Embarrassed, pregnant, or maybe even both: notes on false cognates

Not all relationships are as strong as they look – and that’s as true for words as it is for people. Supertext has dug up the most common examples of “false friends” from a range of languages, to help you avoid pitfalls in your next intercultural conversation.

Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme

Many of us native English speakers who have enrolled in a Spanish 101 class have been spun a similar cautionary tale: that a student who meant to say they were embarrassed fell victim to the oh-so-tempting false cognate trap. Blissfully unaware of the actual meaning of the Spanish word embarazado(a), they dug themselves deep into the dark hole that is public embarrassment.

Open season

While it may seem that only the weakest Spanish student might accidentally announce that they’re expecting, even more seasoned Spanish speakers are not guaranteed protection against inadvertent social suicide via a fatal slip of the tongue. It’s open season, and false cognates do not discriminate.

Below is a table illustrating only a small portion of the many false cognates that taunt foreign language students as they move from English into Spanish:

 

English word

Spanish equivalent

False cognate

False cognate’s
actual meaning

embarrassed (Adj.)

avergonzado(a)

embarazado(a)

pregnant/expecting

to realize (V.)

darse cuenta de

realizar

to perform/carry out/execute

to introduce
(i.e., a friend) (V.)


presentarte/le a

introducir

to insert/add

to support (V.)

ayudar/apoyar

soportar

to tolerate/put up with

sensible (Adj.)

sensato(a)

sensible

sensitive

to stir
(i.e., tea) (V.)


remover

estirar

to stretch

excited (Adj.)

emocionado(a)

excitado(a)

sexually aroused

comprehensive (Adj.)

completo(a)

comprensivo(a)

understanding/sympathetic

We’re all in this together

To any native English speakers who feel somewhat defeated in their struggle to learn the ins and outs of such a tricky foreign language, rest assured: you are in good company. The other romance languages – for example, French, Italian and Portuguese – also offer plenty of “false friends”. So, while you may have unintentionally said you were sexually aroused at the thought of skateboarding this weekend, your friend might have made the mistake of boasting about how they avoid préservatifs at all costs, right to the face of their cautious girlfriend, no less. (Préservatifs are not preservatives, but rather, condoms.)

See the table below for a glimpse at what your other romance-language-learning friends are up against. Hopefully, it will make your pregnancy a little less embarrassing. And we’re happy to help with any other language-related questions.

 

Language

English word

False cognate

False cognate’s
actual meaning

French

preservative (N.)

préservatif

condom/contraceptive

French

location (N.)

location

rental

French

to rest (V.)

rester

to stay

French

to bless (V.)

blesser

to wound/offend

French

sale (N.)

sale

dirty

French

bra (N.)

bras

arm

Portuguese

exquisite (Adj.)

esquisito(a)

weird/odd

Portuguese

to push (V.)

puxar

to pull

Portuguese

to pretend (V.)

pretender

to intend

Portuguese

tax (N.)

taxa

rate/fee

Portuguese

recipient (N.)

recipiente

container

Portuguese

retired (Adj.)

retirado(a)

withdrawn/removed

Italian

licensed (Adj.)

licenziato(a)

fired/dismissed

Italian

autistic (person) (N.)

autista

driver

Italian

educated (Adj.)

educato(a)

polite/kind

Italian

magazine (N.)

magazzino

warehouse

Italian

to annoy (V.)

annoiare

to bore

Italian

to confront (V.)

confrontare

to compare

Italian

gross (Adj.)

grosso(a)

large/huge

Italian

morbid (Adj.)

morbido(a)

soft

Italian

camera (N.)

camera

room

Cover image via Pinterest



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