Have your kids ever said something in Spanish that didn’t mean what they thought it did? Maybe they meant to say one thing, but the word they used meant something completely different. Oops!
It happens all the time, especially with false friends (words in two languages that look or sound alike but have totally different meanings). These tricky pairs can lead to funny, awkward, or even confusing situations.
Don’t worry, it’s completely normal! Even adults mix up false friends in Spanish and English. The good news is, with some practice and fun learning activities, your kids can learn to recognize and use them correctly.
Let’s take a look at what false friends are and explore 15 of the most common examples between English and Spanish.
What Are False Friends?
Also called false cognates, false friends are words that look or sound similar in two languages but have different meanings.
For example: Embarrassed (English) and embarazada (Spanish) don’t mean the same thing.
“Embarazada” actually means pregnant—not embarrassed! Imagine the mix-up if your child said, “I’m embarazada!” when they meant “I’m embarrassed.”
In Spanish, false friends are known as falsos amigos or falsos cognados. Let’s explore more examples!
15 False Friends in Spanish and English
1. Large – Largo
- In Spanish, “large” = grande
- In English, “largo” = long
Examples:
- ¡Ese carro es tan grande que puede caber toda mi familia! (That car is so large it can fit my whole family!)
- Ese vestido es muy largo. (That dress is very long.)
- Mi armario es muy grande, así que mis faldas largas caben perfectamente. (My wardrobe is very large, so my long skirts fit perfectly!)
2. Embarrassed – Embarazada
- In Spanish, “embarrassed” = avergonzado/a
- In English, “embarazada” = pregnant
Examples:
- Juan se cayó durante la presentación y se sintió muy avergonzado. (Juan fell during the presentation and felt very embarrassed.)
- Guess what? My mom is pregnant! (¿Adivina qué? ¡Mi mamá está embarazada!)
- No dejes que nadie te haga sentir avergonzada de estar embarazada. (Don’t let anyone make you feel embarrassed about being pregnant.)
3. Library – Librería
- In Spanish, “library” = biblioteca
- In English, “librería” = bookstore
Examples:
- ¡Mi abuelito tiene una enorme biblioteca en su casa! (My grandpa has a huge library at home!)
- Mi tía trabaja en una librería vendiendo novelas. (My aunt works in a bookstore selling novels.)
- La librería cerca de mi casa dona libros a la biblioteca nacional. (The bookstore near my house donates books to the national library.)
4. Dessert – Desierto
- In Spanish, “dessert” = postre
- In English, “desierto” = desert
Examples:
- Mi postre favorito es el pastel de chocolate. (My favorite dessert is chocolate cake.)
- Me da miedo el desierto. (I’m scared of the desert.)
- En el desierto no hay ni un postre. (There is not one dessert in the desert.)
5. Grape – Grapa
- In Spanish, “grape” = uva
- In English, “grapa” = staple
Examples:
- ¡Esta uva está podrida! (This grape is rotten!)
- ¡Ouch! Me encajé una grapa en el dedo. (Ouch! I stuck a staple in my finger.)
- Ten cuidado, la bolsa de uvas está cerrada con grapas. (Be careful, the bag of grapes is closed with staples.)
6. Rope – Ropa
- In Spanish, “rope” = soga or cuerda
- In English, “ropa” = clothes
Examples:
- Rescatamos un perrito usando una cuerda. (We rescued a puppy using a rope.)
- Vamos a donar ropa. (We’re going to donate clothes.)
- Colgamos la ropa en una cuerda para que se secara. (We hung the clothes on a rope to dry.)
7. Carpet – Carpeta
- In Spanish, “carpet” = alfombra
- In English, “carpeta” = folder
Examples:
- ¡Mi perro ensució la alfombra! (My dog made a mess on the carpet.)
- Mi mamá guarda mis dibujos en una carpeta. (My mom keeps my drawings in a folder.)
- Dejé la carpeta en la alfombra. (I left the folder on the carpet.)
8. Date – Dato
- In Spanish, “date” = fecha (calendar) or cita (meeting)
- In English, “dato” = fact
Examples:
- ¿En qué fecha estamos? (What date is it?)
- ¿Quieres ir a una cita conmigo? (Do you want to go on a date with me?)
- Aquí hay un dato curioso sobre perros. (Here’s a fun fact about dogs.)
- Le dejo los datos de mi gato para su cita con el veterinario. (I’m leaving my cat’s info for his vet appointment.)
9. Soap – Sopa
- In Spanish, “soap” = jabón
- In English, “sopa” = soup
Examples:
- ¡Este jabón huele delicioso! (This soap smells delicious!)
- ¡Mi abuelita hace la mejor sopa del mundo! (My grandma makes the best soup in the world!)
- ¿Te imaginas un jabón con olor a sopa? (Can you imagine a soap that smells like soup?)
10. Contest – Contestar
- In Spanish, “contest” = concurso
- In English, “contestar” = to answer
Examples:
- Mi hermana va a un concurso de deletreo. (My sister is going to a spelling contest.)
- No supe qué contestar en el examen. (I didn’t know what to answer on the test.)
- Si contestas mal en el concurso, pierdes. (If you answer wrong in the contest, you lose.)
11. Table – Tabla
- In Spanish, “table” = mesa
- In English, “tabla” = board
Examples:
- Dejé tu comida en la mesa. (I left your food on the table.)
- Esa tabla es de madera. (That board is made of wood.)
- Usa una tabla como mesa. (He uses a board as a table.)
12. Mode – Moda
- In Spanish, “mode” = modo
- In English, “moda” = fashion
Examples:
- ¿Prefieres modo oscuro o claro? (Do you prefer dark mode or light mode?)
- Quiero ser diseñadora de modas. (I want to be a fashion designer.)
- Hay un videojuego de moda con modo multijugador. (There’s a new fashion game in multiplayer mode.)
13. Jam – Jamón
- In Spanish, “jam” = mermelada
- In English, “jamón” = ham
Examples:
- Amo la mermelada. (I love jam.)
- ¿Me das un sándwich de jamón? (Can I have a ham sandwich?)
- Amo el jamón con mermelada. (I love ham with jam!)
14. Grocery – Grosería
- In Spanish, “grocery” = comestibles
- In English, “grosería” = rudeness or swear word
Examples:
- Voy a la tienda de comestibles. (I’m going to the grocery store.)
- Lo que hiciste fue una grosería. (What you did was rude.)
- No digas groserías en la tienda de comestibles. (Don’t say bad words at the grocery store.)
15. Record – Recordar
- In Spanish, “record” = grabar or disco
- In English, “recordar” = to remember
Examples:
- Van a grabar su tercer álbum. (They’re going to record their third album.)
- Los discos de papá suenan geniales. (Dad’s records sound great.)
- ¡Acabo de recordar mi tarea! (I just remembered my homework!)
How to Practice False Friends with Your Kids
Learning false cognates can be fun! Here are some interactive ways to help your kids master them:
1. Fun Flashcards
Use colorful flashcards to quiz your kids. Show one in English and ask for its meaning, then show the Spanish false cognate and have them explain it. Add stickers and rewards for extra motivation!
2. Create a Story
Tell a story that uses several false friends so kids can learn them in context. For advanced learners, challenge them to write or tell their own story using the new words.
3. Memory Card Game
Make a memory game! Write each word on one card and its correct meaning (with a picture) on another. Whoever matches the most pairs wins.
Help Your Kids Master Spanish with TruFluency Kids
Want your kids to speak Spanish confidently and avoid confusion with false friends? At TruFluency Kids, we offer fun, online Spanish immersion classes with native-speaking teachers.
Through songs, games, arts & crafts, cooking, and storytelling—all in Spanish—your child will naturally acquire the language. Our Bellieu Method encourages speaking in every class to build true fluency.
Sign up for our next 4-week session and watch your kids thrive in Spanish—no more confusion between soap and sopa!
