False cognates, also called “false friends” in Spanish, are words whose spelling or pronunciation is similar between languages, but they have different semantic universes, that is, they have meanings many different.
In the case of the Spanish language and the Portuguese language, even though they are close and have the same Latin origin, there are words that because they are very similar, whether in appearance or sound, often have very good meanings many different.
Thus, they tend to cause a lot of confusion and, therefore, it is super important to know these terms so as not to make mistakes when writing or speaking. Let's go then!
List of false friends in Spanish
Below is a list of words where some examples of false cognates of the Spanish language in relation to the Portuguese language are listed:
| false friend in spanish | Portuguese translation |
|---|---|
pay off |
Pay |
Allowance |
Fertilizer |
| sheltered | wrapped up |
| Accept | oil |
| accepted | olive oil |
| wake up | remember |
| Adornment | Seasoning |
| crippled | far away |
| pillowcase | Pillow |
| bundle up | present |
| Amateur | Lover |
Last name |
Surname |
| Room | Accommodation |
| Signature | discipline, subject |
| watch | Attend |
| Topping up | To fill |
| Class | Classroom |
| Bullet | Projectile |
| counter | Balcony |
| scream | Cress |
| Billon | Trillion |
| Rubber | Drunk |
| smudge | Delete |
| cheat | To fight |
| Botiquin | first aid case |
| earring | jump |
dogs |
Puppies |
| cache | Do police search |
| chair | Hip |
| shut up | wet completely |
| Scene | Dinner |
| Glue | Animal tail; line of people |
| chico | Boy; young |
| chocho | Happy |
| pimp | beautiful, cool |
| Strap | Tape |
| child | Creation |
| Cubierto | silverware |
| cuello | Neck |
embarrassed |
Pregnant |
| package | Confusion |
| disgust | annoy |
| brush | Broom |
| upholstery | Cooked |
| exquisite | exquisite, delicious |
| expert | Expert |
| Extrañar | To miss |
| Faro | Lighthouse |
| Close | Date |
| Flaco | Skinny |
| Front | Forehead |
| sling | Pillowcase |
| Gum | Rubber |
| Graceful | Funny |
| grease | Fat |
| Guitar | Guitar |
retired |
Retiree |
| jugar | To play |
| wide | Long |
| Bark | the heartbeat |
| Leyendas | legends |
| Luego | Later |
| display | Counter |
| Workshop | Desk |
| hello | Pan |
| bone | bear |
| Priest | Father |
| taste | Palate |
| Stage | Cabin |
| Folder | Pasta |
| Pastry | Cake |
| takeup | Glue |
| To take | Necklace |
| Naked | bald |
| Fur | Hair |
| Kite | Smoking pipe |
| Octopus | Dust |
| Ready | Soon |
pay off |
To throw |
| Mouse | Time |
| ratón | Mouse |
| rojos | Red |
| Rubio | Blonde |
| Bag | Coat |
| Salad | Salted |
| Bell | If not |
| Place | place, place |
| heel | To heel |
| Taller | Workshop |
| slap | pot lid |
| Tapas | appetizers, snacks |
| Tasa | Rate |
| cup | Cup |
| Still | Yet |
| Vase | Glass |
| Vello | Fur |
| Path | Sidewalk |
| Zapatillas | Sneakers |
| Zorro | Fox |
| deaf | Left-handed |
Phrases with false cognates in Spanish
To better illustrate, here are some sentences that contain the false cognates in the Spanish language.
- we want a vase with water. (We want a glass of water).
- Fabiano cogió su bag before leaving. (Fabiano grabbed his jacket before leaving.)
- buy them zapatillas in he comenes. (Bought the sneakers on Friday.)
- there is ensalada salad.(The salad is salty.)
- Adele is very graceful. (Adele is very funny.)
- Mi guitar you are my greatest gift. (My guitar is my greatest gift).
- he priest Antonio was tired. (Antonio's father was tired.)
- Ours were happy in there scene collapsed. (We were happy for dinner on Saturday.)
- I have a lot of pain in it hello. (I have a lot of pain in my neck.)
- You extrano a lot. (I miss you a lot or miss you a lot).
Look at the comics below and see some false cognates in Spanish that can lead to funny situations.
Cognates, false cognates and heterosemantics
Although many people believe that the three concepts are equivalent, “cognates" and "false cognates” or “heterosemantics” are different things.
Already the "false cognates" or "heterosemantics”, are similar or the same in writing and/or pronunciation but have different meanings.
Observe the cases below, and see examples of heterosemantic terms in Spanish, relative to the Portuguese language.
Examples:
- cup: cup (false cognate/heterosemantic)
- happiness: happiness (cognate)
The Spanish word in the first example (cup) resembles both the writing and the pronunciation of the term Cup in the Portuguese language. However, we can confirm that it is a false cognate after all cup has nothing to do with Cup. The correct meaning of cup is cup.
In the second example, notice that both words (happiness; happiness) have similar spelling and pronunciation and equal meaning.
It is important to know the false cognates of a foreign language, in order to know how to use its vocabulary correctly, thus avoiding embarrassment or confusion.
Therefore, a word with a similar spelling/pronunciation can mean something else entirely.
Examples:
- I'm embarrassed. (I'm Pregnant.)
- The carpet is clean. (The folder is clean.)
A Portuguese-speaking speaker would probably understand the phrases as follows:
- I'm embarrassed.
- The carpet is clean.
Learn more by reading the contents:
- Nouns in Spanish (Los Sustantivos)
- Adjectives in Spanish (Los Adjectives)
- Spanish verbs exercises
Video
Watch the video below and learn a little more about false cognates in Spanish.
Exercises
Do the exercises below and test your knowledge of cognate Spanish words.
1. (UECE/2009) Indicate the words that, such as the term rat, are false friends, the sea, diverge from the Portuguese in meaning.
a) praise, therapy
b) fraud, origin
c) artery, habla
d) carroza, cellar
Correct alternative: d) carroza, cellar
2. (UFLA)
EN EL DESVÁN DE LA ABUELA
Some Saturdays, Ana visits her abuela. She lives in a vieja adobe house. It is a peasant house that has a slope in the upper part. It is climbed by a ladder that crosses the dry wood with an extra sound. (…)
It looks like the tienda de un anticuário. Supported on the walls, there are pictures with landscapes of someone unaware of the invented country, and a large mirror that deforms the image. On top, attached in an oxidized clavo2, an acceptance candle.
Allí pasa Ana broad rats1 without getting tired. Aunque ahora es winter, in the cold; The shot from the chimney gives off a pleasant caloric. (…)
(Cuentos del Arco Iris, Carlos Reviejo, Editorial Vicens, Barcelona, 1980.)
According to the text, what is the correct meaning of RATOS (ref.1) in the text?
a) Ana's clothes
b) A mammalian animal
c) The uneven floor
d) Los esfuerzos de Ana
e) A space of time
Correct alternative: e) A space of time
3. The left column displays Portuguese words and the right column displays Spanish words. Match to find the correct meanings. Be careful not to get confused with false friends!
(9)
(4)
(3)
(7)
(1)
(2)
(5)
(10)
(8)
(6)
To find out about false cognates in English, visit the link: False cognates in English (false friends)
See too:
- irregular verbs in spanish
- numbers in spanish
- hours in spanish
- Definite and indefinite articles in Spanish
- months of the year in spanish
- Spanish prepositions
- Spanish verbs (Verbos en español)
- Exercises on definite and indefinite articles in Spanish
- Main Spanish slang (Spain and Latin America)
