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(Created page with "{| class="wikitable" |Spanish word |English translation |English word |Spanish translation |- |ÚLTIMAMENTE |recently |ULTIMATELY |al final |- |abogado |lawyer |avocado |aguacate, among others |- |acostar |lie down |accost |abordar (a alguien) |- |actual |current |actual |real |- |adecuado |suitable |adequate |apropiado |- |advertencia |warning |advertisement |publicidad |- |agenda |a notebook for one's schedule |agenda |orden del día, segunda intención |- |agoniza...") |
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{| class="wikitable" | <div class="pg_page_title">130+ English/Spanish False Cognates (False Friends)</div> | ||
[[File:english-spanish-false-friends-polyglotclub-wiki.jpg|thumb]] | |||
The term "false friend" or "false cognates" refers to a word that looks like Spanish but in reality has a very different meaning. Considered a real trap when learning Spanish, false friends can very easily mislead an English speaker during conversations with Spanish speakers. We have listed the main meaning of these false friends in English; each definition of course depends on the context in which it is used. | |||
Here is a list of more than 150 false friends that you need to know! | |||
{| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
!spanish word | |||
!english translation | |||
!english word | |||
!spanish translation | |||
|- | |- | ||
| | |últimamente | ||
|recently | |recently | ||
| | |ultimately | ||
|al final | |al final | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 55: | Line 60: | ||
|acumular (fama, dinero) | |acumular (fama, dinero) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |américa | ||
| | |the americas | ||
| | |america | ||
| | |estados unidos | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |americano | ||
|person from | |person from north or south america | ||
| | |american | ||
|estadounidense | |estadounidense | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 105: | Line 110: | ||
|firma | |firma | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |asistir | ||
|to attend, be present at | |to attend, be present at or to assist | ||
| | |assist | ||
|ayudar | |ayudar | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 150: | Line 155: | ||
|intolerante, prejuicio | |intolerante, prejuicio | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |billón | ||
|( | |(us) trillion, (uk) billion | ||
| | |billion (us) | ||
|mil millones | |mil millones | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |bizarro | ||
|dashing, brave, gallant | |dashing, brave, gallant | ||
| | |bizarre | ||
|extraño | |extraño | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 175: | Line 180: | ||
|cuerpo | |cuerpo | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |bombero | ||
|firefighter | |firefighter | ||
| | |bomber | ||
|bombardero | |bombardero | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 215: | Line 220: | ||
|medio galope | |medio galope | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |carpeta | ||
|folder | |folder | ||
| | |carpet | ||
|alfombra | |alfombra | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 230: | Line 235: | ||
|tarjeta | |tarjeta | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |casualidad | ||
|coincidence, chance | |coincidence, chance | ||
| | |casualty | ||
|víctima | |víctima | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 240: | Line 245: | ||
|tiburón | |tiburón | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |chocar | ||
|strike, collide | |strike, collide | ||
| | |choke | ||
|ahogar | |ahogar | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 250: | Line 255: | ||
|ciudad | |ciudad | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |codo | ||
|elbow | |elbow | ||
| | |code | ||
|código | |código | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |colegio | ||
|high school | |high school | ||
| | |college | ||
|universidad | |universidad | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 290: | Line 295: | ||
|exhaustivo | |exhaustivo | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |compromiso | ||
|obligation, commitment | |obligation, commitment | ||
| | |compromise | ||
|componenda | |componenda | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |condescender | ||
|to comply, agree | |to comply, agree | ||
| | |condescend | ||
|dignarse | |dignarse | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 310: | Line 315: | ||
|estreñimiento | |estreñimiento | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |constipado (n.) | ||
|a cold | |a cold | ||
| | |constipated | ||
|constipado (adj.) | |constipado (adj.) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |contestar | ||
|to answer | |to answer | ||
| | |contest (v.) | ||
|contender | |contender | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 325: | Line 330: | ||
|escribir con | |escribir con | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |corrientemente | ||
|fluently, plainly, flatly | |fluently, plainly, flatly | ||
| | |currently | ||
|actualmente | |actualmente | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 370: | Line 375: | ||
|delincuencia juvenil | |delincuencia juvenil | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |delito | ||
|crime | |crime | ||
| | |delight | ||
|delicia, deleite | |delicia, deleite | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 390: | Line 395: | ||
|deportar | |deportar | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |desgracia | ||
|mistake, misfortune | |mistake, misfortune | ||
| | |disgrace | ||
|vergüenza | |vergüenza | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 405: | Line 410: | ||
|desesperado | |desesperado | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |destituido | ||
|fired, deprived | |fired, deprived | ||
| | |destitute | ||
|indigente | |indigente | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 425: | Line 430: | ||
|conversación | |conversación | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |disgusto | ||
|annoyance, worry | |annoyance, worry | ||
| | |disgust | ||
|asco, repugnancia | |asco, repugnancia | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 440: | Line 445: | ||
|perro | |perro | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |dormitorio | ||
|bedroom | |bedroom | ||
| | |dormitory | ||
|residencia universitaria | |residencia universitaria | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 450: | Line 455: | ||
|culto | |culto | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |embarazada | ||
|pregnant | |pregnant | ||
| | |embarrassed | ||
|avergonzada | |avergonzada | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |empresa | ||
|business enterprise, company | |business enterprise, company | ||
| | |empress | ||
|emperatríz | |emperatríz | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 465: | Line 470: | ||
|emperatriz | |emperatriz | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |enviar | ||
|send | |send | ||
| | |envy (v.) | ||
|envidiar | |envidiar | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 490: | Line 495: | ||
|pala | |pala | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |estimado | ||
|esteemed | |esteemed | ||
| | |estimate | ||
|estimacíon, presupuesto | |estimacíon, presupuesto | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |estrechar | ||
|to narrow, bring closer together | |to narrow, bring closer together | ||
| | |stretch | ||
|estirar, alargar | |estirar, alargar | ||
|- | |- | ||
|estuve | |estuve | ||
| | |i was | ||
|stove | |stove | ||
|estufa | |estufa | ||
Line 515: | Line 520: | ||
|emocionado | |emocionado | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |éxito | ||
|success, hit | |success, hit | ||
| | |exit | ||
|salida | |salida | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 530: | Line 535: | ||
|desconocido | |desconocido | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |fábrica | ||
|factory | |factory | ||
| | |fabric | ||
|tela | |tela | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 550: | Line 555: | ||
|maricón | |maricón | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |grosería | ||
|grossness, crudeness | |grossness, crudeness | ||
| | |grocery | ||
|abarrotería, tienda de comestibles | |abarrotería, tienda de comestibles | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |introducir | ||
|insert | |insert | ||
| | |introduce (someone) | ||
|presentar | |presentar | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |largo | ||
|long | |long | ||
| | |large | ||
|grande | |grande | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |lectura | ||
|reading | |reading | ||
| | |lecture | ||
|conferencia | |conferencia | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |librería | ||
|bookstore | |bookstore | ||
| | |library | ||
|biblioteca | |biblioteca | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |mantel | ||
|tablecloth | |tablecloth | ||
| | |mantel | ||
|manto, mesilla | |manto, mesilla | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |molestar | ||
|bother | |bother | ||
| | |molest | ||
|abusar (sexualmente) | |abusar (sexualmente) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |nudo | ||
|knot | |knot | ||
| | |nude | ||
|desnudo | |desnudo | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |parada | ||
|stop, e.g. bus stop | |stop, e.g. bus stop | ||
| | |parade | ||
|desfile | |desfile | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |pariente | ||
|relative | |relative | ||
| | |parent | ||
|padre | |padre | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |preocupado | ||
|worried | |worried | ||
| | |preoccupied | ||
|distraído | |distraído | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |pretender | ||
|to attempt, to woo | |to attempt, to woo | ||
| | |pretend | ||
|fingir | |fingir | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |realizar | ||
|to come true | |to come true | ||
| | |realize | ||
|darse cuenta | |darse cuenta | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |recordar | ||
|to remember, remind | |to remember, remind | ||
| | |record | ||
|grabar | |grabar | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |ropa | ||
|clothes | |clothes | ||
| | |rope | ||
|cuerda | |cuerda | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |sano | ||
|healthy | |healthy | ||
| | |sane | ||
|cuerdo | |cuerdo | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |sopa | ||
|soup | |soup | ||
| | |soap | ||
|jabón | |jabón | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |soportar | ||
|tolerate, put up with | |tolerate, put up with | ||
| | |support | ||
|apoyar | |apoyar | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |suceso | ||
|event | |event | ||
| | |success | ||
|éxito | |éxito | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |tuna | ||
|prickly pear | |prickly pear | ||
| | |tuna | ||
|atún | |atún | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |vaso | ||
|drinking glass | |drinking glass | ||
| | |vase | ||
|jarrón, florero | |jarrón, florero | ||
|} | |} | ||
{{#seo: | |||
|title=130 English Spanish False friends (false cognates) you MUST know! | |||
|description="false friends" ("faux amis") refers to a word that looks like Spanish but in reality has a very different meaning. Here are 150 of them. | |||
}} | |||
[[Category:Spanish/Beginner]] | |||
==Videos== | |||
===Spanish English False Cognates / False Friends(8 most common ...=== | |||
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wQq9wXqQpY</youtube> | |||
==Related Lessons== | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Informal-abbreviations|Informal abbreviations]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Botanical-Vocabulary|Botanical Vocabulary]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Clothes|Clothes]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/The-4-Seasons|The 4 Seasons]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Spanish-Slang|Spanish Slang]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Fruits|Fruits]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Count-from-1-to-10|Count from 1 to 10]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Kitchen|Kitchen]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Cycling|Cycling]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Abreviaciones-al-escribir|Abreviaciones al escribir]] | |||
* [[Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Months-of-the-Year|Months of the Year]] |
Latest revision as of 12:49, 6 March 2023
130+ English/Spanish False Cognates (False Friends)
The term "false friend" or "false cognates" refers to a word that looks like Spanish but in reality has a very different meaning. Considered a real trap when learning Spanish, false friends can very easily mislead an English speaker during conversations with Spanish speakers. We have listed the main meaning of these false friends in English; each definition of course depends on the context in which it is used.
Here is a list of more than 150 false friends that you need to know!
spanish word | english translation | english word | spanish translation |
---|---|---|---|
últimamente | recently | ultimately | al final |
abogado | lawyer | avocado | aguacate, among others |
acostar | lie down | accost | abordar (a alguien) |
actual | current | actual | real |
adecuado | suitable | adequate | apropiado |
advertencia | warning | advertisement | publicidad |
agenda | a notebook for one's schedule | agenda | orden del día, segunda intención |
agonizante | dying | agonizing | angustioso |
alianza | wedding ring | alliance | alianza |
amasar | knead | amass | acumular (fama, dinero) |
américa | the americas | america | estados unidos |
americano | person from north or south america | american | estadounidense |
animador | presenter, entertainer | animator | animador |
apalear | beat (with a stick) | appall | horrorizar |
aprehensión | detention | apprehension | aprensión |
arena | sand | arena | arena |
argumento | plot | argument | discusión |
arma | weapon | arm | brazo |
as | ace | ass | culo, asno |
asignatura | subject | signature | firma |
asistir | to attend, be present at or to assist | assist | ayudar |
atender | to pay attention | attend | asistir |
avisar | inform, warn | advice | aconsejar |
bachillerato | high school diploma | bachelor's degree | licenciatura |
bailarina | dancer | ballerina | bailarina de ballet |
balde | bucket | bald | calvo |
barco | boat, ship | bark | corteza, ladrar |
basamento | base of a column | basement | sótano |
bigote | moustache | bigot | intolerante, prejuicio |
billón | (us) trillion, (uk) billion | billion (us) | mil millones |
bizarro | dashing, brave, gallant | bizarre | extraño |
blanco | white | blank | en blanco |
blando | soft | bland | soso, insípido |
boda | wedding | body | cuerpo |
bombero | firefighter | bomber | bombardero |
brincar | hop, jump | brink | borde de un abismo |
bulla | racket, noise | bull | toro |
café | coffee, café | café | cafetería |
cafetería | café | cafeteria | cantina |
campo | countryside | camp | campamento |
cancelar una deuda | pay off a debt | cancel | cancelar |
cantera | stone quarry | canter | medio galope |
carpeta | folder | carpet | alfombra |
carrera | race, university degree, career | career | carrera |
carta | letter | card | tarjeta |
casualidad | coincidence, chance | casualty | víctima |
charco | puddle | shark | tiburón |
chocar | strike, collide | choke | ahogar |
cita | appointment | city | ciudad |
codo | elbow | code | código |
colegio | high school | college | universidad |
comodidad | comfort | commodity | producto |
compás | pair of compasses | compass | brújula |
complaciente | accomodating, pleasing | complacent | conforme, autocomplaciente |
complemento | accessory, complement | compliment | piropo |
complexión | a person's build | complexion | tez |
comprensivo | understanding | comprehensive | exhaustivo |
compromiso | obligation, commitment | compromise | componenda |
condescender | to comply, agree | condescend | dignarse |
conductor | driver | conductor | director de orquesta |
constipación | cold (sickness) | constipation | estreñimiento |
constipado (n.) | a cold | constipated | constipado (adj.) |
contestar | to answer | contest (v.) | contender |
corresponder | to correspond to | to correspond with | escribir con |
corrientemente | fluently, plainly, flatly | currently | actualmente |
costumbre | habit | costume | disfraz |
crudo | raw | crude | grosero |
culo | butt, ass | cull | matanza selectiva |
cuota | fee | quote | presupuesto |
currante | worker | currant | grosella |
data | date | data | datos |
decepción | disappointment | deception | engaño |
delincuencia | crime | delinquency | delincuencia juvenil |
delito | crime | delight | delicia, deleite |
demandar | sue | demand | exigir |
denunciar un delito | to report a crime | denounce | denunciar |
deporte | sport | deport | deportar |
desgracia | mistake, misfortune | disgrace | vergüenza |
designación | nomination | designation | atribución |
despertar | to wake up | desperate | desesperado |
destituido | fired, deprived | destitute | indigente |
dinero | money | dinner | cena |
direcciones | addresses | directions | instrucciones |
discusión | argument | discussion | conversación |
disgusto | annoyance, worry | disgust | asco, repugnancia |
diversión | fun | diversion | desviación, distracción |
dogo | mastiff | dog | perro |
dormitorio | bedroom | dormitory | residencia universitaria |
educado | polite | educated | culto |
embarazada | pregnant | embarrassed | avergonzada |
empresa | business enterprise, company | empress | emperatríz |
empresa | company | empress | emperatriz |
enviar | send | envy (v.) | envidiar |
envolver | to wrap | involve | involucrar |
escolar | schoolboy | scholar | erudito |
esmoquin | tuxedo | smoking | fumando |
espada | sword | spade | pala |
estimado | esteemed | estimate | estimacíon, presupuesto |
estrechar | to narrow, bring closer together | stretch | estirar, alargar |
estuve | i was | stove | estufa |
eventualmente | by chance, occasionally | eventually | al final, a la larga |
excitado | aroused | excited | emocionado |
éxito | success, hit | exit | salida |
éxito | success | exit | salida |
extranjero | foreigner | stranger | desconocido |
fábrica | factory | fabric | tela |
fábrica | factory | fabric | tela |
facilidad | ease | facility | instalación |
fagot | bassoon | faggot | maricón |
grosería | grossness, crudeness | grocery | abarrotería, tienda de comestibles |
introducir | insert | introduce (someone) | presentar |
largo | long | large | grande |
lectura | reading | lecture | conferencia |
librería | bookstore | library | biblioteca |
mantel | tablecloth | mantel | manto, mesilla |
molestar | bother | molest | abusar (sexualmente) |
nudo | knot | nude | desnudo |
parada | stop, e.g. bus stop | parade | desfile |
pariente | relative | parent | padre |
preocupado | worried | preoccupied | distraído |
pretender | to attempt, to woo | pretend | fingir |
realizar | to come true | realize | darse cuenta |
recordar | to remember, remind | record | grabar |
ropa | clothes | rope | cuerda |
sano | healthy | sane | cuerdo |
sopa | soup | soap | jabón |
soportar | tolerate, put up with | support | apoyar |
suceso | event | success | éxito |
tuna | prickly pear | tuna | atún |
vaso | drinking glass | vase | jarrón, florero |
Videos[edit | edit source]
Spanish English False Cognates / False Friends(8 most common ...[edit | edit source]