False Cognates
False cognates are words that look similar or the same in English and Spanish, but mean something different.
The words listed below are just a sample. There are many more that you may run into, so BE CAREFUL!
| Spanish Word | Actual English Definition | How You Really Say the Word You Thought It Was |
|---|
| una carpeta | a folder |
una alfombra (a carpet) |
| chocar | to crash | sofocar/ahogar (to choke) |
| embarazada | pregnant |
avergonzado (embarassed) |
| éxito | success | salida (exit) |
| largo | long | grande(large) |
| los parientes | the relatives | los padres (the parents) |
| recordar | to remember |
grabar (to record) |
| un vaso | a drinking glass | un jarrón (a vase) |
| la ropa | the clothing | la cuerda (the rope) |
| sano | healthy | su juicio (sane) |
| la sopa | the soup |
el jabón (the soap) |
| once | eleven | una vez (once) |
| contestar | to answer | contender (to contest) |
