My AccéntMy Accént
← Italian Pronunciation Guide

Italian False Friends

15 Italian words that look like English but mean something completely different. Don't let these tricky words catch you off guard.

False friends (faux amis) are one of the biggest sources of embarrassing mistakes for English speakers learning Italian. A word that looks familiar can mean something wildly different — and sometimes hilariously inappropriate.

camera≠ camera

Actually means: room (as in bedroom)

'Macchina fotografica' or 'fotocamera' means camera

Tip: CAMERA = room, not camera! Camera (photo) = macchina fotografica.

parenti≠ parents

Actually means: relatives

'Genitori' means parents

firma≠ firm (company)

Actually means: signature

'Ditta/azienda' means firm/company

Tip: FIRMA = signature OR company, not firm/solid (solido)

magazzino≠ magazine

Actually means: warehouse/storage

'Rivista' means magazine

Tip: MAGAZZINO = warehouse, not magazine (rivista)

morbido≠ morbid

Actually means: soft/gentle

'Morboso' means morbid

sensibile≠ sensible

Actually means: sensitive

'Sensato' means sensible — same false friend as Spanish

argomento≠ argument

Actually means: topic/subject

'Litigio/discussione' means argument

pretendere≠ pretend

Actually means: to demand/expect

'Fingere' means to pretend

casino≠ casino

Actually means: mess/brothel (vulgar)

'Casinò' (with accent) means casino — the accent changes everything!

Tip: CASINO = mess/chaos, not a gambling casino (casinò)

bravo≠ bravo (applause)

Actually means: good/clever/skilled

In Italian it's an everyday adjective, not just an exclamation

Tip: BRAVO = clever/good/brave, not just applause!

educato≠ educated

Actually means: polite/well-mannered

'Istruito/colto' means educated

libreria≠ library

Actually means: bookshop

'Biblioteca' means library — same false friend as Spanish

fattoria≠ factory

Actually means: farm

'Fabbrica' means factory

annoiato≠ annoyed

Actually means: bored

'Irritato/infastidito' means annoyed

confetti≠ confetti (paper bits)

Actually means: sugared almonds (wedding sweets)

'Coriandoli' means paper confetti

Tip: CONFETTI = sugared almonds (wedding sweets), not paper bits (coriandoli)!

Related Resources

Italian–English Cognates

Words that DO mean the same thing

Italian Pronunciation Guide

Master Italian sounds with your accent

French False Friends

Compare with another language

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Italian false friends?▾
False friends (faux amis) are Italian words that look or sound like English words but have completely different meanings. For example, "camera" looks like "camera" but actually means "room (as in bedroom)".
How many Italian false friends are there?▾
We've catalogued 15 common Italian–English false friends. These are the words most likely to cause confusion for English speakers learning Italian.
How do I avoid Italian false friend mistakes?▾
The best approach is awareness. Study this list, pay attention to context, and when a Italian word looks too familiar, double-check its meaning. My Accént includes false friends training in our Italian lessons.

Ready to Use Your Accent as a Shortcut?

My Accént detects your English accent and maps your existing sounds to Italian. Start learning in seconds — no subscription required.

Start Learning FreeTake the Accent Quiz