verano
Lemma Details
Translation: summer; summertime
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'veranum tempus' meaning 'spring time', from 'ver' (spring). Interestingly, the meaning shifted from 'spring' to 'summer' in Spanish, while in other Romance languages like Italian ('primavera') it retained the original 'spring' meaning. The Latin 'ver' is related to the Greek 'ear' and ultimately to Proto-Indo-European *wes-r- (spring, dawn).
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'verano' as the time when people are 'very' hot.
- Associate it with 'verdant' (green) as summer is when vegetation is lush in many regions.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, especially in Spain, 'verano' is associated with vacation periods, beach trips, and festivals. Many Spanish cities experience a significant exodus during summer as people head to coastal areas. The concept of 'veraneo' (summering) is important culturally, referring to the tradition of spending summer months in a different location, typically cooler or by the sea.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'verano' means 'summer', 'primavera' means 'spring'. This can be confusing because the Latin root of 'verano' originally referred to spring.
Notes: The seasons in Spanish are: primavera (spring), verano (summer), otoño (fall/autumn), and invierno (winter).
Mnemonic: Think: 'PRIMAvera' comes FIRST in the year (before summer).
Explanation: 'Verano' means 'summer' while 'veranda' (same spelling in Spanish and English) is an architectural term for a covered porch or balcony.
Confused word:
Tomamos café en la veranda.
We had coffee on the veranda.
Notes: Though they sound similar, they are completely unrelated words with different etymologies.
Mnemonic: A veranda is a nice place to sit during verano (summer).