Essential English Vocabulary: Synonyms and Definitions
Commonly Used Words and Phrases
Keeping Fit and Healthy
– to keep fit = to keep in shape = to keep in good physical condition: mantenerse en forma
– fat = overweight: gordo, con sobrepeso
– obese: really fat/ very fat
– thin = slim: delgado, flaco
– to improve = to get better: mejorar
– dramatically = drastically: dramáticamente, drásticamente
– to work out = to do exercise: hacer ejercicio
– to gain weight = to put on weight: ganar peso, engordar
General Vocabulary
– average = typical, normal: medio, típico (e.g., the average student, the average American)
– large = big: grande
– main = the most important: principal, el más importante
– mainly = basically = primarily: principalmente
– major = very important: muy importante
– to recommend = to suggest = to advise: recomendar, aconsejar
– to persuade = to convince: persuadir, convencer
– We haven’t made up our minds yet = We haven’t decided yet: aún no nos hemos decidido
– actual = real: real
– nowadays = at present = presently = currently: actualmente, hoy en día
– whether = if: si
– unless = if not: a menos que, si no
– providing (that) = provided (that) = on condition that = as long as: siempre que, a condición de que, sólo si
– guy = man: tipo, individuo
– to figure out = to understand: comprender
– eventually = finally: finalmente, al final
– initially = at first: al principio
– unhappy = sad = depressed = low = to be blue: triste, deprimido
– to confront = to face = to deal with: afrontar (un problema, una crisis)
– to change = to transform: cambiar, transformar
– to get to = to reach: alcanzar
– to turn into = to become: convertirse, llegar a ser
– to continue = to go on = to carry on: continuar
– contract = deal: contrato
– to attempt = to try: intentar
– celebrity = famous person: celebridad, persona famosa
– famous = popular = well-known: famoso, popular, conocido
– to be aware of = to be conscious of: ser consciente de
– to realize = to become aware of: darse cuenta de
– exhausted = very tired: agotado
– inedible = uneatable: incomible
– to break up = to split up: cortar, romper una relación
– to take place = to happen = to occur: tener lugar, ocurrir
– to rise = to increase = to grow: aumentar, incrementar
– to decrease = to fall: disminuir
– huge = enormous = tremendous: enorme
– essay = composition: redacción
– opinion = view = point of view: opinión, punto de vista
– In my view = From my point of view = As I see it: En mi opinión, desde mi punto de vista
– compulsory = obligatory: obligatorio
– because of = due to = owing to: debido a, a causa de
– to allow = to permit = to let: dejar, permitir
– to forbid = to prohibit: prohibir
– to ban = to prohibit by law: prohibir por ley
– amount = quantity = sum: cantidad, suma
– research = a careful study of a subject: una investigación cuidadosa de un tema
– to make a reservation = to book = to reserve: reservar (una mesa, una habitación)
– certainly = of course: por supuesto
– consciously = intentionally: deliberadamente, intencionadamente
– for instance = for example = such as = like: por ejemplo
– particularly = especially: particularmente, especialmente, sobre todo
– however = nevertheless: sin embargo, no obstante
– although = though = even though: aunque
– to offer = to give = to provide = to supply: proporcionar, dar
– so = therefore = thus: así que, por lo tanto
– consequently = as a result: como consecuencia, como resultado
– in addition = besides = moreover = furthermore = what’s more: además
– topic = subject = issue: tema, asunto
– incredible = unbelievable = amazing = really surprising: increíble, asombroso
– severe = strong: fuerte
– up to = until = till: hasta (temporal) (e.g., people up to the age of sixteen)
– so far = until now = up to now: hasta ahora
– immediately = at once: inmediatamente, en seguida
– ordinary = common = usual: normal, corriente
– weather = climate: tiempo atmosférico, clima
– mild = slight (climate): suave
– mood = humour: estado de ánimo, humor
– near = close to: cerca de
– to suffer = to endure: sufrir
– essential = really important = fundamental: esencial, fundamental
– biscuits = cookies: galletas
– type = kind = sort: tipo, clase
– illness = disease = sickness: enfermedad
– ill = sick: enfermo
– approximately = about = more or less: aproximadamente
– to acknowledge = to admit: reconocer, admitir
– to spot = to see = to notice: ver, notar
– serving = portion: ración (food)
– to regulate = to control: controlar
– wise = sensible = reasonable: sensato, razonable
– since = because = as: ya que, puesto que
– linker = connector: nexo, conector
– to earn = to make money: ganar (de sueldo, trabajo)
– chance = opportunity: posibilidad, oportunidad
– salary = wages: sueldo, salario
– flight attendant = air host(ess): auxiliar de vuelo, azafato(a)
– helpful = nice = kind: servicial, amable
– aim = goal = objective = purpose: objetivo, propósito
– prize = award: premio, galardón
– to be hired = to be given a job: ser contratado
– to hire = to employ: contratar
– to be unemployed = to be without a job = to be out of work: estar parado, sin trabajo
– to work overtime = to work extra work hours: hacer horas extras
– to retire = to stop working: jubilarse
– to apply for = to make a formal request for: solicitar (petición)
– employee = worker: trabajador
– employer = boss: jefe, patrón
– to be fired = to be dismissed: ser despedido
– to set up = to create = to establish = to found: fundar, crear (una empresa, negocio)
– to run (a business, a shop) = to manage: llevar (una empresa, un negocio, una tienda)
– promotion = advancement: ascenso (opportunity for advancement)
– perhaps = maybe: tal vez, quizás
– head teacher = principal: director/a
– in order to = to = so as to: para
– in order that = so that: para que
– to get in touch/contact with = to contact: ponerse en contacto con, contactar con
– to keep in contact with = to keep in touch with: mantenerse en contacto con
– to trust (somebody) = to rely on (somebody): confiar en (alguien)
– further information = more information = additional information: más información
– to pick out = to choose = to select: elegir, escoger, seleccionar
– bid = offer: puja, oferta
– street market = flea market: mercadillo
– gift = present: regalo
– price = cost: precio
– to fit (clothes) = to suit = to look good on: quedar bien
– customer = client: cliente
– elegant = smart: elegante
– intelligent = smart = bright = clever: inteligente
– to disturb = to annoy = to interrupt = to bother: molestar, interrumpir
– properly = well = correctly: correctamente, bien
– awful = horrible: horrible
– career = professional life: carrera profesional
– earlier = previous = former: anterior (e.g., my former husband)
– to warn = to advise against: advertir (de algo malo)
– evidence = proof: prueba, evidencia
– rare = uncommon: raro (poco usual)
– assignment = task: tarea, trabajo (at school or work)
– homework = task: tarea
– to reply = to answer: contestar
– to act = to play = to perform: actuar
– to turn on = to switch on: encender
– to turn off = to switch off: apagar
– (un)luckily = (un)fortunately: (des)afortunadamente
– obvious(ly) = clear(ly): evidente(mente)
– unsure = doubtful: dudoso, no seguro
– to become accustomed to = to get used to: acostumbrarse a
– degree = university studies: estudios universitarios
– professor = university teacher: profesor universitario
– happy = pleased: contento
– to join = to go with: unirse a
– item = thing = article: artículo
– likely = probably: probable(mente)
– grade = mark: nota (escolar)
– tiring = exhausting: agotador
– to worry about = to care about: preocuparse por
– worried about = concerned about: preocupado por
– rude = impolite: maleducado
– university = college: universidad
– to escape = to flee = to run away: escapar, huir
– problem = trouble: problema
– to participate = to take part: participar
– error = mistake: error
– to discover = to find out: descubrir, averiguar
– to treat = to invite: invitar (a alguien) e.g., I’ll treat you to lunch
– baggage = luggage: equipaje
– to argue = to quarrel = to have an argument: discutir, pelearse
– an argument = a disagreement: una discusión, pelea (verbal)
– to have fun = to have a good time = to enjoy myself: divertirse, pasarlo bien
– almost = nearly: casi
– just = only: sólo, solamente
– whole = all: todo (the whole day = all day)
– skill = ability: destreza, habilidad
– skillful = talented: talentoso, con talento
– to answer = to reply: responder, contestar
– to help = to assist: ayudar
– help = aid = assistance: ayuda
– to damage = to hurt = to harm: dañar
– damaging = harmful = prejudicial: dañino, prejudicial
– to repair = to fix = to mend: arreglar
– risky = dangerous: arriesgado, peligroso
– risk = danger: riesgo, peligro
– genuine = real = authentic: genuino, real, auténtico
– a fake = an imitation: una imitación
– to dye = to colour: teñir
– recently = lately: últimamente
– to attend = to go to: asistir, ir a
– related to = connected with: relacionado con
– brave = courageous: valiente
– to show = to prove: mostrar, demostrar
– to wonder = to ask oneself: preguntarse (a uno mismo)
– several = some = a few: varios, algunos
– plenty of = enough: de sobra, suficiente
– cheerful = happy: alegre, feliz
– to purchase = to buy: adquirir, comprar
– to return = to take back: devolver
– to replace = to substitute: sustituir
– free time = spare time: tiempo libre
– angry = annoyed: enfadado, molesto
– to get on with = to get along with = to have a good relationship with: llevarse bien con
– to own = to have = to possess: tener, poseer
– owner = proprietor = the person who possesses something: dueño, propietario
– to point out = to mention: señalar, mencionar
– bargain = something particularly cheap: ganga
– terrified = extremely frightened: aterrorizado
– trendy = fashionable: de moda, moderno
– the latest = the newest: lo último (e.g., the latest fashion)
– obliged to = forced to: obligado a
– to turn a blind eye to = to ignore: hacer la vista gorda, ignorar
– the majority of = most: la mayoría de (e.g., most Amish people = the majority of Amish people)
– to refuse (an invitation) = to reject: rechazar
– politely = nicely: educadamente
– sibling = brother/sister: hermano/a
– to state = to claim: afirmar
– I feel that = I think that: Creo que
– remarkable = extraordinary: notable, extraordinario
– to keep = to save: guardar, ahorrar
– suitable = right = appropriate: adecuado, correcto, apropiado
– goods = articles: mercancía, artículos
– should = ought to: debería
– to sum up = in short: en resumen, resumiendo
– astonished = amazed = very surprised: atónito, asombrado
– to place = to put: poner, colocar
– rich = wealthy: rico
– to remain = to continue to be = to keep the same: permanecer, continuar siendo
– brief = short: breve (e.g., a brief summary = un breve resumen)
– hard = difficult: duro, difícil
– lead to = cause: causar, llevar a
– Yours sincerely = Yours faithfully (at the end of a letter): Atentamente
– To need = to require: necesitar, requerir
– It seems that = apparently: aparentemente