A Few Spanish/English False Friends

This document lists and defines some common Spanish-English false friends - words that sound or look similar but have different meanings in each language. It provides the English meaning, Spanish meaning, and Spanish translation for several false friends. Some examples given are: - Actual/actually means real/currently in Spanish, not just present. - Assist means to help, not attend, which translates to asistir in Spanish. - Success translates to suceso in Spanish, meaning an event or occurrence rather than achievement.

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A Few Spanish/English False Friends

Uploaded by

Jessica Pritchard

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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Download as doc, pdf, or txt

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A few Spanish/English False Friends

the false friends:

English - part of speech - Spanish library - n - librera to divert - v - divertir sympathetic - adj simptico argument - n argumento to prove - v - probar topic - n - tpico eventually -adv eventualmente informal - adj informal crime - n - crimen to realise - v - realizar

the English meaning

a place where you borrow books to change the direction of something understanding a verbal fight

the Spanish meaning

a place where you buy books to have a good time nice, friendly the plot of a book, film or play

to try something new, to make certain that to try some clothes something is true on a subject/theme in the end/finally casual, not formal something illegal clich possibly irresponsible a murder, serious crime

to be fully conscious to carry something of something out sensitive nowadays polite

sensible - adj - sensible to have good sense actually - adv actualmente educated - adj educado conductor - n conductor particular - adj particular in fact a person who has received a good education

a person who leads the driver of a vehicle an orchestra special private happy

content - adj - contento satisfied success - n - suceso parent - n - pariente direction - n - direccin

someone/thing that an event turns out well mother or father move to something/where family member address

Spanish term actual (current), actualmente (currently)

English term

Spanish translation

actual, actually

Spanish: real (es), existente (es)

assist asistir (to attend)

Spanish: ayudar (es)

attend atender (to pay attention)

Spanish: asistir (es)

basement basamento (base of a column)

Spanish: stano (es) m

billn (trillion) (when given on the long scale, i.e. 1,000,000,000,000)

billion (when given on the short scale, i.e. 1,000,000,000)

Spanish: millardo (es) m

bizarre bizarro (brave, noble)

Spanish: extrao (es)

body boda (wedding)

Spanish: cuerpo (es)

campo carpeta chocar complexin compromiso constiparse, constipacin contestar corresponder decepcin, decepcionar delito despertar disgusto destituido dormitorio

camp carpet choke complexion compromise constipate, constipation contest correspond (communication) deceive, deception delightful desperate disgust destitute dormitory

embarazada enviar xito fbrica ftbol ftil ganga inconsecuente introducir largo molestar once pariente pretender rapista realizar, realizacin recordar ropa revolver sano sensible, sensiblemente sopa soportar suceso tuna ltimamente vaso

embarrassed envy exit fabric American football futile gang inconsequential introduce (someone) large molest once parent pretend rapist realize, realization record rope revolver sane sensible, sensibly soap support success tuna ultimately vase