Voices en Español presents…

101 Falsos Amigos, Vol. 1

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Introd uct ion
Falsos amigos are Spanish words that look very similar to English words but they have a
different meaning. The classic example is the Spanish word embarazada. It’s spelled
almost exactly like the English word embarrassed. But there are countless people who
have learned the funny way that to be embarazada in Spanish means to be pregnant, not
to feel ashamed.

In this guide you will find 101 Spanish-English falsos amigos, or false cognates as they
are formally called in English. Spanish words and phrases are written in red italics. The
list is presented in alphabetical order, so a handful of words are repeated to be sure that
they are covered in both spellings. For example, cuestión and question.

There are more than 101 false cognates between Spanish and English languages. That’s
why this is called Volume 1. I will eventually put out a Volume 2. But this list will give
you a good overview of some of the most common ones.

Saludos desde Madrid,

Eleena from Voices en Español

Email: voicesenespanol@gmail.com
Web site: www.voicesenespanol.com

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A
1. actual: current

2. actual: verdadero

3. actualmente: currently, presently

4. actually: en realidad, en efecto

5. advertencia: a warning, a piece of advice

6. advertisement: anuncio

7. americano: Someone or something from North, Central or South

America

8. american: estadounidense (someone or something from the

United States)

9. aplicar: to apply, to attach

10. to apply for a job: solicitar

11. arena: sand

12. arena: estadio, plaza, anfíteatro

13. argumento: a line of reasoning

14. argument: pelea, discusión

15. asistir: to attend

16. to assist: ayudar

17. atender: to take care of

18. to attend: asistir

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B
19. billión: trillion (in U.S. English)

20. billion: mil millones

C
21. campo: countryside

22. camp: campamento

23. cargo: position, charge

24. cargo: cargamento, carga

25. carpeta: file, folder

26. carpet: alfombra

27. carrera: a race or university studies

28. career: profesión

29. colegio: primary or secondary school or sometimes used for

organizations that represent licensed professionals.

30. college: universidad

31. compromiso: commitment

32. compromise: concesión

33. conveniente: suitable, fitting, useful

34. convenient: cómodo, práctico

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35. constipación, estar constipado: a cold, to have a cold

36. constipation, to be constipated: estreñimiento; estar estreñido

37. cuestión: an issue or matter to be resolved

38. question: pregunta

39. culto: refined, well-educated

40. cult: secta

D
41. decepción: disappointment

42. deception: engaño

43. defraudar: to disappoint, to let someone down

44. to defraud: estafar

45. discutir: to argue, to debate

46. to discuss: hablar de, tratar de

E
47. educado: polite, well-mannered

48. educated, refined: culto

49. educación: upbringing

50. education: formación, enseñanza

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51. embarazada: pregnant

52. embarrassed: avergonzado

to be embarrassed: tener vergüenza

53. emocionante: exciting, thrilling

54. emotional: afectivo, emotivo, conmovedor, sensible

55. excitante: stimulating (often in a sexual sense)

exciting: emocionante

56. eventualmente: finally

57. eventually: con el tiempo

58. éxito: success

59. exit: salida

F
60. fábrica: factory

61. fabric: tela, tejido

62. familiar (en español): family, a relative

63. familiar (in English): conocido, común

64. firma: signature

65. firm (as a noun): empresa, companía (or bufete for law firm)
firm (as an adjective): firme, duro

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G
66. grabar: to record (like an audio recording)

67. to grab : arrebatar (or coger, but use coger only in Spain)

68. gracioso: funny or amusing

69. gracious: gentil, cortés

H
70. honesto: decent, honorable

71. honest: honrado, recto, sincero

I
72. ignorar: to be unaware of

73. to ignore: no hacer caso de

L
74. librería: bookstore

75. library: biblioteca

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M
76. mama (en español): breast

77. mama (in English): madre, mamá

78. mayor (en español): as an adjective it means main, major,

greater, older. As a noun it can mean adult or ancestor.

79. mayor (in English): alcalde

O
80. once (en español): eleven (11)

81. once (in English): una vez

P
82. parientes = relatives, family members

83. parents padres

Q
question: pregunta
cuestíon: an issue or matter to be resolved

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R
84. realizar: to carry out, to accomplish

85. to realize: darse cuenta de

86. real (en español): royal

87. real (in English): verdadero

S
88. sensible (en español): sensitive

89. sensible (in English): sensato, prudente

90. sentencia: court verdict

91. sentence: frase, oración

92. sopa: soup

93. soap: jabón

94. suceder: to happen, to come next

95. to succeed: triunfar, tener éxito

96. suceso: event, happening

97. success: éxito

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T
98. tuna: a prickly pear cactus or a student musical group

99: tuna (English word for a type of fish): atún

V
100: vaso: glass

101: vase: jarrón, florero

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