Unless you constantly dissect the etymology of everyday words, you may be surprised by all the Spanish words in English you unknowingly use. Perhaps you recently talked about las alpacas (the alpacas) at a petting zoo or told your neighbor of your plans to install un patio (a patio) in your backyard. Loanwords are words adopted from one language into another and are often used in everyday conversation.
Similar to the abundance of French loanwords in English, many common English words are directly borrowed from Spanish. These Spanish loanwords can provide a familiar foundation and be a stepping stone to learning Spanish.
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How are Spanish loanwords different from cognates?
As the name suggests, loanwords are borrowed from other languages. They often retain their original spelling or change according to the grammar and pronunciation rules of the recipient language. Cognates, on the other hand, share a common ancestor and have evolved from the same root word.
Like Spanish loanwords, cognates can accelerate language learning by providing learners with familiar vocabulary used in everyday dialogue. Cognate words are identical or nearly identical word pairs that most often have the same meaning, due to their shared origin. There are hundreds of English-Spanish cognates with shared Latin or Greek origins: animal (animal), doctor (doctor), and taxi (taxi) to name a few. However, it’s important to watch out for false cognates in Spanish, which are words that may look similar but have different meanings.
While considered a perfect Spanish cognate word, chocolate (chocolate) is also one of the most common Spanish loanwords, borrowed from the Nahuatl language of the Aztec people. This example highlights the complexity of word origins and the often blurred lines between cognates and loanwords.
Food and drink Spanish words in English
Several millennia before the avocado toast trend swept the US, the Nahua people of Mexico’s highlands were already savoring this delicious fruit. Originally called āhuacatl in the Nahuatl language, the Spanish adopted the word when they arrived in the Americas and modified it to aguacate. Deemed too difficult for Americans to pronounce, the word evolved into the English “avocado.”
This brief history of the word avocado shows how languages can borrow words from each other, making learning a new language a little easier. Encountering familiar food and drink terms—like taco, salsa, and mojito—as Spanish words in English can make the language learning process more enjoyable.
General food Spanish loanwords in English
Below is a list of common food Spanish words in English that have their origins in indigenous languages of the Americas. These words were first adopted into Spanish and subsequently into English, becoming Spanish loanwords.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| el aguacate | the avocado | pear-shaped fruit; derived from Nahuatl āhuacatl |
| el cacao | the cocoa | seed from which chocolate is made; derived from Nahuatl cacáhua |
| el chocolate | the chocolate | food product made from cacao beans; derived from Nahuatl xocolatl |
| el charqui | the jerky | dried meat; derived from Quechua ch’arki |
| la jícama | the jicama | edible root; derived from Nahuatl xicamatl |
| el maíz | the maize | Central American cereal plant; derived from Taino mahiz |
| la papaya | the papaya | tropical fruit; derived from Taino papáia |
| la patata | the potato | starchy vegetable; derived from Taino batata |
| la quinoa | the quinoa | edible seed; derived from Quechua kinuwa |
| el tomate | the tomato | red fruit; derived from Nahuatl tomatl |
| el vainilla | the vanilla | flavoring extract; derived from the Nahuatl word xānath |
Mexican cuisine loanwords
The popularity of Mexican cuisine has not only introduced us to a world of delicious flavors but has also enriched our vocabulary. Many of the terms in the table below originated from indigenous languages of the Americas, particularly Nahuatl. After first being borrowed into Spanish, they were then adopted into English.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| el burrito | the burrito | small flour tortilla wrapped around filling; a diminutive form of Spanish burro, meaning “little donkey” |
| el chile | the chili pepper | spicy pepper; derived from Nahuatl chilli |
| el chipotle | the chipotle | smoked hot pepper; derived from chīlpoctli, the Nahuatl word for “smoked chili” |
| la enchilada | the enchilada | tortilla rolled around a filling and covered in chili sauce; derived from chīllapītzalli, the Nahuatl word for “chili-flute” |
| la fajita | the fajita | grilled meat served with tortillas, comes from the Spanish word faja (belt/sash) |
| el guacamole | the guacamole | avocado-based dip; derived from ahuacamolli, the Nahuatl word for “avocado salsa” |
| el jalapeño | the jalapeño | type of chili pepper, derived from Nahuatl jalapa |
| el mojito | the mojito | diminutive form of Cuban Spanish mojo, a spicy sauce |
| el mole | the mole | flavorful sauce, spicy pepper; derived from Nahuatl mōlli |
| la quesadilla | the quesadilla | tortilla filled with cheese; derived from quesaditzin, the Nahuatl word for “folded tortilla” |
| el taco | the taco | a tortilla filled with various ingredients; derived from tlahco, the Nahuatl word for “half” or “in the middle” |
| el tamal | the tamale | steamed masa dough filled with meat or vegetables |
| la tortilla | the tortilla | flat, unleavened bread made from corn or wheat flour, derived from Nahuatl tlaxcalli |
Spanish cuisine loanwords
Spanish cuisine is world-renowned and has made its way into several languages, including English.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| el chorizo | the chorizo | cured sausage |
| el churro | the churro | fried dough pastry |
| el gazpacho | the gazpacho | cold tomato soup |
| la paella | the paella | rice dish with saffron; comes from Latin patella (pan) |
| la sangría | the sangria | wine punch with fruit; comes from the Spanish word sangre (blood) |
| la tapa | the tapa | small plate of food; comes from the verb tapar (to cover) |
Animal loanwords from Spanish
There are over 175 animals in Spanish that are useful words for Spanish language learners to know. Many of these words are already familiar to English speakers thanks to Spanish loanwords.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| la alpaca | the alpaca | South American mammal; derived from Aymara allpaqa |
| el armadillo | the armadillo | armored mammal; derived from the Spanish word for “little armored one” |
| el caimán | the caiman | large reptile similar to an alligator; derived from Taino caiman |
| el burro | the burro | donkey; derived from the Spanish word borrico (donkey) |
| el coyote | the coyote | North American wild dog; derived from Nahuatl coyotl |
| la iguana | the iguana | large lizard; derived from Taino iwana |
| el jaguar | the jaguar | large feline; derived from Tupi-Guaraní yaguara |
| la llama | the llama | South American mammal; derived from Quechua |
| el manatí | the manatee | large aquatic mammal; derived from Taino manatí |
| el mosquito | the mosquito | Spanish word meaning “little fly” |
| el ocelote | the ocelot | spotted wild cat; derived from Nahuatl tlalocelot |
| el puma | the puma | large cat; derived from Quechua meaning “powerful animal” |
| la vicuña | the vicuña | South American mammal; derived from Quechua |
Spanish loanwords that shaped the American ranch
While the American West is typically associated with ranch culture, its origins date back to the 16th century when the Spanish settled in Mexico and Florida, bringing cattle, horses, and other livestock. Their ranching practices, and accompanying vocabulary, became ingrained in the culture.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| las chaparreras | the leather chaps | leather leggings; derived from the Spanish word chaparro (kermes oak) |
| el corral | the corral | livestock enclosure; derived from the Spanish word for “pen” |
| la estampida | the stampede | a sudden rush of a large group of animals; derived from the Spanish verb estampar (to stamp/to crush) |
| el lazo | the lasso | a rope used to catch cattle or horses |
| el poncho | the poncho | a cloak typically worn in South America; derived from the Indigenous languages of the Andes |
| el rancho | the ranch | a large farm or estate, especially one raising livestock; derived from the Spanish word for “farm” |
| el rodeo | the rodeo | a North American contest of skill with horses and cattle; derived from the Spanish word for “roundup” |
| el sombrero | the sombrero | a wide-brimmed hat; derived from the Spanish word for “hat” (literally, “shade maker”) |
| el vaquero | the vaquero/the cowboy | a person who tends cattle on a ranch; derived from the Spanish word for “cowboy” |
Cultural Spanish loanwords
With its unique lifestyle aspects and fascinating traditions, Spain holds a strong cultural influence worldwide. The cultural exchange between Spain and the US has resulted in the adoption of many Spanish words in English related to lifestyle, art, music, and more.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| el aficionado | the aficionado | enthusiast, fan; derived from the Spanish verb aficionar (to inspire affection) |
| el cigarro | the cigarette | small roll of tobacco for smoking; derived from the Mayan word sicar |
| el puro | the cigar | rolled tobacco leaf for smoking; derived from the Spanish word for “pure” |
| la fiesta | the fiesta | party; derived from the Spanish word for “feast” or “festival” |
| la guerrilla | the guerrilla | member of an armed military unit; derived from the Spanish word for “little war” |
| el mariachi | the mariachi | traditional Mexican musical group; derived from the Nahuatl word mariache |
| el matador | the matador | bullfighter; derived from the Spanish word for “killer” |
| la rumba | the rumba | lively Cuban dance and music; derived from the Latin American word for “party” or “celebration” |
| la siesta | the siesta | afternoon nap; derived from Latin sexta (sixth hour) |
| la telenovela | the telenovela | soap opera |
| el vigilante | the vigilante | person who takes the law into their own hands; derived from the Spanish word for “watchman” or “guard” |
Spanish loanwords about landscapes and weather
When Spanish explorers arrived in the American Southwest, they encountered new geographical features, such as cañones (canyons) and mesas (mesas). They used their language to describe these features, and these Spanish words eventually made their way into English.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| el arroyo | the arroyo | small, steep-sided streambed, meaning “water channel” in Spanish |
| la caldera | the caldera | large, volcanic crater |
| el cañón | the canyon | deep, narrow valley; derived from the Spanish word cañon, which means “tube” or “pipe” |
| el chaparral | the chaparral | dense, drought-resistant shrubs; derived from the Spanish word chaparro (evergreen oak) |
| el huracán | the hurricane | storm with violent wind; derived from Taino |
| el llano | the llano | flat, treeless plain; comes from the Spanish word “plain” |
| la mesa | the mesa | flat-topped hill or mountain; comes from the Spanish word for “table” |
| la pampa | the pampa | grass-covered plain; derived from Quechua |
| la sabana | the savanna | derived from Taino zabana |
| la sierra | the sierra | mountain range; derived from Latin serra (saw) |
| el tornado | the tornado | rotating column of air; comes from the Spanish words tronada (thunderstorm) and tornar (to turn) |
Spanish loanwords for plants
English has adopted many words from Spanish related to plants native to the Americas.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| el mezquite | the mesquite tree | thorny tree or shrub; derived from Nahuatl mizquitl |
| el nopal | the nopal cactus | cactus, used in Mexican cuisine; derived from the Nahuatl word for “prickly pear” |
| el peyote | the peyote | small, spineless cactus, used in traditional ceremonies; derived from Nahuatl peyōtl |
| el pimiento | the pimento | type of bell pepper; derived from the Latin word for “pigment” |
| el pinole | the pinole | traditional Mexican drink made from roasted corn; derived from the Aztec word for “toasted grain” |
| el roble | the roble | oak tree |
| el sasafrás | the sassafras | North American tree with aromatic leaves and roots |
| el tabaco | the tobacco | plant used for smoking and other purposes; derived from Taino |
| la zarzaparrilla | the sarsaparilla | vine used to flavor beverages; a combination of the Spanish words for “bramble” and “vine” |
Spanish phrases and slang loanwords
While most Spanish loanwords are nouns, a few Spanish slang words and phrases have become common in English.
| Spanish | English | Meaning/Origin |
| adiós | adios | goodbye |
| incomunicado | incommunicado | without means of communication |
| loco | loco | frenzied |
| nada | nada | nothing |
| pronto | pronto | soon, quickly |
| vamos | vamoose | to depart quickly: derived from Spanish vamos (let’s go) |
Spanish place names in English
In addition to city and state names like Colorado (red-colored) and Buena Vista (good view), Spanish has also contributed types of places to the English language.
| Spanish Word | English Word | Meaning/Origin |
| la bodega | the bodega | wine cellar; derived from Arabic butayqa |
| la cafetería | the cafeteria | food service location; borrowed from Spanish cafetería (coffee house) |
| la hacienda | the hacienda | a large estate or plantation; derived from Old Spanish facienda (estate) |
| el jacal | the jacal | hut; derived from Nahuatl xahcalli |
| el patio | the patio | outdoor area adjacent to house; derived from the Spanish word for “courtyard” |
| la plaza | the plaza | public square; comes from the Spanish word for “square” |
| el presidio | the presidio | fortified settlement; comes from the Spanish verb presidir (to preside) |
Master Spanish loanwords with Rosetta Stone
Recognizing common Spanish words in English is a useful tool for building your vocabulary. A list of Spanish loanwords in addition to cognate words gives you a great starting point for constructing meaningful sentences in Spanish.
Although loanwords may look similar in Spanish and English, they often have different pronunciation rules. With Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition engine giving you immediate pronunciation feedback, you can use these loanwords in your Spanish conversations confidently.
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