Post by moon125 on Nov 4, 2024 1:57:20 GMT -5
Capitalization in English vs. Spanish | When to use capital letters in a text?
In many cases, written English uses capital letters to mark specific words , while Spanish does not.
The way we use capital letters in Portuguese also differs depending on the case. However, it is possible to notice that we use capitalization (capital letters) in words in a way more similar to Spanish than to English.
Spanish, like Portuguese, uses far fewer capital letters than English. As such, most of the time, whenever Spanish capitalizes a word, the corresponding English word will also be capitalized (the few exceptions are outlined below) – but the opposite is far from true.
capital letters
Check out the most common cases shopify website design in which the use of capital letters in English is different from that in Spanish : Languages and nationalities
When to use capital letters to write names of languages and nationalities?
Both nationalities and languages are examples of words that are capitalized in English but not in Spanish.
For example:
I am learning to speak Spanish . [language]
I'm learning to speak Spanish . [language]
She is Korean . [nationality]
She is Korean . [nationality]
Religions
Similarly, capital letters are used to mark the name of religions in English. In the case of Spanish, this is also written in lowercase letters, as in Portuguese.
For example:
This is a Catholic church. [religion]
This is a Catholic church . [religion]
Titles of books, films, plays, newspapers, magazines, etc.
In written Spanish, titles of films, books, plays and similar works, as well as names of media outlets, have only the first word and proper nouns in capital letters.
In written English, all words in such titles must be capitalized, with the exception of :
– articles,
– prepositions,
– conjunctions.
(only when they are not the first word of the title).
For example:
The Great Gatsby . [book/film]
The Great Gatsby . [book/film]
To Kill a Mockingbird . [book/film]
To Kill a Rioter. [book/film]
The Catcher in the Rye . [book]
The guardian between the hundred. [book]
Months and days of the week
While the language uses capital letters to mark names of months in English and days of the week in English , Spanish, like Portuguese, does not do so either.
For example:
My vacation starts in December . [month name]
Mis vacaciones comienzan en diciembre . [month name]
Today is Tuesday . [day of the week]
Today is martes . [day of the week]
→ Note: in the case of holidays and commemorative dates, both English and Spanish use capital letters to write them (for example, to write “Christmas Eve” in each language: Christmas Eve / Nochebuena ).
Ordinal numbers in proper names
Historical names that take ordinal numbers after a proper noun to indicate succession have that numeral capitalized in English, but not in Spanish.
For example:
Louis the Fourteenth . [ordinal number]
Luis catorce . [ordinal number]
Charles the Eighth . [ordinal number]
Carlos octavo . [ordinal number]
See: Ordinal Numbers in English – Complete Table
→ Note: in both languages, the written form in Roman numerals has capital letters in these numerals, as usual. (for example, Louis XIV and Luis XIV ).
Geographical points
Finally, proper nouns that refer to lakes, rivers, seas, oceans, mountains, basins, etc., are capitalized in both English and Spanish.
However, its geographic identity (the indicator name that comes before the proper name in Spanish and after the proper name in English) is capitalized only in English.
For example:
I live near the Amazon River . [geographical identity]
I live near the Amazon River . [geographical identity]
Did you like this content? Then also check out:
Online English Dictionary: 5 Foolproof Suggestions
Online Spanish Dictionary | The 5 Most Complete Options
Writing in English: 6 Steps to Improve Your Writing in the Language
English Spell Checker: The 5 Most Complete Options
.
In many cases, written English uses capital letters to mark specific words , while Spanish does not.
The way we use capital letters in Portuguese also differs depending on the case. However, it is possible to notice that we use capitalization (capital letters) in words in a way more similar to Spanish than to English.
Spanish, like Portuguese, uses far fewer capital letters than English. As such, most of the time, whenever Spanish capitalizes a word, the corresponding English word will also be capitalized (the few exceptions are outlined below) – but the opposite is far from true.
capital letters
Check out the most common cases shopify website design in which the use of capital letters in English is different from that in Spanish : Languages and nationalities
When to use capital letters to write names of languages and nationalities?
Both nationalities and languages are examples of words that are capitalized in English but not in Spanish.
For example:
I am learning to speak Spanish . [language]
I'm learning to speak Spanish . [language]
She is Korean . [nationality]
She is Korean . [nationality]
Religions
Similarly, capital letters are used to mark the name of religions in English. In the case of Spanish, this is also written in lowercase letters, as in Portuguese.
For example:
This is a Catholic church. [religion]
This is a Catholic church . [religion]
Titles of books, films, plays, newspapers, magazines, etc.
In written Spanish, titles of films, books, plays and similar works, as well as names of media outlets, have only the first word and proper nouns in capital letters.
In written English, all words in such titles must be capitalized, with the exception of :
– articles,
– prepositions,
– conjunctions.
(only when they are not the first word of the title).
For example:
The Great Gatsby . [book/film]
The Great Gatsby . [book/film]
To Kill a Mockingbird . [book/film]
To Kill a Rioter. [book/film]
The Catcher in the Rye . [book]
The guardian between the hundred. [book]
Months and days of the week
While the language uses capital letters to mark names of months in English and days of the week in English , Spanish, like Portuguese, does not do so either.
For example:
My vacation starts in December . [month name]
Mis vacaciones comienzan en diciembre . [month name]
Today is Tuesday . [day of the week]
Today is martes . [day of the week]
→ Note: in the case of holidays and commemorative dates, both English and Spanish use capital letters to write them (for example, to write “Christmas Eve” in each language: Christmas Eve / Nochebuena ).
Ordinal numbers in proper names
Historical names that take ordinal numbers after a proper noun to indicate succession have that numeral capitalized in English, but not in Spanish.
For example:
Louis the Fourteenth . [ordinal number]
Luis catorce . [ordinal number]
Charles the Eighth . [ordinal number]
Carlos octavo . [ordinal number]
See: Ordinal Numbers in English – Complete Table
→ Note: in both languages, the written form in Roman numerals has capital letters in these numerals, as usual. (for example, Louis XIV and Luis XIV ).
Geographical points
Finally, proper nouns that refer to lakes, rivers, seas, oceans, mountains, basins, etc., are capitalized in both English and Spanish.
However, its geographic identity (the indicator name that comes before the proper name in Spanish and after the proper name in English) is capitalized only in English.
For example:
I live near the Amazon River . [geographical identity]
I live near the Amazon River . [geographical identity]
Did you like this content? Then also check out:
Online English Dictionary: 5 Foolproof Suggestions
Online Spanish Dictionary | The 5 Most Complete Options
Writing in English: 6 Steps to Improve Your Writing in the Language
English Spell Checker: The 5 Most Complete Options
.