Unlock Spanish Vocabulary: The “-TY to -DAD” Pattern

If you know English, you already know a big chunk of Spanish — you just need to spot the patterns!
One of the most powerful (and satisfying) is the “-TY → -DAD” rule.

It helps you instantly understand hundreds of Spanish words that describe ideas, feelings, and qualities — words like universidad, curiosidad, and realidad.

Let’s explore how this magic pattern works

The Rule

When an English noun ends in “-ty”, the Spanish equivalent usually ends in “-dad.”

Examples:

• reality → realidad
• curiosity → curiosidad
• university → universidad
• activity → actividad

That’s it!
Just switch “-ty” → “-dad”, and you’ve likely found the Spanish word.

️ Why It Works

Both English and Spanish borrowed these abstract nouns from Latin, where they originally ended in “-tas” (like realitas, universitas).
Over time, this became:

• “-ty” in English
• “-dad” in Spanish

So the words are cognates — linguistic cousins that share the same roots and meanings.

Once you notice this pattern, your Spanish vocabulary will grow automatically.

20 Common Examples

Practice Time

Let’s see if you can apply the rule!
Translate the following English words into Spanish by switching “-ty” → “-dad.”

️ Watch Out for Exceptions

Not every word ending in -ty follows this pattern exactly.
Some English words have a different Spanish equivalent — especially if they come from a different Latin root.

For example:

• beauty → belleza (not beudad)
• pity → lástima (completely different)
• city → ciudad ( close, but ends in -dad with spelling changes)

So, the pattern works about 80–90% of the time — still incredibly useful!

Pronunciation Tip

In Spanish, “-dad” words always stress the final syllable:
*uni-ver-si-DAD*, *cu-rio-si-DAD*.

This makes them sound rhythmic and distinct — practice saying them aloud to feel the flow of Spanish stress patterns.

Grammar tip: most “-dad” nouns are feminine

Most nouns ending in -dad / -tad / -idad are feminine, so you’ll usually say:

• la universidad
• la curiosidad
• la realidad
• la responsabilidad

That makes them even easier to use: memorize them as la + word.

Variations you’ll see: -dad, -tad, -idad, -edad

English “-ty” doesn’t always map to a plain -dad ending. Spanish has a few common “shapes”:

• -dad: realidad, curiosidad
• -tad: libertad (liberty → libertad), amistad (friendship)
• -idad: actividad, nacionalidad, identidad
• -edad: sociedad (society), variedad (variety)

You don’t need to memorize these as separate rules. Just recognize that Spanish often inserts an extra vowel (-idad/-edad) depending on the root.

️ Turn them into phrases (how natives actually use them)

These nouns are super common in “chunks.” Here are high‑utility combinations:

• en realidad = actually / in reality
• por curiosidad = out of curiosity
• la responsabilidad de… = the responsibility for…
• la posibilidad de… = the possibility of…
• la calidad de… = the quality of…
• la seguridad = safety/security (very common in real life)

Examples:

• En realidad, no tengo tiempo. (Actually, I don’t have time.)
• Lo pregunto por curiosidad. (I’m asking out of curiosity.)
• Es mi responsabilidad. (It’s my responsibility.)
• Hay una posibilidad. (There’s a possibility.)

Extra practice (production)

7‑day micro‑plan (5 minutes/day)

1. Day 1: Learn 10 words from the table with la.
2. Day 2: Learn 5 common chunks (en realidad, por curiosidad…).
3. Day 3: Write 5 sentences using responsabilidad / posibilidad / seguridad.
4. Day 4: Highlight every -dad/-idad word you see in a Spanish article.
5. Day 5: Record a 30‑second voice note using 5 nouns.
6. Day 6: Review and keep the ones you actually use.
7. Day 7: Test: translate 15 English “-ty” nouns into Spanish quickly.

The Takeaway

If an English word ends in -ty, try replacing it with -dad — and you’ll instantly unlock hundreds of Spanish nouns you already “kind of” know.

Instead of memorizing, you’re recognizing. That’s the LingoBingo way: learning smarter, not harder.

Next time you read realidad, actividad, or curiosidad, you’ll smile knowing you cracked the code.

Tip for long‑term retention: pick 5 “-dad” nouns you actually need (work, study, travel) and reuse them in the same sentence templates for a week. That repetition is what turns a pattern into automatic speech.

Quick FAQ

Are -dad words usually masculine or feminine?

Most nouns ending in -dad / -tad / -idad are feminine:

• la universidad, la curiosidad, la responsabilidad

Why do I sometimes see -idad instead of -dad?

It’s the same family of endings. Spanish often inserts an extra vowel depending on the root:

• activity → actividad
• identity → identidad

Should I always guess -dad for “-ty”?

It’s a strong default, but not universal (beauty → belleza). Use it to make fast guesses, then confirm with context when needed.