False Friends in Spanish

You're at a dinner party in Madrid and want to say you're embarrassed. So you say "Estoy embarazada." The table goes silent. Then everyone starts laughing. You've just announced that you're pregnant.

Welcome to the world of falsos amigos (false friends) - words that look or sound like English words but mean something completely different in Spanish. They exist because both languages borrowed from Latin, but the meanings drifted apart over centuries.

False friends are one of the biggest sources of mistakes for English speakers learning Spanish. The good news? Once you learn them, you'll never make these mistakes again. This guide covers the 50+ most dangerous false friends you need to know.

1. The Worst Offenders

These are the false friends most likely to cause confusion, laughter, or genuine misunderstanding. Learn these first - they come up in everyday conversation.

2. The Complete False Friends Table

Here is a comprehensive reference of 50+ false friends between Spanish and English. Bookmark this page and come back to it whenever you're unsure.

3. Partial False Friends

Some words are only partially false friends - they share one meaning with English but have additional or different meanings you might not expect. These are trickier because sometimes the English meaning works, and sometimes it doesn't.

4. How to Avoid False Friends

False friends catch everyone at some point, but here are practical strategies to minimise the damage.

Here are real-life situations where false friends cause the most trouble. Read the wrong version, then the correction, and you'll remember them forever.