FALSE FRIENDS O FALSOS AMIGOS

What are false friends?

We call False Friends, or Falso Amigo, to those English words which look similar to
other words in Spanish, but they differ significantly in meaning.
For instance, to be constipated has nothing to do with estar constipado, which means to
have a cold. Being constipated means estar estreido.
Another good example is the English word Conductor, which refers to the person who
directs an orchestra, and the Spanish word Conductor which refers to the person who drives
a vehicle.
Below is a list with the most common false friends.
FALSE FRIEND

It means

and not

which is

actually /ktuli/

en realidad

actualmente

nowadays /nadez/

agenda /dend/

orden del da

agenda

diary /dari/

apology /pldi/

disculpa

apologa

defense of /dfens v/

arena /rin/

estadio

arena

sand /snd/

argument /jumnt/

discusin

argumento

plot /plt/

assist /sst/

ayudar

asistir

attend /tend/

avocado/vkd/

aguacate

abogado

lawyer/attorney /ljr/ /tni/

billion /bln/

mil millones

billn

trillon /trln/

bland /blnd/

soso

blando

soft /sft/

camp /kmp/

campamento

campo:

field /fild/

career /kr/

carrera profesional

carrera universitaria

degree /dri/

carpet /kpt/

moqueta

carpeta

file /fal/

casualty /klti/

vctima

casualidad

coincidence /knsdns/

college /kld/

universidad

colegio

school /skul/

commodity /kmdti/

producto

comodidad

comfort /kmft/

complexin /kmplekn/

tono de la piel, tez

complexin

build, constitution /bld/ /knsttjun/

compliment /kmplment/

piropo

complemento

accessory /ksesri/

conductor /kndkt/

director orquesta

conductor

driver /drav/

constipation /knstpen/

estreimiento

constipado

cold /kld/

contest /kntest/

concurso

contestar

answer /ns/

currant /krnt/

grosella

currante

worker /wk/

curse /k3s/

maldicin

curso

course /ks/

deception /dsepn/

engao

decepcin

disappointment /dspontmnt/

dessert /dzt/

postre

desierto

desert /dezt/

dinner /dn/

cena

dinero

money /mni/

discussion /dskn/

debate

discusin

argument /jumnt/

disgust /dsst/

asco

disgusto

displease /dspliz/

FALSE FRIENDS O FALSOS AMIGOS

diversion /davn/

desviacin

diversin

fun /fn/

embarrassed /mbrst/

avergonzado

embarazada

pregnant /prennt/

eventually /ventli/

a largo plazo

eventualmente

occasionally /kenli/

excite /ksat/

emocionar

excitar

arouse /raz/

exit /ekst/

salida

xito

success /skses/

fabric /fbrk/

tejido

fbrica

factory /fktri/

facilities /fsltz/

instalaciones

facilidad

ease/ability /iz/ /blti/

horn /hn/

cuerno

horno

oven /vn/

influenza /nflenz/

gripe

influencia

influence /nflns/

introduce /ntrdjus/

presentar a alguien

introducir

insert /ns3t/

jam /dm/

mermelada

jamn

ham /hm/

large /ld/

grande

largo

long /l/

lecture /lekt/

conferencia

lectura

reading /rid/

lentil /lentl/

lenteja

lentilla

contact lenses /kntkt lenzz/

library /labrri/

biblioteca

librera

bookshop /bkp/

misery /mzri/

tristeza

miseria

poverty /pvti/

molest /mlest/

agredir

molestar

bother /b/

notice /nts/

nota, anuncio

noticia

news /njuz/

once /wns/

una vez

11

eleven /levn/

parents /pernts/

padres

parientes

relatives /reltvz/

preservative /przvtv/

conservante

preservativo/condn

condom /kndm/

pretend /prtend/

aparentar

pretender

expect /kspekt/

relative /reltv/

pariente

relativo

relative /reltv/

remove /rmuv/

quitar

remover

stir /st3/

resume /rzjum/

reanudar

resumir

summarize /smraz/

rope /rp/

cuerda

ropa

clothes /klz |/

sanity /snti/

cordura

sanidad

health /hel/

sensible /sensbl/

sensato

sensible

sensitive /senstv/

sensitive /senstv/

sensible

sensitivo

sensible /sensbl/

spectacles /spektklz/

gafas

espectculo

show //

soap /sp/

jabn

sopa

soup /sup/

support /spt/

sostener

soportar

put up with /pt p w/

sympathy /smpi/

compasin

simpata

friendliness /frendlns/

realise /rlaz/

darse cuenta

realizar

make /mek/

topic /tpk/

tema

tpico

clich /klie/

record /rkd/

grabar

recordar

remember /rmemb/

Fuente: http://aprendeinglessila.com/, http://mentalfloss.com/