The OUS Rule (Major)
This Rule applies to those words in English that end with the letters
....ous
To translate them into Spanish, we will substitute the ending with
...oso
As an example, the English word gaseous is the Spanish word gaseoso.
(Remember to pronounce all the Spanish vowels!)
Here are some
Examples
The OUS Rule
English |
Spanish |
Helpful Reminders |
...ous |
...oso |
|
Albuminous |
Albuminoso |
|
Amorous |
Amoroso |
|
Asperous |
Asperoso |
|
Auspicious |
Auspicioso |
|
Billious |
Bilioso |
only 1 l |
Bulbous |
Bulboso |
|
Cadaverous |
Cadaveroso |
|
Callous |
Calloso |
quirk #3 |
Capacious |
Capacioso |
|
Capcious |
Capcioso |
|
Curious |
Curioso |
|
Deciduous |
Deciduoso |
|
Delicious |
Delicioso |
|
Estrous |
Estroso |
|
Factuous |
Factuoso |
|
Fallacious |
Falacioso |
only 1 L |
Fastidious |
Fastidioso |
|
Fastuous |
Fastuoso |
|
Fibromatous |
Fibromatoso |
|
Fibrous |
Fibroso |
|
Generous |
Generoso |
quirk #12 |
Glacious |
Glacioso |
|
Glamorous |
Glamoroso |
|
Glorious |
Glorioso |
|
Glutinous |
Glutinoso |
|
Gracious |
Gracioso |
in Sp. means "funny" |
Harmonious |
Armonioso |
no H |
Imperious |
Imperioso |
|
Laborious |
Laborioso |
|
Leprous |
Leproso |
|
Luminous |
Luminoso |
|
Monstrous |
Monstruoso |
include U |
Mellodious |
Melodioso |
only 1 L |
Nitrous |
Nitroso |
|
Pompous |
Pomposo |
|
Porous |
Poroso |
|
Precious |
Precioso |
|
Pretencious |
Pretencioso |
|
Querulous |
Queruloso |
quirk #7 |
Religious |
Religioso |
|
Repeticious |
Repeticioso |
|
Rigorous |
Riguroso |
U for O |
Scandalous |
Escandaloso |
quirk #6 |
Spacious |
Espacioso |
quirk #6 |
Sulphurous |
Sulfuroso |
quirk #5 |
Tendencious |
Tendencioso |
|
Tortuous |
Tortuoso |
|
Tremulous |
Tremuloso |
|
Vaporous |
Vaporoso |
|
Vicious |
Vicioso |
|
Virtuous |
Virtuoso |
|
Virulous |
Viruloso |
|
Some exceptions:
English |
Spanish |
Helpful Reminders |
Capricious |
Caprichoso |
|
Ferocious |
Feroz |
|
Odorous |
Oloroso |
|
Pious |
Piadoso |
|
Tenacious |
Tenaz |
|
Tremendous |
Tremendo |
|
Voracious |
Voraz |
|
English words ending with ...tious can be translated to Spanish by substinting the ending with
...cioso. As an example, the English word ambitious is the Spanish word
ambicioso.
The English endings ...tious and ...cious both sound the same. They both
have an "S" sound. English can be very complicated. Perhaps the real complexity in learning Spanish is
understanding how to uncomplicate English!
In Chapter One we learned that double consonants are not
used in Spanish, with the exception of the C and the R. Also, we have seen that Spanish does not have
tricky letter combinations like KN, or PH!
Here is a reminder of what isn't allowed in Spanish.
In Spanish, we have learned,
the "T" always sounds like a "T", which is true for all of the consonants. Each letter sounds like what it
is!
Inasmuch as the ...tious in English sounds like an "S", the Spanish translation
(...cioso) keeps it that way!