False friends: English and Spanish

30 English words that look like Spanish words but mean something else — the traps Spanish speakers fall into most often.

English and Spanish share thousands of words from Latin, and most of them really do mean the same thing: hospital, natural, possible. That is exactly why the exceptions are dangerous — a word that looks Spanish feels safe, so nobody checks it.

Each word below has its real meaning in Spanish, the Spanish word it gets confused with, and how to say that word in English.

Test yourself ↓

Words that don't mean what they seem

embarrassed A2

Means: avergonzado
Not: embarazada → pregnant

Embarrassed means avergonzado (feeling awkward or ashamed), not «embarazada» (which is pregnant in English).

I felt embarrassed when I forgot her name.

library A1

Means: biblioteca
Not: librería → bookstore

Library means biblioteca, a place where you borrow books, not «librería» (which is bookstore in English).

I study at the library after class.

actually A2

Means: en realidad
Not: actualmente → currently, nowadays

Actually means en realidad or de hecho, not «actualmente» (which is currently or nowadays in English).

Actually, I don't like coffee.

actual B1

Means: real, verdadero
Not: actual → current

Actual means real or verdadero, not «actual» in the sense of present (which is current in English).

The actual price is lower than the price online.

sensible B1

Means: sensato
Not: sensible → sensitive

Sensible means sensato, showing good judgment, not «sensible» (which is sensitive in English).

It is sensible to bring water on a long walk.

sympathetic B2

Means: comprensivo
Not: simpático → nice, friendly

Sympathetic means comprensivo, understanding how someone feels, not «simpático» (which is nice or friendly in English).

My boss was sympathetic when I was sick.

exit B1

Means: salida
Not: éxito → success

Exit means salida, the way out, not «éxito» (which is success in English).

Please use the exit on the left.

carpet A1

Means: alfombra
Not: carpeta → folder

Carpet means alfombra, which covers the floor, not «carpeta» (which is folder in English).

We bought a new carpet for the living room.

large A1

Means: grande
Not: largo → long

Large means grande, not «largo» (which is long in English).

I'd like a large pizza, please.

lecture B1

Means: clase magistral, charla
Not: lectura → reading

Lecture means conferencia or clase, a long talk by a teacher, not «lectura» (which is reading in English).

The students listened to a lecture about history.

parent A1

Means: padre o madre
Not: pariente → relative

Parent means padre o madre, not «pariente» (which is relative in English).

One parent must sign this form.

pretend A2

Means: fingir
Not: pretender → intend, want to

Pretend means fingir, not «pretender» (which is intend or plan to in English).

He pretended to be asleep.

eventually A2

Means: finalmente, con el tiempo
Not: eventualmente → possibly, occasionally

Eventually means al final, after some time, not «eventualmente» (which is possibly or occasionally in English).

We got lost, but eventually we found the hotel.

notice B1

Means: notar
Not: noticia → news

Notice means notar, or a written aviso, not «noticia» (which is news in English).

Did you notice the new sign?

record A2

Means: grabar; récord
Not: recordar → remember

Record means grabar (or a récord), not «recordar» (which is remember in English).

I want to record this song.

success B1

Means: éxito
Not: suceso → event, incident

Success means éxito, getting what you wanted, not «suceso» (which is event or incident in English).

Hard work is the key to success.

fabric B2

Means: tela
Not: fábrica → factory

Fabric means tela, the material clothes are made of, not «fábrica» (which is factory in English).

This fabric is soft and easy to wash.

constipated B1

Means: estreñido
Not: constipado → having a cold

Constipated means estreñido, not «constipado» (which is having a cold in English).

I feel constipated after eating so much cheese.

resume B2

Means: reanudar
Not: resumir → summarize

Resume means reanudar, to start again after a pause, not «resumir» (which is summarize in English).

The meeting will resume after lunch.

disgust B1

Means: asco
Not: disgusto → annoyance, upset

Disgust means asco, a strong feeling of dislike, not «disgusto» (which is upset or annoyance in English).

He looked at the dirty room with disgust.

preservative B2

Means: conservante
Not: preservativo → condom

Preservative means conservante, something added to food, not «preservativo» (which is condom in English).

This juice has no preservatives.

mayor B1

Means: alcalde
Not: mayor → older, bigger

Mayor means alcalde, the head of a city, not «mayor» (which is older or bigger in English).

The mayor opened the new park.

Words that only sometimes match

These share one meaning with the look-alike, but usually mean something else — see the example.

assist B1 sometimes

Means: ayudar
Not: asistir → attend, go to

Assist means ayudar, not «asistir» to a class or event (which is attend in English).

The nurse will assist the doctor.

attend B1 sometimes

Means: asistir a, ir a
Not: atender → serve, take care of

Attend means asistir a, going to a class or event, not «atender» a customer (which is serve or take care of in English).

I attend English classes every Monday.

realize B1 sometimes

Means: darse cuenta
Not: realizar → carry out, do

Realize usually means darse cuenta, not «realizar» a task (which is carry out or do in English).

I didn't realize it was so late.

introduce A2 sometimes

Means: presentar
Not: introducir → insert, put in

Introduce usually means presentar, telling people each other's names, not «introducir» something into something (which is insert or put in in English).

Let me introduce my sister to you.

discuss B1 sometimes

Means: hablar de, comentar
Not: discutir → argue

Discuss means to talk about a topic calmly (hablar de), not «discutir» in the sense of fighting (which is argue in English).

We will discuss the plan tomorrow.

support B1 sometimes

Means: apoyar, apoyo
Not: soportar → tolerate, put up with

Support means apoyar, not «soportar» in the sense of putting up with something (which is tolerate or put up with in English).

My family always supports me.

educated A2 sometimes

Means: instruido, con estudios
Not: educado → polite

Educated means con estudios, not «educado» in the sense of good manners (which is polite in English).

She is an educated woman with two degrees.

collar B1 sometimes

Means: cuello de camisa
Not: collar → necklace

Collar means cuello of a shirt (or a dog collar), not «collar» as jewelry (which is necklace in English).

His shirt collar was dirty.

Test yourself: which translation is right?

10 words from this page. One of the options is the trap — the look-alike word.

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Questions

What are false friends?

False friends (in Spanish «falsos amigos» or «falsos cognados») are words in two languages that look or sound alike but have different meanings, like English «embarrassed» (avergonzado) and Spanish «embarazada» (pregnant).

Why do English and Spanish have so many false friends?

Both languages took a large part of their vocabulary from Latin, directly or through French. Over centuries the meanings drifted apart in each language, while the spelling stayed similar.

How do I stop mixing them up?

Learn each word with an example sentence rather than as a one-word translation, and check familiar-looking words too. Practising the tricky ones a few days apart helps the right meaning stick.

Levels (A1–C2) and translations come from the WordStudy dictionary. Spotted a mistake? Write to words.study.project@gmail.com.