Introduction

Hola, estudiante.

Welcome to Lección Numero Dos.

In Lección Uno, you learned what a raíz of a palabra is, and you learned what a cognada is. Now, most numbers become raíces of palabras and are not cognadas themselves. For example “dos.”

Dos means “two.” And here are some palabras with that raíz.

• Du -> The Latin Raíz for “dos.”
• Duet -> dos people
• Double -> dos or twice
• Dubious -> Two-faced
• Dub -> Strangely, dos tens. So, twenty. (It’s a slang term.)

Now, not every palabra has a raíz or a cognada that I can teach you. For words like these, you’ll just have to use them often.

An example is the palabra “yo.” “Yo” means “I.” There is no reasoning for that that I can tell you.

Similarly, “tú” means “you.” Ignore that “you” and “yo” look similar, because they are not related. Lastly, there is this word “de.” “De” means “of.”

Now, tú may wonder how tú will remember these palabras. However, these palabras are so common, that tú will use them often.

In any case, in this lección, tú will learn the reason why understanding cognadas and raices de palabras are important.

Cultural Building Blocks

By the way, tú know how in some language courses, they try to teach tú about the culture de the country tú are studying?

For example, they teach tú about Quinceñeras, Masked Wrestling, sombreros, holidays, and other things that don’t matter? (A quinceñera is a celebration of a girls 15th birthday. If tú are not a woman, tú are older than 15, tú don’t have a daughter, or tú don’t integrate Hispanic customs into your own, tú have no reason to know what a quinceñera is.)

Anyway, yo am going to teach you Hispanic culture. Kind of. Only to the point that it is useful in helping us to learn español.

For example, speaking style.

Some palabras in español are considered advanced or formal language in inglés. And knowing the raíz de palabra and the cognadas will help tú to adapt to that speaking style.

Example? “Hola.”

If tú have ever tried to study español, you know that “hola” is “hello.” But is it? In fact, where does the palabra “hello” come from?

In inglés, there is a palabra called “hail.” To “hail” is to greet someone or to signal. Such as when tú are hailing a boat or sending a message. Ever heard a TV show say that another ship is not, “answering our hails.”

Anyway, the palabras “hello” and “hola” come from the word “hail.”

However, different speaking styles create different pronunciations. So, a cheery man from a common village would say “hail-o” rather than the formal “hail.”

But the point is that learning how to speak formally will help tú with your sentence structure in español. Later, yo will show you another “advanced word” that is common in español but tú never use it in inglés.

In any case, let’s talk more about how culture affects language.

Gender Roles

A very common palabra is “the.” Unfortunately, for such a common palabra, español has dos palabras that mean “the.” They are “el” and “la.”

What does this have to do with gender roles?

Tú see, in español, all noun palabras are divided into masculine (male) and feminine (female). “El” is la palabra for “the” with all masculine palabras. And “la” is la palabra for “the” with all feminine palabras.

And how will learning culture help tú remember this?

Well, tú must know that most español-speaking countries are Christian or Catholic. So, their understanding of la Bible affects their understanding of el world. Even by affecting their language.

Now, in la Bible, God has many names based on what he has done at a certain time. But one of the most-known is el name “Elohim” which generally means “God of the powers.” (Because being a god generally means you have power over something.)

Therefore “el” became a common way to insert God’s name into something. Israel. Ishmael. Daniel. Ezekiel. Etc.

Now, for Christians, God is “our father” and “a king” and “a man of war.” Therefore, He is an example for men to follow. Literally, a man of men. Therefore, el men are supposed to aspire to be like God. Therefore “men” are supposed to be “el.” Or for modern speakers, “I am him.”

Yo wish yo had a long story for why “la” was made, but yo don’t. Yo assume it comes from “ello” and “ella.” But we are not getting into that. For now, “la” looks like “lady.”

Also, most palabras that end with “o” or “e” are masculine. And most palabras that end with “a” are feminine. Are there exceptions? Yes, just like inglés has exceptions. But we will discuss those when they come.

The Lord and Lady

Remember when yo told tú that Christian understanding affects la language de español? Well, another palabra for God is “señor.”

It is literally la cognada for “senior.”

“Senior” means this thing precedes or “comes before” another thing. So, an older brother is senior to his younger brother. Now, for Christians, God was there before everything. So, he is literally, “The Senior.” Therefore, he is called “El Señor.”

Why is that important for tú?

Well, in Bibles in español the palabras “el Señor” is to replace la phrase “the Lord.”

That is because a senior is supposed to be el boss or master of those who come after him. He is supposed to teach his juniors, and they are supposed to obey him. Therefore, el senior or “señor” is your “lord” or “master.”

Now, tú may already know that “señor” means “mister.” Here some trivia on that.

“Mister” is another pronunciation for the word “master.” Again, different dialects or levels of education will change how tú will say different words. El man is el master of his house. But in some dialects, “master” will be pronounced “mister.” Thus, “señor” which means “master” also means “mister.”

Now, what about “señora.”

Like “señor” it is a cognado for “senior.” Except this is for women.

And just as “señor” means “lord,” “señora” means “lady.”

Also, a bit of trivia. Tú may know that “señora” means “Miss” or “Missus (Mrs.).”

Well, “miss” is short for “missus.” And “Missus” is short for “Mistress” which is la female version of “Mister.” Just like la female version of “prince” is “princess”, la female version of “mister” is “mistress”.

That is why la abbreviation “Mrs.” looks like “Mr.” It would be pronounced like “Mister S.”

In other words, “missus” or “señora” is a “female master.”

Yo taught tú that because knowing la reasoning behind different palabras will help tú learn others. Because some palabras can be combined to make others.

For example, la palabra “en” means “in.” Alright.

Now, remember how a “teacher” is called “señor” because he is el master of a subject and a master over his students. This explains why martial arts teachers are called “master” or “sifu.” So, let’s explore la word “to teach” which is “enseñar.”

Now, if a persona is teaching tú, he is “in mastery over you.” Right. And thus, he is “in seniority” over you. Again, he is “en seniority.” Again, he is “en señor.”

So, when a persona is “expressing seniority” over you in a given topic, he is teaching tú. He is “enseñar” which means “to teach.”

La Razón Por Qué

So, now, tú have learned how cognadas can become compound palabras. For those who don’t have a formal education a “compound word” is a palabra made up of dos or more palabras.

Such as “enseñar.”

Now, to teach tú some more.

En español, there is a word “por.” “Por” means “for.” However, it is not to be used for all cases for “for.” Por that reason, there are dos palabras for “for.” Yo will not enseñar el other palabra.

What is worse, there are seven reason to use “por” instead of la other. En this lección, yo will enseñar tú uno de them.

El case for today is to show a reason or a why for something else.

This is interesante, because we have another palabra. “Qué.” “Qué” means “what.”

Why is that interesante? Because “why” is la compound palabra “por qué” which basically means “for what.” En other palabras, “for what reason is this happening?”

Still on this topic, la word for “because” is “porque.” La difference between “por qué” and “porque” is that one has a space and an accent mark. La other doesn’t. But generally, “porque” means “for this reason.”

Understanding how to use “por” in this way will be useful for other palabras. For example, “ejemplo.” “Ejemplo” means “example.”

Now, yo am enseñar this to tú, porque there are some grammar rules (en inglés) that will help you. Namely, that la palabra “for” is a conjuctive palabra. Meaning, it is a palabra used to bring two sentences or thoughts together. And if la sentence is not present, then el previous thought is implied.

Por ejemplo, la thought to this sentence is, “Why am I saying this? For an example to explain my point.” Therefore, when using “for” as a conjunction that means “because,” usually tú can “por.”

Again, “why” can mean “for what reason.” So, “because” can be “for this reason.”

“Reason” is la cognada “razón.” And “por qué” can mean “por qué razon.”

Therefore, “porque” becomes “por esta razón.”

Oh, another one.

Let’s say tú wanted someone to do something for tú. Por qué? As a favor. Tú are asking for a favor.

Now, “favor” is a cognada “favor.” Exactly el same.

So, la sentence “as a favor” becomes “for a favor.” So, “por favor.” In inglés, “please.”

Remember, you use “por” when la next palabras after are a reason why or “razón por qué.”

“I need you to do something. Por qué? Por favor.”