Any differences in these sets of words?

Question

Aterrar, aterrorizar.

Influir, influenciar.

I know what you're thinking "well synonyms"

but these don't even seem to be synonyms but just different spellings of exactly the same words with the same meanings. I've always thought the "Aterrar, aterrorizar" relationship was weird (and easy to confuse with aterrizar) but today I heard "influenciar" and I was like what the...... isn't it "influir"? And I see both. Any differences at all in these? Gracias.

Answer 1

Aterrar, aterrorizar. Influir, influenciar.

• Aterrar - Scare
• Aterrorizar - To fill someone with fear (Something a little more potent)
• Influir - To take part in something
• Influenciar - To make someone do something

I don't really know if I'm making myself clear, since I'm a spanish speaker I can understand the difference in these words easily... I hope this helps a little

I can relate to this explanation. :-) - Gekkosan, Dec 23, 2011

Nice answer rpem, gracias :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 23, 2011

Answer 2

Influir is intransitive but influenciar is transitive.

I'm not sure about any difference between the other two however :(

Aterrar can mean to bury or to land too can't it so maybe it's used in the sense of terrorizing someone so that they go weak at the knees and fall to the ground? je je just grabbing at straws here :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 23, 2011

Hi, I just wanted to clear out that "Aterrar" isn't the same as "Enterrar" :) "Aterrar" means "To scare". - rpem, Dec 23, 2011

Isn't "to land" usually aterrizar? Same root, though - tierra. That also gives us enterrar. Then aterrar means to scare because of the fear of being buried. - Jeremias, Dec 23, 2011

is rae wrong then? http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltGUIBusUsual?LEMA=aterrar&origen=RAE&TIPO_BUS=3 - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 23, 2011

Answer 3

Jeezzle:

It means the same thing. Go to the RAE and you'll see.

I agree with Kiwi_Girl.