The ATE Rule (Major)
This Rule applies to those words in English with two or more syllables that
end with the letters
....ate
To translate them into Spanish, we will substitute the ending with.
...ar
Keep in mind that we are looking for word endings. The English verb ATE (past-tense of EAT) does not apply,
nor do other single-syllable words such as MATE.
As an example, the English verb Create, is the Spanish verb Crear.
We need verbs to create sentences, so here are some
Examples
(A reminder: pronounce the Spanish vowels correctly!)
The ATE Rule
English |
Spanish |
Helpful Reminders |
...ate |
...ar |
|
Articulate |
Articular |
|
Ambulate |
Ambular |
|
Beneficiate |
Beneficiar |
|
Biannulate |
Bianular |
only 1 N |
Capitulate |
Capitular |
|
Congregate |
Congregar |
|
Conjugate |
Conjugar |
quirk #2 |
Contemplate |
Contemplar |
|
Corrugate |
Corrugar |
|
Defoliate |
Defoliar |
|
Delegate |
Delegar |
|
Donate |
Donar |
|
Elevate |
Elevar |
|
Emmulate |
Emular |
only 1 M |
Extricate |
Extricar |
|
Fabricate |
Fabricar |
|
Fluctuate |
Fluctuar |
|
Formulate |
Formular |
|
Germinate |
Germinar |
G pron. like H, quirk #12 |
Graduate |
Graduar |
G as in English, quirk #12 |
Habituate |
Habituar |
quirk #1 |
Hallucinate |
Alucinar |
|
Illuminate |
Iluminar |
only 1 L |
Imitate |
Imitar |
|
Initiate |
Iniciar |
C for T |
Innovate |
Inovar |
only 1 N |
Jubilate |
Jubilar |
quirk #2 |
Jugulate |
Jugular |
quirk #2 |
Lacerate |
Lacerar |
quirk #8 |
Lactate |
Lactar |
|
Manipulate |
Manipular |
|
Masticate |
Masticar |
|
Meditate |
Meditar |
|
Modulate |
Modular |
|
Navigate |
Navegar |
note different spelling |
Necessitate |
Necesitar |
only 1 S |
Obligate |
Obligar |
|
Obviate |
Obviar |
|
Participate |
Participar |
|
Precipitate |
Precipitar |
|
Quadruplicate |
Cuadruplicar |
quirk #8 |
Quintuplicate |
Quintuplicar |
quirk #7 |
Radiate |
Radiar |
|
Reciprocate |
Reciprocar |
|
Segregate |
Segregar |
|
Simulate |
Simular |
|
Situate |
Situar |
|
Terminate |
Terminar |
|
Tolerate |
Tolerar |
|
Ulcerate |
Ulcerar |
|
Ultimate |
Ultimar |
|
Validate |
Validar |
|
Variate |
Variar |
|
If you have an average command of English, you have just learned another thousand or so words
in Spanish!
Congratulations!
Now the bad news:
One notable exeption to this rule is the verb Congratulate. Although Congratular is grammatically correct
it is, sadly, in disuse. The accepted, popular translation is Felicitar. Congratulation,
therefore, is Felicitación! [see ...tion Rule]. The plural, Congratulations (as we learned in the last Chapter) is
Felicitaciones!
Each time you learn a Rule, think of a few words in English with that ending and translate them into
Spanish applying what you have just learned. Say them out loud, and check your pronunciation against what
you learned in Chapter One, particularly with regard to the pronunciation of the vowels. It might be
confusing, at first, to remember that the "i" is pronounced "ee", or that the "u" is pronounced "oo". Take
heart in the fact that the vowels are always pronounced the same way in Spanish! The "[Helpful Reminders]"
along the word listings mostly refer to the Quirks in Chapter One, and also remind you that, with the
exception of the "ll", "rr" and "cc", there are no double-consonants in Spanish!