Your Guide to Cultural Fluency

Homonymous words have a different origin and meaning but have the same form. They are written the same and generally pronounced the same. This type of linguistic relationship between two or more words is called homonymy.

Homonymous words can be very confusing since they have the same spelling but refer to different things. Below, we bring you a list of the most common ones so you can study and be ahead of the game when you learn them in class.
For example: llama (animal) and llama (present of the verb llamar «to call»).

Examples of homonymous words:

VINO (wine to drink) and VINO (he or she came in the past)

VELA  (present of the verb velar, to be awake voluntarily) and VELA (noun: wax cylinder with wick, used to light or decorate).

CARPA (tarp protection for camping) and CARPA (name of a type of fish).

CARTA (letter) and CARTA (cards game, poker).

COBRE (subjunctive of the verb cobrar to charge) and COBRE (noun: metal)

CERCA (near or close) and CERCA (fence in the yard)

CITA (noun: interview or meeting) and CITA (present of the verb citar).

HOJA (noun: plant organ that grows on branches or stems, usually green, light, flat, and thin) and HOJA (paper sheet).

COLA (glue) and COLA (tail of an animal)

HAZ (imperative of the verb hacer– to do) and HAZ (noun: bunch, tied).

CARA (face) and CARA (expensive).

COPA (stemmed glass, usually glass, used to drink liquids, especially alcoholic beverages) and COPA (an object that is given as a prize or as a sign of victory)

CORTE (subjunctive of the verb cortar- to cut) and CORTE (family and the king’s court)

CLAVE (subjunctive of the verb clavar– to nail) and CLAVE (noun: secret code to access something).

CONSEJO (recommendation or advice) and CONSEJO (board, assembly).

SIRENA (Device that emits a loud sound that is heard at a great distance and that serves to warn of something) and SIRENA (a fabulous animal that lives in the sea, with the head and torso of a woman and the lower extremities of a fish)

AMO (present of the verb amar-to love) and AMO (noun: owner)

NADA (From the verb nadar– to swim) and NADA (Nothing)

SIERRA  (mountain) and SIERRA (tool-instrument for cutting wood, metals, etc.)

PALMA  (inside part of the hand that goes from the wrist to the beginning of the fingers) and PALMA (Tree of the palm family, with a rough, cylindrical trunk and covered by long, dried leaves)

Do you know other words that are homonymous too? Don’t worry you’re getting there, remember that practice makes perfect!

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