negar
Lemma Details
Translation: to deny; to refuse; to negate; to reject
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Negar comes from Latin 'negare' meaning 'to say no, to deny'. This Latin root also gave English words like 'negate', 'negative', 'renege', and 'deny' (through Old French). The Latin 'negare' is formed from 'ne-' (not) + the base of 'aio' (I say), literally meaning 'to say no'.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'negar' as related to 'negative' - when you negate something, you're giving a negative response.
- The 'neg' in 'negar' is like the 'neg' in 'negative' - both involve saying 'no' to something.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
In Spanish culture, direct negation can sometimes be considered impolite in certain contexts, so speakers might use softer forms of negation or indirect refusals in formal situations.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'negar' means 'to deny', 'anegar' means 'to flood' or 'to inundate'. They look similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The verb 'negar' undergoes stem changes (e→ie) in certain conjugations, while 'anegar' follows regular conjugation patterns.
Mnemonic: Remember that 'anegar' has an 'a' at the beginning, like 'agua' (water), which relates to flooding.
Explanation: 'Negar' means 'to deny' while 'llegar' means 'to arrive'. They have similar endings but different meanings and pronunciations.
Notes: Both verbs have irregular conjugation patterns but in different ways.
Mnemonic: 'Llegar' has 'll' like in 'llegada' (arrival).