If you are an English speaker, and are trying to speak Spanish or Portugese or Francaise, you would be tempted by cognates which mean the same in either language and may even sound the same (not much in French) but there are false cognates or false friends.
Today I had to write to a friend. to include the word OBSTINATE.. It was so tempting to use OBSTINADO but of course, English being so rich in description, it demands that you translate the correct context as well.
If you meant Tenacious then it is tenaz in Spanish, if you meant pigheaded, then Terco in Spanish and stubborn is Obstinado
from Living Language
Today I had to write to a friend. to include the word OBSTINATE.. It was so tempting to use OBSTINADO but of course, English being so rich in description, it demands that you translate the correct context as well.
If you meant Tenacious then it is tenaz in Spanish, if you meant pigheaded, then Terco in Spanish and stubborn is Obstinado
adjective
obstinado
stubborn, obstinate, dogged, obdurate, refractory, bullheaded
terco
stubborn, obstinate, opinionated, pigheaded, dogged, mulish
tenaz
tenacious, stubborn, obstinate, sturdy, steadfast
I put together the following, copied from Thought and Co, not as an original blog but to remind myself to read occasionally to remind myself of Falsos Amigos.
Cognates in Spanish to English
Spanish and English have literally thousands of cognates, words that are basically the same in both languages, having the same etymology and similar meanings. But combinations such as decepción and "deception" are so-called false cognates — known more precisely as "false friends" or falsos amigos — word pairs that look like they might mean the same thing but don't. They can be confusing, and if you make the mistake of using them in speech or writing you're likely to be misunderstood.
Following is a list of some of the most common false friends — some of the ones you're mostly likely to come across when reading or listening to Spanish:
- Actual: This adjective (or its corresponding adverb, actualmente) indicates that something is current, at the present time. Thus the day's hot topic might be referred to as un tema actual. If you wish to say something is actual (as opposed to imaginary), use real (which also can mean "royal") or verdadero.
- Asistir: Means to attend or to be present. Asisto a la oficina cada día, I go to the office daily. To say "to assist," use ayudar, to help.
- Atender: Means to serve or to take care of, to attend to. If you're talking about attending a meeting or a class, use asistir.
- Basamento: You won't run across this word often, but it's the base of a column, sometimes called a plinth. If you want to visit a basement, go down to el sótano.
- Billón: 1,000,000,000,000. That number is the same as a trillion in American English but a billion in traditional British English. (Modern British English conforms with U.S. English, however.)
- Bizarro: Somebody's who's this way is brave, not necessarily strange. The English word "bizarre" is conveyed better by extraño or estrafalario.
- Boda: If you go to a wedding or wedding reception, this is what you're going to. A body (as of a person or animal) is most often cuerpo or tronco.
- Campo: Means a field or the country (in the sense of living in the country, not the city). If you're going camping, you'll probably be staying at a campamento or even a camping.
- Carpeta: Although this can refer to a type of table cover, it doesn't have anything to do with carpets. It most often means a file folder (including the virtual kind) or a briefcase. "Carpet" is most often alfombra.
- Complexión: This refers not to your skin, but to one's physiological build (a well-built man is un hombre de complexión fuerte). To speak of skin complexion, use tez or cutis.
- Compromiso: Meaning a promise, obligation, or commitment, it does not usually convey the sense that one has given up something to reach an agreement. There is no good noun equivalent of "compromise" that would be understood that way out of context, although the verb transigir conveys the sense of giving in to, yielding to, or tolerating another person.
- Constiparse, constipación: In verb form, it means to catch a cold, while una constipación is one of the words that means a cold. Someone who is constipated is estreñido.
- Contestar: It's a very common verb meaning to answer. To contest something, use contender.
- Corresponder: Yes, it does mean to correspond, but only in the sense of to match. If you're talking about corresponding with someone, use a form of escribir con or mantener correspondencia.
- Decepción, decepcionar: Means disappointment or to disappoint. To deceive someone is to engañar a alguién. Something deceptive is engañoso.
- Delito: There's seldom much delightful about a crime. (Delito usually refers to a minor crime, as contrasted with a serious crime or crimen.) The feeling of delight can be a deleite, while the object that causes it an encanto or delicia (note that the latter word often has a sexual connotation).
- Desgracia: In Spanish, this is little more than a mistake or misfortune. Something shameful is una vergüenza or una deshonra.
- Despertar: This verb is usually used in the reflexive form, meaning to wake up (me despierto a las siete, I wake up at seven). If you're desperate, there's a true cognate you can use: desesperado.
- Destituido: Someone who has been removed from office is destituido. Someone without money is indigente or desamparado.
- Disgusto: Derived from the prefix dis- (meaning "not") and the root word gusto (meaning "pleasure"), this word refers simply to displeasure or misfortune. If you need to use a much stronger term akin to "disgust," use asco or repugnancia.
- Embarazada: It might be embarrassing to be pregnant, but it isn't necessarily. Someone who feels embarrassed tiene vergüenza or se siente avergonzado.
- Emocionante: Used to decribe something that's thrilling or emotionally moving. To say "emotional," the cognate emocional will often do fine.
- En absoluto: This phrase means the opposite of what you think it might, meaning not at all or absolutely not. To say "absolutely," use the cognate totalmente or completamente.
- Éxito: It's a hit or a success. If you're looking for the way out, look for una salida.
- Fábrica: That's a place where they fabricate items, namely a factory. Words for "cloth" include tejido and tela.
- Fútbol: Unless in a context that indicates otherwise, this means soccer. If you want to refer to the popular U.S. spectator sport, use fútbol americano.
- Fútil: This refers to something trivial or insignificant. If your efforts are futile, use ineficaz, vano or inútil.
- Insulación: This isn't even a word in Spanish (although you may hear it in Spanglish). If you want to say "insulation," use aislamiento.
- Ganga: It's a bargain. Although ganga may be heard in Spanglish as a word for "gang," the usual word is pandilla.
- Inconsecuente: This adjective refers to something that is contradictory. Something inconsequential is (among other possibilities) de poca importancia.
- Introducir: This isn't truly a false cognate, for it can be translated as, among other things, to introduce in the sense of to bring in, to begin, to put, or to place. For example, se introdujo la ley en 1998, the law was introduced (put in effect) in 1998. But it's not the verb to use to introduce someone. Use presentar.
- Largo: When referring to size, it means long. If it's big, it's also grande.
- Minorista: Means retail (adjective) or retailer. A "minority" is una minoría.
- Molestar: The verb doesn't usually have sexual connotations in Spanish, and it didn't originally in English either. It means simply to bother or to annoy. For the sexual meaning of "to molest" in English, use abusar sexualmente or some phrase that says more precisely what you mean.
- Once: If you can count past 10, you know that once is the word for eleven. If something happens once, it happens una vez.
- Pretender: The Spanish verb doesn't have anything to do with faking it, only to try. To pretend, use fingir or simular.
- Rapista: This is an uncommon word for a barber (peluquero or even the cognate barbero is more common), being derived from the verb rapar, to cut close or to shave. Someone who attacks sexually is a violador.
- Realizar, realizacón: Realizar can be used reflexively to indicate something becoming real or becoming completed: Se realizó el rascacielos, the skyscraper was built. To realize as a mental event can be translated using darse cuenta ("to realize"), comprender ("to understand") or saber ("to know"), among other possibilities, depending on the context.
- Recordar: Means to remember or to remind. The verb to use when recording something depends on what you're recording. Possibilities include anotar or tomar nota for writing something down, or grabar for making an audio or video recording.
- Revolver: As its form suggests, this is a verb, in this case meaning to turn over, to revolve, or otherwise to cause disorder. The Spanish word for "revolver" is close, however: revólver.
- Ropa: Clothing, not rope. Rope is cuerda or soga.
- Sano: Usually means healthy. Someone who is sane is en su juicio or "in his right mind."
- Sensible: Usually means sensitive or capable of feeling. A sensible person or idea can be referred to as sensato or razonable.
- Sensiblemente: Usually means "perceptibly" or "appreciably," sometimes "painfully." A good synonym for "sensibly" is sesudamente.
- Sopa: Soup, not soap. Soap is jabón.
- Suceso: Merely an event or happening, sometimes a crime. A success is un éxito.
- Tuna: Order this at a desert restaurant and you'll get edible cactus. A tuna is also a college musical glee club. The fish is atún.
Erichsen, Gerald. "False Friends in Spanish and English." ThoughtCo, Feb. 11, 2020, thoughtco.com/obvious-but-wrong-false-friends-3078344.
Common False Cognates in French and English
Actuellement means "at the present time" and should be translated as currently or right now:
- Je travaille actuellement - I am currently working
A related word is actuel, which means present or current:
- le problème actuel - the current/present problem
Actually means "in fact" and should be translated as en fait or à vrai dire.
- Actually, I don't know him - En fait, je ne le connais pas
Actual means real or true, and depending on the context can be translated as réel, véritable, positif, or concret:
- The actual value - la valeur réelle
Assister vs Assist
Assister à nearly always means to attend something:
- J'ai assisté à la conférence - I attended (went to) the conference
To assist means to help or aid someone or something:
- I assisted the woman into the building - J'ai aidé la dame à entrer dans l'immeuble
Attendre vs Attend
Attendre à means to wait for:
- Nous avons attendu pendant deux heures - We waited for two hours.
To attend is translated by assister (see above):
- I attended the conference - J'ai assisté à la conférence
Avertissement vs Advertisement
Un avertissement is a warning or caution, from the verb avertir - to warn. An advertisement is une publicité, une réclame, or un spot publicitaire.
Blesser vs Bless
Blesser means to wound, injure, or offend, while to bless means bénir.
Bras vs Bras
Le bras refers to an arm; bras in English is the plural of bra - un soutien-gorge.
Caractère vs Character
Caractère refers only to the character or temperament of a person or thing:
- Cette maison a du caractère - This house has character.
Character can mean both nature/temperament as well as a person in a play:
- Education develops character - L'éducation développe le caractère
- Romeo is a famous character - Romeo est un personnage célebre
Cent vs Cent
Cent is the French word for a hundred, while cent in English can be figuratively translated by un sou. Literally, it is one-hundredth of a dollar.
Chair vs Chair
La chair means flesh. A chair can refer to une chaise, un fauteuil (armchair), or un siège (seat).
Chance vs Chance
La chance means luck, while chance in English refers to un hasard, une possibilité, or une occasion. To say "I didn't have a chance to..." see Occasion vs Occasion, below.
Christian vs Christian
Christian is a masculine French name while Christian in English can be an adjective or a noun: (un) chrétien.
Coin vs Coin
Le coin refers to a corner in every sense of the English word. It can also be used figuratively to mean from the area:
- l'épicier du coin - the local grocer
- Vous êtes du coin ? - Are you from around here?
A coin is a piece of metal used as money - une pièce de monnaie.
Collège vs College
Le collège and le lycée both refer to high school:
- Mon collège a 1 000 élèves - My high school has 1,000 students
College is translated by université:
- This college's tuition is very expensive - Les frais de scolarité à cette université sont très élevés.
Commander vs Command
Commander is a semi-false cognate. It means to make an order (command) as well as to order (request) a meal or goods/services. Une commande is translated by order in English.
Command can be translated by commander, ordonner, or exiger. It is also a noun: un ordre or un commandement.
Con vs Con
Con is a vulgar word that literally refers to female genitalia. It usually means an idiot, or is used as an adjective in the sense of bloody or damned.
Con can be a noun - la frime, une escroquerie, or a verb - duper, escroquer.
- Pros and cons - le pour et le contre
Crayon vs Crayon
Un crayon is a pencil, while a crayon is as un crayon de couleur. The French language uses this expression for both crayon and colored pencil.
Déception vs Deception
Une déception is a disappointment or let-down, while a deception is une tromperie or duperie.
Demander vs Demand
Demander means to ask for:
- Il m'a demandé de chercher son pull - He asked me to look for his sweater
Note that the French noun une demande does correspond to the English noun demand. To demand is usually translated by exiger:
- He demanded that I look for his sweater - Il a exigé que je cherche son pull
Déranger vs Derange
Déranger can mean to derange (the mind), as well as to bother, disturb, or disrupt.
- Excusez-moi de vous déranger... - I'm sorry for bothering you....
To derange is used only when talking about mental health (usually as an adjective: deranged = dérangé).
Douche vs Douche
Une douche is a shower, while douche in English refers to a method of cleaning a body cavity with air or water: lavage interne.
Entrée vs Entrée
Une entrée is an hors-d'oeuvre or appetizer, while an entrée refers to the main course of a meal: le plat principal.
Envie vs Envy
Avoir envie de means to want or to feel like something:
- Je n'ai pas envie de travailler - I don't want to work / I don't feel like working
The verb envier, however, does mean to envy.
Envy means to be jealous or desirous of something belonging to another. The French verb is envier:
- I envy John's courage - J'envie le courage à Jean
Éventuellement vs Eventually
Éventuellement means possibly, if need be, or even:
- Vous pouvez éventuellement prendre ma voiture - You can even take my car / You can take my car if need be.
Eventually indicates that an action will occur at a later time; it can be translated by finalement, à la longue, or tôt ou tard:
- I will eventually do it - Je le ferai finalement / tôt ou tard
Expérience vs Experience
Expérience is a semi-false cognate, because it means both experience and experiment:
- J'ai fait une expérience - I did an experiment
- J'ai eu une expérience intéressante - I had an interesting experience
Experience can be a noun or verb refering to something that happened. Only the noun translates into expérience:
- Experience shows that ... - L'expérience démontre que...
- He experienced some difficulties - Il a rencontré des difficultés
Finalement vs Finally
Finalement means eventually or in the end, while finally is enfin or en dernier lieu.
Football vs Football
Le football, or le foot, refers to soccer (in American English). In the US, football = le football américain.
Formidable vs Formidable
Formidable is an interesting word because it means great or terrific; almost the opposite of the English.
- Ce film est formidable ! - This is a great movie!
Formidable in English means dreadful or fearsome:
- The opposition is formidable - L'opposition est redoutable/effrayante
Gentil vs Gentle
Gentil usually means nice or kind:
- Il a un gentil mot pour chacun - He has a kind word for everyone
It can also mean good, as in:
- il a été gentil - he was a good boy
Gentle can also mean kind but in the more physical sense of soft or not rough. It can be translated by doux, aimable, modéré, or léger:
- He is gentle with his hands - Il a la main douce
- A gentle breeze - une brise légère
Gratuité vs Gratuity
Gratuité refers to anything that is given for free:
- la gratuité de l'éducation - free education
while a gratuity is un pourboire or une gratification.
Gros vs Gross
Gros means big, fat, heavy, or serious:
- un gros problème - a big/serious problem
Gross means grossier, fruste, or (informally) dégueullasse.
Ignorer vs Ignore
Ignorer is a semi-false cognate. It nearly always means to be ignorant or unaware of something:
- j'ignore tout de cette affaire - I know nothing about this business
To ignore means to deliberately not pay attention to someone or something. The usual translations are ne tenir aucun compte de, ne pas relever, and ne pas prêter attention à.
Librairie vs Library
Une librairie refers to a bookstore, while library in French is une bibliothèque.
Monnaie vs Money
La monnaie can refer to currency, coin(age), or change, and money is the general term for argent.
Napkin vs Napkin
Occasion vs Occasion
Occasion refers to a(n) occasion, circumstance, opportunity, or second-hand purchase.
- Une chemise d'occasion - a second-hand or used shirt.
Avoir l'occasion de means to have a/the chance to:
- Je n'avais pas l'occasion de lui parler - I didn't have a chance to talk to him.
An occasion is une occasion, un événement, or un motif.
Opportunité vs Opportunity
Opportunité refers to timeliness or appropriateness:
- Nous discutons de l'opportunité d'aller à la plage - We're discussing the appropriateness of going to the beach (under the circumstances).
Opportunity leans toward favorable circumstances for a particular action or event and is translated by une occasion:
- It's an opportunity to improve your French - C'est une occasion de te perfectionner en français.
Parti/Partie vs Party
Un parti can refer to several different things: a political party, an option or course of action (prendre un parti - to make a decision), or a match (i.e., He's a good match for you). It is also the past participle of partir (to leave).
Une partie can mean a part (e.g., une partie du film - a part of the film), a field or subject, a game (e.g., une partie de cartes - a game of cards), or a party in a trial.
A party usually refers to une fête, soirée, or réception; un correspondant (on the phone), or un groupe/une équipe.
Pièce vs Piece
Une pièce is a semi-false cognate. It means piece only in the sense of broken pieces. Otherwise, it indicates a room, sheet of paper, coin, or play.
Piece is a part of something - un morceau or une tranche.
Professeur vs Professor
Un professeur refers to a high school, college, or university teacher or instructor, while a professor is un professeur titulaire d'une chaire.
Publicité vs Publicity
Publicité is a semi-false cognate. In addition to publicity, une publicité can mean advertising in general, as well as a commercial or advertisement. Publicity is translated by de la publicité.
Quitter vs Quit
Quitter is a semi-false cognate: it means both to leave and to quit (i.e., leave something for good). When quit means to leave something for good, it is translated by quitter. When it means to quit (stop) doing something, it is translated by arrêter de:
- I need to quit smoking - Je dois arrêter de fumer.
Raisin vs Raisin
Un raisin is a grape; a raisin is un raisin sec.
Rater vs Rate
Rater means to misfire, miss, mess up, or fail, while rate is the noun proportion or taux or the verb évaluer or considérer.
Réaliser vs Realize
Réaliser means to fulfill (a dream or aspiration) or achieve. To realize means se rendre compte de, prendre conscience de, or comprendre.
Rester vs Rest
Rester is a semi-false cognate. It usually means to stay or remain:
- Je suis restée à la maison - I stayed at the house
When it is used idiomatically, it is translated by rest:
- He refused to let the matter rest - Il refusait d'en rester là
The verb to rest in the sense of getting some rest is translated by se reposer:
- Elle ne se repose jamais - She never rests
Réunion vs Reunion
Une réunion can mean collection, gathering, raising (of money), or reunion. A reunion is une réunion, but note that it usually refers to a meeting of a group that has been separated for an extended period of time (e.g., class reunion, family reunion).
Robe vs Robe
Une robe is a dress, frock, or gown, while a robe is un peignoir.
Sale vs Sale
Sale is an adjective - dirty. Saler means to salt. A sale is une vente or un solde.
Sympathique vs Sympathetic
Sympathique (often shortened to sympa) means nice, likeable, friendly, kindly. Sympathetic can be translated by compatissant or de sympathie.
Type vs Type
Un type is informal for a guy or bloke. In the normal register, it can mean type, kind, or epitome.
- Quel type de moto ? - What kind of motorbike?
- Le type de l'égoïsme - The epitome of selfishness.
Type means un type, un genre, une espèce, une sorte, une marque, etc.
Unique vs Unique
The French word unique means only when it precedes a noun (unique fille - only girl) and unique or one of a kind when it follows. In English, unique means unique, inimitable, or exceptionnel.
Zone vs Zone
Une zone usually means a zone or an area, but it can also refer to a slum. A zone is une zone.
ThoughtCo. "French English False Cognates - Faux Amis." ThoughtCo, Feb. 11, 2020, thoughtco.com/french-english-false-cognates-faux-amis-1364675.
Here’s a list of some commons false friends in English and Portuguese.
| English | Portuguese | Meaning in Portuguese | English False Friend in Portuguese |
| amass | amassar | to crush | amass = acumular |
| application | aplicação | financial investment | application = aplicativo |
| assist | assistir | to watch | to assist = ajudar |
| assume | assumir | to take over | to assume = presumir |
| balcony | balcão | counter (in a bar) | balcony = terraço |
| collar | colar | necklace, to glue | collar = gola, colarinho |
| dent | dente | tooth | dent = amassado, batida |
| editor | editor | publisher | editor = redator |
| fabric | fábrica | factory | fabric = tecido |
| grip | gripe | the flu | to grip = agarrar |
| injury | injúria | insult | injury = ferida |
| jar | jarra | jug | jar = pote |
| library | livraria | bookshop | library = biblioteca |
| notice | notícia | news | to notice = perceber |
| parents | parentes | relatives | parents = pais |
| pasta | pasta | folder | pasta = massa, macarrão |
| pretend | pretender | to intend | pretend = fingir |
| pull | pular | to jump | pull = puxar |
| push | puxar | to pull | push = empurrar |
| support | suportar | to withstand | support = apoiar |
| tax | taxa | fee | tax = imposto |
