verbs that change with an 'a'
I've noticed that for many English speakers, it can be difficult to distinguish between verbs that only differ by the 'a' at the beginning of the word. This is partly because Spanish speakers like to blend vowel sounds together and because English speakers are often not aware that the other "version" exists. In an effort to combat this, I was hoping I could get some help making a list of the potentially confusing word pairs. I'll start out with three that I know have caused confusion.
prender (to turn on) / aprender (to learn)
firmar (to sign) / afirmar (to affirm)
pagar (to pay) / apagar (to turn off)
3 Answers
I can't see how this list can be useful, since no native has ever tried to memorize such a list and they all speak pretty well, but if you insist, there it goes:
(a)bajar, (a)balar, (a)baldonar, (a)balear, (a)balizar, (a)bañar, (a)banderizar, (a)barajar, (a)barbechar, (a)barloar, (a)bastar, (a)bastardar, (a)bastionar, (a)batanar, (a)batir, (a)batojar, (a)beldar, (a)berrar, (a)binar, (a)biselar, (a)bitar, (a)bocinar, (a)bofarse, (a)bogar, (a)bollar, (a)bordar, (a)boyar, (a)brezar, (a)brumar, (a)cabalar, (a)cachetear, (a)cairelar, (a)calabrotar, (a)callantar, (a)callar, (a)campar, (a)cañaverear, (a)cañonear, (a)cantalear, (a)cantear, (a)cantonar, (a)carear, (a)catar, (a)cebadar, (a)cecinar, (a)cendrar, (a)censar, (a)cepillar, (a)cercar, (a)chaflanar, (a)chancar, (a)chantar, (a)charolar, (a)chicharrar, (a)chinar, (a)chirlar, (a)chocar, (a)chuchar, (a)churrascar, (a)cicatear, (a)ciguatarse, (a)clamar, (a)clarecer, (a)clocar, (a)cobijar, (a)cocear, (a)codiciar, (a)coger, (a)colar, (a)colchar, (a)colgar, (a)combar, (a)comedirse, (a)cometer, (a)compasar, (a)condicionar, (a)congojar, (a)copar, (a)copiar, (a)corar, (a)cordelar, (a)cornear, (a)correr, (a)cortar, (a)corvar, (a)costar, (a)costumbrar, (a)cotar, (a)cotejar, (a)crecer, (a)cribar, (a)criminar, (a)crisolar, (a)cristianar, (a)cuantiar, (a)cuartar, (a)cuartelar, (a)cubilar, (a)culturar, (a)cumular, (a)cunar, (a)cuñar, (a)decentar, (a)dehesar, (a)delgazar, (a)dentellar, (a)dietar, (a)divinar, (a)doctrinar, (a)dorar, (a)dormir, (a)dulzorar, (a)felpar, (a)ferrar, (a)filar, (a)filiar, (a)finar, (a)fincar, (a)firmar, (a)fistular, (a)florar, (a)fluir, (a)follar, (a)forrar, (a)frenillar, (a)fretar, (a)fufar, (a)fumar, (a)gamitar, (a)ganar, (a)gangrenarse, (a)garbillar, (a)garrar, (a)garrochar, (a)gavillar, (a)gorgojarse, (a)gradar, (a)gramar, (a)gravar, (a)grillarse, (a)gripar, (a)guachar, (a)guardar, (a)guizgar, (a)helear, (a)herrumbrar, (a)hilar, (a)hincar, (a)hinojar, (a)hitar, (a)hocicar, (a)hornar, (a)horquillar, (a)horrar, (a)hoyar, (a)huchear, (a)huevar, (a)humar, (a)jochar, (a)jornalar, (a)jumarse, (a)juntar, (a)justar, (a)justiciar, (a)ladrar, (a)lampar, (a)lancear, (a)lanzar, (a)lardear, (a)largar, (a)lastrar, (a)legar, (a)legrar, (a)leudar, (a)liar, (a)ligar, (a)lijar, (a)lindar, (a)linear, (a)listar, (a)llegar, (a)luchar, (a)ludir, (a)lustrar, (a)machetear, (a)macizar, (a)macollar, (a)manar, (a)mancillar, (a)manear, (a)marcar, (a)margar, (a)marinar, (a)marizarse, (a)marrar, (a)martillar, (a)masar, (a)matar, (a)mechar, (a)melar, (a)melgar, (a)mellar, (a)menguar, (a)merar, (a)meritar, (a)migar, (a)minar, (a)minorar, (a)mistar, (a)mochar, (a)mohecer, (a)mojonar, (a)molar, (a)moldar, (a)monedar, (a)montar, (a)montazgar, (a)morcar, (a)moscar, (a)mostrar, (a)mover, (a)mueblar, (a)mugar, (a)municionar, (a)murar, (a)mustiar, (a)ñangotarse, (a)negar, (a)notar, (a)noticiar, (a)nublar, (a)ovar, (a)pagar, (a)palear, (a)palpar, (a)parar, (a)parear, (a)parecer, (a)parrar, (a)pastar, (a)pealar, (a)pechar, (a)pelambrar, (a)pelar, (a)peligrar, (a)penar, (a)perchar, (a)percibir, (a)perdigar, (a)perrear, (a)personarse, (a)pertrechar, (a)pilar, (a)piolar, (a)pitar, (a)placar, (a)placer, (a)planchar, (a)plantillar, (a)plegar, (a)plomar, (a)podar, (a)poner, (a)porracear, (a)porrear, (a)portar, (a)posar, (a)poyar, (a)preciar, (a)premiar, (a)prender, (a)prensar, (a)prestar, (a)prestigiar, (a)prevenir, (a)probar, (a)prometer, (a)provechar, (a)punchar, (a)puntar, (a)purrir, (a)quejar, (a)quietar, (a)quilatar, (a)rengar, (a)ruñar, (a)sacar, (a)saetar, (a)saetear, (a)sainetear, (a)salariar, (a)saltar, (a)sedar, (a)segundar, (a)semejar, (a)semillar, (a)senderear, (a)sentar, (a)sentir, (a)serenar, (a)serrar, (a)serruchar, (a)signar, (a)sobarcar, (a)solapar, (a)solar, (a)solar, (a)soldar, (a)solear, (a)sombrar, (a)sonar, (a)sondar, (a)sosegar, (a)sumir, (a)surcar, (a)tabalear, (a)tablar, (a)tajar, (a)tañer, (a)tapar, (a)taracear, (a)tarazar, (a)tardecer, (a)tascar, (a)temperar, (a)tenacear, (a)tender, (a)tentar, (a)tentar, (a)tesar, (a)testar, (a)testar, (a)tetar, (a)tildar, (a)toar, (a)tosigar, (a)toxicar, (a)trabajar, (a)traer, (a)trafagar, (a)traicionar, (a)traillar, (a)trancar, (a)travesar, (a)tribuir, (a)trincar, (a)tronar, (a)tronerar, (a)turrar, (a)tusar, (a)upar, (a)vahar, (a)vallar, (a)valorar, (a)valuar, (a)venir, (a)ventar, (a)vezar, (a)viciar, (a)vigorar, (a)visar, (a)vituallar, (a)vivar, (a)yermar, (a)zarandar, (a)zocar
That's 366 verbs!
Why does it surprise you? In English is the same:
prender comes from Latin prehendere, originally meaning to grasp, to catch, and metaphorically, to grasp meanings, to comprehend (notice that -prehend in English!) In English also, "prehension" and others.
aprender comes from the preposition ad- plus prehendere, meaning "comprehend" or "apprehend" (again, notice those "prehend"). In English you have apprentice (meaning "learner"), with the a- at the beginning; in Spanish, aprendiz. Also, prison, and prisoner (=apprehended) .
firmar comes from Latin firmus (meaning "firm"), and from it you have words like "firm".
afirmar comes from ad + firmare, and from it you have in English "affirm", "affirmative" and many others.
Here's one that shouldn't cause any confusion.
Solear (to put in the sun) / Asolear (to put in the sun)
