158 Spanish words you already know: -ity → -idad
English nouns in -ity have a Spanish twin in -idad: university is universidad, reality is realidad, opportunity is oportunidad. Every one of them is feminine, so it is always la: la universidad, la realidad.
-ity-idad
university → universidad · reality → realidad · opportunity → oportunidad
Every one is feminine (la universidad) and stressed on the last syllable: u-ni-ver-si-DAD.
Read Spanish with every word explained
The 150 that match exactly, most common first
| Spanish | English | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| realidad | reality | reality |
| oportunidad | opportunity | opportunity, chance, shot, break, occasion, time |
| seguridad | security | safety, security |
| universidad | university | university, college |
| posibilidad | possibility | possibility |
| responsabilidad | responsibility | responsibility, responsibleness |
| habilidad | ability | ability, skill |
| autoridad | authority | authority |
| comunidad | community | community |
| actividad | activity | activity |
| identidad | identity | identity |
| humanidad | humanity | humanity |
| curiosidad | curiosity | curiosity |
| capacidad | capacity | capacity, capability, ability |
| personalidad | personality | personality |
| calidad | quality | quality |
| probabilidad | probability | probability |
| inmunidad | immunity | immunity |
| caridad | charity | charity |
| prioridad | priority | priority |
| electricidad | electricity | electricity |
| eternidad | eternity | eternity |
| dignidad | dignity | dignity |
| cualidad | quality | quality |
| especialidad | speciality | speciality |
| tranquilidad | tranquility | tranquility |
| claridad | clarity | clarity, clearness |
| normalidad | normality | normality |
| celebridad | celebrity | celebrity |
| integridad | integrity | integrity |
| fraternidad | fraternity | fraternity |
| santidad | sanctity | sanctity; holiness |
| culpabilidad | culpability | culpability, guilt, guiltiness |
| sinceridad | sincerity | sincerity |
| utilidad | utility | utility, usefulness |
| generosidad | generosity | generosity |
| hospitalidad | hospitality | hospitality |
| virginidad | virginity | virginity |
| formalidad | formality | formality |
| intensidad | intensity | intensity |
| credibilidad | credibility | credibility |
| fidelidad | fidelity | fidelity |
| confidencialidad | confidentiality | confidentiality |
| sexualidad | sexuality | sexuality |
| vanidad | vanity | vanity |
| paternidad | paternity | paternity, fatherhood |
| entidad | entity | entity |
| estabilidad | stability | stability |
| prosperidad | prosperity | prosperity |
| inmortalidad | immortality | immortality |
| popularidad | popularity | popularity |
| mentalidad | mentality | mentality |
| hostilidad | hostility | hostility |
| atrocidad | atrocity | atrocity |
| moralidad | morality | morality |
| extremidad | extremity | end, extremity |
| creatividad | creativity | creativity |
| brutalidad | brutality | brutality |
| fertilidad | fertility | fertility |
| cavidad | cavity | cavity |
| solidaridad | solidarity | solidarity |
| trinidad | trinity | trinity |
| homosexualidad | homosexuality | homosexuality |
| inseguridad | insecurity | insecurity |
| densidad | density | density |
| superioridad | superiority | superiority |
| serenidad | serenity | serenity |
| mortalidad | mortality | mortality |
| diversidad | diversity | diversity |
| infidelidad | infidelity | unfaithfulness, infidelity |
| adversidad | adversity | adversity |
| nacionalidad | nationality | nationality |
| complicidad | complicity | complicity |
| festividad | festivity | festivity |
| proximidad | proximity | proximity |
| castidad | chastity | chastity |
| visibilidad | visibility | visibility |
| complejidad | complexity | complexity |
| irregularidad | irregularity | irregularity |
| continuidad | continuity | continuity |
| localidad | locality | locality |
| vulnerabilidad | vulnerability | vulnerability, vulnerableness |
| deidad | deity | deity |
| autenticidad | authenticity | authenticity |
| obscenidad | obscenity | obscenity |
| vitalidad | vitality | vitality |
| calamidad | calamity | calamity |
| divinidad | divinity | divinity |
| movilidad | mobility | mobility |
| virilidad | virility | virility |
| obesidad | obesity | obesity |
| singularidad | singularity | singularity |
| inestabilidad | instability | instability |
| puntualidad | punctuality | punctuality |
| regularidad | regularity | regularity |
| relatividad | relativity | relativity |
| simplicidad | simplicity | simplicity |
| monstruosidad | monstrosity | monstrosity, monstrousness |
| posteridad | posterity | posterity |
| flexibilidad | flexibility | flexibility |
| productividad | productivity | productivity |
| masculinidad | masculinity | masculinity |
| municipalidad | municipality | municipality |
| tenacidad | tenacity | tenacity |
| espiritualidad | spirituality | spirituality |
| compatibilidad | compatibility | compatibility |
| afinidad | affinity | affinity |
| agilidad | agility | agility |
| conformidad | conformity | conformity |
| inferioridad | inferiority | inferiority |
| negatividad | negativity | negativity |
| invisibilidad | invisibility | invisibility |
| infinidad | infinity | infinity |
| mediocridad | mediocrity | mediocrity |
| sensualidad | sensuality | sensuality |
| objetividad | objectivity | objectivity |
| individualidad | individuality | individuality, selfhood |
| inmensidad | immensity | immensity |
| unanimidad | unanimity | unanimity |
| legalidad | legality | legality |
| radioactividad | radioactivity | radioactivity |
| exclusividad | exclusivity | exclusivity |
| severidad | severity | severity |
| originalidad | originality | originality |
| neutralidad | neutrality | neutrality |
| vulgaridad | vulgarity | vulgarity |
| polaridad | polarity | polarity |
| familiaridad | familiarity | familiarity |
| ferocidad | ferocity | ferocity |
| fragilidad | fragility | fragility |
| criminalidad | criminality | criminality, crime |
| inmoralidad | immorality | immorality |
| veracidad | veracity | veracity, truthfulness |
| longevidad | longevity | longevity |
| toxicidad | toxicity | toxicity |
| espontaneidad | spontaneity | spontaneity |
| imposibilidad | impossibility | impossibility |
| irresponsabilidad | irresponsibility | irresponsibility |
| promiscuidad | promiscuity | promiscuity |
| impunidad | impunity | impunity |
| equidad | equity | equity, fairness |
| incredulidad | incredulity | incredulity |
| modernidad | modernity | modernity, modern day |
| deformidad | deformity | deformity |
| anormalidad | abnormality | abnormality |
| trivialidad | triviality | triviality |
| imparcialidad | impartiality | impartiality |
| animosidad | animosity | animosity, animus |
| frivolidad | frivolity | frivolity, levity |
| inactividad | inactivity | inactivity, idleness |
8 more, through another meaning
The trick works, but the English word is not the first thing these mean.
| Spanish | English | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| unidad | unity | unit |
| cantidad | quantity | amount |
| necesidad | necessity | need |
| velocidad | velocity | speed |
| oscuridad | obscurity | darkness |
| publicidad | publicity | advertisement |
| maternidad | maternity | motherhood |
| totalidad | totality | all, whole |
The ones that bite
They look like the trick and mean something else.
- actualidad looks like actuality — it means the present day, or current affairs
- casualidad looks like casualty — it means chance or coincidence: por casualidad, by chance
- sanidad looks like sanity — it means health, or the health service
- comodidad looks like commodity — it means comfort
- fatalidad looks like fatality — it means misfortune, bad luck
- sensibilidad looks like sensibility — it means sensitivity: being easily moved or hurt
- eventualidad looks like eventuality — it means a contingency, something that may or may not happen
- ingenuidad looks like ingenuity — it means naivety, innocence; ingenuity is ingenio
Where it comes from
Both endings are the Latin -itas, -itatem. English took it from French -ité in the Middle Ages; Spanish borrowed -idad straight from Latin in its learned words. Spanish also kept the old, worn-down form of the same ending, -dad, in the words it has said since Latin times: ciudad and city are both the Latin civitatem, and verdad is the English verity — which is why edad, verdad and bondad share the ending but not the trick.
More tricks
Read Spanish with every word explained
Sources
- Wiktionary: -idad (Spanish), learned borrowing from Latin -itās, -itātem
- Wiktionary: -ity (English), from Old French -ité, from Latin -itātem
- Wiktionary: -dad (Spanish), inherited from Latin -tātem
- Wiktionary: ciudad, from Latin cīvitātem; compare English city
- Wiktionary: verdad, from Latin vēritātem; cognate with English verity
- Wiktionary, via the kaikki.org machine-readable extract (word meanings) (CC BY-SA 3.0)
- FrequencyWords by Hermit Dave, from OpenSubtitles 2018 (word frequencies) (MIT)
- WordNet 3.1, Princeton University (which English words exist) (WordNet License)
Word meanings from Wiktionary, via kaikki.org, under CC BY-SA 3.0; word frequencies from FrequencyWords (MIT). This list is shared under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 licence. Built 2026-10-12.