False friends
"False friends" are words that are confusing for learners of a second language because they look similar in both languages but have different meanings. There are lots of "false friends" in Spanish and English. For example, an English speaker might see the adjective embarazada written in Spanish and wrongly think it means embarrassed, but the actual meaning of embarazada is pregnant.
Here is a table with some of the most common false friends for Spanish and English speakers:
| SPANISH | ENGLISH | ENGLISH | SPANISH |
| contento/-a | happy | content | satisfecho/-a |
| recordar | to remember | to record | grabar |
| pretender | to hope/expect | to pretend | fingir |
| realizar | to do/carry out | to realise/ize | darse cuenta de |
| soportar |
to be able to stand/ put up with (a person) |
to support | apoyar |
| fábrica | factory | fabric | tela |
| decepción | disappointment | deception | un engaño |
| embarazada | pregnant | embarrassed | avergonzado/-a |
| constipado/-a | having a cold | constipated | estreñido/-a |
| largo/-a | long | large | grande |
| sopa | soup | soap | jabón |
| parientes | relatives | parents | padres |
| sensible | sensitive | sensible | sensato |
| librería | bookshop | library | biblioteca |
| actualmente | currently | actually | en realidad |
| carpeta | folder | carpet | moqueta/alfombra |
| costumbre | habit | costume | disfraz |
| advertir | to warn | to advertise | anunciar |
| jamón | ham | jam | mermelada |
| éxito | success | exit | salida |
| preocupado/-a | worried | preoccupied | absorto/-a |
| ocupado/-a | busy | occupied | habitado/-a |
| asistir | to attend | to assist | ayudar |
| preservativo | condom | preservative | conservante |
Here are some examples:
- "asistir" means to attend, not to assist
No puedo asistir a la reunión.I can't attend the meeting.
- "embarazada" means pregnant, not embarrassed
¿Estás embarazada?Are you pregnant?
- "librería" means bookshop, not library
Voy a ir a la librería para comprar unos libros.I am going to the bookshop to buy some books.
- "carpeta" means folder, not carpet
Pon los papeles en la carpeta.Put the papers in the folder.
