Web Translation Projects/English-Spanish, Spanish-English Translation/English-Spanish false friends

False friends, also called bilingual homophones are words in two or more languages that look or sound similar but differ significantly in meaning. The origin of the term is as a shortened version of the expression "false friend of a translator", the English translation of a French expression (French: faux amis du traducteur) introduced by linguists Maxime Kœssler and Jules Derocquigny in their 1928 book.

The list below provides some of the most common English-Spanish false friends.

Spanish word (English translation) – Similar English word (Spanish translation)

A

actual (current, present-day) – actual (real, efectivo)

americano (person from North or South America) – american (estadounidense)

aprension (fear) – apprehension (comprensión)

asistir (to attend, be present at or assist) – asist (ayudar)

atender (to pay attention) – attend (asistir)

B

balde (bucket) – bald (calvo)

basamento (base of a clumn) – basement (sótano)

bigote (moustache) – bigot (intolerante, prejuicio)

billón ((US) trillion, (UK) billion) – billion (mil millones)

bizarro (dashing, brave, gallant) – bizarre (extraño)

boda (wedding) – body (cuerpo)

bombero (firefighter) – bomber (bombardero)

C

campo (countryside) – camp (campamento)

carpeta (folder) – carpet (alfombra)

chocar (strike, collide) – choke (ahogar)

casualidad (coincidence, chance) – casualty (victima)

cita (appointment) – city (cuidad)

codo (elbow) – code (codígo)

colegio (high school) – college (universidad)

complexión (physical constitution) – complexion (tez)

constipación (cold) – constipation (estreñimiento)

constipado (a cold) – constipated (estreñido)

contestar (to answer) – contest (concurso)

corresponder (to correspond to) – correspond with (escribir)

corrientemente (simply, without difficulty or contradiction) – currently (actualmente)

D

delito (crime) – delight (delicia, deleite)

desgracia (mistake, misfortune) – disgrace (vergüenza)

disgusto (annoyance, worry) – disgust (asco, repugnancia)

decepción (disappointment) – deseption (engaño)

despertar (to awake) – desperate (desesperado)

destituido (fired, deprived) – destitute (indigente)

dormitorio (bedroom) – dormitory (residencia, universitaria)

E

embarazada (pregnant) – embarrassed (avergonzada)

empresa (business enterprise, company) – empress (emperatríz)

enviar (to send) – envy (envidiar)

estrechar (to narrow, bring closer together) – stretch (estirar, alargar)

estimado (appreciated) – estimate (estimación, presupuesto)

éxito (success, hit) – exit (salida)

F / G / I

fábrica (factory) – fabric (tela)

fútil (insignificant) – futile (inútil)

ganga (bargain) – gang (pandilla)

grosería (coarseness, rudeness) – grocery (abarrotería, tienda de comestibles)

introducir (insert) – introduce (presentar)

L

largo (long) – large (grande)

lectura (reading) – lecture (conferencia)

librería (bookstore) – library (biblioteca)

M / N / O

mantel (tablecloth) – mantel (manto, mesilla)

molestar (bother) – molest (abusar, sexualmente)

nudo (knot) – nude (desnudo)

once (eleven) – once (una vez)

P

parada (stop, bus-stop) – parade (desfile)

pariente (relative) – parent (padre)

planta (level) – plant (fábrica)

pie (foot) – pie (pastel)

pretender (to attempt, to woo) – pretend (fingir)

preocupado (worried) – preoccupied (distraído)

R

rapista (barber) – rapist (violador)

realizar (perform) – realize (darse cuenta)

recordar (to remember, to remind) – record (grabar)

ropa (clothes) – rope (cuerda)

S

sano (healthy) – sane (cuerdo)

sensible (sensitive) – sensible (sensato)

sopa (soup) – soap (jabón)

soportar (tolerate, put up with) – support (apoyar)

suceso (event) – success (éxito)

T / U / V

tuna (prickly pear) – tuna (atún)

últimamente (recently) – ultimately (al final)

vaso (drinking glass) – vase (jarrón, florero)