FALSE FRIENDS
All the following words are “false friends”. Complete the chart
with their translation.
English Spanish Spanish English
library biblioteca librería bookshop
parent pariente
ultimate último
large largo
actual actual
actually actualmente
argument argumento
sensible sensible
notice noticia
terrific terrorífico
success suceso
exit éxito
career carrera
preservative preservativo
conductor conductor
topic tópico
disgusted disgustado
signature asignatura
constipated constipado
rope ropa
sympathetic simpático
soap sopa
embarrassed embarazada
carpet carpeta
stranger extranjero
rare raro
bigot bigote
collar collar
eventually eventualmente
army armada
lie lío
casualty casualidad
casually casualmente
accost acostarse
assist asistir
complexion complexión
diversion diversión
in front of en frente de
jam jamón
affluent afluente
facilities facilidad
intoxicated intoxicado
suburb suburbio
commodity comodidad
bachelor bachiller
record recordar
mayor mayor
lecture lectura
molest molestar
professor profesor
resume resumir
fabric fábrica
mascara máscara
misery miseria
realize realizar
extravagant extravagante
presume presumir
ostensibly ostensiblemente
squalid escuálido
amendment enmienda
dismount desmontar
Accost- abordar,generalmente con malas intenciones
Actual
Actually
Affluent
Argument
Assist
Attend
Bachelor
Bigot
Career
Carpet
Casualty
Collar
Complexion
Conductor
Constipated
Diversion
Egregious (atroz, mayúsculo; egregio= illustious, eminent)
Embarrassed
Eventually
Extravagant
Facilities
Flippant (ligero,frívolo;irrespetuoso,impertinente)
In front of
Intoxicated
Introduction
Jam
Large
Library
Lie (“to do a lie”= hacerse un lío)
Motorist
Notice
Predicament (apuro, situación difícil; predicamento= dignidad, opinión, lugar o
grado de estimación en que se haya uno y que ha merecido por sus
obras )
Preservative
Pretend
Realise
Reflection
Resignation
Sensible
Sensitive
Signature
Soap
Statements
Suburb
Succeed
Success
Support
Sympathetic
Terrific
Topic
FALSE FRIENDS
English Spanish English Spanish
actually ⎭ realmente argument ⎭ discusión
currently ≥ actualmente plot ≥ argumento
assist ⎭ ayudar affluent ⎭ rico
attend ≥ asitir tributary ≥ afluente
carpet ⎭ alfombra career ⎭ ejercicio prof.
file ≥ carpeta degree/race ≥ carrerera
casualty ⎭ víctima collar ⎭ cuello (ropa)
chance ≥ casualidad necklace ≥ collar
conductor ⎭ cobrador bus constipated ⎭ estreñido
driver ≥ conductor “he has a cold” ≥ constipado
disgust ⎭ asco diversion ⎭ desvío
annoyance ≥ disgusto fun ≥ diversión
embarrassed⎭avergonzado eventually ⎭ finalmente
pregnant ≥ embrarazada temporarily ≥eventualmente
exit ⎭ salida extravagant⎭derrochador
success ≥ éxito flamboyant ≥ extravagante
idiom ⎭ modismo in front of ⎭ delante de
(foreign) language ≥ idioma opposite ≥ en frente de
intoxicated ⎭ embriagado introduce ⎭ presentar
poisoned ≥ intoxicado to put in ≥ introducir
jam ⎭ mermelada large ⎭ grande
ham ≥ jamón long ≥ largo
library ⎭ biblioteca lie ⎭ mentira
bookshop ≥ librería mess ≥ lío
motorist ⎭ automovilista notice ⎭ letrero, aviso
biker ≥ motorista news ≥ noticias
parents ⎭ padres preservative⎭conservante
relatives ≥ parientes condom ≥ preservativo
pretend ⎭ fingir remove ⎭ quitar
try ≥ pretender stir ≥ remover
sensible ⎭ sensato signature ⎭ firma
sensitive ≥ sensible subject ≥ asignatura
soap ⎭ jabón success ⎭ éxito
soup ≥ sopa event ≥ suceso
sympathetic ⎭ compasivo topic ⎭ tema
friendly ≥ simpático commonplace ≥ tópico
“CALL MY BLUFF”
Some words are never to be trusted and you must always bear in mind that
“Appearances can be deceiving” and remember FALSE FRIENDS.
Which is the right definition for the following words? Put a 4Ν next to the correct
answer. (For one of the words two options are correct).
A library is a) a place where you buy books
b) a place where you borrow books from
c) a piece of furniture where you arrange books
When you say that something is large you mean that: a) it is big
b) it is not short
c) it is tiny
When someone is constipated they have problems with their: a) nose
b) throat
c) belly
When you are in front of someone you are: a) you ( ;
b) you ( ;
c) ; ( you
When you talk about a collar you are referring to: a) pearls or diamonds
b) a part of your dress
c) something your dog wears
Success is a) something you have if you are lucky and work hard
b) something which happens, an accident, a murder
c) the opposite of access
TRUE FRIENDS AND FALSE FRIENDS
The following words exist both in English and in Spanish in more or less the same
form because they derive from the same roots. Such words are called cognates (from Latin
cognatus, “born together”). But whilst some still share the same meaning (“true friends”),
many now have totally or somewhat different meanings (“false friends”).
Separate the following words into two lists, one for true friends and another for false
friends.
TRUE FRIEND FALSE FRIEND
((((( ;;;;;
Actually
React
Sensible
Democrat
Legal
Construct
Terrific
Success
Library
Career
In front of
Extravagant
Large
Orgy
Diversion
Actual
Preservative
Ornamental
Conductor
Notice
Topic
Bigot
Argument
Complexion
Signature
Constipated
Casualty
Typhus
Suburb
Sympathetic
Pullulate
Affluent
Assist
Embarrassed
Carpet
ultimate
