What are some common false friends in Spanish that can lead to embarrassing situations

Some common false friends in Spanish that can lead to embarrassing situations include:

• Embarazada ≠ Embarrassed: “Embarazada” actually means “pregnant,” not “embarrassed.” Saying “Estoy embarazada” means “I am pregnant,” while “I am embarrassed” is “Estoy avergonzado/a”. ^{1, 4, 6}

• Fábrica ≠ Fabric: “Fábrica” means “factory,” not fabric. The word for fabric is “tela”. ^{12, 1}

• Actualmente ≠ Actually: “Actualmente” means “currently,” not “actually.” The Spanish equivalent for “actually” is “de hecho” or “en realidad”. ^{6, 1}

• Librería ≠ Library: “Librería” means “bookstore,” not library. The correct term for library is “biblioteca”. ^{1, 6}

• Constipado ≠ Constipated: “Constipado” means “having a cold,” not constipated. The word for constipated is “estreñido”. ^{7, 1}

• Molestar ≠ Molest: “Molestar” means “to bother,” but it does not carry the serious connotation of “molest” in English. ⁷

• Éxito ≠ Exit: “Éxito” means “success,” not exit; “salida” is exit. ⁷

• Carpeta ≠ Carpet: “Carpeta” means “folder,” not carpet. ^{4, 12}

• Ropa ≠ Rope: “Ropa” means “clothes,” not rope (which is “cuerda”). ⁴

• Sensible ≠ Sensible: In Spanish “sensible” means “sensitive,” while “sensato” means “sensible” (practical). ^{12, 4}

Using these words incorrectly can lead to humorous or embarrassing misunderstandings, such as saying you are pregnant instead of embarrassed, asking for a library but ending up in a bookstore, or confusing success with an exit sign.

References

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• 20 Spanish-English false friends you must learn

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• 100 False Friends In English And Spanish (With Examples)

• “Embarrassed” and «embarazada» and other false friends

• List of False Friends Between Spanish and English

• 17 Embarrassingly Funny False Friends in Spanish to Avoid