Languages worldwide impact each other in various ways; one way is to use similar words or derive desired words from another language. English being the topmost spoken language globally, has a significant impact and a lot of importance in daily life communication. However, since every language has its significance, they have the ability to bring an effect in another language. Even, English is the topmost widely spoken language in the world, however, some of the famous words are not even initially English words. In this article, we are going to talk about some of the famous words in the English language that originated from the Spanish language. There are a lot of words that you might be using without knowing their parent language, for example, tortilla, alligator, and taco, etc. We are going to list the top twelve (12) English words that originally came from the
Spanish language.
1. Cafeteria
In the English language, cafeteria means a place like a restaurant or a cafe in school, office, etc, where the customer or the buyer first collects the desired food, sits on tables, and then before leaving the place pays for the food he/she had.
Spanish Word: Cafetería
Meaning in the Spanish language: A place for coffee, or, a store for coffee.
2. California
In the English language, California is a western U.S state.
Spanish Word and Origin: The name “California” derives from the 16th Century, 1510, Spanish romance novel, Las sergas de Esplandián, written by a Spanish author named Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo.
3. Breeze
In the English language it is a breath of wind or a gentle wind.
Spanish Word: Brisa
Meaning in the Spanish language: “Cold Northeast Wind”, small wind.
4. Plaza
In the English language it is a shopping centre
Spanish word: plaza
Meaning in the Spanish language: “public square or open space surrounded by houses,” originally an 1830 word.
5. Alligator
In the English language, alligator is a semi-aquatic reptile with a broader and shorter head than a crocodile.
Spanish Word: el lagarto
Meaning in the Spanish language: reptile, the lizard
6. Arizona
In the English language, Arizona is a Southwestern U.S state.
Spanish Word and Origin: Arisona. Pima, the natives of the area known as the Pimería Alta , or Upper Pima Country within this area, was a place that the Spanish called Arisona known as Arizona.
7. Ranch
In the English language, it is known as a large farm and also as salad dressing sauce.
Spanish word: rancho
Meaning in the Spanish language: the word ranch means a very small rural community
8. Burrito
In the English language, a burrito is a sandwich made with tortilla wrap filled with different ingredients and spices.
Spanish word: burrito
Meaning in the Spanish language: In the Spanish language, the word burrito means ‘little donkey.’
9. Jalapeño
In the English language, jalapeño is known as scorching green chili pepper, used in different kinds of foods.
Spanish Word and Origin: From Xalapa, also spelled as Jalapa, the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico, It is where the pepper was traditionally cultivated. It is also known as spicy green chili pepper, like in the English language.
10. Pina Colada
In the English language, pina colada is a very famous drink in which coconut cream is mixed with pineapple extract.
Spanish Word and Origin: Piña Colada literally means “strained pineapple,” a reference to the freshly pressed and strained pineapple juice used in the drink’s preparation. It is the same drink as described above in the English language.
11. Canyon
The word canyon means a deep valley with a river flowing side by side in the English language.
Spanish Word and Origin: cañón, In the Spanish language, the word means a pipe, tube, and deep valley.
12. Patio
This word is written exactly the same in the Spanish and English languages. The word means inner courtyard or a wide-open space attached to a house with no roof.
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