FALSE FRIEND S 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 difer 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/
bland /blnd/

mil millones
soso

billn
blando

trillon /trln/
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/
commodity /kmdti/

universidad
producto

colegio
comodidad

school /skul/
comfort /kmft/

complexin /kmplekn/
compliment /kmplment/

tono de la piel, tez

piropo

complexin
complemento

build, constitution /bld/ /knsttjun/

accessory /ksesri/

conductor /kndkt/

director orquesta

conductor

driver /drav/

constipation /knstpen/

estreimiento

constipado

cold /kld/

contest /kntest/
currant /krnt/

concurso
grosella

contestar
currante

answer /ns/
worker /wk/

curse /k3s/
deception /dsepn/

maldicin
engao

curso
decepcin

course /ks/
disappointment /dspontmnt/

dessert /dzt/

postre

desierto

desert /dezt/

dinner /dn/

cena

dinero

money /mni/

FALSE FRIEND S O FALSOS

argument /jumnt/
AMIGOS discusin

discussion /dskn/

debate

disgust /dsst/

asco

disgusto

displease /dspliz/

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/
jam /dm/

presentar a alguien
mermelada

introducir
jamn

insert /ns3t/
ham /hm/

large /ld/

grande

largo

long /l/

lecture /lekt/

conferencia

lectura

reading /rid/

lentil /lentl/
library /labrri/

lenteja
biblioteca

lentilla
librera

contact lenses /kntkt lenzz/

bookshop /bkp/

misery /mzri/

tristeza

miseria

poverty /pvti/

molest /mlest/

agredir

molestar

bother /b/

notice /nts/
once /wns/

nota, anuncio
una vez

noticia
11

news /njuz/
eleven /levn/

parents /pernts/

padres

parientes

relatives /reltvz/

preservative /przvtv/

conservante

preservativo/condn

condom /kndm/

pretend /prtend/
relative /reltv/

aparentar
pariente

pretender
relativo

expect /kspekt/
relative /reltv/

remove /rmuv/
resume /rzjum/

quitar
reanudar

remover
resumir

stir /st3/
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/
support /spt/

jabn
sostener

sopa
soportar

soup /sup/
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.co m/, http://mentalfloss.com/