Sunday 8 July 2012

I love it when a plan comes together

During your time learning Spanish (aprendizaje - also means 'apprenticeship') you may, or may not have come across the term 'cognate'.
Put simply, a cognate is a word which sounds and means the same in both languages, like 'revolución' or 'bar'.


Whether or not you've heard the term, I'll bet you've come across the phrase 'falsos amigos'
These are words which sound the same, but mean something quite different.

Examples:
embarasada = NOT embarrased, but Pregnant! (embarrasing if you got it wrong)
introducir = NOT introduce, but Insert! (allow me to introduce myself?!?!?)

So I've rounded up a few cognates and falsos amigos, dealing with the subject of making Plans.

Planear - nice and simple - to plan. Planear hacer algo - to plan to do something.
Planificar - also to plan.
Plañir - to mourn or grieve over someone/thing
Plantar - to plant - e.g. a tree
Plantear - to bring up or raise e.g. a subject
Plantificar - to plonk something down. Drop unceremoniously.
Proponer - to suggest or propose
Proponerse algo - to put one's mind to something
Proponerse hacer algo - to intend to do something
Pensar en hacer algo - to intend to do something BUT
Intentar = to Attempt e.g to do something, NOT intend AND
Atentar = assault e.g. attempt on someone's life NOT attempt to do something
and finally 'Pretender' - NOT pretend, as in mislead, but aspire to or intend to do something.

Hopefully that will help more of your Spanish plans come together but remember
'del dicho al hecho, hay mucho trecho'
(it's easier said than done ;¬)
 

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