rocking chair
banjo n. banjo
bar n. bar, barroom
barracuda n. barracuda
base n. base, basis, foundation, station,
beagle n. beagle
benefactor n. benefactor, benefactress
bikini n. bikini
bisexual n. bisexual
bit n. bit
boa n. boa
bugle n. bugle
bulimia n. bulimia
burrito n. burrito, rolled and filled tortilla
byte n. byte
cabaret n. night club, cabaret
cable n. cable, cord, cable's length, cablegram
canal n. canal, strait, channel, navigation channel, pipe, conduit, tube, duct, tract, gutter, downspout, , front edge of a book, dressed carcass, groove, fluting
candela n. candle, candlestick, fire, heat, light, candela, candlepower, chestnut blossom
candor n. frankness, candor, naivet?, ingenuousness, whiteness
canon n. canon, tenet, , Canon (part of the Mass), authorized list or catalogue, tax, levy, rent
capital n. capital, principal (as opposed to interest), capital city
casino n. country house, casino, club, association, meeting hall, clubhouse
cereal n. cereal
ceremonial n. ceremonial, book of ceremonies
chance n. chance, opportunity, good luck
chicle n. chewing gum, chicle, filth, dirt
chocolate n. chocolate, hot chocolate, cocoa
circular n. circular, flier
clamor n. clamor, outcry, plaint, moan, knell, toll
clan n. clan, faction, cause
cobra n. cobra, rope for yoking oxen, retrieval
codirector n. comanager, codirector
collage n. collage
collar n. necklace, chain, collar, iron collar, ring, ruff, harness
colon n. colon, main clause, semicolon
color n. color, coloring, tint, rouge, pretext, pretense, aspect
coma n. comma, caesura, miserere, misericord, coma
compositor n. composer, compositor, typesetter, horse trainer, bonesetter
conductor n. driver, conductor, conductor (on a public vehicle)
constructor n. constructor, builder
control n. control, inspection, check, checking, control point, checkpoint, examination, audit
convertible n. convertible
convoy n. convoy, escort, guard, cruet, train, , procession, retinue
coral n. , coral, coral tree, coral snake, chorale
corona n. crown, wreath, coronet, top of the head, halo, tonsure, , corona, washer, rim (of a wheel), annulus, crownwork, throne, kingdom, winder (of a watch)
corral n. corral, yard, stockyard, pen, open-air theater, perpetually snow-covered cirque, fish weir, small plantation
corrector n. corrector, copy editor, proofreader
coyote n. coyote, prairie wolf, stockbroker, agent, broker, person who transports illegal immigrants into the United States
credo n. creed, articles of faith, credo, beliefs
criminal n. criminal
crochet n. crochet, hook
cursor n. cursor
data n. date, data, items, outlet (for water)
debate n. debate, discussion
debut n. debut, opening
debutante n. beginner, newcomer, debutante
decibel n. decibel
decimal n. decimal
deflector n. deflector, baffle
delta n. delta, delta (Greek letter)
demo n. demonstration, demo
detective n. detective
detector n. detector, scanner, monitor
detractor n. detractor, defamer
diabetes n. diabetes
diagnosis n. diagnosis
diagonal n. diagonal
dial n. dial
diploma n. diploma, certificate
director n. director, manager, principal, headmaster, conductor, directress, headmistress
divisor n. divider, divisor, denominator
doctor n. doctor, teacher, professor, physician, doctor's wife, pedantic woman, bluestocking
dogma n. dogma
drama n. drama, play, catastrophe, dramatic event
dual n. dual
eclipse n. eclipse, downfall
eczema n. eczema
editor n. publisher, editor
editorial n. editorial, publishing house
ego n. , ego, the self
elector n. elector, voter
electromotor n. electromotor
elixir n. elixir, panacea
embargo n. embargo, seizure, distraint, indigestion
enclave n. , enclave
enema n. enema
enigma n. enigma, riddle
era n. era, age, period, time, threshing floor, , working yard, bed, patch, vessel where chicha is fermented
erector n. erector, builder
error n. error, mistake, misconception, fallacy, bug
escape n. escape, flight, escapement, exhaust (pipe)
euro n. euro, east wind
exterior n. exterior, outside, personal appearance, foreign countries
extra n. extra, gratuity, extra charge or expense, seconds, extra helping,
extractor n. extractor
factor n. factor, consideration, maker, doer, agent, dispatcher, victualer, provisions supplier
fajita n. fajita
familiar n. family member, household member, intimate friend, close associate, familiar, attendant spirit, resident, servant, amulet
fauna n. fauna, wildlife
favor n. favor, grace, protection, ribbon, gift
fax n. fax machine, fax
federal n. federalist, federal
feng shui n. feng shui
feria n. market, fair, exhibition, carnival, rest, respite, holiday, feria, change, , tip, gratuity
fervor n. intense heat, fervor, zeal
festival n. festival
fiasco n. fiasco, failure
fibrosis n. fibrosis
film n. film, movie
final n. end, ending, finale, final
flan n. flan, caramel custard
flash n. flash
flora n. flora
folklore n. folklore
fresco n. cool, coolness, fresh air, fresco, cool drink
funeral n. funeral
gas n. , gas, gasoline
gaucho n. gaucho, skilled horseman, broad-brimmed straw hat
gel n. gel
general n. , general
genital n. testicle, genital
gentry n. gentry
gigabyte n. gigabyte
gingivitis n. gingivitis
gluten n. gluten
golf n. golf
gong n. gong
guacamole n. , guacamole, yucca
haiku n. haiku
halo n. halo
hangar n. hangar
hardware n. hardware
hepatitis n. hepatitis
hernia n. hernia
herpes n. herpes, zona, shingles
hertz n. hertz
heterosexual n. heterosexual
hexadecimal n. hexadecimal
hobby n. hobby, pastime
hockey n. hockey
homosexual n. homosexual
honor n. honor, integrity, virtue, chastity, (good) reputation, prestige, fame, glory
horizontal n. horizontal
horror n. horror, terror, revulsion, atrocity, , tons, loads
hospital n. hospital
hotel n. hotel, house, villa
humor n. humor, mood, wit
humus n. humus
iceberg n. iceberg
idea n. idea, concept, opinion, notion, image, picture, ingenuity, imagination
ideal n. ideal
iguana n. iguana, guitar-like instrument
imponderable n. imponderable
impostor n. impostor, slanderer
inductor n. inducer, , inductor
infanta n. infant, little girl, infanta, princess
infante n. infant, little boy, infante, prince, infantryman, choirboy
inferior n. inferior, subordinate
influenza n. influenza, flu
inspector n. inspector, examiner
instructor n. instructor, trainer
integral n. integral
interior n. interior, inside, heart, soul, inside forward
Internet n. the Internet
inventor n. inventor
ion n. ion
jade n. jade
jaguar n. jaguar
jazz n. jazz
jeep n. jeep
jet n. jet, jet plane
jockey n. jockey
judo n. judo
kamikaze n. kamikaze
karaoke n. karaoke
karate n. karate
karma n. karma
kayak n. kayak
kerosene n. kerosene
kilo n. kilo, kilogram
kilobyte n. kilobyte
kimono n. kimono
kiwi n. kiwi
koala n. koala
kung fu n. kung fu
labor n. work, labor, task
lava n. lava
liberal n. liberal
libido n. libido
limbo n. limbo, border, limb, daze
llama n. flame, passion, llama
machete n. machete
machismo n. machismo, male chauvinism
maestro n. teacher, expert, master, maestro
mafia n. mafia
mafioso n. mafioso
magnolia n. magnolia
malaria n. malaria
mama n. mamma, mammary gland, mama, mommy
manual n. manual, handbook
marsupial n. marsupial
matador n. trump card, bullfighter, matador, killer, murderer
material n. materials, equipment, material, substance, ingredient, adobe
medusa n. medusa, jellyfish
megabit n. megabit
megabyte n. megabyte
melanoma n. melanoma
melodrama n. , melodrama
memento n. memento, memo book, notebook
memorial n. memo book, notebook, memorial, petition, publication, bulletin
meningitis n. meningitis
mentor n. mentor, counselor
merengue n. meringue, merengue
metal n. metal, brass, nature, quality, tone
microchip n. microchip
mineral n. mineral, ore, source, fountainhead, mine
miso n. miso
mitosis n. mitosis
mol n. mole, mol
molar n. molar
monitor n. monitor, adviser, trainer,
morgue n. morgue
mortal n. man, mortal
mosquito n. mosquito, gnat
motel n. motel
motor n. motor, engine
mucus n. mucus
mural n. mural
musical n. musical
mustang n. mustang
nacho n. nacho
napalm n. , napalm
nasal n. nasal
neuralgia n. neuralgia
neutral n. neutral
neutrino n. neutrino
nirvana n. Nirvana, nirvana
noble n. noble, nobleman, noblewoman
nostalgia n. nostalgia, homesickness
obstructor n. obstructor
offset n. offset
orca n. killer whale, orca
original n. original, manuscript, character, eccentric
osteoporosis n. osteoporosis
panda n. panda
panel n. panel (of a door or window)
par n. par
paranoia n. paranoia
parasol n. parasol, sunshade
pastor n. shepherd, herdsman, pastor, parish priest, shepherdess
pastoral n. pastorale, pastoral
patio n. patio, courtyard, quadrangle (of schools), , yard
pectoral n. pectoral, chest ornament, pectoral cross, breastplate (worn by Jewish holy men), number (on a player's jersey)
pedal n. (foot) pedal
pedestal n. pedestal, foundation, base, stand
pedigree n. pedigree
perfume n. perfume, fragrance
perpendicular n. perpendicular
peso n. weight, peso, scale, balance, counterweight, burden, importance, shot put, shot
petunia n. petunia
peyote n. peyote
pi n. pi
piano n. piano
pisco n. pisco, grape brandy
pizza n. pizza
placebo n. placebo
placenta n. placenta
placer n. pleasure, delight, will, desire, placer
plan n. plan, scheme, project
plasma n. plasma, dark green agate
plaza n. plaza, square, marketplace
plural n. plural
polio n. polio, poliomyelitis
poncho n. poncho, cape, military cape
portal n. entrance hall, vestibule, porch, arcade, cr?che, portal
pose n. exposure, pose, posture, affectation
precursor n. precursor, forerunner
predicable n. predicable
principal n. second floor, first floor (Great Britain), principal, head, capital, constituent, main guard, dress circle
prior n. prior
propaganda n. propaganda, Propaganda, advertising, publicity
protector n. protector, defender, supporter, patron, protectress, patroness
psoriasis n. psoriasis
pullover n. pullover, jersey, sweatshirt
puma n. puma, mountain lion
pus n. pus
quark n. quark
radar n. radar
radical n. radical, root
radio n. radius, spoke (of a wheel), , range, radium, radio, wireless, broadcasting, radio operator, wireless message
rap n. rap
reactor n. jet engine, jet plane, reactor
receptor n. receiver, receptor, catcher
recital n. recital, reading
reflector n. reflector, spotlight, searchlight
resistor n. resistor
retina n. retina
retinitis n. retinitis
retrovirus n. retrovirus
rifle n. rifle
rigor n. rigor, severity, rigorousness, precision
ritual n. ritual
rival n. rival
rock n. rock, rock 'n' roll
rodeo n. surrounding, roundabout way, long way around, dodge, turn (to escape from someone), rodeo, (cattle) roundup, corral, evasion, circumlocution, subterfuge
romance n. Romance language, Spanish (language), ballad, tale of chivalry, romance (octosyllabic verse), romance, love affair
rotor n. rotor
rumor n. steady noise, murmur, rustle, whisper, rumor
saga n. saga, legend
saki n. sake, saki
saliva n. saliva, spit
salsa n. sauce, gravy, dressing, seasoning, charm, grace, salsa
sector n. sector
semen n. semen, sperm, seed
semiconductor n. semiconductor
sepia n. cuttlefish, sepia
serial n. serial
silicosis n. silicosis
simple n. singles (in tennis), simple, simpleton
singular n. singular
snob n. snob
sol n. sol, sun, sunshine, sunlight, day, gem, treasure, sol
solarium n. solarium
solo n. , solo, black coffee
soprano n. soprano
suite n. , suite
superconductor n. superconductor
superior n. superior
supervisor n. supervisor
suspense n. suspense
taco n. taco
tango n. tango
tapioca n. tapioca
taxi n. taxi, taxicab
tendinitis n. tendinitis
tenor n. tenor, tone
tensor n. tension, tightener, turnbuckle, tensor
tequila n. tequila
terminal n. , terminal
terror n. terror
tiara n. tiara
tibia n. tibia
tilde n. tilde, accent, flaw, blemish, iota, jot
timbre n. stamp, seal, tax stamp, bell, buzzer, timbre, ring, crest
toga n. toga, robe, gown
tornado n. tornado, hurricane
torpedo n. torpedo fish, electric ray, torpedo
torso n. torso
tortilla n. tortilla, corn cake, omelet, omelette
total n. total, whole
tractor n. tractor
trance n. moment, juncture, tight spot, difficulty, last moments (of life), trance
transistor n. , transistor
trauma n. trauma
tremor n. tremor
tribunal n. court, tribunal, bench, board of examiners
triple n. triple
tuba n. tuba, tuba (liquor)
tuberculosis n. tuberculosis
tumor n. tumor
tundra n. tundra
tutor n. guardian, tutor, stake, prop
ultraliberal n. ultraliberal
vagina n. vagina
vaginitis n. vaginitis
valor n. value, worth, price, importance, audacity, nerve, courage, valor
vapor n. steam, vapor, vertigo, dizziness, faintness, steamer, steamship
variable n. variable
vector n. vector
vegan n. vegan
vertical n. vertical, vertical circle
veto n. veto
video n. video
vigor n. vigor, strength, force, effect
viola n. viola, violist
virtuoso n. virtuoso
visa n. visa
vista n. sight, vision, eyesight, appearance, looks, view, vista, scene, eye, eyes, look, glance, intent, hearing, trial
vulva n. vulva
warrant n. warrant, receipt
western n. western style movie
yoga n. yoga
yogi n. yogi
yuca n. cassava, manioc, yuca, yucca, bad news, lie
zigzag n. zigzag
zinc n. zinc
zoo n. zoo