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What are the most tricky false friends in Spanish for English speakers visualisation

What are the most tricky false friends in Spanish for English speakers

False friends when learning Spanish: What are the most tricky false friends in Spanish for English speakers
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False friends, or “falsos amigos,” are words in Spanish and English that look or sound similar but have different meanings. These can be particularly tricky for English speakers learning Spanish. Here are some of the most challenging false friends:

  1. Actual/Actualmente vs. Actually

    • “Actualmente” in Spanish means “currently” or “at present,” not “actually.” The correct translation for “actually” is “realmente” 2.

  2. Carpeta vs. Carpet

    • In Spanish, “carpeta” refers to a folder or file holder, while “carpet” translates to “alfombra” 2.

  3. Asistir vs. Assist

    • “Asistir” means “to attend” or “be present at an event,” not “to help.” The word for “assist” in Spanish is “ayudar” 2.

  4. Embarazada vs. Embarrassed

    • “Embarazada” means “pregnant,” not “embarrassed.” The correct word for embarrassed in Spanish is “avergonzado/a” 3.

  5. Éxito vs. Exit

    • “Éxito” means “success,” while an exit (a way out) is translated as “salida” in Spanish 3.

  6. Estimado vs. Estimate

    • In Spanish, “estimado” means “esteemed” or “respected,” whereas an estimate (a calculation) is called an “estimación” 3.

  7. Empresa vs. Empress

    • “Empresa” refers to a company or business, while an empress (female ruler) is translated as “emperatriz” 3.

  8. Enviar vs. Envy

    • The Spanish word “enviar” means “to send,” not envy, which is translated as “envidiar” 3.

  9. Realizar vs. Realize

    • In Spanish, “realizar” means “to carry out” or “to do something,” not to realize (become aware), which is translated as “darse cuenta de” 4.

  10. Preservativos vs. Preservatives

    • In Spanish, “preservativos” refers to condoms, not preservatives (additives in food), which are called “conservantes” 4.

  11. Soportar vs. Support

    • The verb “soportar” means “to tolerate” or “to bear,” not to support someone emotionally or financially, which would be translated as “apoyar” 4.

  12. Largo vs. Large

    • In Spanish, “largo” means long in terms of length, not large in size; the correct term for large is “grande” 4.

These false friends can lead to misunderstandings if used incorrectly but mastering them will significantly improve your communication skills in Spanish!

References

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