Spanish and Portuguese are often called “mutually intelligible.” Learn the shared vocabulary that makes them close — and the falsos amigos that can embarrass you.
Contents
What Are Portuguese–Spanish Cognates?
Both languages descend directly from Latin. That means thousands of cognates: words that look and mean the same. But also many false friends that trip up learners, as well.
- Perfect twins: same form, same meaning (animal ↔ animal).
- Pattern cognates: endings shift predictably (nação ↔ nación).
- False friends: dangerous lookalikes (pasta ≠ pasta).
Cognate Patterns (10 Examples Each)
Portuguese -ção ↔ Spanish -ción
- informação ↔ información
- educação ↔ educación
- nação ↔ nación
- situação ↔ situación
- criação ↔ creación
- produção ↔ producción
- direção ↔ dirección
- opinião ↔ opinión
- aplicação ↔ aplicación
- decisão ↔ decisión
Portuguese -dor ↔ Spanish -dor
- ator ↔ actor
- pintor ↔ pintor
- escritor ↔ escritor
- leitor ↔ lector
- diretor ↔ director
- inventor ↔ inventor
- doutor ↔ doctor
- senador ↔ senador
- narrador ↔ narrador
- jogador ↔ jugador
Regional note: Brazilian Portuguese prefers jogador, while Peninsular Spanish often says futbolista for a soccer player.
Portuguese -al ↔ Spanish -al
- nacional ↔ nacional
- social ↔ social
- geral ↔ general
- natural ↔ natural
- pessoal ↔ personal
- cultural ↔ cultural
- digital ↔ digital
- especial ↔ especial
- central ↔ central
- animal ↔ animal
Portuguese -oso/-osa ↔ Spanish -oso/-osa
- famoso ↔ famoso
- curioso ↔ curioso
- delicioso ↔ delicioso
- ambicioso ↔ ambicioso
- glorioso ↔ glorioso
- misterioso ↔ misterioso
- invejoso ↔ envidioso
- precioso ↔ precioso
- generoso ↔ generoso
- vigoroso ↔ vigoroso
Portuguese -ista ↔ Spanish -ista
- artista ↔ artista
- pianista ↔ pianista
- jornalista ↔ periodista
- otimista ↔ optimista
- realista ↔ realista
- turista ↔ turista
- dentista ↔ dentista
- violinista ↔ violinista
- florista ↔ florista
- futebolista ↔ futbolista
Regional note: In Brazil you’ll hear futebolista, while in Spain it’s always futbolista.
Perfect Twins
- animal ↔ animal
- hotel ↔ hotel
- rádio ↔ radio
- táxi ↔ taxi
- capital ↔ capital
- ideia ↔ idea
- normal ↔ normal
- universidade ↔ universidad
- internet ↔ internet
- vídeo ↔ vídeo
Themed Mini-Lists
Food & Drink
- chocolate ↔ chocolate
- banana ↔ banana
- tomate ↔ tomate
- café ↔ café
- vinho ↔ vino
- sal ↔ sal
- mel ↔ miel
- limão ↔ limón
- laranja ↔ naranja
- arroz ↔ arroz
Regional note: In Brazil, abacaxi = pineapple; in Spain/Latin America it’s piña.
Travel
- trem ↔ tren
- estação ↔ estación
- passaporte ↔ pasaporte
- aeroporto ↔ aeropuerto
- metrô (BR) / metro (PT) ↔ metro
- turista ↔ turista
- guia ↔ guía
- mapa ↔ mapa
- motor ↔ motor
- bilhete ↔ billete
Regional note: ônibus (Brazil) vs autocarro (Portugal) vs autobús/colectivo (Spanish).
False Friends (Falsos Amigos)
Portuguese |
Spanish |
Actually means |
|---|---|---|
pasta |
pasta |
Portuguese = folder, Spanish = pasta (food) |
esquisito |
exquisito |
Portuguese = weird, Spanish = exquisite |
puxar |
empujar |
Portuguese = pull, Spanish = push |
roxo |
rojo |
Portuguese = purple, Spanish = red |
embarazada |
embaraçada |
Spanish = pregnant, Portuguese = embarrassed |
rato |
rato |
Portuguese = mouse (animal), Spanish = mouse OR “short time” |
apelido |
apellido |
Portuguese = surname, Spanish = surname; but in Portugal nome = first name |
oficina |
oficina |
Portuguese = workshop/garage, Spanish = office |
constipado |
constipado |
Portuguese = constipated, Spanish = a cold |
assinatura |
asignatura |
Portuguese = signature/subscription, Spanish = school subject |
Portuguese Words in Argentine & Uruguayan Spanish
In the Rio Plata region (Argentina and Uruguay), everyday speech features not just imported cognates, but Portuguese vocabulary influenced by close contact with Brazil.
- heladera (“refrigerator”) from Brazilian Portuguese geladeira, not nevera in other regions.
- auto (“car”) persists alongside local words like coche in everyday speech.
- pronto in Uruguay can mean “ready” (same as Portuguese); in Spanish, “pronto” means “soon.”
Pronunciation Tips
- Portuguese nasal vowels (ão, õe, ãe) have no direct Spanish equivalent.
- Brazilian Portuguese reduces unstressed vowels; Spanish vowels stay clearer.
- Accent marks may differ: informação vs información.
How To Use Cognates
- Confirm false friends — they’re frequent and confusing.
- Focus on endings (-ção ↔ -ción, -dor ↔ -dor).
- Read Portuguese–Spanish bilingual texts or watch subtitled content to see them in context.
Further Reading
- Portuguese–Spanish cognates (Wikipedia)
- Falsos amigos (Spanish Wikipedia)
- Falsos amigos (Portuguese Wikipedia)
FAQ
Do Portuguese and Spanish share more vocabulary than Spanish and English?
Yes — both are Romance languages and overlap heavily, often with identical forms.
Are false friends common?
Yes. Words like pasta, esquisito, and roxo cause instant confusion.
Can speakers understand each other without study?
Written texts are often partly intelligible. But false friends and pronunciation differences create obstacles.
Do cognates vary by region?
Yes. Brazilian vs European Portuguese differ (ônibus vs autocarro), and Latin American vs European Spanish diverge too (computadora vs ordenador).
What’s the best way to learn them?
Start with the big patterns (-ção/-ción) and deliberately study the top false friends.