Vocabulary · Free, no account
Spanish–English false friends
Forty-one English words a Spanish speaker will use with total confidence to mean something they do not mean. Each one with the sentence you would say and the sentence you meant, one under the other.
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41 words
A false friend is not a word you failed to learn — it is a word you are sure about. That is why they survive years of study. The sentence comes out fluent, the grammar is right and the meaning is wrong, and because nobody interrupts to correct you, you keep saying it.
They are ordered by what the mistake costs you, not by level. The first ones change what the other person understands; the last ones only make you sound translated. Start at the top.
The ones you cannot afford to get wrong
Getting these wrong is not a matter of style: it changes what the other person understands, and a couple of them will leave you in an awkward room.
embarrassed
Looks like embarazada
- Actually means:
- avergonzado
- You meant:
- pregnant
My sister is embarrassed — the baby arrives in June.
My sister is pregnant — the baby arrives in June.
constipated
Looks like constipado
- Actually means:
- estreñido
- You meant:
- to have a cold
I can't come to the office, I'm constipated.
I can't come to the office, I've got a cold.
molest
Looks like molestar
- Actually means:
- abusar sexualmente de alguien
- You meant:
- to bother / to disturb
Sorry to molest you, do you have a minute?
Sorry to bother you, do you have a minute?
preservative
Looks like preservativo
- Actually means:
- conservante (de alimentos)
- You meant:
- condom
The pharmacy sells preservatives.
The pharmacy sells condoms.
actually
Looks like actualmente
- Actually means:
- en realidad, de hecho
- You meant:
- currently / at the moment
Actually I'm working at a startup in Madrid.
I'm currently working at a startup in Madrid.
realize
Looks like realizar
- Actually means:
- darse cuenta
- You meant:
- to carry out / to do
We realized the migration last weekend.
We carried out the migration last weekend.
assist
Looks like asistir (a un sitio)
- Actually means:
- ayudar
- You meant:
- to attend
Forty people assisted the conference.
Forty people attended the conference.
sensible
Looks like sensible
- Actually means:
- sensato, con criterio
- You meant:
- sensitive
Don't shout at him, he's very sensible.
Don't shout at him, he's very sensitive.
sympathetic
Looks like simpático
- Actually means:
- comprensivo, que se compadece
- You meant:
- nice / friendly / likeable
Our new manager is really sympathetic, everyone likes her.
Our new manager is really nice, everyone likes her.
library
Looks like librería
- Actually means:
- biblioteca
- You meant:
- bookshop / bookstore
I bought this novel at the library.
I bought this novel at the bookshop.
success
Looks like suceso
- Actually means:
- éxito
- You meant:
- event / incident
The police are investigating the success.
The police are investigating the incident.
exit
Looks like éxito
- Actually means:
- salida
- You meant:
- success
The launch was a huge exit.
The launch was a huge success.
parents
Looks like parientes
- Actually means:
- padres (madre y padre)
- You meant:
- relatives
All my parents came to the wedding — about forty people.
All my relatives came to the wedding — about forty people.
college
Looks like colegio
- Actually means:
- universidad (o instituto superior)
- You meant:
- school
My eight-year-old starts college in September.
My eight-year-old starts school in September.
The everyday giveaways
Nobody will misunderstand you outright, but every one of these sounds like a literal translation — which is exactly what separates speaking English from translating it.
support
Looks like soportar
- Actually means:
- apoyar, respaldar
- You meant:
- to put up with / to stand
I can't support this noise any longer.
I can't put up with this noise any longer.
large
Looks like largo
- Actually means:
- grande
- You meant:
- long
It was a large meeting — almost three hours.
It was a long meeting — almost three hours.
eventually
Looks like eventualmente
- Actually means:
- finalmente, con el tiempo
- You meant:
- possibly / if necessary
Eventually we could hire someone, but only if sales grow.
We could possibly hire someone, but only if sales grow.
argument
Looks like argumento (de una película)
- Actually means:
- discusión, pelea (o razonamiento)
- You meant:
- plot / storyline
The argument of the film was hard to follow.
The plot of the film was hard to follow.
discussion
Looks like discusión (pelea)
- Actually means:
- conversación, debate tranquilo
- You meant:
- argument / row
They had a discussion and she left in tears.
They had an argument and she left in tears.
advise
Looks like avisar
- Actually means:
- aconsejar
- You meant:
- to warn / to let someone know
Please advise me when the delivery arrives.
Please let me know when the delivery arrives.
pretend
Looks like pretender
- Actually means:
- fingir, aparentar
- You meant:
- to intend / to aim to
With this campaign we pretend to reach new customers.
With this campaign we aim to reach new customers.
quit
Looks like quitar
- Actually means:
- dejar (un trabajo, un hábito), renunciar
- You meant:
- to remove / to take off
Quit your coat, it's warm inside.
Take your coat off, it's warm inside.
record
Looks like recordar
- Actually means:
- grabar, registrar
- You meant:
- to remember / to remind
I don't record his name.
I don't remember his name.
remove
Looks like remover
- Actually means:
- quitar, retirar
- You meant:
- to stir
Remove the sauce for two minutes.
Stir the sauce for two minutes.
resume
Looks like resumir
- Actually means:
- reanudar, retomar
- You meant:
- to summarise
Could you resume the report in one paragraph?
Could you summarise the report in one paragraph?
topic
Looks like tópico
- Actually means:
- tema
- You meant:
- cliché
Saying Spain is all sun and beaches is a topic.
Saying Spain is all sun and beaches is a cliché.
lecture
Looks like lectura
- Actually means:
- conferencia, clase magistral
- You meant:
- reading
The lecture of this book took me a month.
Reading this book took me a month.
notice
Looks like noticia
- Actually means:
- aviso; darse cuenta de algo
- You meant:
- news / a news story
Did you see the notice about the strike on TV?
Did you see the news about the strike on TV?
carpet
Looks like carpeta
- Actually means:
- alfombra, moqueta
- You meant:
- folder
I saved the invoices in a carpet on my desktop.
I saved the invoices in a folder on my desktop.
rope
Looks like ropa
- Actually means:
- cuerda
- You meant:
- clothes
I need to wash my rope this weekend.
I need to wash my clothes this weekend.
fabric
Looks like fábrica
- Actually means:
- tela, tejido
- You meant:
- factory
He works in a car fabric near Valencia.
He works in a car factory near Valencia.
The ones that survive into C1
These survive because they almost work. You get them right ninety per cent of the time and nobody corrects the other ten.
compromise
Looks like compromiso (obligación)
- Actually means:
- acuerdo en el que ambas partes ceden
- You meant:
- commitment / obligation
I can't make it — I have a compromise on Friday.
I can't make it — I have a commitment on Friday.
deception
Looks like decepción
- Actually means:
- engaño
- You meant:
- disappointment
The result was a real deception for the team.
The result was a real disappointment for the team.
disgust
Looks like disgusto
- Actually means:
- asco, repugnancia
- You meant:
- annoyance / upset
She took a big disgust when she heard the news.
She was very upset when she heard the news.
familiar
Looks like familiar (pariente)
- Actually means:
- conocido, que resulta reconocible
- You meant:
- relative / family member
I'm staying with a familiar in Dublin.
I'm staying with a relative in Dublin.
conductor
Looks like conductor (de coche)
- Actually means:
- director de orquesta; revisor de tren
- You meant:
- driver
The bus conductor missed the turning.
The bus driver missed the turning.
intoxicated
Looks like intoxicado
- Actually means:
- ebrio, borracho
- You meant:
- to have food poisoning
Half the guests were intoxicated by the seafood.
Half the guests got food poisoning from the seafood.
ultimately
Looks like últimamente
- Actually means:
- en última instancia, a fin de cuentas
- You meant:
- lately / recently
Ultimately I've been sleeping badly.
Lately I've been sleeping badly.
idiom
Looks like idioma
- Actually means:
- modismo, expresión hecha
- You meant:
- language
How many idioms do you speak?
How many languages do you speak?
estate
Looks like estado
- Actually means:
- finca, propiedad; patrimonio
- You meant:
- state
The estate should pay for public healthcare.
The state should pay for public healthcare.
advertisement
Looks like advertencia
- Actually means:
- anuncio publicitario
- You meant:
- warning
There's an advertisement on the bottle about the dosage.
There's a warning on the bottle about the dosage.
fluvia.chat — Spanish–English false friends
Recognising them is half of it. Not saying them is the other half.
Reading the list warns you. What stops them slipping out is using them out loud and being corrected on the spot — which is exactly what Fluvia does.