Opposites — Antónimos

[laepelba]

This is a basic, non-exhaustive list of opposites in English and Spanish.

[TABLE=sortable;compact]
{||}Spanish | English
{|}derecha – izquierda|right – left
{|}arriba – abajo|up – down
{|}dentro – fuera|inside – outside
{|}caliente – frío|hot – cold
{|}grande – pequeño|big – small
{|}blanco – negro|white – black
{|}limpio – sucio|clean – dirty
{|}feliz – triste|happy – sad
{|}alto – bajo|tall – short
{|}claro – oscuro|light – dark
{|}fuerte – débil|strong – weak
{|}rápido – lento|fast – slow
{|}bonito – feo|pretty – ugly
{|}guapo – feo|handsome – ugly
{|}simpático – antipático|kind – unkind
{|}simple – complicado|simple – complicated
{|}fácil – difícil|easy – hard
{|}hábil – torpe|skillful/skilful – clumsy
{|}amable – grosero|polite – rude
{|}nuevo – usado|new – used
{|}joven – viejo|young – old
{|}recto – curvo|straight – curved
{|}interesante – aburrido|interesting – boring
{|}abierto – cerrado|open – close
{|}femenino – masculino|feminine – masculine
{|}seco – mojado|dry – wet
{|}suave – áspero|soft – rough
{|}sano – enfermo|healthy – sick
{|}cuerdo – loco|sane – crazy
{|}cerca – lejos|near – far
{|}ganador – perdedor|winner – loser
{|}luz – oscuridad|light – darkness
{|}bien – mal|good – bad
{|}norte – sur|North – South
{|}este/oriente – oeste/poniente|East – West
{|}risa – llanto|laughter – crying
{|}entrada – salida|entrance – exit
{|}salud – enfermedad|health – sickness
{|}amigo – enemigo|friend – enemy
{|}amor – odio|love – hate
{|}noche – día|night – day
{|}optimismo – pesimismo|optimism – pessimism
{|}perder – encontrar|to lose – to find
{|}abrir – cerrar|to open – to close
{|}amar – odiar|to love – to hate
{|}vivir – morir|to live – to die
{|}encender – apagar|to light – to put out
{|}dulce - amargo|sweet – bitter
{|}dulce - agrio|sweet – sour
{|}aquí/acá - ahí/allí/allá|here – there
{|}cielo/paraíso - infierno|heaven – hell
[/TABLE]

[bobjenkins]

[hermit]

Bueno o malo

Simpático o feo

[chileno]

Originally Posted by hermit

Bueno o malo

Simpático o feo

Símpatico - Antipático

Bonito - Feo

[hermit]

feo - guapo

guapo - contento

[chileno]

Originally Posted by hermit

feo - guapo

guapo - contento

hmmm guapo = bravucón, aunque en algunas parte lo usan como enojado.

Bravo = fiero

[irmamar]

I'd say triste - contento.

Why opuestos instead of antónimos, which would be the correct word? I think that in English antonym is also the correct word.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I'd say triste - contento.

Why opuestos instead of antónimos, which would be the correct word? I think that in English antonym is also the correct word.

Yes, but at least here in the US they call it "opposites"

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I'd say triste - contento.

Why opuestos instead of antónimos, which would be the correct word? I think that in English antonym is also the correct word.

Originally Posted by chileno

Yes, but at least here in the US they call it "opposites"

Well, I think that there is a slight difference. I think that "antonyms" are specifically words with opposite meanings. I think that "opposites" are opposing ideas.

It may be a semantic difference, but I really am asking for "opposites" as they are taught to children. (Seriously!) Like on Sesame Street.


Black & white. Happy & sad. Up & down. Right & left. Good & bad. Etc.

These are pairings that come naturally to children learning to talk because they are so often used together. But to adult learners of a second language, they aren't always taught together, so they're not coming so naturally to me.

[hermit]

Re: Guapo - In the Caribbean ( Rep. Dom.) when I first learned Spanish,
the meanings I remember were good-looking and/or angry.

Ejemplos:

Ella es muy guapa. She's really nice-looking.

Él está guapo conmigo. He's mad at me.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by hermit

Re: Guapo - In the Caribbean ( Rep. Dom.) when I first learned Spanish,
the meanings I remember were good-looking and/or angry.

Ejemplos:

Ella es muy guapa. She's really nice-looking.

Él está guapo conmigo. He's mad at me.

Correcto.

Generalmente, por lo menos en Chile se usa como good-looks, bravucón/pendenciero y osado/valiente.

[hermit]

Bueno y la selección de palabras chileñas suena bien...

[chileno]

Originally Posted by hermit

Bueno y la selección de palabras chilenas suena bien...

:-)

Thanks, I try.

[bobjenkins]

Más opuestos

Ganadores - Perdedores

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

As Irma said, in Spanish they're called "antónimos". A Spanish speaker wouldn't be comfortable with "opuestos", I think.

[laepelba]

Are children taught words in pairs like this, call it whichever you will...??

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Sure, they learn synonyms and antonyms in first years of school... and in Plaza Sésamo (Sesame Street) ...but it's nothing "specially special".

I'll add to the list as soon as I have some time to check the English translations.

[laepelba]

I have more trouble understanding "Plaza Sésamo" than I do the Spanish "Noticias"..... Well, call them whichever is the most acceptable word in Spanish, I want to learn these things like children would. Thanks, Malila!!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

What I meant is that they do learn them, because they learn word classifications (sinónimos, antónimos, homófonos, etc.), but that's not something that keeps any special dedication in school programs.
AND: they are not "whichevers", but "antónimos".

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I've added some pairs to the list. Please note, however, that there can be nuances in meanings and intensity for each word.