Do English and Spanish Look Alike? The False Friends Between These Languages
English natives often make these 5 common mistakes when learning Spanish. Discover our list of “false friend” and how to correct them
The other day, Facebook reminded us of the anniversary of our school’s registration on the platform. It took us back to the early days of Jaleo Madrid—when the dream was just taking shape and one big question lingered: what should we call our school?
As anyone who’s named a child knows, choosing a name is never easy. And since this project felt like our baby, we gave it serious thought. Among the finalists were Jaleo, Algarabía, and Ojalá—three beautiful, resonant words that all happen to share the same origin: Arabic.
Spanish is full of words borrowed from Arabic, though many learners don’t realize it—especially those whose first languages are further removed. Today, we’re sharing five of our favorite Spanish words that trace their roots back to Arabic.
Our school’s name! “Jaleo” comes from the verb jalear, which in turn derives from the Arabic hala, often linked to Allah. It’s a word that captures noise, excitement, clapping, and even a little chaos—everything you might find at a lively party or flamenco show. A perfect name for a place where language and culture come together in full color.
Almost our chosen name! “Algarabía” originally referred to Arabic speech (al-‘Arabiyyah) in medieval Spain, but it evolved to describe loud chatter or cheerful noise. Today, it’s a term for joyful chaos—like what you might hear in a plaza during a celebration.
From the phrase inshallah (“if God wills”), “ojalá” is one of the most poetic words in Spanish. It expresses longing, possibility, and hope, and it’s a gateway to learning the subjunctive mood—something all Spanish learners eventually face. “Ojalá que vengas pronto,” for example, means “I hope you come soon.”
“Aceite,” meaning oil (especially olive oil), doesn’t come from Latin, like many might assume. It comes from the Arabic al-zayt, showing just how deeply Arabic has influenced Mediterranean cuisine and language. You’ll find aceite in almost every Spanish kitchen and conversation about food.
Finally, we have “almohada”—a cozy word that means pillow. It comes from al-muhádda, meaning “that which is placed under the head.” Whether for a siesta or a good night’s sleep, an almohada is essential—and a reminder of how everyday comforts are tied to history.
If you’re fascinated by these Arabic-rooted words in Spanish and want to improve your vocabulary, pronunciation, or cultural understanding, we’d love to welcome you to one of our classes at Jaleo Madrid.
Let’s explore the history, rhythm, and richness of Spanish—together.
English natives often make these 5 common mistakes when learning Spanish. Discover our list of “false friend” and how to correct them
El otoño es un buen momento para empezar un hobby nuevo. Es el momento ideal para descubrir qué cosas nos gustan más y en cuáles somos mejores. Si estás pensando en tomar clases de algo, quizás es necesario hablar de cuáles son tus habilidades. ¿Sabes cómo hacerlo en español? No te preocupes, en Jaleo Madrid te ayudamos. Ser bueno/malo en algo: Una de las posibilidades cuando explicas tus virtudes (o defectos) es decir que “eres bueno en”. En esta frase tendrás que continuar con tu hobby o con la acción en gerundio (por ejemplo: “cocinando”). De este modo, puedes decir “soy bueno en tenis” o “soy bueno jugando al tenis”. Se me da bien / Se me da mal: Esta opción es la que menos gusta a los estudiantes de
Hay muchos motivos que nos llevan a estudiar un idioma. A veces queremos mejorar nuestro currículum, otras queremos aprender más de esa cultura que tanto nos atrae. Incluso podemos tener una pareja de otra parte del mundo y queremos comunicarnos mejor con ella. Sea cual sea tu caso, cuando empezamos a estudiar un idioma, tenemos que tener en cuenta una serie de situaciones ante las que nos vamos a encontrar. Como profes (y estudiantes de idiomas), te damos algunos consejos para que acabes con la frustración. Ten mucha paciencia. Estamos acostumbrados a querer todo ahora, pero con los idiomas esta fórmula no funciona. Nuestra mente tiene límites y sólo podemos aprender unas 15 palabras nuevas al día, por lo que prepárate a hablar de temas muy simples al principio y