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6 Spanish Words Adapted from English You Must Know!

We’ve put together a list of a few words that the Spanish have adopted for when traditional Spanish doesn’t quite cut it. To a native English speaker they sound familiar yet still slightly strange…

6 Spanish Words Adapted from English You Must Know!

While the French and Italians may spend more time than their linguistic counterparts being outwardly vocal about the preservation of their native tongue, the Spanish language is always evolving as well (much to the dismay of the Royal Spanish Academy who has launched their own campaign to slow the change). As globalization continues to become more prevalent, the “englishification” of the Spanish language has been on the rise. We’ve put together a list of a few words that the Spanish have adopted for when traditional Spanish doesn’t quite cut it. Keep in mind that these are slang terms that have been adapted to mean something entirely different than their original English meaning. So, to a native English speaker, they will sound familiar all the while sounding slightly strange. Here are 6 that you must know!


Footing -  jogging (hacer footing would mean to 'go jogging')

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Parking - used to refer to a car park or parking lot

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Crack - used to describe someone who's great at doing something - essentially a compliment!

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Gin-tonic the Spanish have adopted the English name for the refreshing alcoholic beverage and just dropped the 'and' in the middle.

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El office - a pantry or utility room.

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Smoking - this term has been adopted specifically in Spain to mean ‘black tie’ and is alternatively spelled 'un esmoquin'.

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We hope you've enjoyed learning about 6 Spanish Words Adapted from English You Must Know! Interested in delving even further into the Spanish language? Our culturally infused group classes taught by native instructors can improve your fluency faster than you may have ever thought possible! Click below to learn more!

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