verdad
Lemma Details
Translation: truth; fact; reality
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'veritas' (truth), derived from 'verus' meaning 'true'. The English word 'verity' shares this Latin root, as do 'verify' and 'verdict'. The Spanish word underwent a consonant shift from 't' to 'd' as it evolved from Latin, a common phonological change in Romance languages.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'verdad' as related to 'verdict' - both involve determining the truth.
- The 'ver' in 'verdad' sounds like 'very' - the very truth.
- Verdad sounds a bit like 'verified' - something that has been confirmed as true.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, 'verdad' is often used in conversation as a tag question ('¿verdad?') similar to 'right?' or 'isn't it?' in English. This reflects the cultural importance of seeking agreement and confirmation in conversation.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Verdad' means 'truth' while 'verde' means 'green'. They look and sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The stress in 'verdad' falls on the last syllable, while in 'verde' it falls on the first syllable.
Mnemonic: 'Verdad' ends with 'd' for 'declaration of truth', while 'verde' ends with 'e' for 'environment' (green things in nature).
Explanation: 'Verdad' means 'truth' while 'vereda' means 'sidewalk' or 'path'. They share the first three letters but have different meanings and uses.
Notes: 'Vereda' is more common in Latin American Spanish than in Spain, where 'acera' is more frequently used for 'sidewalk'.
Mnemonic: 'Vereda' has an extra 'e' - think of it as the extra space you have to walk on a path.