False cognates in Spanish can lead language learners down a path of misunderstanding and garbled communication. Learn the proper meaning of these words that only appear to have direct English equivalents. A vocabulary download is available.
A Brief Definition
False cognates are words that appear to be similar in two languages but actually have completely different meanings. For instance, English speakers encountering the Spanish infinitive asistir for the first time would likely assume it means “to assist”. However, the verb actually means “to attend”. In Spanish, false cognates are often referred to as falsos amigos or “false friends”.
Vocabulary List
All false cognates are paired with the correct translation of the word to which they appear similar.
la advertencia – warning
advertisement – el anuncio
asistir – to attend
to assist – ayudar
la boda – wedding
body – el cuerpo
el campo – field or country
camp - el campamento
to camp - acampar
la carpeta – folder
carpet – la alfombra
el colegio – school or high school
college – la universidad
colorado(a) – red
colored – de color
contestar – to answer
contest (competition) – el concurso, la competencia or la competición
contest (to speak out against) – refutar or protestar contra
la desgracia – misfortune
disgrace (dishonor) – la deshonra
embarazada – pregnant
to be embarrassed – tener vergüenza / darse vergüenza
emocionante – exciting or thrilling
emotional – emocional or afectivo
el éxito – success
exit – la salida
la fábrica – factory
fabric – la tela
el fútbol – soccer
football – el fútbol americano
el idioma – language
idiom – el modismo
largo(a) – long
large – grande
la lectura – reading
lecture – la conferencia (formal presentation), la charla (informal talk), or la clase (class period)
la librería – bookstore
library – la biblioteca
mayor – main, major, older, larger (la mayor parte de/the majority of)
mayor (government official) – el alcalde/la alcaldesa
el nombre – name or noun
number – el número
once – eleven
once (a single time) – una vez
el pan – bread
pan – la cacerola, la olla, el cazo or la sartén
los parientes – relatives
parents –los padres
el pie – foot
pie – el pastel
presente – present (in a place or current time)
present (gift) – el regalo
la receta – recipe
receipt – el recibo
recordar – to remember
to record – grabar
la ropa – clothing
rope – la cuerda
sano(a) – safe
sane – cuerdo(a)
la sopa – soup
soap – el jabón
suceder – to happen or to occur
to succeed - tener éxito (to have success) or lograr (to achieve)
el vaso – drinking glass
vase – el florero or el jarrón
More Help
For easy reference, download the accompanying vocabulary list of false cognates in Spanish .
