Language/Italian/Vocabulary/English-Italian-False-Cognates
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90+ English/Italian False Cognates (False Friends)
The term "false friend" or "false cognates" refers to a word that looks like Italian but in reality has a very different meaning. Considered a real trap when learning Italian, false friends can very easily mislead an English speaker during conversations with Italian speakers.
We have listed the main meaning of these false friends; each definition of course depends on the context in which it is used.
Here is a list of more than 90 false friends that you need to know!
False friend in Italian | Translation | English | Real meaning |
---|---|---|---|
accidenti!, accidente | damn!, shock | accident | incidente |
addizione | sum | addiction | dipendenza, assuefazione |
assistere | attend, witness | to assist | aiutare |
astemio | teetotal | abstemious | frugale |
attaccare | stick, fasten | to attack | assalire |
attendere | to wait | to attend | assistere, seguire, frequentare |
attico | top floor flat, penthouse | attic | soffitta |
attitudine | aptitude, propensity | attitude | atteggiamento |
attuale | present, current | actual | effettivo |
attualmente | currently, now, at this moment | actually | in realtà, effettivamente |
avvertire | to warn | to advertise | pubblicizzare |
avvertire | to warn | to avert | allontanare, evitare, distogliere |
avviso | warning | advice | consiglio |
bello | beautiful | bell | campanello |
box | garage | box | scatola |
bravo | good, clever | brave | coraggioso |
brina | frost | brine | acqua salata, salamonia |
camera | room | camera | macchina fotografica |
camping | camp-site | camping | il campeggiare |
candido | snow white | candid | schietto, sincero |
cantina | cellar, wine shop | canteen | mensa, borraccia |
caramella | candy in general | caramel | tipo di caramella |
carro | carriage | car | automobile |
cartone | cardboard | cartoon | cartone animato |
case | houses | case | scatoletta, valigetta |
casino | confusion | casino | luogo di giuoco d’azzardo |
casuale | chance, coincidental | casual | informale |
cauzione | garantee, deposit | caution | cautela |
cava | quarry | cave | caverna, grotta |
comprensivo | understanding | comprehensive | esauriente |
con | with | to con | imbrogliare |
concorrenza | competition | concurrence | coincidenza, concorso di eventi |
confidenza | intimacy | confidence | fiducia |
conservatorio(di musica) | school of music | conservatory | serra |
consistente | substantial, large | consistent | coerente |
controllare | to check | to control | dominare |
convenienza | profit, cheapness | convenience | comodità |
disgrazia | misfortune | disgrace | vergogna, disonore |
disponible | available | disposable | usa e getta |
editore | publisher | editor | redattore, curatore |
educato | polite | educated | colto |
educazione | upbringing | education | istruzione |
estate | summer | estate | proprietà |
eventualmente | possibly, if necessary | eventually | alla fine |
familiare | related to family | familiar | ben conosciuto, intimo |
fare senso | to disgust | to make sense | avere senso |
fattoria | farm | factory | fabbrica |
finalmente! | about time! | finally | alla fine |
flipper | pinball machine | flipper | pinna |
fornitura | supply | furniture | mobili |
grazioso | pretty | gracious | clemente, misericordioso |
intitolato | titled | entitled | avente diritto a |
la fronte | forehead | front | facciata, parte anteriore |
lunatico | moody | lunatic | pazzo |
lussuria | lust | luxury | lusso |
magazzino | warehouse | magazine | rivista |
magnificare | to praise | to magnify | ingrandire |
mansione | duty | mansion | villa |
messa | mass | mess | confusione, disordine |
miseria | poverty | misery | sofferenza |
morbido | soft, tender | morbid | morboso |
nominare | to name, to call | to nominate | proporre per una candidatura |
notizia | news | notice | avviso, annuncio, cartello |
novella | short story | novel | romanzo |
occorrere | to need | to occur | accadere |
preservativo | condom, contracceptive | preservative | conservante |
presunzione | conceit | presumption | supposizione, congettura |
pretendere | to claim, assume | to pretend | fingere, simulare |
processare | to put on trial | to process | elaborare |
proprio | one’s own | proper | appropriato, caratteristico |
puzzle | jigsaw puzzle | puzzle | problema, enigma |
rapa | turnip | rape | stupro |
rate | instalments | rate | velocità, tasso |
realizzare | fulfil, carry out | to realize | rendersi conto |
ricordo | memory | record | disco |
riguardare | to be about, to look at again | to regard | considerare, stimare |
rilevante | remarkable | relevant | pertinente |
sano | healthy | sane | equilibrato, ragionevole |
scolaro | pupil | scholar | studioso |
sensibile | sensitive | sensible | sensato, percepibile, ragionevole |
simpatico | likeable | sympathetic | compassionevole |
slip | briefs, knickers | slip | sottoveste |
spot | advert, commercial | spot | foruncolo, puntino |
stampa | press | stamp | francobollo |
suggestivo | evocative | suggestive | allusivo |
tasto | key, button | taste | sapore, |
toast | toasted sandwich | toast | pane tostato, brindisi |
triviale | vulgar | trivial | banale |
udienza | hearing | audience | pubblico |
ultimo | last | ultimate | fondamentale |
vacanza | holiday, vacation | vacancy | vuoto, posto vacante |
verso | line | verse | strofa |
Videos[edit | edit source]
Italian and English: Cognates and False Cognates - YouTube[edit | edit source]