Prefijos / Prefixes
This prefix means "before" and is found in the term referring to the period prior to the Classic era of Mesoamerican history.
What is "pre-"?
This word, referring to an ancient symbol or character, is very similar in both English and Spanish but with a slight difference in spelling and pronunciation.
What is a glyph/glifo?
The Spanish verb "sembrar" is used to describe this farming action. What is the English equivalent of "sembrar"?
What is "to plant"?
The development of a complex writing system was a major logro of the Maya civilization. What is the English word for logro?
What is achievement?
In Spanish, the word maya can be pluralized when referring to people, while in English, the term remains singular even when describing multiple individuals or elements. How do you refer to people from this civilization in English?
What are Maya?
This prefix means "many" and is found in the term for a belief in more than one god.
What is "poli-" / "poly-"?
This word refers to a building or structure used for astronomical observation, and it is almost identical in both English and Spanish.
What is "observatory"/"observatorio"?
This farming method involves creating flat areas on the slopes of mountains to make agriculture possible in hilly terrain. What are these structures called in English?
What are terraces?
A long period without rain can lead to agricultural challenges. The Maya experienced this kind of event, known as a sequía in Spanish. What is this called in English?
What is "drought"?
The Spanish abbreviation a.E.C. stands for "antes de la era común," while in English, the same concept is represented by a different abbreviation, with no periods between the letters. What is the English abbreviation for a.E.C.?
What is BCE?
This prefix means "middle" and is found in the term referring to the region of ancient civilizations between North and South America.
What is "meso-"?
This term refers to the large stone structures found in ancient Maya cities like Tikal, and it is very similar in both English and Spanish, with only a small spelling difference.
What is "pyramid"/"pirámide"?
This crop, known as calabaza, zapallo, or ahuyama in Spanish, was one of "las tres hermanas" grown by ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. What is this crop called in English?
What is squash?
The Maya used many types of herramientas to build their cities and grow their crops. What is the English word for herramienta?
What is a tool?
In Spanish, ciudades-estado refers to independent cities that govern themselves. The plural is formed by adding "es" to ciudad, while in English, the plural is formed differently. What is the English term for ciudades-estado?
What are city-states?
This prefix means "after" and is found in the term for the period following the Classic era of Mesoamerican history.
What is "pos" / "post"?
This animal, which was revered in Mesoamerican cultures, has the same name in both English and Spanish, although it is pronounced differently.
What is "jaguar"?
These man-made structures were used by the Maya to elevate their crops, providing better drainage and protection from flooding. What are these platforms called in English?
What are raised-earth platforms? / What are plataformas de tierra elevada?
The Maya civilization reached its auge or apogeo during the Classic Period. What are two English words that can describe this time of greatest success?
What are peak and height?
In English, you chop down trees. What do you do in Spanish?
What is talar?
This prefix means that something is related to farming in both Spanish and English.
What is "agri-"?
This word, meaning a ritual offering or act of giving up something valuable, is almost identical in both languages, except for the ending.
What is "sacrifice"/"sacrificio"?
This term refers to the farming method used by the Maya in which forests are cleared by cutting down trees and burning them to create land for crops. What is this farming method called in English?
What is slash and burn agriculture?
Campesino literally translates to "person of the country" and refers to rural working-class members in Spanish America, including agricultural laborers and small landowners. In contrast, the English equivalent can sometimes be used in a pejorative (negative) way to describe lower-class individuals. What is the English word for campesino?
What is "peasant"?
Central America usually refers to the countries between Mexico and South America. This term means "middle" America and includes parts of Mexico, including the Yucatan Peninsula.
What is Mesoamerica?