Cognates or false friends: English and Spanish share a lot of words that are alike in form due to their

Latin
origin; when such similar-looking words have very different meanings, they are called cognates or false friends.

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH MEANING ENGLISH WORD ENGLISH MEANING

ACTUAL current, contemporary, present-day ACTUAL real, effective
ARGUMENTO plot ARGUMENT discussion
ASISTIR to ATTEND, be present at ASSIST to help
BLANDO soft BLAND mild, pleasant
CARRERA universitaria degree CAREER professional occupation
CASUALIDAD coincidence, chance CASUALTY victim
COLEGIO school COLLEGE university
COMPLEMENTO accessory COMPLIMENT praise
CONFERENCIA lecture CONFERENCE congress
CONTESTAR to answer CONTEST (v.) to argue against
CORRIENTE common CURRENT contemporary
DESIERTO desert DESSERT sweet food
DORMITORIO bedroom DORMITORY residence hall
EMBARAZADA pregnant EMBARRASSED ashamed
ESTRECHAR to narrow STRETCH to become longer, expand
ÉXITO success, hit EXIT sortie
FÁBRICA factory FABRIC cloth
FACILIDAD easiness FACILITIES installations
GROSERÍA grossness, crudeness GROCERY food store
to present one person to
INTRODUCIR insert INTRODUCE someone another for the first time
LECTURA reading LECTURE talk, speech
LIBRERÍA bookstore LIBRARY reading room
MOLESTAR annoy MOLEST (sexually) abuse
NUDO knot NUDE naked person
PARADA stop PARADE march
PARIENTE relative PARENT mother or father

1
PREOCUPADO worried PREOCCUPIED absent-minded
conservatory, chemical
PRESERVATIVO condom PRESERVATIVE agent
REALIZAR to come true REALIZE to (clearly) understand
SANO healthy SANE lucid, sound-minded
SENSIBLE sensitive SENSIBLE reasonable
SOPORTAR to tolerate, to put up with SUPPORT to back up, to stand by
SUCESO event SUCCESS hit, triumph
SIMPATÍA friendliness SYMPATHY compassion
ESPACTÁCULO show SPECTACLES (reading) glasses
ULTIMAMENTE recently ULTIMATELY finally, at last, in the end
VASO drinking glass VASE urn, flower holder

*You should also check this link: http://www.thelocal.es/galleries/culture/funny-false-friends