False Friends: Comprehensive Guide

False friends (falsos amigos) are words that look similar in Spanish and English but have different meanings. Learning these prevents embarrassing mistakes.

Common False Friends

Actual vs Actually

Actual (Spanish) = current, present la situación actual (the current situation)

Actually (English) = en realidad, de hecho ❌ actualmente means "currently," not "actually"

Embarazada

Embarazada = pregnant (NOT embarrassed!) Está embarazada. (She's pregnant.)

Embarrassed = avergonzado/a Estoy avergonzado. (I'm embarrassed.)

Sopa vs Soap

Sopa = soup Soap = jabón

Éxito vs Exit

Éxito = success Fue un éxito. (It was a success.)

Exit = salida

Realizar vs Realize

Realizar = to carry out, accomplish Realizar un proyecto (to carry out a project)

Realize (understand) = darse cuenta de Me di cuenta de que... (I realized that...)

Constipado

Constipado = having a cold Estoy constipado. (I have a cold.)

Constipated = estreñido/a

More False Friends

largo = long (not large = grande) sensible = sensitive (not sensible = sensato) éxito = success (not exit = salida) fábrica = factory (not fabric = tela) lectura = reading (not lecture = conferencia)

Practice