ASK A QUESTION Do nouns ending in "-ity" in English change to "-idad" or "-idez" in Spanish?
Most English nouns that end in -ity seem to have -idad endings in Spanish. But "stupidity" is "estupidez". Is there a reason? And are there other Spanish nouns that end that way?
Hi Doogaloop, I'm not sure if there is a formal rule or reason as to why "-ity" words end differently, but I can think of another example off the top of my head. "Clarity" is "nitidez". Remember that our translator/dictionary super-search box in the upper-right hand corner can always answer this question for you.
pity (yes it is a noun) = lástima
You'd be better served trying to understand Spanish patterns from the perspective of the Spanish language, not that of the English. Here are RAE's definitions of the two suffixes:
(Del lat. -tas, -ātis).
- suf. Significa 'cualidad' en sustantivos abstractos derivados de adjetivos. Si el adjetivo base es bisílabo, suele tomar la forma -edad. Mocedad, cortedad, terquedad. También la toman los adjetivos terminados en -io. Suciedad, obligatoriedad, precariedad. Si el adjetivo es de más de dos sílabas, toma, en general, la forma -idad. Barbaridad, afectuosidad, efectividad. La forma -dad aparece solo detrás de l o n. Liviandad, maldad, ruindad. Cuando -dad se aplica a adjetivos verbales en -ble, se forman derivados terminados en -bilidad. Culpabilidad.
- suf. En sustantivos abstractos femeninos, designa la cualidad expresada por el adjetivo del que deriva. Altivez, brillantez, lucidez.
Along these definitions, it looks like "-dad" is the more commonly used suffix. I'm having trouble coming up with a pattern, if there even exists one, as to when an adjective takes "-dad" and when one takes "-ez."
EDIT: This isn't a hard and fast rule, but it looks like adjectives that end with a "d" and then a vowel usually take the "-ez" suffix, possibly because "vowel-d-idad" is difficult to pronounce. If a word ends with an approximant or lateral approximant, it takes the "-dad" suffix. This seems like it would be a very intricate and complex system for the derivation of these words, for which there will always be the odd exception, so I think I'll stop here.
My suggestion would be to just sound out the words if you have any doubt. One will usually sound better than the other.