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

False friends, or false cognates, are words in different languages that look similar but have different meanings. In Spanish, several false friends can lead to misunderstandings or embarrassing situations for English speakers. Here are some common examples:

1. Embarazada vs. Embarrassed

   • Embarazada means “pregnant,” not “embarrassed.” To express embarrassment, use avergonzado/a or me da vergüenza ^{1, 2, 3}.

2. Molestar vs. Molest

   • Molestar means “to bother” or “to annoy,” whereas “molest” in English has a much more serious connotation of sexual abuse ^{1, 6}.

3. Ropa vs. Rope

   • Ropa means “clothing,” not “rope.” The correct word for rope is cuerda ^{3, 5}.

4. Librería vs. Library

   • Librería refers to a “bookstore,” while “library” translates to biblioteca ^{1, 4, 6}.

5. Éxito vs. Exit

   • Éxito means “success,” not “exit.” The word for exit is salida ^{1, 6}.

6. Sensible vs. Sensible

   • In Spanish, sensible means “sensitive,” while the English “sensible” translates to sensato ^{1, 5, 6}.

7. Constipado vs. Constipated

   • Constipado means having a cold, while “constipated” translates to estreñido ^{4, 6}.

8. Actualmente vs. Actually

   • Actualmente means “currently,” not “actually.” For actually, use realmente or en realidad ².

9. Carpeta vs. Carpet

   • Carpeta means “folder,” not “carpet.” The Spanish word for carpet is alfombra ^{1, 6}.

10. Introducir vs. Introduce

    • Introducir often means “to insert,” while to introduce someone is presentar ^{4, 6}.

These false friends can lead to amusing or awkward situations if misunderstood, so it’s important for language learners to be aware of them to avoid potential pitfalls in communication.

References

• Spanish False Cognates: 9 words that will trip you up

• Beware These 7 False Friends in Spanish! - Entrelenguas

• 10 Embarrassing False Cognates in Spanish - Speechling

• 20 Surprising Spanish False Friends You Should Be Aware Of

• False Friends and Common Mixups in Spanish - Chatterblog

• 20 Spanish-English false friends you must learn

• 17 Embarrassingly Funny False Friends in Spanish to Avoid