Another set of convertible words: English words ending in -ant or -ent usually just take an e on the end to become Spanish. The stress lands on the second-to-last syllable.
-ant → -ante · -ent → -ente
importante important
diferente different (one f)
constante constant
Es importante · No es importante · Es diferente · No es diferente · Es constante
Get into the habit of simply observing where the stress falls in a new word, rather than memorising it. The stress is as much a part of the word as the sounds are.
2. -mente is the Spanish -ly Rule
Add -mente to make an adverb. It is written as one word.
constantemente constantly
legalmente legally
ilegalmente illegally
realmente really
normalmente normally
globalmente globally
generalmente generally
originalmente originally
naturalmente naturally
probablemente probably
posiblemente possibly
Normalmente es importante · Naturalmente es original · Posiblemente es original
Two shades of meaning worth knowing: normalmente is used much like "usually", and naturalmente is used a little like "obviously".
3. An English /j/ sound becomes /kh/ Pronunciation
This rule is about the sound, not the letter g. Where a convertible word has a /j/ sound in English, Spanish has a /kh/ sound: friction in the back of the throat.
general
English /j/ → Spanish /kh/
global
English hard g stays a hard g
Also in this group: digital and original, both with the /kh/ sound.
A useful hook for the rule is Argentina, if you have heard it pronounced in Spanish.
4. -ible / -able convert too Rule
Many English words ending in -ible or -able carry straight over. Pronounce them syllable by syllable and put the stress second from the end.
posible possible (one s)
probable probable
flexible flexible
This only works when the -able or -ible is really part of the word. It will not work on something like "doable", where the ending has simply been bolted on to an English verb.
5. real also means royal Vocabulary
Real means both real and royal. Real Madrid is Royal Madrid, not "real" Madrid.
The initial r is a rolling r, which comes back in more detail in track 5.
6. Experiment, and do not fear the exceptions Method
Some of these rules are more useful than others and some have more exceptions than others. The goal is not a perfect rulebook. It is developing a sense for which English words are Latin and are therefore worth trying in Spanish.
Being comfortable with the possibility of getting one wrong is what lets you learn quickly. Through experimenting you find out very fast which words actually work.