Nouns Derived from Verbs
Multiply Your Spanish Vocabulary (Nominalization)
One of the most useful vocabulary-building strategies in Spanish is learning how verbs transform into nouns. By mastering a few common suffixes, knowing one verb allows you to instantly recognize its related actions, results, tools, and places.
1. Common Noun Suffixes
-ción / -sión
Action or Result
Informar → Información
To inform → Information
Educar → Educación
To educate → Education
Decidir → Decisión
To decide → Decision
-miento
Process or State
Mover → Movimiento
To move → Movement
Conocer → Conocimiento
To know → Knowledge
Crecer → Crecimiento
To grow → Growth
-ado / -ida
Result or Event
Llegar → Llegada
To arrive → Arrival
Salir → Salida
To exit → Exit, Departure
Comer → Comida
To eat → Food, Meal
-aje
Process or Collective Concept
Aprender → Aprendizaje
To learn → Learning
Aterrizar → Aterrizaje
To land → Landing
-dor / -dora
Agent or Instrument
Vender → Vendedor
To sell → Seller
Lavar → Lavadora
To wash → Washing machine
Infinitive
Action in General
Spanish frequently uses the infinitive verb itself as a noun.
Fumar es malo.
Smoking is bad.
Viajar abre la mente.
Traveling broadens the mind.
Irregular & Basic Derivations
Not all nouns follow predictable suffix patterns. Some of the most common daily words have irregular derivations that must be learned individually.
| Verb | Noun | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Vivir to live | Vida | Life |
| Morir to die | Muerte | Death |
| Ir to go | Ida | Going, one-way trip |
| Volver to return | Vuelta | Return |
| Caer to fall | Caída | Fall, drop |
| Romper to break | Ruptura | Break, rupture |
| Escribir to write | Escritura | Writing, deed |
| Trabajar to work | Trabajo | Work, job |
Everyday Expressions
Many common Spanish phrases combine these derived nouns to give a practical, cultural meaning (especially in travel and daily life).
Common Verb Families
Learning word families is a powerful way to expand your vocabulary rapidly. Notice how one root generates multiple related concepts.
Tener (To have)
- Tenencia Possession, holding
- Tenedor Fork; holder
- Mantenimiento Maintenance
Conocer (To know)
- Conocimiento Knowledge
- Desconocimiento Lack of knowledge
Decidir (To decide)
- Decisión Decision
- Decisor Decision-maker
Aprender (To learn)
- Aprendizaje Learning
- Aprendiz Apprentice
The Golden Rule
Learn a Noun for Every Verb
When you learn a new Spanish verb, always try to learn at least one related noun. This habit expands your vocabulary much faster and vastly improves reading comprehension and writing.
Advanced Tip: The Latin Connection
Many Spanish nouns derived from verbs come directly from Latin and have close English cognates. Recognizing these unlocks thousands of words instantly:
organización (organization), educación (education), producción (production), conclusión (conclusion).