How well do you know your Spanish prefixes?

Some prefixes are the same in English and in Spanish as for example hiper- , extra- , post- or intern-. 

The list below contains examples with lesser-known prefixes so you can really get working on your Spanish.

Des- 

Meaning :deprivation, denial of

Examples: 

• Intoxicar/desintoxicar

              Intoxicate/detoxify

• Hacer/deshacer

              Do/undo

• Aparecer/desaparecer

              Appear/disappear

 

Sobre- 

Meaning : above

Examples: 

• Sueldo/Sobresueldo

              Salary/bonus

• Vivir/sobrevivir

              Live/ survive

• Natural/sobrenatural

              Natural/ supernatural

 

Contra- 

Meaning : opposite, contrary 

Examples: 

• Peso/Contrapeso

              Weight/ counterweight

• Decir/contradecir

              Tell/ contradict

• Tiempo/contratiempo

              Time/ setback

 

Ante- 

Meaning : previous 

Examples: 

• Ayer/Anteayer

              Yesterday/ before yesterday

• Poner/anteponer

              Put/ put above

• Sala/antesala

              Room/ prelude or anteroom

 

Entre- 

Meaning : between 

Examples: 

• Piso/entrepiso

              flat/ mezzanine

• Abrir/entreabrir

              Open/ half-open

• Ver/entrever

              See/ glimpse

 

Infra- 

Meaning : lower position, below

Examples: 

• Humano/infrahumano

              Human/ subhuman

• Mundo/inframundo

              World/ underworld

• Valorado/infravalorado

              valued/ undervalued

 

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This article has been contributed by LAE Madrid, the leading Spanish academy in Madrid. Accredited by the Insitituto Cervantes, it offers Spanish courses for all levels and also has Spanish classes for kids and families.