Learning a new language is exciting—but it can also be tricky, especially when you come across words that look or sound similar but mean something completely different. At MaestroMío, we’re here to help you avoid the common pitfalls of false friends between Spanish and English: those misleading word pairs that can cause confusion or even embarrassment. Let’s explore the most common ones and learn how to use them the right way!
1. Most Common False Friends
| Spanish | Similar in English | Real Meaning in English | Correct Translation |
| Actual | Actual | Real, true | Current |
| Asistir | Assist | To help | Attend |
| Carpeta | Carpet | Rug | Folder |
| Colegio | College | University | School / High school |
| Constipado | Constipated | Constipation (digestive issue) | Cold / Congested |
| Contestación | Contestation | Disagreement, dispute | Answer / Reply |
| Embarazada | Embarassed | Ashamed, embarrassed | Pregnant |
| Éxito | Exit | Exit | Success |
| Fábrica | Fabric | Cloth | Factory |
| Firma | Firm | Company, solid | Signature |
| Grosería | Grocery | Grocery store | Rudeness |
| Introducir | Introduce | To present someone | Insert |
| Librería | Library | Library | Bookstore |
| Largo | Large | Big | Long |
| Molestar | Molest | To harass, to seriously disturb | Bother |
| Noticia | Notice | Notice, sign | News |
| Parientes | Parents | Parents | Relatives |
| Ropa | Rope | Rope | Clothes |
| Sensible | Sensible | Sensitive, delicate | Sensitive |
| Simpático | Sympathetic | Understanding | Nice / Friendly |
2. How to Avoid Mistakes with False Friends
- Consult a dictionary before assuming a word means what it seems.
- Pay attention to the context, as the correct meaning can often be deduced from how the word is used in the sentence.
- Practice with real examples to learn how to use each word correctly.
