Commonly Confused Words

Question 1

cuestionar

Answer 1

to question (philosophically)

Question 2

hacer una pregunta

Answer 2

to ask a questino

Question 3

pedir

Answer 3

to ask for

Question 4

preguntar

Answer 4

to ask a question

Question 5

preguntar por

Answer 5

to ask about (a person or thing)

Question 6

convertirse en + noun

Trannsformarse en + noun

Answer 6

some object changes into another (becomes). I.e. El agua se convirtio en hielo.

Question 7

Hacerse + noun or adjective

Answer 7

indicates a gradual change through someone’s effort. Me pregunto que se hizo de juan. (I wonder what happened or became of Juan)

Question 8

Llegar a ser + noun or adjective

Answer 8

indicates a gradual change over time. Ana llegara a ser rica si sigue trabajando tanto. (Ana will become rich if she keeps working so much).

Question 9

Meterse a

Answer 9

indicates a change in profession or activity, usually in a derogatory sense. i.e. Mi tia fue a hollywood para meterse a actriz aunque no tiene talento.

Question 10

Ponerse + adjective

Answer 10

indicates an involuntary change of state. Al oir la noticia, Marta se puso emocionada.

Question 11

Quedarse + adjective

Answer 11

indicates that a person or object has been left in a certain state, often by some sort of loss. Aunque se quedo(‘) sardo, Beethoven siguio(‘) componiendo musica hasta su muerte.

Question 12

Volverse + adjective

Answer 12

indicates a sudden, often irreversible change. Jose se volvio(‘) loco y dejo(‘) su trabajo.

Question 13

cansarse

Answer 13

to get tired

Question 14

casarse

Answer 14

to get married

Question 15

emocionarse

Answer 15

to get excited

Question 16

enfadarse

Answer 16

to get angry

Question 17

enfriarse

Answer 17

to get cold

Question 18

enojarse

Answer 18

to get angry

Question 19

enrojecerse

Answer 19

to turn red, to blush

Question 20

mojarse

Answer 20

to get wet

Question 21

secarse

Answer 21

to become dry, to dry out

Question 22

adelgazar

Answer 22

to become thin, to lose weight

Question 23

engordar

Answer 23

to become fat, to gain weight

Question 24

esordecer

Answer 24

to become deaf, to go deaf

Question 25

envejecer

Answer 25

to become old, to age

Question 26

cuidar

Answer 26

to take care of something or someone

Question 27

importar

Answer 27

to matter

Question 28

cerca

Answer 28

physical proximity

Question 29

cercano

Answer 29

refers to physical proximity or degree of separation of blood relatives

Question 30

intimo

Answer 30

refers to relationships other than family, friendship, emotional ties, etc.

Question 31

unido

Answer 31

refers to closeness of family members, but with no reference to blood ties

Question 32

dato

Answer 32

piece of information

Question 33

hecho

Answer 33

a known reality

Question 34

comico

Answer 34

comical

Question 35

curioso, extrano

Answer 35

odd, strange

Question 36

divertido

Answer 36

entertaining

Question 37

paracer

Answer 37

to seem

Question 38

paracerse a

Answer 38

to look like

Question 39

dar con, encontrarse con

Answer 39

to meet someone by chance

Question 40

encontrar

Answer 40

to meet someone either intentionally or by chance

Question 41

reunirse

Answer 41

to meet someone in an official capacity

Question 42

verse con

Answer 42

to meet someone by appointment

Question 43

calidad

Answer 43

quality

Question 44

cualidad

Answer 44

a characteristic or trait

Question 45

rasgos

Answer 45

traits

Question 46

aumentar

Answer 46

to increase (amount of)

Question 47

criar

Answer 47

to care for/to raise

Question 48

cultivar

Answer 48

to raise, to cultivate (crops)

Question 49

educar

Answer 49

to rear up, to bring up

Question 50

levantar

Answer 50

to raise physically up, to lift

Question 51

subir

Answer 51

to take something up, to make higher

Question 52

ahorrar

Answer 52

to save money

Question 53

guardar

Answer 53

to keep, to set something aside, to put something away

Question 54

salvar

Answer 54

to rescue

Question 55

dejar de + infinitive

Answer 55

to stop doing something. i.e. 5 Secretos para dejar de trabajar a los 40 años.

Question 56

detener

Answer 56

to detain (someone)

Question 57

detenerse

Answer 57

to pause, to come to a stop

Question 58

impedir

Answer 58

to stop someone from doing something, to impede

Question 59

parar(se)

Answer 59

to stop (to come to a stop)

Question 60

apoyar

Answer 60

to back, to support emotionally

Question 61

mantener

Answer 61

to support financially

Question 62

soportar

Answer 62

to bear, to tolerate

Question 63

sostener

Answer 63

to sustain, to hold up physically

Question 64

dar un paseo/paso

Answer 64

take a walk/step

Question 65

hacer un viaje

Answer 65

to take a trip

Question 66

llevar

Answer 66

to carry from one place to another

Question 67

quitar

Answer 67

to take something away

Question 68

quitarse

Answer 68

to take off (article of clothing)

Question 69

tardar en + infinitive

Answer 69

to take time to do something

Question 70

tener lugar

Answer 70

to take place

Question 71

tomar

Answer 71

to take (general meaning), to drink (i.e. tomaste cafe?)

Question 72

hora

Answer 72

a specific time of day or night

Question 73

rato

Answer 73

a brief amount of time, a while

Question 74

tiempo

Answer 74

time in an abstract sense

Question 75

vez

Answer 75

instance, occurrence

Question 76

intentar + infinitive

Answer 76

to try to do something

Question 77

tratar de

Answer 77

to be about, or to try