150 funny and common false cognates in Spanish and English

False cognates are sneaky words that can easily trick you into believing they’re something that they’re not.

If you’ve been learning Spanish for a while, then you may have found yourself in the embarrassing situation of assuming you understood a word that sounded similar to English, only to find out it has a totally different meaning! These are what we call false cognates or “false friends.”

But making these types of assumptions is a totally fair thing to do. After all, there are thousands of Spanish cognates that do actually sound like and mean the same thing as their English counterparts.

That’s because both languages have Latin roots, thanks to the Romans who influenced a lot of Europe. But, English has a ton of influence from the Germanic languages, while Spanish remained squarely in the Romance languages camp (plus some Arabic influence). That’s why many words share a similar origin from many centuries ago but have since developed to take different meanings.

Let’s take a closer look at Spanish false cognates to learn how to recognize them — and how to avoid making mistakes!

Understanding cognates and false cognates

Learning about cognates can totally transform your Spanish learning. It’s essentially a quick “cheat” that will help you decipher thousands of words without having to learn them individually. However, not all cognates were created equal, so you have to be careful.

What is a cognate?

A cognate is a word that has a similar form and meaning in two different languages. These words usually come from the same root or origin, which is why they look and sound alike. For example, “information” looks and sounds similar across a ton of languages:

• Spanish: Información
• French: Information
• German: Information
• Portuguese: Informação
• Italian: informazione

Of course, all of these are pronounced differently, but you can easily tell that they all mean the same!

What is a perfect cognate?

A perfect cognate is a word that is spelled exactly the same and has the same meaning in both languages. It’s like finding a twin in a totally different language, and it’s a double win because you don’t have to worry about learning what the word means or how to spell it.

Examples of perfect cognates

Don’t believe in the power of perfect cognates? Here are five examples!

What is a near-perfect cognate?

A near-perfect cognate is almost the same in both languages, with just a tiny difference in spelling or pronunciation, but the meaning stays the same. Think of them as very close cousins rather than twins.

Examples of near-perfect cognates

Here are five examples of near-perfect cognates in action!

What is a false cognate?

A false cognate, or “false amigo,” is a tricky one. It’s a word that looks or sounds similar in both languages, but the meanings are totally different. Think of them as a deceptive doppelgänger!

For example, “embarazada” might sound a lot like “embarrassed,” right? Turns out, it actually means pregnant! So, watch out next time you want to say “Estoy embarazado.”

These words are totally different, but many Spanish false friends are more nuanced. Many Spanish words have multiple meanings, some that will match the English meaning and some that won’t. Reviewing false friends can help you understand these multiple meanings and avoid potentially embarrassing situations!

150 common false cognates between Spanish and English

Just as there are thousands of real cognates, there are also hundreds and hundreds of false cognates between Spanish and English. You can’t win them all. Fortunately, there are far more “true friends” than false friends out there, so no need to lose all hope!

But for now, you want to keep an eye on the following English-Spanish false cognates:

Spanish cognates: How to avoid mistakes

Now, just because we gave you a list of 150 false friends in Spanish doesn’t mean you should go out and try to memorize every single one. The point is to show you that false friends are out there and are more common than you might think, but rote memorization wouldn’t be a good use of your time here. Instead, try following these tips to avoid mistakes with false friends:

1. Double-check meanings

When you come across a word that looks similar to an English word, don’t assume it means the same thing. Take a moment to look it up in a dictionary to confirm that it’s indeed a real cognate and not a false friend!

2. Learn in context

Try to learn new vocabulary in context. Reading sentences or short paragraphs where the word is used correctly will help you remember its true meaning and usage, even if it sounds just like another English word.

3. Practice with native speakers

Try to speak with natives as much as you can! They can help correct you in real-time and explain nuances that you might not find in a textbook. For example, “violar” in Spanish has the same meaning as “to violate” in English when it comes to violating human rights or violating laws, but it can also mean “to sexually assault.”

4. Watch out for common culprits

There are some false friends that trip up learners frequently. If you’re looking for a list of Spanish false cognates worth memorizing, then this is it:

5. Ask questions

When in doubt, ask! Whether it’s your teacher, a language partner, or a forum, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. It’s always better to ask and learn than to guess and be wrong.

By following these tips, you’ll be better equipped to deal with those tricky false friends and stop making foreign speaker mistakes!

Focus on these words for fewer Spanish false friends in your life!

Learning these false cognates in Spanish won’t necessarily grow your vocabulary, but it will help you avoid making critical mistakes. This is especially important if you’re approaching an intermediate or advanced Spanish level and want to avoid making those mistakes that will show that you’re not a native speaker. Always double-check that you’re not making any of these easy mistakes!

For even more helpful tips for learning Spanish, check out our Spanish blog.