False friends
Inti resources
Words that are written or pronounced almost the same in Spanish and English, but that mean different things.
False friends.
Discover the words that are normally confused between Spanish and English because they are written or pronounced similarly.
| Spanish false friend | English false friend | Actual meaning in English | Actual meaning in Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|
| abogado | avocado | abogado: lawyer| advocate| solicitor| barrister | avocado: aguacate| palta |
| actualmente | actually | actualmente: at the moment| at present| nowadays| these days | actually: de hecho| realmente| en realidad| incluso| hasta |
| advertir | advertise | advertir: to warn| to notice | advertise: anunciar| hacer publicidad |
| argumento | argument | argumento : plot| argument | argument : discusión| disputa |
| asignatura | signature | asignatura: subject | signature: firma |
| balde | bald | balde: bucket | bald: calvo |
| bizarro | bizzare | bizarro: courageous| generous | bizzare: extraño| raro |
| blanco | blank | blanco: white | blank: en blanco| vacío| virgen |
| blando | bland | blando : soft| gentle| mild | bland : soso |
| bombero | bomber | bombero: fireman| firefighter | bomber: bombardero| terrorista que coloca bombas |
| campo | camp | campo: field| pitch| country| countryside | camp: campamento| bando |
| carpeta | carpet | carpeta: folder| file | carpet: alfombra| moqueta |
| carta | cart | carta: letter| menu| card | cart: carrito| carro| carretilla |
| casualidad | casualty | casualidad: coincidence| chance | casualty: baja| herido| víctima |
| chocar | choke | chocar : to collide| to crash| to run into | choke : ahogar| asfixiar| estrangular |
| codo | code | codo: elbow | code: código| clave |
| colegio | college | colegio: school | college: universidad |
| comodidad | commodity | comodidad : comfort| convenience | commodity : producto| mercancía| artículo| materia prima |
| complemento | compliment | complemento: complement| object | compliment: piropo| cumplido| halago |
| compromiso | compromise | compromiso: commitment| engagement| obligation | compromise: término medio| solución de compromiso| acuerdo mutuo |
| concreto | concrete | concreto: specific| concrete| real | concrete: cemento |
| conductor | conductor | conductor: driver| conductive | conductor: director de orquesta| cobrador |
| constipado | constipated | constipado: to have a cold | constipated: estreñido |
| contestar | contest | contestar: to answer | contest: concurso| competición| contienda |
| cuota | quote | cuota: membership fee | quote: presupuesto| cita |
| currante | currant | currante : worker | currant : grosella |
| decepción | deception | decepción: disappointment| disenchantment | deception: engaño| falsedad |
| delito | delight | delito : offence| common offence | delight : encanto| placer| gusto| deleite| delicia |
| desgracia | disgrace | desgracia: bad luck| mischance| misfortune| mishap | disgrace : vergüenza| deshonra| deshonor| escándalo |
| desierto | dessert | desierto: desert | dessert: postre |
| despertar | desperate | despertar: to wake up| to awake| to arouse | desperate: desesperado |
| destituir | destitute | destituir : to remove from office| to dismiss | destitute: indigente| mísero| desposeído |
| disgusto | disgust | disgusto: displeasure| annoyance| anger | disgust: asco| repugnancia |
| diversión | diversion | diversión : fun| entertainment| amusement | diversion: desviación| desvío |
| divertir | divert | divertir: to have fun| to entertain| to amuse | divert: distraer| desviar |
| embarazada | embarassed | embarazada : pregnant | embarassed: avergonzado| embarazoso |
| en absoluto | absolutely | en absoluto : absolutely not | absolutely : totalmente| completamente| absolutamente |
| enviar | envy | enviar: to send | envy: envidiar| tener envidia |
| envolver | involve | envolver: to wrap | involve: involucrar| suponer| implicar| conllevar |
| espada | spade | espada: sword| spade | spade: pala |
| espectáculo | spectacles | espectáculo : show| performance| entertainment | spectacles: gafas |
| éxito | exit | éxito: success | exit: salida |
| extranjero | stranger | extranjero: foreigner | stranger: extraño| desconocido| forastero |
| fábrica | fabric | fábrica: factory| plant | fabric: tela| tejido |
| falta | fault | falta: error| lack| mistake| shortage| absence | fault: culpa |
| firma | firm | firma: signature | firm: compañía| empresa |
| ganga | gang | ganga : bargain| good buy | gang : pandilla| banda |
| gentil | gentle | gentil: kind| charming | gentle: tierno| bondadoso| dulce |
| grabar | grab | grabar: to tape| to record| to engrave | grab: agarrar| coger| pillar |
| gracioso | gracious | gracioso: funny| amusing | gracious: cortés| amable| benévolo |
| grosería | grocery | grosería : rude remark | rudeness| coarseness| rude expression | grocery: tienda de comestibles| tienda de ultramarinos |
| horno | horn | horno: oven | horn: cuerno| asta| bocina |
| idioma | idiom | idioma: language| foreign language | idiom: locución| frase hecha| modismo |
| largo | large | largo: long | large: grande| numeroso| amplio |
| lectura | lecture | lectura: reading | lecture: conferencia| clase| reprimenda| sermón |
| lentilla | lentil | lentilla: contact lens | lentil: lenteja |
| librería | library | librería: bookshop| bookstore | library: biblioteca |
| mantel | mantle | mantel : tablecloth | mantle: manto| capo |
| mayor | mayor | mayor: bigger| biggest| older| oldest | mayor: alcalde |
| media | media | media: stocking | media: medios de comunicación |
| molestar | molest | molestar: to annoy| to disturb| to bother| to upset | molest: acosar| abusar sexualmente |
| negocio | negotiation | negocio: business| deal | negotiation: negociación |
| nombre | number | nombre: name | number: número |
| noticia | notice | noticia: news | notice: anuncio| aviso |
| nudo | nude | nudo: knot | nude: desnudo |
| oficio | office | oficio: job| occupation | office: despacho| oficina |
| once | once | once: eleven | once: una vez| una vez que| en cuanto |
| pan | pan | pan: bread | pan: sartén| cazuela| cacerola |
| parada | parade | parada : stop| halt | parade : desfile| revista |
| parcela | parcel | parcela: plot of land | parcel: paquete |
| pariente | parent | pariente: relative | parent: padre| madre |
| pie | pie | pie: foot | pie: tarta| pastel |
| plaza | place | plaza: square| seat | place: lugar| sitio |
| precio | prize | precio: price | prize: premio |
| preservativo | preservative | preservativo: condom | preservative: conservante |
| presumir | presume | presumir: to show off| to boast| to be vain | presume: suponer| imaginarse |
| pretender | pretend | pretender: to try to| to want | pretend: fingir| aparentar |
| quieto | quiet | quieto: still| motionless | quiet: silencioso| callado |
| raro | rare | raro: strange| odd| weird | rare: poco común| poco frecuente| poco hecho |
| realizar | realize | realizar: to make| to fulfil| to accomplish | realize: darse cuenta| comprender |
| recordar | record | recordar: to remember| to remind | record: grabar |
| red | red | red: network | red: rojo |
| relativo | relative | relativo: related to | relative: pariente| familiar |
| remover | remove | remover: to stir | remove: quitar |
| restar | rest | restar: to subtract | rest: descansar |
| resumir | resume | resumir : to summarize | resume : reanudar |
| revolver | revolver | revolver: to turn upside down| to stir| to toss| to mix | revolver : revólver |
| ropa | rope | ropa: clothes| clothing| wear | rope: cuerda| soga |
| sano | sane | sano: healthy | sane: cuerdo| sensato |
| sauce | sauce | sauce: willow | sauce: salsa |
| simpático | sympathetic | simpático: nice| likeable| kind| friendly| charming | sympathetic: compasivo| comprensivo| favorable |
| sopa | soap | sopa: soup | soap: jabón |
| soportar | support | soportar : to put up with| bear | support: mantener| apoyar |
| suceso | success | suceso: event| happening| incident| crime | success: éxito |
| tarjeta | target | tarjeta: card | target: objetivo| blanco| diana |
| tópico | topic | tópico: stereotype| commonplace| cliché | topic: tema |
| trasladarse | translate | trasladarse: to move| to transfer | translate: traducir |
| tuna | tuna | tuna: university students musical group | tuna: atún| bonito |
| últimamente | ultimately | últimamente: lately| recently | ultimately: finalmente| en el fondo |
| vaso | vase | vaso: glass | vase: florero| jarrón |