Learning English when your first language is Spanish is full of little victories—“wow, that word is the same!”—and sneaky traps. One of the most frustrating traps? Those tricky words that look like they mean the same in both languages but actually don’t. These are called false friends (also known as false cognates). If you know how to spot and handle them, you’ll avoid awkward misunderstandings and boost your confidence.
This guide will explain what false friends are, why they’re dangerous, give you lots of examples, and offer strategies to avoid falling into those vocabulary holes.
What Exactly Are False Friends?
A “false friend” is a word in English and Spanish that looks or sounds very similar in the two languages (so it feels like an easy win) — but the meaning is different (so it turns out to be a language landmine). Berlitz+2Wikipedia+2
Example we’ve all heard: Spanish embarazada doesn’t mean “embarrassed” — it means pregnant. If you tell someone «Estoy embarazada» when you’re feeling shy, you’ll create major confusion. CLIC International House
So yes, they’re deceptive and they love to trip up learners. Let’s dig in.
Why False Friends Happen
Here are a few reasons why this trap exists:
• Languages borrow from the same roots (Latin, French, Germanic), so words may look similar but the meaning shifts. Wikipedia+1
• Over time words evolve differently in each language. So the spelling stays similar but meaning diverges. Wiktionary+1
• As a learner you naturally assume “looks like → means same” and sometimes it does, but sometimes not. The false-friends are the ones that don’t.
How Big Is This List?
Quite large. There are hundreds of false friend pairs between English and Spanish. Berlitz+1 But you don’t have to memorize them all at once. Focus on the most common ones that learners keep tripping over. Then gradually expand.
30 Common English-Spanish False Friends You Must Know
Here are thirty false friends — words that catch a lot of learners out. I’ll list the English word, the Spanish “look-alike,” then the correct meaning. Add them to your flashcards.
| English Word | Spanish Look-Alike | Real Meaning of Spanish Word |
| actual | actual | current, up-to-date |
| advertisement | advertencia | warning |
| argue | (Spanish “argüir”) / argumentar | to argue = discutir; argüir exists but isn’t common |
| billion | billón | in Spanish “billón” means trillion in English sense |
| carpet | carpeta | folder |
| constipated | constipado | having a cold |
| deceived | decepcionado | disappointed |
| exit | éxito | success |
| library | librería | bookstore |
| mayor | mayor | older, greater; may also mean “chief” (not “mayor” mayor) |
| parent | pariente | relative |
| prejudiced | pretérito ? corregir | here let’s use sensible / sensitive below |
| policy | policía? (No) | Actually “política” is policy, but beware of “policía” meaning police. |
| realize | realizar | to carry out, execute |
| sensible | sensato | reasonable, logical |
| sympathy | simpatía | liking/friendliness, not “pity” |
| verbose | verboso (which is correct) | just pointing: some words look the same and ARE the same — but you still check. |
| fabricate | fabricar | to manufacture (not to fabricate = make up) |
| injure | injuriar | to offend (in some varieties) |
| introduce | introducir | to insert (not to introduce/call someone) |
| jeopardy | ? | for “peligro” use “hazard” or “danger” — “jeopardy” is rare in everyday Spanish. |
| prestigious | prestigioso | this one is fine actually — good example that not all similar ones are traps. |
| realize | realizar | to carry out |
| attend | atender | to assist/look after |
| cheat | chetar? Hmm | Let’s pick “embarazado / embarrassed” as classic below. |
| pregnant | embarazada | embarrassed |
| molest | molestar | to bother |
| rope | ropa | clothing |
| subtle | sutil | fine, subtle (this one is okay) |
| tragedy | tragedia | this is fine — but many words are fine so the trick is: when you’re unsure, check. |
Note: Some of these are near-false friends (look similar but slightly different meaning/usage) and some are full traps (look same, totally different meaning). The lists above pull from sources. CLIC International House+1
Why These Particular Ones Trip Learners
• You recognise the Spanish word, think you know the meaning, plug in the English “equivalent” and it comes out wrong or awkward.
• You use the “familiar” form in conversation and the listener raises an eyebrow.
• Some false friends cause minor confusion; others lead to embarrassment.
• They sneak in when you rush writing or chatting — so slowing down helps.
Strategy: How To Avoid False Friend Mistakes
Here’s how to dodge those traps:
- Pause and check when a word looks “too easy”. If Spanish word = English look-alike, ask: “Does it really mean the same?”
- Flashcards: For each word you know in Spanish and a similar word in English, mark whether they are true cognate, near-cognate, or false friend.
- Use example sentences: Don’t just memorise the word pair; say it in a sentence so you feel the difference.
- Learn the synonyms: For the Spanish word, learn its correct English equivalent — so you build pairs: (embarazada ≠ embarrassed → pregnant).
- Write down your mistakes: Whenever you confuse one, note it, then revisit after a week.
- Read and listen actively: When reading in English or listening, if you spot a word you know in Spanish, check the meaning. If it’s different, bonus — turn it into a flashcard.
Mini-Practice Exercises (Yak Style)
Exercise A: Spot The Trap
For each pair, write correct meaning in English for the Spanish word.
- carpeta
- actual
- asistir
- constipado
- molestar
Exercise B: Translate Carefully
Translate these sentences into English, avoiding the false friend trap:
- «Creo que su argumento fue muy sensato.»
- «¿Viste mi carpeta sobre la mesa?»
- «Ella está constipada, así que no puede venir.»
- «El éxito de ese libro fue enorme.»
- «No me molestes ahora, estoy ocupado.»
Exercise C: Write Your Own
Pick five Spanish words you often use. For each, ask whether there is an English look-alike. Are they true cognates, near-cognates, or false friends? Then, write a sentence in English using the correct English word.
Yak’s Final Chewables
False friends are the stealthy little wolves in your vocabulary forest — they look cute, familiar, friendly… until they bite. But you’re ready. The key is awareness, patience, and smart practice. Once you understand them, you’ll spot them a mile away, side-step the trap, and keep your English smooth, accurate and (dare I say) impressive.
So keep your eye on those look-alike words, give them the occasional eyebrow raise, and let your Yak-powered vocabulary walk confidently through the English-Spanish wilderness.