Spanish/English False Friends

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My favorite Spanish/English false friends (word pairs that look like they might mean the same thing but don't) are:

actually: en realidad vs actualmente:nowadays, at present
to apologise: disculparse vs apología: defence
carpet: alfombra vs carpeta: folder
cartoon: dibujos animados vs cartón: cardboard
casualty: víctima o herido vs casualidad: coincidence
contest: certamen,concurso vs contestar: to answer
deception: engaño,fraude vs decepción: disappointment
diversion: desviación vs diversión: fun,entertainment
exit: salida vs éxito: success
large: grande vs largo: long
lecture: conferencia,discurso vs lectura:reading
library: biblioteca vs librería: bookshop
luxury: lujo vs lujuria: lust
misery: sufrimiento, tristeza vs miseria: poverty
to quit: abandonar, dejar de vs quitar: to remove , to take off, to take away(steal)
relatives: familiares,parientes vs relativo: relative (adjective)
rope: cuerda, soga vs ropa: clothes
to realize: darse cuenta vs realizar: to make, to accomplish
soap: jabón vs sopa: soup
sympathetic: comprensivo, vs simpático: likeable, nice

P.D.¿Conocéis alguno más que sea bastante común entre ambos idiomas?

Usuario Principiante33

Salsa:

Sure - here's one:
constipated: estreñido vs constipado: a cold (to catch a cold)

Sometimes my Spanish students (who are learning to speak English with me) miss a class and explain it was because they were 'constipated'! (not realising what they have said, of course!)

I have done this the other way around as well when I was learning Spanish.
One thing for sure - you tend not to make the same mistake twice Emotion: surprise

Anna

Usuario Nuevo07

Anonymous:

I have this one:
molest: molestar, inquietar, vejar, faltar al respeto [a una mujer] VS molestar: disturb, annoy, displice, offend, to bother
Emy

Anonymous:

In my country, students usually confuse "noticia" and say "notice" when the correct word is "news."

Anonymous:

When trying to say "idioma," Spanish speakers say "idiom" instead of "language."

Jhumka:

Yes Anon ,both "idioma" and "lengua" both mean language in Spanish but "idioma" is masculine and lengua is "feminine",

"la lengua" and "el idioma"

Miembro Senior1,152

Anonymous:

to refrain (abstenerse) vs. refrán (proverb, saying)
embarrassed (avergonzado/-da) vs. embarazada (pregnant)
fabric (tela, tejido, estructura) vs. fábrica (factory)
preservative (conservante) vs. preservativo (condom)
cask (barril, tonel) vs. casco (helmet)
tenant (arrendatario, inquilino) vs. teniente (lieutenant)

Anonymous:

Most English learners confuse actual vs currently.
actual means: real and currently actualmente

Anonymous:

Very useful and interesting thread, thank you OP!

Spanish/English False Friends

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