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The big list of “False Friends” Spanish – English

“False Friends” in Spanish for English native speakers

False Friends – we all know this problem! False Friends are words that sound very similar in your
mother tongue but unfortunately mean something totally different. Watch out, in Spanish there
are lots of these false friends.

Our list contains more than 60 False Friends! Do you know them all? Have a look at our list and
don’t get on the wrong track!

The big list:

Spanish Word Similar English Word

(English Translation) (Spanish Translation)

A A

actual (current, present-day) actual (real, efectivo)

americano (person from North or american (estadounidense)

South America)

aprension (fear) apprehension (comprensión)

asistir (to attend, be present at or assist) asist (ayudar)

atender (to pay attention) attend (asistir)

B B
 balde (bucket) bald (clavo)

basamento (base of a clumn) basement ( sótano)

bigote (moustache) bigot ( intolerante, prejuicio)

billón ((US) trillion, (UK) billion) billion (mil millones)

bizarro (dashing, brave, gallant) bizarre (extraño)

boda (wedding) body (cuerpo)

bombero (firefighter) bomber (bombardero)

C C

campo (countryside) camp (campamento)

carpeta (folder) carpet (alfombra)

chocar (strike,collide) choke (ahogar)

casualidad (coincidence, chance) casualty (victima)

a
cita (appointment) city (ciudad)
d

codo (elbow) code (codígo) h

k
colegio (high school) college (universidad) y

N
complexión (physical constitution) complexion (tez)

constipación (cold) constipation (estreñimiento)

constipado (a cold) constipated (estreñido)

contestar (to answer) contest (concurso)

corresponder (to correspond to) correspond with (escribir)

 corrientemente (Simply,without currently (actualmente)
difficulty or contradiction)

D D

delito (crime) delight (delicia, deleite)

desgracia (mistake, misfortune) disgrace (vergüenza)

disgusto (annoyance, worry) disgust (asco, repugnancia)

decepción (disappointment) deseption (engaño)

despertar (to awake) desperate (desesperado)

destituido (fired, deprived) destitute (indigente)

dormitorio (bedroom) dormitory (residencia, universitaria)

E E

embarazada (pregnant) embarrassed (avergonzada)

empresa (business enterprise, company) empress (emperatríz)

enviar (to send) envy (envidiar)

estrechar (to narrow, bring closer together) stretch (estirar, alargar)

estimado (appreciated) estimate (estimación, presupuesto)

éxito (success, hit) exit (salida)

F/G/I F/G/I

fábrica (factory) fabric (tela)

fútil (insignificant) futile (inútil)

 ganga (bargain) gang (pandilla)

grosería (coarseness, rudeness) grocery (abarrotería, tienda de comestibles)

introducir (insert) introduce (presentar)

L L

largo (long) large (grande)

lectura (reading) lecture (conferencia)

librería (bookstore) library (biblioteca)

M/N/O M/N/O

mantel (tablecloth) mantel (manto, mesilla)

molestar (bother) molest (abusar, sexualmente)

nudo (knot) nude (desnudo)

once (eleven) once (una vez)

P P

parada (stop, bus-stop) parade (desfile)

pariente (relative) parent (padre)

planta (edificio) plant (fábrica)

pie (foot) pie (pastel)

pretender (to attempt, to woo) pretend (fingir)

preocupado (worried) preoccupied (distraído)

 R R

rapista (barber) rapist (violador)

realizar (perform) realize (darse cuenta)

recordar (to remember, to remind) record (grabar)

ropa (clothes) rope (cuerda)

S S

sano (healthy) sane (cuerdo)

sensible (sensetive) sensible (sensato)

sopa (soup) soap (jabón)

soportar (tolerate, put up with) support (apoyar)

suceso (event) success (éxito)

T/U/V T/U/V

tuna (prickly pear) tuna (atún)

últimamente (recently) ultimately (al final)

vaso (drinking glass) vase (jarrón, florero)

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