Spanish False Friends

15 Spanish 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 Spanish. A word that looks familiar can mean something wildly different — and sometimes hilariously inappropriate.

embarazada≠ embarrassed

Actually means: pregnant

'Avergonzado/a' means embarrassed

Tip: EMBARAZADA = PREGNANT, not embarrassed! Classic trap.

éxito≠ exit

Actually means: success

'Salida' means exit

Tip: ÉXITO = SUCCESS, not exit! The exit = salida.

carpeta≠ carpet

Actually means: folder/binder

'Alfombra' means carpet

Tip: CARPETA = folder/binder, not carpet (alfombra)

constipado≠ constipated

Actually means: having a cold

'Estreñido' means constipated

Tip: CONSTIPADO = having a cold, not constipated (estreñido)

sensible≠ sensible

Actually means: sensitive

'Sensato' means sensible

Tip: SENSIBLE = sensitive, not sensible (sensato/razonable)

actual≠ actual

Actually means: current/present

'Real/verdadero' means actual

Tip: ACTUAL = current/present, not actual (real/verdadero)

realizar≠ realize

Actually means: to carry out/accomplish

'Darse cuenta' means to realize

Tip: REALIZAR = to carry out/accomplish, not realize (darse cuenta)

librería≠ library

Actually means: bookshop

'Biblioteca' means library

recordar≠ record

Actually means: to remember

'Grabar' means to record

soportar≠ support

Actually means: to tolerate/endure

'Apoyar' means to support

largo≠ large

Actually means: long

'Grande' means large

Tip: LARGO = LONG, not large! Large = grande.

asistir≠ assist

Actually means: to attend

'Ayudar' means to assist

pretender≠ pretend

Actually means: to aim/intend/try

'Fingir' means to pretend

Tip: PRETENDER = to aim for/try, not pretend (fingir)

ropa≠ rope

Actually means: clothes

'Cuerda' means rope

molestar≠ molest

Actually means: to bother/annoy

Much milder than English meaning

Tip: MOLESTAR = to bother/annoy, not to molest (acosar)

Related Resources

Spanish–English Cognates

Words that DO mean the same thing

Spanish Pronunciation Guide

Master Spanish sounds with your accent

French False Friends

Compare with another language

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Spanish false friends?▾

False friends (faux amis) are Spanish words that look or sound like English words but have completely different meanings. For example, "embarazada" looks like "embarrassed" but actually means "pregnant".

How many Spanish false friends are there?▾

We've catalogued 15 common Spanish–English false friends. These are the words most likely to cause confusion for English speakers learning Spanish.

How do I avoid Spanish false friend mistakes?▾

The best approach is awareness. Study this list, pay attention to context, and when a Spanish word looks too familiar, double-check its meaning. My Accént includes false friends training in our Spanish lessons.

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