Spanish and French are both Romance languages. Discover the cognates that make them close cousins — and the faux amis / falsos amigos that mislead learners.
Contents
What Are French–Spanish Cognates?
Both languages descend from Latin, but French has also influenced Spanish through culture, politics, cuisine, and fashion.
That leaves thousands of cognates learners can use right away.
- Perfect twins: spelling and meaning align (hotel ↔ hotel).
- Pattern cognates: endings shift predictably (nation ↔ nación).
- False friends: look familiar, mislead (actuellement ≠ actualmente).
Cognate Patterns (10 Examples Each)
French -tion ↔ Spanish -ción
- nation ↔ nación
- information ↔ información
- éducation ↔ educación
- création ↔ creación
- production ↔ producción
- direction ↔ dirección
- opinion ↔ opinión
- application ↔ aplicación
- décision ↔ decisión
- communication ↔ comunicación
French -ique ↔ Spanish -ico/-ica
- politique ↔ político
- électrique ↔ eléctrico
- logique ↔ lógico
- critique ↔ crítico
- historique ↔ histórico
- médique ↔ médico
- classique ↔ clásico
- pratique ↔ práctico
- toxique ↔ tóxico
- musique ↔ música (spelling shift)
French -eux/-euse ↔ Spanish -oso/-osa
- fameux ↔ famoso
- curieux ↔ curioso
- délicieux ↔ delicioso
- ambitieux ↔ ambicioso
- glorieux ↔ glorioso
- mystérieux ↔ misterioso
- précieux ↔ precioso
- généreux ↔ generoso
- victorieux ↔ victorioso
- superstitieux ↔ supersticioso
French -iste ↔ Spanish -ista
- artiste ↔ artista
- pianiste ↔ pianista
- journaliste ↔ periodista
- optimiste ↔ optimista
- réaliste ↔ realista
- touriste ↔ turista
- dentiste ↔ dentista
- violiniste ↔ violinista
- floriste ↔ florista
- guitariste ↔ guitarrista
French -ment ↔ Spanish -mente
- rapidement ↔ rápidamente
- évidemment ↔ evidentemente
- spécialement ↔ especialmente
- exactement ↔ exactamente
- finalement ↔ finalmente
- normalement ↔ normalmente
- traditionnellement ↔ tradicionalmente
- naturellement ↔ naturalmente
- positivement ↔ positivamente
- généralement ↔ generalmente
Perfect Twins
- hotel ↔ hotel
- animal ↔ animal
- capital ↔ capital
- central ↔ central
- radio ↔ radio
- taxi ↔ taxi
- banane ↔ banana
- chocolat ↔ chocolate
- minéral ↔ mineral
- social ↔ social
Themed Mini-Lists
Food & Drink
- chocolat ↔ chocolate
- banane ↔ banana
- tomate ↔ tomate
- café ↔ café
- vin ↔ vino
- sel ↔ sal
- miel ↔ miel
- orange ↔ naranja
- riz ↔ arroz
- fromage ↔ queso (false friend risk — not “fromaje”)
Fashion & Culture
- mode ↔ moda
- couture ↔ costura
- parfum ↔ perfume
- robe ↔ ropa (note: robe in French = dress, ropa = clothes)
- chaîne ↔ cadena
- bijou ↔ bisutería/joya
- style ↔ estilo
- élégance ↔ elegancia
- musique ↔ música
- danse ↔ danza
False Friends (Faux Amis / Falsos Amigos)
French |
Spanish |
Actually means |
|---|---|---|
actuellement |
actualmente |
French = currently, Spanish = actually |
préservatif |
preservativo |
French = condom, Spanish = preservative |
librarie |
librería |
French = bookshop, Spanish = bookstore (ok) BUT “library” = biblioteca |
assister |
asistir |
French = to attend, Spanish = to attend; but confusion with “to assist” |
blesser |
borrar/blesser (rare) |
French = to wound, Spanish = to bless |
salon |
salón |
Both = living room, but French “salon” also = trade fair |
embarassé |
embarazada |
French = embarrassed, Spanish = pregnant |
coin |
coín/moneda |
French = corner, Spanish = coin |
journée |
jornada |
French = day, Spanish = working day |
sensible |
sensible |
French = sensitive, Spanish = sensible/reasonable |
Pronunciation Tips
- French final consonants are often silent; Spanish pronounces them.
- Accent marks differ: éducation vs educación.
- Spanish vowels are clear and consistent; French vowels can be nasalized.
How To Use Cognates
- Learn the reliable patterns first (-tion ↔ -ción, -ique ↔ -ico).
- Beware of faux amis — they’re common in cultural vocabulary.
- Use French–Spanish newspapers or subtitles to reinforce patterns.
Further Reading
FAQ
Do French and Spanish share more vocabulary than English and Spanish?
Yes — they are both Romance languages, so overlap is extensive, especially in culture, politics, and academia.
Are false friends common?
Yes. Words like actuellement, préservatif, and sensible often cause confusion.
Do French loanwords exist in Spanish today?
Yes. Spanish borrowed many words from French in fashion, cooking, and diplomacy: chef, menú, collage, hotel, chalet.
Do cognates vary by country?
Some. Latin American Spanish is more open to French loanwords like champú (shampoo) while Peninsular Spanish also borrows heavily in cultural contexts.
What’s the best way to study them?
Start with high-frequency patterns, then build a “false friends” list. Reinforce by reading Spanish translations of French literature and news.