adeudar
Lemma Details
Translation: to owe; to be indebted; to debit
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Derived from the Latin 'debitare', which comes from 'debitum' meaning 'debt' or 'what is owed'. It shares the same Latin root as the English words 'debt' and 'debit'. The Spanish prefix 'a-' was added to form 'adeudar', intensifying the meaning of owing or being indebted.
Commonality: 40%
Guessability: 30%
Register: formal
Mnemonics
- Think of 'a-deuda-r' where 'deuda' means 'debt' in Spanish.
- Sounds like 'a debtor' in English, which is someone who owes money.
- Remember the connection to 'debit' in English, which is money taken from an account.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
More commonly used in financial or accounting contexts in Spanish-speaking countries. While 'deber' is more common in everyday speech to express owing something, 'adeudar' has a more formal, financial connotation.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While both mean 'to owe', 'adeudar' is more formal and often used in financial contexts, whereas 'deber' is more common in everyday speech and can also mean 'should' or 'must'.
Confused word:
Debo llamar a mi madre.
I should call my mother.
Notes: 'Adeudar' is primarily about financial obligations, while 'deber' has broader applications including moral or social obligations.
Mnemonic: 'Adeudar' has 'deuda' (debt) in it, so it's specifically about owing money or being in debt.
Explanation: 'Adeudar' means to owe or debit, while 'abonar' means the opposite: to credit or pay into an account.
Notes: These terms are financial opposites: one removes money from an account, the other adds it.
Mnemonic: 'Adeudar' starts with 'ad-' (to) and relates to taking away, while 'abonar' starts with 'ab-' and relates to adding to.