capital
Lemma Details
Translation: capital; capital city; funds; assets; wealth; uppercase letter
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'capitalis' meaning 'of the head', derived from 'caput' (head). The financial sense evolved from the concept of 'head' of livestock, which was a measure of wealth in ancient economies. The same Latin root gives us English words like 'capital', 'captain', 'decapitate', and 'per capita'.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 95%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Madrid es la capital de España.
Madrid is the capital of Spain.
Necesitamos más capital para expandir el negocio.
We need more capital to expand the business.
Siempre escribe tu nombre con letra capital.
Always write your name with a capital letter.
El capital humano es el recurso más valioso de una empresa.
Human capital is a company's most valuable resource.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'capital' as the 'head' city (from Latin 'caput' meaning head).
- For the financial meaning, remember that capital is the 'head' or main part of your financial resources.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'la capital' typically refers to the main city of a country or region. The financial meaning is also widely used in economic and business contexts.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'capital' refers to a city, money, or uppercase letter, 'capitán' means 'captain' (a person in charge).
Confused word:
El capitán del barco dio órdenes a la tripulación.
The captain of the ship gave orders to the crew.
Notes: Both words share the Latin root 'caput' (head), as a captain is the head of a ship or team, and a capital is the head city.
Mnemonic: 'Capital' ends with 'l' for 'location' or 'loot' (money), while 'capitán' ends with 'n' for the 'name' of a person's position.
Explanation: 'Capital' refers to a city, money, or uppercase letter, while 'capítulo' means 'chapter' in a book or series.
This word:
Invertimos todo nuestro capital en el proyecto.
We invested all our capital in the project.
Confused word:
Leí el primer capítulo del libro anoche.
I read the first chapter of the book last night.
Notes: Both words derive from Latin 'caput' (head), as chapters are headings in books.
Mnemonic: Think of 'capítulo' as having 'tul' in the middle, like 'tool' for reading, while 'capital' has no such syllable.