Learn Spanish Online Fast – Spanish Words
Today I will share a story with you that will help you learn Spanish online quickly. You will also learn some new words in Spanish today. After sending out a recent email to my newsletter subscribers, I received a ton of emails from readers who disagreed with my statement that “the Spanish language has more words than the English language.”
One reader wrote:
“Patrick, you’ve got to be kidding. If I include scientific words, the English language has over a million words.”
So does that mean there are no scientists in Latin America or Spain?
And another reader wrote:
“Patrick, your theory that the Spanish language has more words than English is full of holes:
Patrick, you wrote in English that there is only one word for the room in the house where you sleep. And that word is bedroom. But in Spanish there are at least 6:
1. Housing
2. Bedroom
3. room
4. Piece
5.Bedroom
6. Chamber
Patrick, you overlooked that in English we also use several different words for “bedroom”. Instead of ‘room’ and ‘bedroom’, in English we also use ‘rooms’ and ‘dorm’.”
I don’t know about anyone else, but I have never referred to my “bedroom” as my “room” or my “bedroom”.
But most of the emails disagreed with me because they felt that I was saying that Spanish has more words because there are a lot of regional words in Spanish. And in different parts of the US, as well as the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, anywhere else in the world where English is the primary language (or one of the primary languages), the people know regional English words that I don’t know
Perhaps I should have said that I insist that Spanish has more everyday words in common use. Now let me clarify…
I don’t mean just regional words. I’m talking about words that all or most Spanish speakers are familiar with. Perhaps not all Spanish speakers use the words alcoba, habitación, cuarto, recamara and dormitorio but I am sure that most or all of them will understand that these words mean “bedroom”.
The same applies with these three words.
1. trunk
2. trunk
3. trunk
Not all Spanish speakers may use the words trunk, trunk, and trunk, but I’m sure most will understand these words to mean “trunk” as in “the trunk of a car.”
Still not convinced that the Spanish language has more words?
I have made an interesting observation that I want to share with you. While here in Colombia, I have met MANY MANY Colombians who are learning English.
One thing everyone seems to tell me is: “It’s easier for us (Latinos) to learn English than it is for native English speakers to learn Spanish.” Of course, I always ask “why?”
No Colombian has ever told me that it is easier for them to learn English than it is for a gringo to learn Spanish because Spanish speakers seem to speak so much faster. And no Colombian has ever told me that it is easier for them to learn English because conjugating verbs in Spanish is very complicated. Each and every one of them has told me that English is easier to learn than Spanish because Spanish has more words.
Now I’m sure I’ll get at least one email from a reader who says “if gringos say English has more words and if Latinos say it doesn’t, that’s proof enough for me. English has more words.” .
But I think my observation above helps further illustrate that the Spanish language has more words than English.