False Cognates

Question

What are your favorite false cognates? My favorite is when I hear somebody (especially men) say "estoy embarezada" when they are embarressed.

embarazada - Izanoni1, Nov 5, 2009

Answer 1

How to say in English: ¿Estás constipada?

Big mistake.....Are you constipated?

Constipado (in Spanish) means to have a cold (in English)

Constipated (in English) means estreñido (in Spanish)

lol...great use of the emoticons - Izanoni1, Nov 5, 2009

Wow! I'm glad I read this! :-D - chaparrito, Nov 7, 2009

Hilarious - DJ_Huero, Apr 20, 2012

Answer 2

Here are the references resulting from a "Google" search. These will keep you busy for more than a few minutes:

Enjoy, ----> Internet False Friends/Cognates

Also, Heidita recently added this page to our reference material here at Span¡shD!ct, See the reference page here ----> SpaníshD!ct False Friends/Cognates

Recuerdos/Regards,

Moe

thanks Moe, I was about to do that...:) - 00494d19, Nov 6, 2009

Answer 3

"nombre" does not mean "name..." it means "number.

Number is número.

Areyou sure about that? What about "su nombre y su número de teléfono" - 0095ca4c, May 26, 2013

Answer 4

Hacer can be used for many things, but:

English: What do you do? (for a living) .................. Spanish: ¿A qué te dedicas?

NOT ¿Qué haces? (which will be interpreted as what are you doing?)

Julian that works for ....for a living, But is perfectly valid to ask what do you when you don't want to burn your bread? Then it mean directly que haces...? - chileno, May 26, 2013

Answer 5

these false cognates flashcards might help

False Cognates

Answer 6

Preservatives in English are the ingredients in food that help them not spoil.

Preservativos, in Spanish, means condoms!

Preservatives in Spanish is "conservantes."

You definitely don´t want to be talking about preservativos in your food! ICK!

Answer 7

English "island" and Spanish "isla" are false cognates but true friends.

English "isle" and Spanish "isla" are both true cognates and true friends.

Answer 8

False cognates are not the same as false friends. Most of the above are true cognates but false friends.