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Common false friends English→Spanish to watch for visualisation

Common false friends English→Spanish to watch for

Conquer Spanish: Essential Test Mistakes to Sidestep: Common false friends English→Spanish to watch for
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Common false friends between English and Spanish are words that look or sound similar in both languages but have different meanings, and these can easily cause confusion or embarrassing mistakes. Here are some of the most important false friends to watch for:

  • Embarazada (Spanish: pregnant) vs. Embarrassed (English: avergonzada). Saying “Estoy embarazada” means “I am pregnant,” not “I am embarrassed.”
  • Molestar (Spanish: to bother) vs. Molest (English: to abuse sexually). These sound similar but have very different meanings.
  • Constipado (Spanish: to have a cold) vs. Constipated (English: having difficulty in bowel movement).
  • Éxito (Spanish: success) vs. Exit (English: salida).
  • Nudo (Spanish: knot) vs. Nude (English: desnudo).
  • Carpeta (Spanish: folder) vs. Carpet (English: alfombra).
  • Colegio (Spanish: high school) vs. College (English: universidad).
  • Actual (Spanish: current) vs. Actual (English: real).
  • Librería (Spanish: bookstore) vs. Library (English: biblioteca).
  • Ropa (Spanish: clothes) vs. Rope (English: cuerda).
  • Sano (Spanish: healthy) vs. Sane (English: cuerdo).
  • Sensible (Spanish: sensitive) vs. Sensible (English: practical).
  • Introducir (Spanish: to insert) vs. Introduce (English: to present someone).
  • Preocupado (Spanish: worried) vs. Preoccupied (English: distracted).
  • Pretender (Spanish: to attempt or woo) vs. Pretend (English: to fake).

These false friends illustrate why context and careful study are important to avoid misunderstandings in Spanish-English communication.

References

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