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False Spanish English Cognates

Written by admin on October 25th, 2008

The convertible words between Spanish and English are called “cognates“. These Spanish English cognates usually have the same roots. The Spanish English cognates are a hidden gem for English speakers who are learning Spanish (or for Spanish speakers who are learning English).

However, there are also many “false Spanish English cognates“. These pairs of words look similar in Spanish and English but their actual meanings can be very different. It is not uncommon for English speakers to use these false cognate words incorrectly without knowing it. To avoid making such mistakes in Spanish, it is to the student’s advantage to learn and master these Spanish English false cognates.

Following is a list of 56 common false Spanish English cognates. You can download a PDF of this false Spanish English cognates list at the end of this page.

Word Explanation (if any)

advertencia
n. warning, piece of advice, reminder, or preface

advertisement

n. un anuncio

aguardar
to wait for
guard

guardar; defender; proteger

argumento
n. reasoning (as in a courtroom)

argument

n. 1) argumento (in the sense of reasoning);
2) discusión, pelea, disputa, or polémica (in the sense of disagreement)

asesor

n. advisor
assessor

 n. evaluador

asunto
n. subject, topic
assumption
 		n. suposición

atender
(Latin America) to attend; (Spain) to pay attention to, to heed, or to care for
attend

 asistir

billete


n. item of paper money
bill
 		Besides money, bill has several other meanings in English: cuenta; proyecto de legislación.

bizarro
adj. 1) valient, gallant, brave, or 2) generous
bizarre

 adj. extraño or raro

cámara


n. 1) a camera, 2) a camera operator, 3) a chamber.
camera
 		n. a still camera: una cámara

carrera
n. running, race; row, line; beam, girder, joist; route, ride, journey, course; avenue; career; university studies
career

 n. una carrera profesional, una profesión (Note that career does not have the many meanings that ‘carrera’ has.)

cartera


n. wallet
card
 		n. tarjeta; naipe

colorado
adj. red or reddish
colored

 adj. de color

comodidad


n. comfort
commodity
 		n. producto agrícola, especialmente mercancía

conexión
n. a physical or logical connection, not human connection
connection

 n.1) conexión, 2) (when referring to human connection) relación

conformar


to be in agreement, but also to adapt
conform
 		adaptar, pero no significa estar de acuerdo

conveniente
adj. suitable, fitting, proper, useful, or advantageous
convenient

 adj. cómodo, práctico, útil, or accesible

convenir


to be in one’s interest; to be suitable
convene
 		convocar

crudo
adj. raw, cruel
crude

 adj. bruto, sin pulido

decente


adj.1) honest, 2) decent
decent
 		adj. decente; gentil; amable

decepción
n. disappointment (verb form: decepcionar = to disappoint)
deception

 n. un engaño, un fraude

desgracia


n. misfortune, mishap, accident, setback, bad luck
disgrace
 		n. deshonra, ignominia

digno
adj. worthy
dignified

 adj. distinguido

disco


n. 1) disco, 2) disk, discus, traffic-light, or (audio) record
disco
 		n. disco, discoteca, sala de baile

divisar
to discern
devise

 idear, inventar, hacer con imaginación


editor


adj. publishing;
n. publisher, editor
editor

n. editor, director, redactor

elaborar
to make, to manufacture

elaborate

entrar en más detalle

excitar

to excite sexually
excite

 entusiasmar or provocar

excusar
to exempt; to excuse (rarely used)
excuse


firma

n. 1) (commonly) a signature, 2) a firm
firm

 adj. firme, sólido, duro, seguro;
n. una firma or una empresa

forzoso


adj. necessary, obligatory
forced
 		adj. involuntario, forzado

fundir
to melt, to smelt
found

 establecer, fundar

fútbol


n. soccer
football
 		n. el fútbol americano

grosería
n. (only refers to) rudeness, crudeness, or vulgarity
grocery store

 n. tienda de abarrotes/comestibles

ignorar


v. to not know, to be unaware of
ignore
 		v. no hacer caso de, desatender, or dejar a un lado

informal
adj. unreliable (person)
informal

 adj. sin etiqueta o ceremonia

joven


adj. young (person)
juvenile
 		adj. inmaduro

librería
n. bookstore
library

 n. biblioteca

librero


n. a bookseller or bookcase
library
 		n. una biblioteca

macro
n. picture, door or window frame
mark

 n. mancha; señal or símbolo escrito; una característica sobresaliente

minorista
n. (Caribbean and South American) retail or retail seller
minority

n. la minoría;
adj. minoritario

negocio
n. a business, deal, or transaction
negotiation
 		n. una negociación

oculto

adj. 1) hidden, concealed, or secret, 2) occult
occult

 adj. oculto or misterioso

ordinario
adj. 1) ordinary, common, coarse (in reference to a person);
2) fine or ok, as in answer to ¿Cómo estás?
ordinary
 		adj. normal or corriente

pareja
n. couple
pair

 n. par

patrón


n. 1) a boss or owner; 2) a pattern or standard
patron
 		n. patrocinador or cliente

pie
n. foot.
pie

 n. pastel

pila


n. small battery; basin
pile


plata
n. silver; money
plate

 n. lámina; plato

presente


n. current, present. There is no ‘gift’ meaning
present
 		n. presente. ‘Gift’ in Spanish is ‘regalo’.

procurar
to try and to manage to do something (rarely means to procure)
procure

 obtener, conseguir

propio


adj. one’s own; also proper
proper
 		adj. apropiado

red
n. network
red

 n. the color rojo;
adj. rojo


ropa


n. clothing
rope

n. una cuerda or una soga

suceder
to happen or to follow, come next

succeed

1) tener éxito, triunfar; 2) suceder

trato
n. treaty, contract, but also social treatment
treatment

n. tratamiento

vaso
n. a glass or tumbler

vase

n. un florero or jarrón

Where to go next?



  1. Download the current page of false Spanish English cognates in PDF


  2. Learn More about Spanish English cognates


  3. Purchase the list of the most common Spanish-English Cognates. (And get a list 255 false Spanish English cognates as well.)

Posted in Intermediate Spanish, Spanish Vocabulary |

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