You’ve been studying Spanish for some time and you’ve definitely come across what we call ‘false friends’.

These are tricky words that lead us to think about a meaning in Spanish that is similar to English but that’s not the case.

Check out some examples, the first word is in Spanish with the translation in English, then you’ll have the English false friend with its Spanish translation.

Barraca – hut, cabin
Barracks – cuartel

Bizarro – gallant, generous
Bizarre – extraño, estrafalario

Carpeta – file, folder
Carpet – alfombra, moqueta

Castigar – to punish
To castigate – censurar, criticar

Casualmente – fortuitously, accidentally
Casually – despreocupadamente, informalmente

Caución – bail
Caution – cautela, prudencia

Cava – wine cellar, sparkling wine
Cave – cueva, caverna

Collar – necklace
Collar – cuello (ropa)

Compás – beat, rhythm
Compass – brújula

Conductor – driver
Conductor – director de orquesta, revisor/cobrador (transporte)

Congelar – to freeze
To congeal – coagular

Corpulento – tall, strong
Corpulent – gordo

(estar) constipado – to have a cold
(to be) constipated – estar estreñido

Contestar – to answer
To contest – negar, poner en tela de juicio

Decepción – disappointment
Deception – engaño

Desgracia – misfortune
Disgrace – vergüenza, escándalo, deshonra

Desmayo – fainting fit
Dismay – consternación

Destitución – dismissal
Destitution – indigencia, miseria

Nos vemos prontito.