This
is an initial list of false cognates and false friends between Spanish and English. They
therefore look similar but respectively either they do not actually come from
the same root or they have different meanings,
despite their similarities.
The Spanish
words in the first column resemble the English ones in the third column, but
have different meanings.
Spanish word
|
English translation
|
English word
|
Spanish translation
|
ACTUAL
|
current, present-day
|
ACTUAL
|
real, efectivo
|
AMERICANO
|
person from
North or South America
|
AMERICAN
|
estadounidense
|
ASISTIR
|
to attend, be
present at OR to assist
|
ASSIST
|
ayudar
|
BILLóN
|
(US) trillion, (UK) billion
|
BILLION (US)
|
mil millones
|
BIZARRO
|
dashing, brave, gallant
|
BIZARRE
|
extraño
|
BOMBERO
|
firefighter
|
BOMBER
|
bombardero
|
CARPETA
|
folder
|
CARPET
|
alfombra
|
CASUALIDAD
|
coincidence, chance
|
CASUALTY
|
víctima
|
CHOCAR
|
strike, collide
|
CHOKE
|
ahogar
|
CODO
|
elbow
|
CODE
|
código
|
COLEGIO
|
high school
|
COLLEGE
|
universidad
|
COMPROMISO
|
obligation, commitment
|
COMPROMISE
|
componenda
|
CONDESCENDER
|
to comply, agree
|
CONDESCEND
|
dignarse
|
CONSTIPADO (n.)
|
a cold
|
CONSTIPATED
|
constipado (adj.)
|
CONTESTAR
|
to answer
|
CONTEST (v.)
|
contender
|
CORRIENTEMENTE
|
fluently, plainly, flatly
|
CURRENTLY
|
actualmente
|
DELITO
|
crime
|
DELIGHT
|
delicia, deleite
|
DESGRACIA
|
mistake, misfortune
|
DISGRACE
|
vergüenza
|
DISGUSTO
|
annoyance, worry
|
DISGUST
|
asco, repugnancia
|
DESTITUIDO
|
fired, deprived
|
DESTITUTE
|
indigente
|
DORMITORIO
|
bedroom
|
DORMITORY
|
residencia universitaria
|
EMBARAZADA
|
pregnant
|
EMBARRASSED
|
avergonzada
|
EMPRESA
|
business enterprise, company
|
EMPRESS
|
emperatríz
|
ENVIAR
|
send
|
ENVY (v.)
|
envidiar
|
ESTRECHAR
|
to narrow,
bring closer together
|
STRETCH
|
estirar, alargar
|
ESTIMADO
|
esteemed
|
ESTIMATE
|
estimacíon, presupuesto
|
ÉXITO
|
success, hit
|
EXIT
|
salida
|
FÁBRICA
|
factory
|
FABRIC
|
tela
|
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
|
PRETENDER
|
to attempt, to woo
|
PRETEND
|
fingir
|
PREOCUPADO
|
worried
|
PREOCCUPIED
|
distraído
|
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
|
ÚLTIMAMENTE
|
recently
|
ULTIMATELY
|
al final
|
VASO
|
drinking glass
|
VASE
|
jarrón, florero
|
Taken from https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/false_friend
PRACTISE
Now choose five words and make sentences using both options. On your notebook.
Example: PARIENTE (Relative) - PARENT (Padre)
All my immediate family live in Bogotá but I have a lot of RELATIVES in Medellín.
My PARENTS live with me.
Study them for a test on line.
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